Thomas Richard Young aka: ThomRhymes
Re: Wakefield Brewster & Page2Stage Productions Inc.
To All Whom this may Concern:
I wanted to reach out and describe what a pleasure and an honor it has been to collaborate with Wakefield Brewster.
Such is Wakefield's ubiquitous relationship with Calgary’s Poetry and Spoken Word scenes, that I found him without looking.
As a newb to writing in Calgary, the indie YYC declares itself like a beacon to one and all.
When I reached out to enquire about how I submit, I had a response in minutes that came with so much enthusiasm, kindness, and encouragement that my laptop screen vibrated and buzzed.
The man's character is powerful enough to be transmitted through typed characters.
My first collaboration was PPiP - PitBull Poetry in the Park - an amazing experience that promoted the talent we have locally through powerful stacked speakers for the city to find.
Immediately I saw and loved the effort this guy puts into not just maintaining a scene, but growing it.
Bringing Spoken Word into the broader consciousness and doing so with a confidence that invites people to think of spoken word with the appreciation it deserves. Not a niche artform for dudes in berets, goth kids and hopeless romantics, but something hilarious, devastating, thought provoking, surreal and beautiful that should be consumed by the same mainstream audience that tunes into netflix.
After doing a couple of these events, Wakefield told me he wanted to use me as a feature poet in a show. I thought it was a kind thing to say, but honestly thought he was just gassing me to boost my confidence and didn't expect anything to come of it....
Little did I know, Wakefield does not mess around, and that you can take the man's word to the bank!
month or so later I am invited to a group chat with some fellow poets, where Wakefield tells us the show is coming! For this feature opportunity, Wakfield was incredibly supportive, he gave us the freedom and trust to bring whatever work we chose to the show and constantly encouraged everyone, like we had a 24hr cheerleader.
It is hard not to feel real good, when held on a giant's shoulders!
A note to The Grand Theatre, that housed us too, every person involved in the process was efficient and charming.
I felt so respected and treated like a valuable artist, despite being a Dad who scribbles the odd rhyme between work, Dadding and other hobbies!
If I have somehow left it unclear, Wakefield is a gift to this scene and wears his laureateship like a cape, heroically promoting the scene with a tireless work ethic.
Beyond that, he made me comfortable with my artistic voice.
I come from Hip-Hop and always feel that Hip-Hop gets (unfairly...) put a few rungs down on the ladder of artistic credibility. As such I have somewhat altered my natural writing to fit what I thought of as a 'poetic tone'.
Then, I hear the YYC POET LAUREATE straight up spitting hard bars!!
Unapologetically.
It was so powerful to feel someone legitimize Hip-Hop, and more importantly, show how words are words, and they transcend labels like Hip-Hop and Poetry by simply being himself, and using language in a mindblowing way.
So, a huge thank you to this incredible man for taking me from a Dude who was vaguely interested in writing - to a Featured Poet at the oldest and most famous theater house in Western Canada - The Grand Theatre.
He uncannily knows the secret code words to activate the Poet-Sleeper-Agents inside every person he meets, and is waking us up, one at a time!
ThomRhymes