Under the Patronage of Mark Howell Paul- Again! and in partnership with NALIS
Take D Stage will take place on the 4th Friday bimonthly at a local Public Library across Trinidad and Tobago.
We live in a place where the very language we speak is a melody and the words and phrases we coin – poetry. However, we also live in a place filled with violence, turmoil and other very real social issues. Using the oral traditions native to this landscape in creative ways can have far reaching benefits for both performer and listener.
Take D Stage, the brainchild of Sheanelle Pariag – former On-the-Job Trainee – began in February 2019 as an Open Mic series held on the 4th Friday monthly and provided a platform for emerging and established local, regional, and international artist to showcase their unlimited [raw] talent in a family-friendly environment.
From April 2023, two one-day spoken word poetry workshops will be facilitated prior to the TDS Open Mic series for Children and Young Adults at the respective Public Library hosting Take D Stage that month.
February: Carnival Edition (Live in-person 1-Year Anniversary)
March: @ Home Online Edition
April: In de Gayelle
June: TDSIs bLack Online
August: Cascadoo Edition: Lett-uce Speak Green
October: Great iz de TDS Open Mic Sou Sou
December: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
February: In de Back Yard
April: For Her
June: On D’ Frontline
August: Poetry Under the Stars
October: It Takes a Village
December: I’ll Be Outside for Christmas
February: Safe Zone
April: We Are Back (Live in-person)
June: ROOTS Kalenda Poets (Live in-person)
August: Cascadoo Edition @ Festival of New York
October: ROOTS Poetry Slam Finals (Broadcast)
December: A Gift to the Nation (ROOTS Year-in-Review)
February: Last Stage on de Arcade @ NALIS
April: Couva Public Library
June: Point Fortin Public Library
August: Cascadoo Edition
October: Scarborough Public Library
December: NALIS on de Arcade
Open Mics represent safe spaces to express oneself and touch the lives of others locally, regionally and internationally. They help performers release pent up emotions, comment on social and personal realities and deal with stress and depression in constructive, creative and
sometimes entertaining ways.
TAKE D STAGE FEATURED GUEST PERFORMERS
❑ April 2019: The Spellbinding King, D’ Supreme Orthographer & dStorySpeller
❑ May 2019: Mr Famous
❑ June 2019: ROOTS Kalenda Poets
❑ August 2019: Kess Ramsey (Host)
❑ October 2019: Kyle Hernandez (First Citizen National Poetry Slam 2023 winner)
❑ November 2019: US-based Trini-born Sauce the Rapper
❑ December 2019: US-based Nigerian-born Amanda Eke
❑ February 2020: Soul Oasis Cultural Ambassadors
❑ April 2022: Aaron Ifill, Keishaun Julien & Isaiah John
Take D Stage will take place on the 4th Friday bimonthly at a local Public Library across Trinidad and Tobago.
