Ensemble Theatre's Act One Young Professionals Present 3rd Annual DRAMA-TRY[TREE]: A DRAMATIC NIGHT OF POETRY Tonight

The Ensemble Theatre's Act One Young Professionals celebrate National Poetry Month with their 3rd Annual Poetry Event entitled: Drama-try[Tree]: A Dramatic Night of Poetry, tonight, April 26, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the theatre's Performance Centre space.

The showcase at The Ensemble Theatre features both experienced and rising artists on the Houston Area poetry scene. Their individual styles of performance poetry will allow audiences to experience the dramatics of spoken word art.

"It's been exciting to help establish another platform for Houston area poets to develop their craft and gain visibility," says Pam Ulmer, Act One Chair. "We hope to create a synergy between artists, young professionals, and The Ensemble Theatre, especially since Midtown Houston is now a thriving state designated Cultural Arts and Entertainment District."

The show will be hosted by Houston area poet, artist, and emcee Angela Olivia Guillory and include four featured spoken word artists: Jem the Poet (Jamie Harrison Marshall); Kayenne Nebula (Mia DeSilva); Nyne (Ahmad Hygh); and O.N.E. the Poet (Tyson Davis).

Angela Olivia Guillory is an award winning poet who emerged onto Houston's growing poetry scene in 1997 as the winner in several talent show performances, one of which landed her at the New York Apollo Theatre.

She has performed and hosted local open mic nights around Houston including The A-Bar, and Paesano's Lounge, later known as the Shadow Bar where she teamed up with Se7even, another well know Houston Poet.

Other accolades include featured appearance, poetry writer, and poetry consultant for the 2002 award-winning independent film by Houston Multicultural Independent Film Festival, "Deadly Wordz", directed by A.B. Harris. Author, Michael Baisden, commissioned Angela to write the poem, God's Gift to Women, in Baisden's 2002 book release entitled: "God's Gift to Woman". Two poetic awards have been named in her honor, The Angie G. Excellence in Poetry Award, given by HVM and The Angie G. Eclectic Award, given by Renaissance Entertainment. Recently, Angela was honored with an ICON Award, presented by local artistic platform, heArt&Soul. Angela has opened for international musical artists such as Le Nubians, Howard Hewitt, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Erykah Badu, and The Roots.

Angela is also a Visual Arts major at Houston Community College. Her work has most recently been on display at Houston Community College Central Campus, Houston Community College Southeast Campus, Arts Alliance Clear Lake, Nave Museum, in Victoria Texas and the Carver Community Cultural Center, in San Antonio Texas.

Jem the Poet (Jamie Harrison Marshall) is an award winning poet who has been performing since the age of three and was inspired by Langston Hughes. She attended the University of Houston where she was also involved in drama, and later appearing in plays such as For Colored Girls Who Have Consider Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Women of the Bible -- Choices: Which Road Will You Choose. She has performed at the Essence Festival, Cancer and AIDS benefits, and won the award for "Last Poet Standing" in 2009.

Kayenne Nebula (Mia DeSilva) is a New Orleans native and has been involved in visual and performing arts for over 17 years. She is founder of the SPICE Project, an underground artist resource and community involvement organization that was awarded by the U.S. Congress in 2012 for efforts in the community. She is a traveling
artist who has opened for other performers like Lorenz Tate, Black Ice, and Sunni Patterson; performing on stages at The Ensemble Theatre -Houston, Cafe Intstubul, the Reliant Arena, Toyota Center and New Orleans Arena. She also spends time working with the Passion, Poetry and Purpose and community involvement with Order of the Eastern Star; Toiletries For Families; T.R.U.T.H. Project, helping The AIDS Foundation raise over $90,000 and Poetry with a Purpose Helping Kids through Poetry. Nebula is also the founder of Houston's (WOW) Women of Worth supported by congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee, Jen.e.sis Project with Houston Museum of African American Culture, and I Spit 4 Da Kids.

Nyne (Ahmad Hygh) is a Houston native who began performing poetry at a young age. In the third grade he wrote his first poem and hosted his first talent show. He went on to perform with the Prairie View Productive Poet Slam Team, the Houston Slam Team, and the Houston VIP Slam team. He has been performing, mentoring, holding workshops and hosting slam events for over 5 years. He was a semi-finalist at The College University Poetry Slam in 2008 and placed 2nd in the nation with the Houston V.I.P. Slam team at the 2013 National Poetry Slam.

O.N.E. The Poet (Tyson Davis) is a visual artist and emerging poet from Nacogdoches, Texas. He has made Houston his second home where he has been performing poetry since the summer of 2008.

Drama-try host committee members include: Erica Alexander, Donna Anderson, Tim Armstrong, Andrea Browne, Isiah Carey, Cathy Coleman, Mark Martin, Carl McGowan, Henry Mosley, Robert Ross, Michelle
Stephenson, Keinon Stewart, Crystal Solomon, Tristen Sutton, Pamela Ulmer, Crystal Washington, and Marketa Wills.

Act One was created to unite The Ensemble Theatre's growing community of young artists and professionals with an increasing interest in how they can contribute to sustaining the institution. Act One members are
recognized as the next generation of leaders who will support the theatre's annual membership campaign and ultimately develop into volunteers and fundraising supporters.

The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. Thirty-seven years later, the theatre has evolved from a small touring company to one of Houston's finest historical cultural institutions.

The Ensemble is one of a few professional theatres in the region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. The oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres owning and operating itsfacility and producing in-house. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997. The Ensemble Theatre has fulfilled and surpassed the vision of its founder and continues to expand and create innovative programs to bring African American theatre to a myriad of audiences.

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