Vashon Allied Arts celebrates National Poetry Month with performances and workshops

Published 12:17 pm Tuesday, April 13, 2010

April is national poetry month, and Vashon Allied Arts will celebrate with two performances and two workshops later this month.

The events have been organized by Ann Spiers, a well-known Vashon poet.

First up will be a a performance by Mary Lou Sanelli, an author, actress and dancer, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at the Blue Heron.

Sanelli’s multi-media, one-woman show will be based on her book, “The Immigrant’s Table, a Literary Feast.”

Organizers describe the performance as a “visual journey of poems, recipes, photos and more based on Sanelli’s colorful Italian upbringing.”

Another event — “Hiway Haiku comes in from the Rain” — is part of Vashon Allied Arts’ New Works Series.

It will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at the Blue Heron, and feature Ann Spiers, Kajira Wyn Berry and Hita Von Mende as they bring haiku to stage in a fvariety of visual, spoken and choral forms.

Tickets for each performance are $10 and $12, and can be purchased at Blue Heron, Heron’s Nest, Books by the Way, www.brownpapertickets.com and by calling 463-5131.

The weekend will also include two workshops.

Berry will instruct calligraphy from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, April 24, in the Minglement meeting room.

Following Berry’s workshop, Haiku poet Michael Dylan Welch will lead another workshop, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the same location.

Welch’s workshop will explore the myths and realities of the haiku form.

Tuition is $20 for each workshop. Call 463-5131 to register.