Session & Speaker Details
SESSION DETAILS
Workshop 5: Acting for Beginners
May 17th 10:30 AM – 11:45 PM
Baltimore Unity Hall (Bootcamp Only)
In this workshop, poets will explore how techniques from Konstantin Stanislavski’s acting system can deepen the power of their performances. Instead of simply reciting a poem, participants will learn to approach their work like actors approaching a scene. We will examine the given circumstances of the poem, clarify the speaker’s objective, and identify the actions and tactics the poem uses to move an audience. By applying these tools from Stanislavski’s system, poets will uncover the dramatic life inside their poems and develop performances that are more intentional, emotionally grounded, and compelling.
Workshop E: Writing for the Stage: Action and Decision
May 17th 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Baltimore Unity Hall (Open to All)
In this workshop, we will explore the idea that strong poetry performance is built on action. A compelling stage performance does not happen by accident. It is the result of a series of clear artistic decisions about intention, movement, pacing, tone, and audience connection.
Steven Antoine Willis is a poet, theater artist, and educator from Chicago whose work centers language as a living, embodied practice. A three-time Individual World Poetry Slam finalist, his writing and performance blend spoken word, literary craft, and theatrical training to explore identity, power, and cultural memory. He holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Iowa and studied poetry at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Willis works at the intersection of poetry, theater, and education, developing performances, workshops, and curricula that use language as a tool for storytelling, reflection, and community engagement.
