Feature at Lyric Ave.

5/15/09
Richmond, VA


The Big Byrd Theatre

Lorna dropped me off at the Byrd Theatre and said good luck. The Byrd is an old fashioned theatre with a box office and a marquee reading Lyric Ave, the variety show in which I was a special guest feature. The instant I walked into the lobby, the smell of popcorn assaulted my taste buds and I tried not to look at the Milkduds staring at me from their glass prison—my movie theatre weakness.

It’s been at least 6 years since I’d been back down this way—VA, my old stomping ground. Years ago, when I still lived here, I featured for Lyric Ave; at that time, they were in a restaurant. I remembered the restaurant being long; I dislike long rooms from a performance standpoint. I looked around now at the majestic theatre, at the ushers at each door in their black attire; the winding stairs leading to the mezzanine. Lyric Ave. has certainly moved up—a testament not only to the crew’s dedication to what they bring to their community but also the community’s desire for what they do.

Consisting of comedy, drama, song, dance, and poetry, I had heard Lyric Ave was the largest variety show in the nation but I didn’t believe it until I walked through the doors to the actual theatre, which was huge and packed. It is the size of the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, with a band in the pit. I was stone cold impressed. I welcomed the challenge of holding down a large space filled with people who did not necessarily come for poetry. I was also grateful for the opportunity to expose such a mainstream audience to my craft. After I checked in with the organizer Craig, dressed as a woman for a skit he was about to do, his lip gloss popping harder than mine, I explored the theatre to get a sense of the space, something I always try to do before I perform. After sitting up front for a moment, I walked all the way to the back, then ventured up to the mezzanine, reciting poems in my brain.

The Idea of Intimacy

I have been exploring this idea of intimacy. What is it, exactly? I’ve been talking this through with my friend Kenneth, through our letters. We’ve come to define intimacy as that special place where people meet. People often equate intimacy with sex which is erroneous because there is plenty of sex far from intimate. Same with poetry venues. People assume that just because a venue is small, it is intimate. But how intimate is a small venue really when people are carrying on conversation while poets pour themselves on stage? I have come to find that intimacy is not necessarily about the size of the room, but about the vibe an event creates, dictates. Despite the theatre’s size, I found a curious intimacy in it. The sound was crisp and the audience was receptive, transfixed by what was happening in front of them—whether it be a poem or a skit.

All in all, I had fun on the Lyric Ave stage, its light so blinding the audience could only be felt and heard, not seen. I revisited some oldies but goodies and mixed it in with a couple of newer poems. The 600 person audience listened attentively with pin dropping silence and they responded to me so warmly. Even though the stage was as wide as an avenue, I felt I was in a room amongst friends. Now that’s intimate.

The Response

Later on, I was told I got a standing ovation after I finished my set with good old “Locksmith.” I was backstage so couldn’t witness it for myself. Afterwards, I sold a decent amount of CD’s and chapbooks, which will all contribute to my summer fund. I enjoy connecting with folks after because as a poet, I often feel alone in my craft and it’s good to hear how my work resonates/intersects with people. It’s helpful to hear from other people’s mouths how your work communicates with them. The more specific their comments the more helpful it is. In response to my Glenda poem a few people revealed to me that they have incarcerated loved ones so it strummed a special cord in them, as that poem does in me. Based on some of my lines, one woman suspected me a Buddhist, which I had never gotten before. I guess that’s a step up from years back, in Connecticut, when a woman thought I was into witchcraft based on my lines. Well in that case, I think it said more about her than it did about me!

All in all, big ups to the Lyric Ave crew for putting on a well organized show that seeks to expose people to all different genres of performance art. I commend them for the creativity and love they put into what they do. I left feeling warm inside, and that can only mean it was a good night.