Past Events

Saturday, March 7, 2020, 2pm.  At Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve Interpretive Center, 2351 Veterans Rd, Staten Island, NY 10309.  (Off Sharrott’s Road. Take Exit 3 off 440 South – Woodrow Road.)

For Women In History Month, we’ll host a reading featuring “Rural Hours”, a work by Susan Fenimore Cooper, written in 1850.  Cooper (1813-1894) was a pioneering writer whose work highlights environmental issues.
Her work has been forgotten by some, but her influence is significant. Charles Darwin admitted her work, and she influenced Thoreau as he wrote “Walden”.
She was the daughter of James Fenimore Cooper. Her writing is a meditation on New York ecology; her work is relevant to our own community.
“Rural Hours” is readily available on several online resources, including the nypl.org portal & the NYPL rare books collection.

Saturday, Feb 8, 2010, 1-3pm.  Leidy’s Shore Inn, 748 Richmond Terrace, SINY 10301

Leidy’s Shore Inn (est’d 1905) is the oldest bar on Staten Island, and one of the oldest in New York City.
Today, Larry Leidy, great-grandson of the original owner, presides over this picturesque harborside establishment where tugboat captains and their crew still quaff a pint, along with neighborhood regulars.
Larry will share his great-grandfather’s stories of the retired sailors who lived in the neighborhood in the 19th century, plus some colorful local history of 20th century harbor life. Join us for a convivial afternoon as we discuss Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea and hear Larry’s stories of the mariners who lived, worked & drank beer on Staten Island’s shores.
Adults only, please.

This program is free, but please patronize Leidy’s by ordering a beer or two. Book giveaway, too.  This event is part of Staten Island OutLOUD’s series for the National Endowment for the Arts/The Big Read on historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s fascinating book, In the Heart of the Sea. It’s the story of the whaleship Essex, rammed and sunk by a whale in 1820.  This tragedy inspired young Herman Melville as he began writing Moby Dick.  

Saturday, February 1, 8pm.  At Every Thing Goes Book Cafe, 208 Bay St, SINY 10301. Directed by Vincent Vok.

Staten Island OutLOUD presents a stage reading of a rarely-performed play by the legendary Orson Welles, directed by Vincent Vok. With John Bostrom, Thomas Fucaloro, Ritty Mahoney, J. Keith McCauley, Gary Moore, Vincent Vok, and Ken Tirado.
First staged in London in 1955, the cast included Christopher Lee, Patrick McGoohan, and Joan Plowright. In the 1960s, a Broadway production featured the young Rod Steiger. Both runs were brief; Welles filmed portions of the London performance, but it was never released, and the film has reportedly been lost. However, some fragile footage of various Welles projects are in storage, perhaps awaiting a day when restoration technology advances.
The play begins with actors milling around on a stage as audience members arrive and take their seats. Actors can be heard joking and gossiping and grousing about their director. Suddenly the director appears, bounds up onto the stage and announces that they’ll rehearse his new adaptation of Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick”.
What happens next is …
“Moby Dick Rehearsed” is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.
This event is part of Staten Island OutLOUD’s series for The Big Read/NEA on Nathaniel Philbrick’s “In the Heart of the Sea”, the tragedy of the whaleship Essex, rammed and sunk by a giant whale in 1820. The story of the Essex inspired young Herman Melville as he began work on “Moby Dick”. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum & Library Services, and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.  #neabigread  #statenislandoutloud

Saturday, January 25, 2020, 2pm.  At the Greenbelt Nature Center, 700 Rockland Ave, SINY 10314

This event will take place on the first day of the Chinese New Year. Staten Island OutLOUD & our friends at the Greenbelt Nature Center will celebrate the lunar new year season with global poetry and a little prose to celebrate The Year of the Rat.

Free, fun & family friendly.
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Gong xi fa cai!

Saturday, January 11, 2020 at 2pm.  At Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, 3201 Amboy Road, Staten Island NY 10306 (about a block south of Clarke Ave).  Featuring Duane Felton. Co-hosted by Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries and Noble Maritime Collection.
Staten Island OutLOUD’s series continues on historian Nathaniel Philbrick’s ” In the Heart of the Sea”.
In this event we’ll explore the lives and work of the African-American sailors who were on the crew of the whaleship Essex. We’ll also examine the broader history of African-Americans at sea in the 19th century. More details TBA.
This event will take place indoors, in the cemetery’s reception areas and conference room; but you’re also invited to view the cemetery grounds during your visit.
Good for all ages. Book giveaway.

Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 2pm.   At the Noble Maritime Collection, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building D, SINY 10301  (on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center)

Staten Island OutLOUD is delighted to host Paul Sieswerda, CEO of Gotham Whale, for a special event at (where else?!) the Noble Maritime Collection. This event is part of OutLOUD’s series for the National Endowment for the Arts/The Big Read on Nathaniel Philbrick’s “In the Heart of the Sea”.
More details TBA.A
Gotham Whale (based on Staten Island!) does extraordinary work on marine conservancy in New York Harbor. Their “citizen science” project involves hundreds of people who record sightings of whales, dolphins, seals and other aquatic life. www.gothamwhale.org.
Guests at this Staten Island OutLOUD event can receive a free copy of “In the Heart of the Sea”.
www.statenislandoutloud.org

Saturday, Nov 30th at 2pm. Staten Island Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, SINY 10301 (on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center)

Acclaimed Baroque harpist Christa Patton and friends present “Noteworthy Verse from the Pequod: Musical selections and readings from Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick.  Featuring the highly regarded early music quartet Ensemble L’Aureate: Christa Patton, Linda Russell, Hallie Stotler, Peter Walker.

Ensemble L’Aureate has created an unusual program combining some intriguing musical selections with a spoken word performance based on Herman Melville’s compelling novel. This is a beautiful way to conclude the Melville bicentennial year, and to herald the upcoming holiday season.

After all, Captain Ahab and the crew of the Pequod set sail on Christmas morning…

The versatile musicians of Ensemble L’Aureate, sing and play a variety of early wind instruments as well as violin, hammered dulcimer, harp and even some bagpipes. Music by Thomas Ravenscroft, Henry Purcell, Frances Hopkinson as well as traditional sea chanties, sacred harp hymns and more.
Free and good for all ages.

More details to come.

Sunday, Nov 24, 2pm at the Noble Maritime Collection, 1000 Richmond Terrace (on the grounds of Snug Harbor), Building D, SINY 10301

Kate Walker (1848-1941) is a legendary woman in Staten Island maritime life. For many years, she was the lighthouse keeper at Robin’s Reef in New York Harbor. As her lightkeeper husband lay dying, he asked her to “Mind the light, Kate. Mind the light.” As a young widow, she raised her family on Robins Reef, and she rowed her children to the Staten Island shore so they could attend school. And all that time, for decades, Kate Walker faithfully minded the light.

Join us as we celebrate Kate’s 171st birthday on Sunday, Nov 24th. We’ll read from Kate’s journal, among other fascinating works. Musical guest, Lou Russo.

Saturday, Nov 23rd, 2pm at the Greenbelt Nature Center, 700 Rockland Ave, SINY 10314