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The Folger Spotlight

ENCORES: ‘I Put a Spell on You’ Poetry Reading (2019)

Folger ENCORES, red theater seats fading into darkness
Folger ENCORES, red theater seats fading into darkness

Folger Public Programs is pleased to present ENCORES, a weekly online series highlighting past performances and recalling the rich history of programming on the historic Folger stage. As many arts and cultural institutions remain closed during this time, these ENCORES provide a way to connect and revisit the breadth of Folger offerings with a wider audience.


ENCORES presents

O.B. Hardison Poetry Series
I Put a Spell on You, October 2019
with Kiki Petrosino and Annie Finch
Themed playlist available on Spotify

Kiki Petrosino read

  • Prospera
  • Contagion
  • Sermon

all from Witch Wife, published by Sarabande Books, Inc., 2017. www.sarabandebooks.org

Annie Finch read

and

  • Earth Spell
  • Binding Spell

both from her upcoming collection Amulet, used by permission of the poet.

This reading was accompanied by a pop-up exhibition of related collection items. Visit Folgerpedia to view this exhibition.

Read the introduction by the Poetry Coordinator, Teri Cross Davis:

Hello and welcome to Folger ENCORES! I’m Teri Cross Davis, and I am the poetry coordinator for the Folger Shakespeare Library.

We have been missing our audiences tremendously this year. This period has allowed us the time to reflect on our history of Folger programs, many of which were recorded for archival purposes—this is a Library after all.

Our staff has been hard at work making these archives of past readings, performances, and lectures available, and we are excited to be able to share them once again. As you watch and listen, keep in mind that this great footage came from our steady cam, mounted just above the small boxes at the back of the Folger Theatre (favorite seats for many of our patrons). No zooming and no special lighting, but a terrific reading to remember.

Whether or not you were able to join us the first time around, we hope you enjoy this ENCORE.

We revisit, “I Put a Spell on You,” a reading from October of 2019 that not only highlights the work of poets Annie Finch and Kiki Petrosino, but also explored witchcraft and the idea of powerful women in connection to the natural world. Excerpted here are poems from each poet; each poem a blossom, and this collection, a small bouquet from the archives of Folger Poetry.

If you would like to know more about the O.B. Hardison Poetry series, please visit folger.edu/poetry. There, you will find performance histories, artist bios, and information about upcoming programs.

We hope you will join us for these weekly episodes of ENCORES, highlighting all the Folger has to offer. Thank you for tuning in.


Encores LogoCheck back each Friday for a new “from the archives” performance, introduced by some of our favorite artists, showcasing the best of Folger TheatreFolger ConsortO.B. Hardison Poetry, and lectures.