Think Karaoke for the spoken word. Three minutes with a microphone.
Literary Karaoke at Cafe Voltaire invites people to come watch, listen and be entertained. People can get up and take control of the microphone to make an impression, an impact, a statement.
Just like regular Karaoke, it's not original work people will showcase but someone else's that means something to them.
The first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. Cafe Voltaire in Books & Co. will see people gather to share a portion of a novel, play, short story or poetry collection. The idea is borrowed from the Word Bookstore in Brooklyn, NY.
Nicole Larson, events planner and coordinator at Books & Co., will get the literary party started and play master of ceremonies.
"I think it's going to be really fun," said Larson. "What you're doing is reading something that has affected you in some way -- that you think other people should hear."
This month's theme is debut works, like the very first work of any author, including internationally renown writers or relatively unknown scribes.
"I think lots of people will be doing stuff that's humorous to a degree because people want to illicit a laugh but I think there will be other people who are going to be reading poignant and tragic things," said Larson. Each month a different theme will be chosen that will encourage a wide variety of work to be shared.
Everyone is welcome to attend and participate.
"It's just like regular Karaoke, not everybody sings," laughed Larson. "It's going to be a really good time."
