All Enloe students are invited to share their original writing at a free Open Mic Night hosted by ELO on Thursday, April 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at So & So Books.
Open Mic Night is an opportunity for artists of any experience level to perform their work in a live setting. Students may share any of their writing, including poetry, slam poetry, prose, and songs, provided that they refrain from hate speech and vulgarity in their pieces. Performers should register beforehand using this link.
Performances may be up to five minutes in length, scheduled in slots from 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A microphone will be provided and attendees are encouraged, but not required, to stay for the full duration of the event.
Those who do not wish to share, including friends, family members, and other Enloe students, are welcome to come and support the performers. They do not need to register.
Open Mic Night is hosted by the Enloe Literary Organization (ELO), an Enloe club that creates an annual literary magazine from student submissions of prose, poetry, and artwork. If you would like your work to be considered for this year’s edition, submit using this link. Copies of magazines from previous years will be available for purchase at the event.
ELO editor Rafa Preugschat and staff member Camm Fyfe helped organize Open Mic Night. Preugschat was inspired to pitch the idea after hearing about a similar event at another high school. Fyfe made the initial contact with So & So Books, an independent bookstore located less than 10 minutes from Enloe. Fyfe has been to the shop many times and describes it as a “quiet local store.” Preugschat calls it “a great, safe space” that is “very cozy.”
Fyfe says attendees should expect “fun, community, love, and joy.” He encourages the attendees to be respectful and supportive of performers while bringing a positive attitude and “an artistic spirit.” For those sharing, Fyfe advises confidence, saying, “The delivery matters almost as much as the content.”
Preugschat recommends that students attend regardless of their current attitude towards poetry: “It’s important to support the arts, but also, I feel like a lot of people have a very negative prejudice or outlook towards poetry, [and] I think that [attending an event like Open Mic Night] can really change your outlook towards art, especially literature and spoken word as a whole, and I think that’s important, especially for high school students.”
ELO editor Catherine Tanner is most looking forward to “listening to other student voices and seeing their perspectives.” She encourages all students to participate, describing the event as a good way to build confidence and gain public speaking experience.
Tanner says, “Share anything you want. … As long as it’s original, and it’s real and close to your heart, I think it’d be perfect.”
So & So Books
719 N Person St, Raleigh, NC 27604
Thursday, April 9, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
For updates, please check the ELO Instagram. @enloeelo
