Writing4MyLife

No Stage
Written By: luminoUS
Pics By: Tya Anthony



On July 15, 2010, in the downtown Baltimore area, a local Ethiopian venue, by the name of The 5 Seasons, was filled to capacity all to witness Archie the Messenger and Lyrical the Lyricist's, who together form the group Writing 4 My Life, new brain child No Stage. The patrons, who were mostly artist of some sort, filed into the venue and occupied seats that were strategically placed in a circular fashion around two back-to-back lounge chairs. Placed in front of one lounge chair was a television set while an XBOX 360 sat in front of the opposing chair. We were transported into the living room of the artist of the evening. No stage, no mics, no pretenses, just raw and uncut poetry. I was able to sit down with Archie and Lyrical before the show to ask a few questions and to get an inside scoop on how the production began.


No Stage, what inspired it? How did you come up with the concept?

ATM: The concept developed from our performance. It takes a lot of hard work to be the caliber of artist that we are and to do it as a duo, to do it together, and really still create the same kind of impact on the audience. It doesn't matter if there is a stage, if there are lights, if there is an audience you have to be the same writer. You have to be the same performer every time and execute.


What do you expect to get out of the show tonight? What made you decide to do it theater style? What do you expect the crowd's reaction to be? What are you looking for?

LL: The big thing about it, taking away the stage allows us to be more personable with the audience. The thing about theater is that it is an enclosed event where it's just the artist and the audience. We just really want to take away the stage and be right in front of the people and change their opinions and views about the way poetry is presented. Most of the time, now, you can only get poetry at an open mic setting in the middle of someone juggling or telling jokes but it's hard to find a venue where you can just get poetry. We want to give people a different understanding of what this art form has to offer.


Is there a theme throughout the show or does it touch on various topics?

ATM: It's about the writer. We invited a lot of writers, like you. We invited a lot of artist. This is the perspective of the artist where we take away the stage, we take away all of the extras that go along with it and just concentrate on the struggle of the artist and his reflection upon the world. We are taking from our community. Most of the pieces are really personal. We paint a picture, with the words, of things that we've actually seen. So, the words create the theme. The performer creates the theme. There are many different themes in No Stage.


So, the personal level of the pieces, do you think that the layout of the seating arrangement ties in to the personal level of the pieces? Does is make it more one on one as opposed to somebody standing behind a mic?

LL: Absolutely. It's like the mic is already a barrier and the stage is two barriers and then you get to the audience. We are taking away both of those and I feel like the way that we will be able to perform tonight everyone will be able to get the words and get the direction that we are trying to go with each poem. It'll just gradually draw the audience in to what we are really trying to convey during each poem.

ATM: The audience will become part of the performance, as usual. This is what we do every time we perform. Most of the time, we perform without a mic. If you catch us at a venue or any workshop that we do, we perform without a mic. We get really personal and always try to involve the audience in the show and it makes it easier with the seating arrangement.


Is this going to be a one-time show or do you plan to take No Stage on tour? What do you see happening next?

LL: No Stage is definitely going on tour. We already have Syracuse set up. That'll be our next stop. We are working to get in Atlanta. We'll probably have it in DC in September. All of these are tentative dates but the objective is to get this everywhere.

ATM: October 13th, No Stage comes to Morgan State University. After that, we are going to St. Louis. We've been doing a lot of touring just as Writing for my Life the performance group and as poets and as writers but this play is going to take our performance to another level and brand the actual performance. It's something more than poetry. It's something more than hip-hop. It's something more than just writing and reciting.


Do you have anything else that you want to leave with the readers?

ATM: We just really want to say thank you. We are really grateful for all of the people that are going to come out and see this. We are grateful for all of the open mic-ers, the poets, the writers, the skateboarders, the hip-hopers, all of the artist out here that inspire us to do what we do. We are only doing this for appreciation. We started December 8, 2006. We did our first show here in this very building and we've performed out amongst the country, California, LA, Philly, Chicago, and now we are back here and now we have to show growth and we are just really grateful.


With Lyrical dressed in a white tee and Archie in a black, one could easily see the balance that the two create on stage. The show flowed from one poem to the next without introduction or queue. Each artist knew the other's words and movements so much that the mimicry oozed into echoes of valid points. Lyrical began the show addressing the autopilot like nature of humanity. "Sure this world is made up of rainbow colors, but my brother's only see the blues," it was simple kicker lines like this that were dished out all night, simple yet poignant. From human nature to relationships, the dialogue presented by Archie and Lyrical not only amused and entertained but it made the audience members know that we all experience heavy hearts. Archie and Lyrical warmed up the "staging area" and had all social networking sites hot with quotables. From facebook to Twitter, No Stage left the audiences buzzing. Be sure to check online for tour dates from this amadamaphusly dynamic duo! - eXcapethematriX Magazine

WRITING4MYLIFE’s Archie The Messenger & Lyrical The Lyricist present… “No Stage” …an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spokenword play The two bring drama,comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience. Saturday, July 31st, 2010 at the Syracuse Stage (820 E. Genesee Street Syracuse, NY 13210) Doors open @ 8pm; Play Starts @ 9pm Tickets are $15 each For tickets or more information, Mia Burse — 315-254-8653 James Austin — 315-395-1323 rcmeventssyr@gmail.com for more info about Writing4MyLife visit… http://www.writing4mylife.com Please come on out and support these gentlemen as they continue to blaze a new trail for Spoken word! It promises to be an event like you’ve never seen before! - Renaissance Culture Movement

For the first half hour, attorney Sheryl Woods gives us an update of this week's legal issues affecting the city including the charges against Helen Holton and the indictment of Maryland State Senator Ulysses Currie.

Then, poet, educator, and performer Archie the Messenger shares his work, talks about his program Writing 4 My Life, and spreads wisdom about the uses of poetry to face social ills in Baltimore City and countrywide. - The Anthony McCarthy Show • 443-636-0280

WRITING4MYLIFE PRESENTS “NO STAGE” -A SPOKEN WORD PLAY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 AT APACHE CAFE`

Writing4MyLife’s Archie The Messenger & Lyrical The Lyricist present “No Stage”, an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spoken word play. Removing the stage from their performance the two bring drama, comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience.

Atlanta, Georgia August 27, 2010 — Just as summer is replaced by autumn, the dawn of a new era in Spoken Word poetry is upon us. Beginning at 8 o’clock PM on Saturday, September 18th, 2010, Writing4MyLife in accordance with The Apache Cafe` and RS Entertainment cordially invite you to celebrate the coming of a fresh and new spoken word play in grandeur fashion. Join us as Writing4MyLife – Archie the Messenger and Lyrical the Lyricist – proudly presents “No Stage”, an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spoken word play, featuring world renown spoken word artist Rodzilla. Removing the stage from their performance, the two bring drama, comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience.

“No Stage” will be performed at Atlanta’s own Apache Cafe` (64 3rd Street NW Atlanta, GA 30308) and will offer $10 admission in advance and at the door. Doors will open for this event at seven o’clock PM, with the performance starting at 8 o’clock PM. There will be great food and beverages available for purchase all night at this beautiful venue; a marvelous addition to what will be an extraordinary evening of the arts. “This play is being done to give the city of Atlanta a glimpse of the new trail we been blazing for spoken word over the last eight years,” says Archie. Lyrical followed by stating, “Atlanta is a proving ground for artists of all genres. We believe we are bringing something unique that the city has not seen before. This one night performance is only the beginning of what we have in store for Atlanta this year, so come out and stay tuned! “

The trail that Writing4MyLife is currently blazing for poetry today is not something new. These two gentlemen practice the spoken word art form in prose reminiscent to the great writers such as Paul Laurence Dunbar, Phillis Wheatley and James Weldon Johnson. They focus on the art of storytelling rather than shorts or journal like poems that competitive slam poetry has forced the craft into. “As English majors at Morgan State University, we studied the many forms of poetry and are very well versed in its past and present, and with the infusion of our own style, we can shape its future,” Lyrical informed. What’s new about what they are doing is in the voice in their writing. It is a voice that is rich with pentameter, getting influences from Hip Hop, with fresh views of the world we live in. They want to show that they are serious about changing the direction of poetry. Archie the Messenger concluded in saying, “In the times of the Harlem Renaissance, it wasn’t about who the better poet was. It was about the expansion of the craft of poetry. Our plan is to expand poetry’s reach back to the stage in play form, and to the masses of the Hip Hop world as well through spoken word albums. So please, stay tuned!”

For additional information or a sample copy of the marketing material for “NO Stage” – a spoken word play, please contact Derek Steele of RS Entertainment via telephone at 443.418.6258 or via email at info@rsentertainment.net. For more information or to purchase advance admission for this event visit http://www.apachecafe.info. - Hip Hop Press

Writing4MyLife's Archie The Messenger & Lyrical The Lyricist present "No Stage", an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spoken word play. Removing the stage from their performance the two bring drama, comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience.

Just as summer is replaced by autumn, the dawn of a new era in Spoken Word poetry is upon us. Beginning at 8 o'clock PM on Saturday, September 18th, 2010, Writing4MyLife in accordance with The Apache Cafe` and RS Entertainment cordially invite you to celebrate the coming of a fresh and new spoken word play in grandeur fashion. Join us as Writing4MyLife - Archie the Messenger and Lyrical the Lyricist - proudly presents "No Stage", an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spoken word play, featuring world renown spoken word artist Rodzilla. Removing the stage from their performance, the two bring drama, comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience.

"No Stage" will be performed at Atlanta's own Apache Cafe` (64 3rd Street NW Atlanta, GA 30308) and will offer $10 admission in advance and at the door. Doors will open for this event at seven o'clock PM, with the performance starting at 8 o'clock PM. There will be great food and beverages available for purchase all night at this beautiful venue; a marvelous addition to what will be an extraordinary evening of the arts. "This play is being done to give the city of Atlanta a glimpse of the new trail we been blazing for spoken word over the last eight years," says Archie. Lyrical followed by stating, "Atlanta is a proving ground for artists of all genres. We believe we are bringing something unique that the city has not seen before. This one night performance is only the beginning of what we have in store for Atlanta this year, so come out and stay tuned! "

The trail that Writing4MyLife is currently blazing for poetry today is not something new. These two gentlemen practice the spoken word art form in prose reminiscent to the great writers such as Paul Laurence Dunbar, Phillis Wheatley and James Weldon Johnson. They focus on the art of storytelling rather than shorts or journal like poems that competitive slam poetry has forced the craft into. "As English majors at Morgan State University, we studied the many forms of poetry and are very well versed in its past and present, and with the infusion of our own style, we can shape its future," Lyrical informed. What's new about what they are doing is in the voice in their writing. It is a voice that is rich with pentameter, getting influences from Hip Hop, with fresh views of the world we live in. They want to show that they are serious about changing the direction of poetry. Archie the Messenger concluded in saying, "In the times of the Harlem Renaissance, it wasn't about who the better poet was. It was about the expansion of the craft of poetry. Our plan is to expand poetry's reach back to the stage in play form, and to the masses of the Hip Hop world as well through spoken word albums. So please, stay tuned!"

For additional information or a sample copy of the marketing material for "NO Stage" - a spoken word play, please contact Derek Steele of RS Entertainment via telephone at 443.418.6258 or via email at info@rsentertainment.net. For more information or to purchase advance admission for this event visit http://www.apachecafe.info. - The National Black Guide Network

website: http://www.writing4mylife.com

electronic press kit: http://www.sonicbids.com/writing4mylife

WRITING4MYLIFE PRESENTS "NO STAGE" -A SPOKEN WORD PLAY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 AT APACHE CAFE`

Writing4MyLife's Archie The Messenger & Lyrical The Lyricist present "No Stage", an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spoken word play. Removing the stage from their performance the two bring drama, comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience.

Atlanta, Georgia August 27, 2010 -- Just as summer is replaced by autumn, the dawn of a new era in Spoken Word poetry is upon us. Beginning at 8 o'clock PM on Saturday, September 18th, 2010, Writing4MyLife in accordance with The Apache Cafe` and RS Entertainment cordially invite you to celebrate the coming of a fresh and new spoken word play in grandeur fashion. Join us as Writing4MyLife - Archie the Messenger and Lyrical the Lyricist - proudly presents “No Stage“, an original, intimate, no holds barred, two-man spoken word play, featuring world renown spoken word artist Rodzilla. Removing the stage from their performance, the two bring drama, comedy and theatrics through poetry directly to the audience with an unparalleled lyrical experience.

“No Stage” will be performed at Atlanta’s own Apache Cafe` (64 3rd Street NW Atlanta, GA 30308) and will offer $10 admission in advance and at the door. Doors will open for this event at seven o’clock PM, with the performance starting at 8 o’clock PM. There will be great food and beverages available for purchase all night at this beautiful venue; a marvelous addition to what will be an extraordinary evening of the arts. “This play is being done to give the city of Atlanta a glimpse of the new trail we been blazing for spoken word over the last eight years,” says Archie. Lyrical followed by stating, “Atlanta is a proving ground for artists of all genres. We believe we are bringing something unique that the city has not seen before. This one night performance is only the beginning of what we have in store for Atlanta this year, so come out and stay tuned! ”

The trail that Writing4MyLife is currently blazing for poetry today is not something new. These two gentlemen practice the spoken word art form in prose reminiscent to the great writers such as Paul Laurence Dunbar, Phillis Wheatley and James Weldon Johnson. They focus on the art of storytelling rather than shorts or journal like poems that competitive slam poetry has forced the craft into. “As English majors at Morgan State University, we studied the many forms of poetry and are very well versed in its past and present, and with the infusion of our own style, we can shape its future,” Lyrical informed. What’s new about what they are doing is in the voice in their writing. It is a voice that is rich with pentameter, getting influences from Hip Hop, with fresh views of the world we live in. They want to show that they are serious about changing the direction of poetry. Archie the Messenger concluded in saying, “In the times of the Harlem Renaissance, it wasn’t about who the better poet was. It was about the expansion of the craft of poetry. Our plan is to expand poetry’s reach back to the stage in play form, and to the masses of the Hip Hop world as well through spoken word albums. So please, stay tuned!”

For additional information or a sample copy of the marketing material for “NO Stage” - a spoken word play, please contact Derek Steele of RS Entertainment via telephone at 443.418.6258 or via email at info@rsentertainment.net. For more information or to purchase advance admission for this event visit http://www.apachecafe.info. - Awesome Inc.

PLUG IN: Archie The Messenger and Lyric The Lyricist Presnt “NO STAGE” Tonight in Atlanta

Saturday, September 18, 2010 · No Comments

Posted in Buzz Worthy, Hollywood Sausage, Plug Into The Scene

It’s all going down in Atlanta tonight for an electrifying, mind-enhancing night of spoken word with three of Spoken Words groundbreaking poets coming from the A!

A true night of enchantment with, all original material with Archie the Messenger, Lyrical the Lyricist in a two man play dramatic play the make you feel every emotion.

“It’s a Refreshing, Gritty, Uncanny Poetic Splendor of a show”

- GBC|Gossiboocrew.com

Thank you Derek – cheers to a great night and show – GBC

Photo’s courtesy of No Stage
- GBC|Gossiboocrew

Spoken word performer and poet Lyrical the Lyricist is one part of a poetry duo that is taking over the D.C. underground scene. Born as Jo'rell Whitfield from Queens, New York, Lyrical and rhyming partner Archie the Messenger mesmerizes audiences who venture into one of D.C.'s hidden treasures. Niteside caught up with Lyrical to learn more about the underground spoken word movement that is taking over D.C. and his rare combination of poetry, comedy, drama and theatrics.

D.C.'s poetry scene is largely untapped by the mainstream. How would you describe yourself and what you do? I'm a poet in the traditional sense. I went to school and studied English ... and how to do it critically. But I'm also a performer -- there's a separation between the arts. Like all things, [poetry] evolved to spoken art, and I'm definitely a part of that movement that's been going on for about 30 years starting right after the Civil Rights Movement. They took poetry off the page and put it into the spoken essence. Now, we're a part of this evolution of what they started.

Why do you feel that poetry doesn't get as much attention like other art forms such as dance, visual art or even music? All of poetry is underground. Mainstream and the masses can't touch it if you're not going to these venues. You're not aware of it. To me, it's all underground until somebody brings it to light. [Poetry] has it's HBO shows but there's only a couple of those and those even went off air. We're like a secret society.

How did you hook up with Archie? Archie and I went to Morgan State [University]. He had been doing poetry for years before slamming in different states. I was just starting and getting a feel for the spoken word. The thing is we never practice ... all that we do is impromptu. I've never even written a poem with him. He'll write something and I'll hear it twice or so and [we] feed off of each other. I don't know what drew us together but we definitely have some kind of kinetic energy.

Are there are any great poets that you draw inspiration from? I love Langston Hughes and Richard Wright. When I was coming into the spoken word of it, the artist Taalam Acey was an inspiration and a group called the Fifth Element. Those were like the first spoken word artists that I met and studied.

What's your favorite aspect of performing? Is it performing alongside artists like Floetry or...? We've done a lot of performances and met a ton of people but it's really about meeting the people. There was a poem we did recently called "In God's Eyes" and afterward a lady asked to hug us. She explained that her son was locked up. She just broke down into tears and started crying. She asked me to send her a copy of the poem so she can send to her son. People will come up to you and break their lives down ... once you have this interaction with them, perform for them, they'll reciprocate with pure honesty.

What can people expect from your performance on Tuesday? For people who haven't seen it, they'll be introduced to the art of spoken word. The new and evolved art of spoken word. You're going to get a range of drama, comedy, [and] you're going to laugh hopefully. You're going to hear compelling stories in an entertaining manner. We're going to definitely get up close and personal. ... It's an intimate experience. It's not just us up there telling a thousand poems. I mean, we don't even want to call it performing anymore. Every time we do it, it's an experience.

Lyrical the Lyricist will be performing with his poetic duo Archie the Messenger at Liv Nightclub tonight. Their second CD, "Writing 4 My Life Vol. 2" will also be released this Summer.

BY Joi-Marie McKenzie // Tuesday, Jun 8, 2010 at 08:57 EDT - www.nbcwashington.com

This month's Storytellers featured Archie The Messenger and Lyrical The Lyricist. Anyone in attendance who had heard one of these young men perform before knew they had front row seats to what was sure to be one of the best Storytellers ever put together.

They entered the room making their way to the stage with every eye from the audience on them from the very beginning of their first poem, "Beyond Beautiful." Now I'll preface this with, if you are a so called fan of spoken word and you missed them perform, then you should be ashamed of yourself. With lines like, "...I couldn't be slept on if you was a narcoleptic...," and "...I could sell a saint some sin, if it's a penny for your thoughts, then I can sell you shit you ain't thought of...," Archie and Lyricial had every head in the crowd hanging on every word. You can tell that they feed off of each other's energy and if one was to forget by chance the words to a poem, the other would seamlessly pick up and continue without the slightest notice by any member of the audience.

What make Arhcie and Lyrical different is how they interact with everyone in the room. There is constant movement and small inclusions of a few members of the audience that adds to the reasons why so many readily come out to hear them. They also cover a range of subject matter from a broken relationship between a man and woman, to a single young mother about to give birth, to a young man realizing the need to step up to the plate and be the man he should be to the child he has fathered and to the woman who bore him. And all of these aspects of the story are carefully intertwined into one poem as Archie and Lyrical trade off parts, never losing their followers as they craft their narrative and always driving home their point. The word play is unmatched and the level of creativity displayed would leave any potential follower to the stage unwanting of their opportunity to be in the spotlight.

They gave every fan in the place a performance to remember as we all had the opportunity to hear four separate pieces from them. They went well beyond the time allotted, but not a single person would have cared or complained if they continued to perform.

Now if you are one of the ones who missed out on Archie and Lyrical you can keep up with these guys at writing4mylife.com or myspace.com/writing4mylife
And I'll ask just as the host of Storytellers did, support these artists. We are all fans and they put on excellent performances, so support the product that they produce.

Storytellers is an outlet for any artist, singer, or rapper to display their talents to an audience craving for diverse and creative pieces of work. Shout out to Raven Ekundayo for putting together a venue where these poets can perform and The SBG for getting the word out to people who may not have ever heard spoken word, but are now a fan of it. You can catch up on past Storytellers as well as find out future dates by visiting eXcapethematriX.com or myspace.com/readyourstory or better yet, just come out and attend. Every one of these monthly open mics is held at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center at 847 N. Howard Street here in Baltimore. Storytellers is always filled with talented people more than willing to share their Stories with all that are there to listen. - The Soulcialista

I was able to sit down with the spoken word duo Archie the Messenger & Lyrical the Lyricist. I can say that I have seen these two in action and if you are ever able to see them LIVE, please do so. Very entertaining body of work, one that will definitely leave you thinking. Let’s check them out! Also, make sure to click “Continue Reading”, special listening treat for you!

1. How long have Archie the Messenger & Lyrical the lyricist been together?

We met in 2002 at Morgan State after being introduced by a mutual friend
in the poetry scene. There was a bit of friendly rivalry between us when
we first met, but we were forced together to represent our school in a
state-wide slam. That was spring 2003. It was a 3-round competition, each
of us took a round, and for the third round decided to take two poems we
wrote and perform them together. We got a perfect score, but lost the slam
due to going over time. But we’ve been performing together ever since
then. So in a sense, this was the birth of Writing4MyLife, us as a tandem.

2. With the success of the hip hop era, how would you describe the relationship between hip hop & spoken word?

The two have been intertwined since hip hop’s conception. Hip hop’s early
musical influences came from soul, disco and rhythm & blues, but the heart
of hip hop, which is the content, the message, was influenced by spoken
word artist like the Last Poets and Gill Scott-Heron. The relationship
between the two has existed before we even thought about performing. The
Community of hip-hop’s content, the spoken word of it, is what has given
it universal appeal. In our work, we plan to use this strong relationship.
We have written spoken word plays that follow the stories presented on our albums. So not only do we create music that you can really enjoy, but we
have plays that embody our music that you can enjoy as well. It’s just
something we think is different, fresh and new for the people.

3. What have been the challenges up to this point with being a spoken word
artist?

While the content of hip-hop might be the heart of the culture, spoke word
as its own craft is greatly overlooked in America. It has gained
significant notoriety with the likes of Def Poetry Jam and some other
nation-wide programs, but its still an untapped market. There are no
record companies beating down our doors, no music videos, no band we can
join, generally every bit of exposure we can get is from paths we’re
blazing ourselves. We follow the blueprint of underground success from
poets before us, but there are a handful of spoken word artist who have
made a national impact, let alone a global impact, and for the few that
have, they’ve done it on their own.

4. Thinking back to the Def Jam Poetry days, would you like that to resurface or would you like to start a new movement?

Def Jam was great, and imperative for the direction of spoken word, but it
was only the tip of the iceberg. The show itself was more like a showcase
for the vast range of spoken word artist and their talents, but it was
only a snippet. The artist who graced that stage, most of them we’ve
performed with, were given a short time (2 min) to display their form of
spoken word and try to get you to laugh, or cry, or be outraged. That show
was just a peek into the culture of spoken word that exist throughout the
country and world. We want to shine light on the culture of poetry and the
spoken word world. Poetry that exists in the bars and night clubs and open
mics of the nation. Poetry that is teaching many of our youth how to
express emotions without it being destructive to themselves and their
environment. That’s going on everyday in every state and just about every
city of this country, and that is what we are apart of.

5. What can your fans expect from you in the near future?

Fans who already enjoy what we bring to the stage can just expect things
to get better, bigger, and more creative. When everybody’s sleep, we’re up
working, writing. Working nonstop to see our talents reach as many people
as God sees fit. Currently, we are about to embark on a tour for our play,
“No Stage”, which embodies our second album Writing4MyLife Vol.2. On July
15, 2010, we are opening it in Baltimore at the 5 Seasons (830 Guilford
Ave. Baltimore, MD). We’re completely dedicated to greatness, that’s what
Writing4MyLife is all about.

How to Reach Archie the Messenger & Lyricial the Lyricist:

Electronic Press Kit: http://www.sonicbids.com/writing4mylife

Website: http://www.writing4mylife.com

Blog: http://blog.writing4mylife.com

Listen to the Spoken Word Albums: http://music.writing4mylife.com

Follow on Twitter: @w4ml & @illestlyricist

If interested in checking this duo out, please click HERE to check out the post I did a few days ago. They will be in Baltimore, Thursday July 15th!
- Candice Nicole of www.EliteDCMag.com

Poetry and theater joined together in holy matrimony on Thursday night as Archie The Messenger and Lyrical The Lyricist performed their two-man spoken word play titled “No Stage”. The two poets, who perform together under the name Writing4MyLife, met at Morgan State University and decided to join forces and become a powerful voice in the spoken word circuit. And for this event, they teamed with RS Entertainment and 5 Seasons (830 Guilford Ave.) for the opening night of their first theatrical production.

The venue was opened to the public at 8:00 p.m. with the show time at 9:15 p.m. and everyone was free before 9:00. I was very surprised to see 5 Seasons starting to fill up as early as 8:15-8:30; this was a clear indication that Writing4MyLife has a very loyal fan base that is eager to support them. As guests arrived they were greeted by a very HOT 5 Seasons, HOT as in 100+ degrees because the air was broken in the building. But they made up for it with 2 for 1 drink specials before 9:00 which managed to take our minds off the fact that we were hot and sweating.

I have to admit I didn’t know what to expect from a “spoken word play”, I was thinking Shakespeare with a twist or overly animated poets attempting to act. I am also ashamed to admit, I didn’t realize the title “No Stage” actually meant there was no stage (LOL). The set up was a large space with two lounge chairs in the middle of room and guest seating was positioned all around the room in a circular pattern so everyone could sit wherever they choose to view the performance from any angle. The show started promptly at 9:15 and opened to standing room only – all seats were taken and late comers had to stand.

The duo performed original spoken word mixed with subtle skits that pertained to the subject matter. They covered a range of things men of their genre would normally discuss…women, money, religion, stereotypes, class, and race. Archie The Messenger was definitely the actor of the two, he was always in character and very expressive with his movements, faces and voices portraying characters and setting the stage for various topics. Lyrical The Lyricist stayed true to his name and kept the crowd engaged with his word play and thought provoking metaphors. The two made a great team together managing to interact with each other but also keep their different styles and personalities distinct and interesting

I will venture to say I left the event with a different outlook on spoken word. It was different for me in comparison to previous spoken word events I’ve attended because unlike before I would only hear the words but at “No Stage”, I could see them being acted out at the same time and that kept me entertained from beginning to end.

And a special Thank You to Lyrical the Lyricist for that shout out to TheFabEmpire before ending the production…It was greatly appreciated.

BmoreFab! correspondent Arli contributed to this post - TheFabEmpire.com

On July 15th, Archie The Messenger & Lyrical The Lyricist may not have had a stage but they sure as heck had all of our attention. Something special had to be in the air to create an impromptu Morgan State all class reunion, causing alums to come from out of town JUST to be apart of the special night.

The sun beaming, sticky air, cars began to roll in and the venue filled up fast with an audience eager to get the right spot. 5 Seasons was sweltering, nonetheless, excited patrons selected seats in the unique cipher created to give everyone a great point of view of the production at hand.

The show began and the hotness of the room became exacerbated by the intensity of Archie and Lyrical. Perms got sweated out, clothes became soaked...the room stayed packed. Make shift fans moved back and forth, napkins fronted as handkerchiefs...the room stayed packed. An uncomfortable situation cant stop true art and the show went on as the two poets performed as if their life depended on it, with passion, skill and a tremendous show of endurance. The captivated audience was a true testimony to their ability to touch and transform those that hear their message. Surrounded by family, friends and fans history was spoken.

VIDEO IS COMING (courtesy of Up and Up)!!!
- TheSoulcialista.com