Poet's Return - The Poetry Podcast

Behind the Scenes topics: SPORTS HISTORY including the LAKERS/CELTICS RIVALRY, and the relationship between the LA DODGERS and the CHAVEZ RAVINE. CURRENT EVENTS such as ICE, and the SPANISH US NATIONAL ANTHEM

Billy Idol and the punk rock crowd knows hip hop better than most.

As tangential and informed as ever, (Ron being the latter and Mel being the former,) we are back! Yes, it has been almost TWO YEARS since we were last together in the studio and yes, a LOT has happened, but more than that, we are grateful that you are persevering with us through this wild world. Although we share about some of the artistic hardships we’ve encountered over the last couple of years, there is also plenty of good news.Ron shares about booking his first National Commercial with NBA and Google (no big deal.) He talks about the work he’s put in over the years and how it pays off on set when the director is confident enough in your skills to let you improvise for ten minutes (most of his improv ended up in final takes!) He also shares about his upcoming albums and projects in the musical arena, before rapping three pieces for us as Philasifer.“Aquarian” at minute 34:18“Fog of War” at minute 39:21Finally, he closes the episode out with “Wander” at minute 52:21Mel shares about writing and producing her first immersive show last spring and working on a novel about mental illness and personality disorders (something she knows NOTHING about we’re sure.) She shares a short essay “Nothing Just is” at minute 45:00. We also discuss world matters, matters of sport, matters of punk rock, a dash of local history, and of course, matters of art and passion. As always, we appreciate you being on this journey with us and we look forward to having some new and old artists in the studio with us again very soon. Stay tuned for bonus footage and behind the scenes bits released soon! Credit for all beats in this episode go to Evolve One @evolve_one_Beats include: opening and closing WanderBackground beats include: Noji-Exhale Home Grown-out of officeHazue-Bloom Swiftly-happy place Thymes-Free as a Bird Noji, On my Way Midnight Hour-Wanderlust Shoutout to Bridget Hanson Tirrell (guest from season one-many lifetimes ago) and her first published book of original poetry, “Posies, Pins, and Other Pragmatics.” Check it out on amazon here athttps://www.amazon.com/Posies-Pins-Other-Pragmatics-Original/dp/B0DFZW9F84/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M38KOEB2WZBU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LRmnq5OHUfEYQ8VhQ34-cA.wICkeRJzN-TETFAlAfewQlxgNXPA8Idthnl85F_OlAU&dib_tag=se&keywords=bridget+tirrell&qid=1752288263&sprefix=bridget+tirrel%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1You can find Bridget’s literary profile here at @bridgets_literary_gardenDon’t forget, my friends, now more than ever we must use our words well. 

"Nicole Gabriella Scipione breaks hearts." Or at least, that's what her cat Langston Brindle Anunciación, claims. As well as Stage Raw of Nicole in Lucas Hnath's Obie Award winning The Christians. Nicole is an actor/writer/filmmaker living in Los Angeles, but born the middle child in a gaggle of 5 children to her minister Father George, & educator/counselor Mother Eileen on a manse in New Jersey. She's played memorable roles in regional theatre including Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize winner Disgraced at PlayMakers Repertory Company, Jenny in The Tony award nominated Lucas Hnath's The Christians at Actors Co-op (Stage Scene LA Winner, Outstanding Performance by A Featured Actress in a Drama), Ruth Bader GetsIt in For The Love Of (or the roller derby play) at The Kirk Douglas Theatre, Abigail in The Crucible (Stage Scene LA Winner, tied with Alicia Silverstone in Time Stands Still for Best Performance by a Featured Actress, Drama), & with comedic luminaries Culture Clash in AmeriCCa at South Coast Repertory, & Seema Sueko at The Pasadena Playhouse. Nicole also wrote, produced, & stars in her short films Song in a Convenience Store (3rd Place, Oscar-qualifying Athens International Film Fest) & Play Me Like That. On today’s episode, Nicole performs the following pieces: THE DICTIONARY GAME (26:27) STAINS IN MY CARPET (47:40) MY AUDACITY INVITES MY TENDERNESS ON A HIKE ON RUNYAN CANYON THE HARD WAY (59:06) Original Music by PHILASIFER and editing by RJ WAYNE @philasocial

Spoken word poet Caleb Miller White flew onto our radar at Theatre of Note's 2022 poetry slam, where he was a semi-finalist. Beyond impressed with his pieces and performance, we invited him as a featured poet in Towne Street's Theatre Sum Poetry at Stella Adler last July. Caleb is a writer, actor, and producer based in Los Angeles, CA and originally from Texas. His love of spoken word began in 2016 during a 5-year stint in New York City studying sketch writing and comedy improv. Since then, Caleb has cultivated a distinct poetic style, one he describes as "incorporating punchy rap, clever comedy, and intimate vulnerability to amplify his unique perspective and voice." @calebmillerwhite Pieces Caleb performs : Argumentative (18:56) P.K. (28:11) Daddy/Puppy (38:33) Poet's Return Exclusive! First time performing this piece live :) Music featured today: Pontorose in July by Gramatik hosts @philasocial Ron Johnson and @capnbooey Melissa Booey Sum Poetry footage can be found @townestreettheatre Ron and Melissa are published writers themselves. You can find Ron's book The Milkcrate Monologues available online and Melissa's book of poetry BIRDBRAIN will be out this summer

Amberlee Clark was born in Dallas, Texas and has been performing since she was four years old. When she was in 3rd grade, she was cast in a school production of Into the Woods Jr. Though it was a very small part, that little taste of the stage was all she needed to know she wanted to be an actor. She has been pursuing that dream ever since. However, also at a young age, Amberlee discovered she had a natural gift for writing as well. For fun, she would write poetry, short stories, and one-act plays, but her focus was still always on acting. It wasn't until her senior year of high school under the tutelage of Jason Carney and the Young DFW Writers program that she finally developed her voice as a poet. These days Amberlee considers herself as storyteller. Not simply an actor or performer. She created Theatre of NOTE's poetry Slam (NOTE Slam), where she is making connections with poets all over Los Angeles. @suddenlysherlock @theatreofnote Pieces Amberlee performs today:  Grown Up Birthday: (at 18:05) Summer Love: (24:43)  Ode to Paperback Novels: (30:41)  The Eating House: (38:19) Hosted by Ron Johnson @philsasifer and Melissa Booey @capnbooey and you can find us @poetsreturn on Instagram and Facebook  Original music by Philasifer 

Robert LaMarr Randle is a S.A.G. Actor, Musician, and Licensed Master Barber Hairstylist- an Artist on many levels! Today, we dive into his love of expressing himself through Spoken Word Poetry. A devoted husband and father, as well as a strong believer in God, Robert is an advocate for sharing lessons learned from real life experiences in order to help others. Poems performed today:  BLOOD-LINE- about slavery and its existence today (minutes 23:54-29:10) HISTORY-  follows the very human journey of not only one man of color, but many (minutes 42:57-46:34)  Robert is publishing an autobiography titled "Break me to Make me."  His son LJ joined us for this episode and is also a working actor on Abbott Elementary!  Stand out moments from the studio: "My story's already been written...I'm just catching up with it."   "Sometimes you gotta break something down to build something up...."  Robert LaMarr's instagram: @lamarr_randlecuts

Yes we are BACK! Even more than being excited to be in a real studio together, we are glad to reunite in the city of angels after a summer spent on our own adventures, coming back together to create some poetic content for this community! It has been a chaotic three years and we're happy to reexamine our journeys as artists, professionals, and of course, as poets. Ron recounts his summer of traveling productions, and Booey recounts her summer of teaching artistry and writing.  Ron: “I am out here with people who don’t have my back. I am out here with people that are out here for themselves…that are not versed in this art but they’re out here doing it because they’re taking opportunities and advantages because we’re just coming back from COVID.” “It went far beyond the artist’s capacity to create in the face of no agreement, and went into a place that was a lot more dark…and had a lot more to do with political posturing than about making theatre.” Ron discusses the "pre-amateur" level, and good companies desperate to hire. Amidst it all, there is still hope, perseverance and compassion among fellow actors and artists, and the collaborative nature of the art form continues to keep it alive despite skewed priorities.  Melissa Booey discusses her time spent with teenagers during a grant funded conservatory arts program. Seeing the bravery in her students inspires the artist and the advocate in her: "We are all afraid. If Theatre does anything it teaches you how to articulate that fear, how to face that fear and even embrace that fear, so you can use it instead of letting it use you." Regarding both Theatre and the culture of Hip Hop specifically: "Once you see behind the curtain, you become a custodian of the culture."  *Linda Ravenswood de Montano is the name of the poet and writer who translated "The Story of the Cactus" originally told in Nahuatl.  *Poetry performed by Melissa Booey from her soon to be published book, "The Calamitous Chronicle of Mr. Livingston and Tiger Lily." Poem featured is titled "BLOODSTONE." 

Poem titled: “Falling in Love in the Big Apple.”

“Fear is a rusty knife and do not let her into your house.” - John Cheever