{"id":11494,"date":"2016-04-28T19:09:29","date_gmt":"2016-04-28T23:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=11494"},"modified":"2016-04-28T19:16:13","modified_gmt":"2016-04-28T23:16:13","slug":"literary-nights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/literary-nights\/","title":{"rendered":"Literary Nights"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 2016 | view this story as a .pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

The thinking\u2013and reading and writing\u2013person’s guide to cocktail hours around town.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

By Karen Hofreiter<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"After-Dark-MAY16\"Before the temperatures start to soar and thoughts turn to the summer trifecta of beaches, barbecues, and Bissell Brothers, May is the time to take in a little culture. Maine\u2019s literary history\u2013filled with authors and poets the likes of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edwin Arlington Robinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Stephen King\u2013provides a tweedy backdrop to a dynamic and invigorating contemporary literary scene. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nHead to Henry\u2019s \u2018Hood<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Settle in at hip-yet-bookish LFK<\/strong>, the pub overlooking the Longfellow statue in the eponymous square, with a craft beer and incredible burger while enjoying lively poetry and prose read by local and regional authors at Word Portland<\/strong> (188A State Street, Portland, wordportland.weebly.com; May 2, 9 p.m.). This month\u2019s reading includes poetry by Kevin McLellan and Megan Grumbling and fiction by Tanya Whiton.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking for a thrilling beach read that will have you glued to your chaise longue for hours? The bestselling suspense novels by internationally acclaimed author and Camden resident Tess Gerritsen will do just that. Get to know Gerritsen at MaineVoices Live<\/strong> (One Longfellow Square<\/strong>, corner of Congress and State streets, onelongfellowsquare.com; May 3, 7 p.m.). Portland Press Herald<\/em> writer Ray Routhier will lead the conversation with the MD-turned-novelist, who also created the long-running TNT TV detective series Rizzoli & Isles<\/em>. Audience members have the chance to participate in a Q&A afterward. On May 31, columnist Bill Nemitz interviews former Senate majority leader George Mitchell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Think the Big Thoughts<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Intellectual curiosities (and a few libations) will have a salubrious effect on your brain at Think & Drink Portland\u2019s<\/strong> cerebral happy hour (Space Gallery,<\/strong> 538 Congress Street, Portland, mainehumanities.org; May 18, 6:30 p.m.). A discussion on the topic \u201cCitizenship and the Climate\u201d explores the 14th Amendment (which deals with citizenship and citizen rights) in terms of \u201cactivism, art, gender, sex, and more.\u201d (Yes, \u2018more.\u2019)<\/span><\/p>\n

Be part of the creative process at the annual Little Festival of the Unexpected<\/strong> at Portland Stage Company<\/strong> (25 Forest Avenue, portlandstage.org; May 11 to 14), where playwrights read from their scripts-in-progress, after which audience members are encouraged to share their impressions and offer input. Featured playwrights are Brenda Withers (String Around my Finger<\/em>), David Butler (Dying to Know, A Tale of Life and Death in Two Acts<\/em>), and Callie Kimball (Sofonisba<\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Into the Old Port<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Elegance and literary flair characterize Maine Historical Society\u2019s<\/strong> annual Mr. Longfellow\u2019s Cocktail Party<\/strong> at the U.S. Custom House (312 Fore Street, Portland; May 20, 5:30 p.m., mainehistory.org). The celebration of the Maine poet and author of the poem \u201cDrinking Song\u201d includes champagne cocktails, tasty nibbles, and a silent auction. This year\u2019s location is a special treat for history buffs, architecture fans, and the curious, as the doors to the 1868 Renaissance-revival style U.S. Custom House are usually closed to the public.<\/span><\/p>\n

For high-energy word play and perhaps a Bushmills single-malt, head to Port Veritas Spoken Word<\/strong> on Tuesdays at Bull Feeney\u2019s Pub<\/strong> (375 Fore Street, Portland, portveritas.com). Every second Tuesday of the month you\u2019ll find an open mic and poetry slam starting at 7:30. It\u2019s held in the gothic-windowed Yeats Room on the second floor, where you can sit back and enjoy the wordsmithery of seasoned guest poets or join the brave newcomers baring their souls during the open-mic session. This month\u2019s readers include: Lola Haskins (May 3), Rachel Flynn (May 10), Sophia Holtz (May 17), and Desiree Dallagiacomo (May 31).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\r\n

<\/div>\n

Comments or questions about this story? Email us now!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n
\r\n\n
\n *<\/span> indicates required field<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\r\n
\n