Transcript for the Piece Audio version of The "Purban" poetry pulpit

TRAX:
TAKE 1 NIGHTCLUB IS DARK. COCKTAIL SERVERS PLACE BOWLS OF STRAWBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE ON EACH TABLE. EARLY 30-SOMETHINGS SIT AROUND TABLES OF SIX. THEY LEAN FORWARD AND LAUGH AT A POET BY THE NAME OF RODZILLA.

TRAX: RODZILLA IS RODRICK FREEMAN. HE CALLS HIMSELF A REVOLUTIONARY IN THE TRADITION OF ALL FREEDOM FIGHTERS. HIS EXTENDED STAGE NAME SOUNDS LIKE A MISSION STATEMENT.
ACT: RODZILLA SAYS NAME
IN CUE: Rodzilla, the Blackademic, the hip-hop?.
OUT CUE: ?.set the black people free.

TRAX: HE MAKES HIS LIVING PERFORMING AROUND THE COUNTRY.
ACT: RODZILLA TRAVELING POET
IN CUE: I really feel kin to jazz artists?.
OUT CUE: ?.make the art that much better

TRAX: DECEMBER COLEMAN AGREES THAT POETS MAKE EACH OTHER BETTER. SHE WAS IN THE AUDIENCE AT TAKE 1. SHE ENJOYED THE EVENING, BUT WAS AFFECTED BY RODZILLA?S STATEMENTS ABOUT RELIGION.
ACT: DECEMBER COLEMAN
IN CUE: Sometimes you can get offended?.
OUT CUE: ?his viewpoint.

TRAX: RODZILLA SAYS CHALLENGING IDEAS IS AN ARTIST?S JOB.
ACT: RODZILLA
IN CUE: Jesus?was never downgraded in any of my poetry?.
OUT CUE: ?has not helped Black America.

TRAX: REVENGE AGAINST AN EX, REAL LOVE, OSTRACISM, AND SEX - LOTS AND LOTS OF SEX. THESE THEMES GET CHEERS AND NODS FROM THE AUDIENCE OF THE PURBAN POETRY PULPIT.

THE TERM ?PURBAN? IS A COMBINATION OF THE WORDS ?PEOPLE? AND ?URBAN.? DEVIN MOORE IS THE FACE OF PURBAN POETRY PULPIT. HE BRINGS POETS TO LAS VEGAS AND PUTS THEM UP IN HOTELS. HE WORKS THE CROWD AT EVERY SHOW. MOORE SAYS POETRY FOR AN URBANIZED AUDIENCE IS UNIQUE IN VEGAS.

ACT: PURBAN THEMES
IN CUE: It actually provides dialogue??
OUT CUE: ?..display of life in general.

TRAX: POETS OF EVERY COLOR PERFORM FOR A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK CROWD. BUT NOT ALL THOSE POETS KEEP THE CROWD THERE. IN ONE INSTANCE, THE LAST POET OF THE NIGHT WAS WHITE AND HALF THE CROWD LEFT BEFORE HE STARTED. MOORE SAYS POETRY IS SOMETIMES A SEGREGATED ART FORM. BUT THERE ARE ALSO PRACTICAL REASONS WHY SOME AUDIENCE MEMBERS LEFT BEFORE SEAN CRITCHFIELD TOOK THE STAGE.
ACT: KEEP ? DEVIN EXPLAINS SEAN
IN CUE: Sean came last, he was Caucasian?..
OUT CUE: ?.than he?s ever had before.

TRAX: EVEN THE POET WHO GOT WALKED OUT ON SAYS THE CROWD AT THE PULPIT IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
ACT: SEAN CRITCHFIELD
IN CUE: Vegas, this is the venue??..
OUT CUE: ?stacks up really high for me as a venue.

TRAX: THE PURBAN POETRY PULPIT OPENS ITS DOORS AT 8:30 EVERY FIRST AND THIRD SATURDAY. FOR NEXT GENERATION RADIO, I?M ALEXIS BROWN IN LAS VEGAS.