What is Staten Island OutLOUD?
Staten Island OutLOUD is a grass-roots dialogue and performance project. Thoughout the year, we present free gatherings in community settings throughout Staten Island. We gather to read aloud to one another from a variety of world classics and other compelling literature. There’s nothing to buy, nothing to prepare. Just come with an open mind; we’ll lend you copies of the featured literature. Anyone who wants to read aloud is welcome to do so; those who’d prefer not to, can just sit back and enjoy being read to. We draw a diverse, intergenerational audience. In fact, we bring together many people who might otherwise never have a chance to meet. We share ideas about what we’re just read, and enjoy hearing a variety of viewpoints. Most of our events are intimate, participatory readings, but several times a year we present large staged events with music.
All our events are free.Where and when do you present your programs?We meet in community settings throughout Staten Island’s North Shore, mid-Island and South Shore. We gather in libraries, galleries, parks, museums and historic houses, community centers, housing projects, delis and bodegas, on the Staten Island Ferry, and sometimes we stroll through neighborhoods or through a woodland as we read aloud to one another. We have also met in churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. We select an interesting variety of venues across the Island; we try to choose sites that are accessible, and reachable via public transportation.
Can I bring my kids?Sure! We’re proud that we draw such a wide audience; often three generations join our events. We’re especially pleased when parents bring their children to readings like
Moby Dick, which we present every July at historic Fort Wadsworth (on a spectactular bluff overlooking the Atlantic, a place Melville loved). It’s a wonderful way to introduce youth to the classics! Occasionally we’ll advertise an event as an “adults only” program, such as Allen Ginsburg’s
Howl, or James Joyce’s
Ulysses … but those are the few exceptions, not the rule.
And because all our events are free, it’s easy to bring the whole family. (Hey, bring the whole neighborhood!)
What are some of the events you’ve presented?
Some highlights: Einstein’s
Theory of Relativity (on the 100th anniversary of the Theory of Relativity);
Brown v. Board of Education (on the 50th anniversary of the school desegregation decision); Cervantes’
Don Quixote (in English and in Spanish);
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Reflections (featuring survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during their historic visit to NYC);
A House Divided (poetry, historic texts and music of the Civil War); Korean poetry; Filipino creation narratives;
The Life of Sojourner Truth; Liberian literature and historic texts;
The Confessions of St. Augustine; the Teachings of the Buddha; an interfaith dialogue on Genesis and Freud; the
Bhagavad Gita; readings from the
Qur’an; short stories by Isabel Allende and Mark Twain; poetry by Rita Dove, Tagore, Borges, Rumi… to name just a few.
How can I become a reader with Staten Island OutLOUD?
That’s easy… all you have to do is show up! Anyone who comes to our events can join in reading aloud. But if you’d rather remain silent and listen, that’s fine too.
How do you select material for your programs?
We choose literature that reflects the rich cultural diversity of Staten Island’s communities. We also select historic texts that offer lessons for us today, and which stimulate discussions among our participants. Our friends at the Staten Island branches of the New York Public Library offer terrific ideas. Most important, suggestions from our community members have led to some great new programs. If you have an idea for a future OutLOUD event, we'd love to hear it! Send us an email:
sioutloud@yahoo.com, or call us at 718-907-0709.
How can we get an OutLOUD event in our community?
If you have an idea about a good venue in your neighborhood, we’d love to hear from you. Just give us a call at 718-907-0709 or email sioutloud@yahoo.com. We’re always on the lookout for venues that are wheelchair accessible, audience-friendly, and close to public transportation.
How can I find out about your future events?
Events are always posted here on our website ("Upcoming Events"). You can call us at 718-907-0709 (our outgoing message always describes our next event). To join our mailing list, email us at sioutloud@yahoo.com. You can also pick up one of our schedules at the Staten Island branches of the New York Public Library, on various community bulletin boards, and at many community and cultural centers around the Island.
Who pays you? How are you funded?Staten Island OutLOUD is completely volunteer-driven; we have no paid staff. Our events are supported, in part, by a Creative Communities Grant from the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, with public funding by the New York State Council on the Arts, and fiscal sponsorship by the Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries.