Ep. 139
Lucas Smiraldo interviewed by Kristi Nebel Lucas Smiraldo is a Pacific Northwest writer, performing poet and twelve-time produced playwright. His performance credits include opening poet at Def Poetry Jam’s College Tour, featured poet at the National Black Pilot’s Conference, commissioned performances at the Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass, and featured poet during Seattle’s Hip Hop Awards. He joined forces with master griot and kora player, Foday Musa Suso, to present a unique performance of spoken word, song, and social and political narrative.
Smiraldo received the Tacoma Arts Commission’s Arts Projects funding in 2010 and Tacoma Artists Initiative Program funding in 2008 to create two spoken word projects combining film and music. In 2010, he created an original touring work in affiliation with collaborating writers, entitled “Eleven Days in the Life of Dr. King,” which explored Dr. King’s life through 12 original spoken works put to stage with music and choreography. Smiraldo completed a touring play with co-writer April Nyquist in affiliation with the Broadway Center titled “The Bridges: A Civil Rights Journey.” As 2013-2015 Tacoma Poet Laureate, Smiraldo led and participated in over 85 events, workshops, and readings, serving over 5600 people. One of the major projects of his tenure is the Laureate Listening Project, an interactive online audio anthology showcasing the voices of community members from Tacoma and greater Pierce County. The Laureate Listening Project can be viewed and heard online at http://wspdsmap.ci.tacoma.wa.us/website/PoetryTour/.