Truly wish I knew the names of the people I saw on Saturday afternoon - March 1st. Apparently, there are different performers at each show - maybe the show presenters can make a comment at some point and list the performers by name and time they were on - - because I was very impressed, and would love to keep tabs on these artists as they go on from Fresno State out into the world to be published!

There were three storytellers, and one poet that I saw. Each story was well crafted. It was interesting to hear the various voices presenting their work. The first was barely audible, but made me sit forward to hear her, because it was clear that what she was saying was real and true and beautiful, with an ending that left me crying.

The second reader told us his work was unfinished, but I felt the question at the end was the perfect way to end his piece. He had humor, stories of childhood and trying to learn to fit in, a physically present but emotionally absent father, rage, and a fist fight with a prickly boy and his pompous accent all rolled into one writing. He used voices that were spot on for the characters, and seemed immensely comfortable on stage.

The third performer read something that was painful, just brutal, and hard and tragic - and her voice was so tiny, and she read in such a monotone, that all the actions in her piece seemed to be happening in a torturous slow motion. This was brilliantly done.

The fourth performer was a vibrant poet - who spoke bold and bright and with images that stung at times, and sang at others. She ended her performance after the audience gasped at her last line - it was a sexy, hard, aching line, a place we could picture ourselves in - but she just said it so much better!

Bravo!!