The 2nd Annual Great Plains Poetry Pile-Up!

Final Results:

1. Ed Mabrey
2. Mike Mlekoday
3. 6 is 9
4. Big Poppa E
5. Tapestry
6. Ian D
7. Aaron Johnson
8. The Klute
9. Lady Krysis
10. Steven Evans

Congratulations to all and thanks to everyone who came out!

Scores From the Bouts

Midland Lutheran College Presents!
The Great Plains Poetry Pile-Up

WHEN: Friday and Saturday, September 19-20, 2008

WHERE: Kimmel Theatre, Midland Lutheran College Campus, 900 N. Clarkson, Fremont, NE 68025

WHAT: The Great Plains Poetry Pile-Up is an individual poetry slam featuring some of the nation's best talent

HOW: The slam will hold three preliminary rounds of ten poets in each round; each poet will read two poems, 3-minutes maximum, Poetry Slam, Inc.'s National Poetry Slam rules apply for poems (i.e. your original work, no props, costumes, etc.).

Prelims will be held at 7 and 9pm Friday and 2pm Saturday. Finals will feature the top 3 poets from each preliminary round + 1 extra poet determined by a special 2nd-chance semi-final at 5pm Saturday where the 4th and 5th place finishers from each prelim (6 total poets) duke it out in a 2-round bout, winner makes the finals (albeit with 2 less poems to use in this no-repeat tournament). The Finals commence at 8pm, scored cumulatively (within the bout, previous bout scores do NOT carry over) and will be 3 rounds.

PRIZE MONEY: $1600 in total prizes!

• $600 for First Place
• $400 for Second Place
• $250 for Third place
• $150 for 4th Place
• $100 for 5th Place
• $50 for 6th and 7th Places

Sid Dillon, Jr., graciously donated prize money for the slam, and we at Midland Lutheran College extend our sincere thanks to him. Also, the Omaha Poetry Slam is donating the prizes for 6th and 7th places.

WHO IS INVITED: All are invited! This event is open to the public. Audience participation is encouraged in assisting our judges in scoring each round. You can attend any round and come and go as you please.

COST: There is a $5 suggested donation at the door.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES: Thirty poets will perform in the slam. To register: Before July 21, a slammaster can register up to 2 poets to represent their slam (this registration will be capped at 18, allowing at-large poets in). At 12:01am (CST) on July 21, registration opens to any poet interested. To register to compete, contact Matt Mason at mtmason@gmail.com.

YOUR HOSTS: Matt Mason, nationally recognized poetry slam virtuoso and author of Things You Don't Know You Don't Know (Winner of the 2007 Nebraska Book Award for Poetry) and Henry Krusiewicz, poet, Midland Lutheran teacher extraordinaire, and the man who got this whole thing rolling.

OTHER EVENTS: Watch for more events in Omaha or Fremont as well as events the day of the slam at The Blue Bottle in downtown Fremont (508 N. Main-phone #, 402/941-BLUE.)

HOTELS: We recommend the Fremont Holiday Inn Express, 402/753-3850. It is centrally located and near several fine eateries.

Schedule:

Friday, 9/19:
4-6pm, Check-In/Dinner on campus at Midland Lutheran's cafeteria, 940 E 9th Street, Fremont (between Logan and Pebble streets).
7pm, Prelim Bout 1
9pm, Prelim Bout 2

Saturday, 9/20:
2pm, Prelim Bout 3
5pm, 2nd Chance semi-final
8pm, Finals
After-Party at Fremont location TBA

Bouts:

7pm Friday:

Rob C, Denver
Casey Degnan, Minneapolis
Des Moines: Jonny Gearino
Aaron Johnson, Mesa
Kasper, Lincoln
Pat McEvoy, Lincoln
Mike Mlekoday, SlamMN
Big Poppa E, Texas
Tapestry, AO Wayward Slam in OKC
LOrd of the VibEs, AO Wayward Slam in OKC

9pm Friday:

6 is 9, St. Paul
Wonder Dave, SlamMN
Lady Krysis, AR
Deirdre Evans, Omaha
Steven Evans, Omaha
Sam Cook, Minneapolis
Paulie Lipman, Denver
Ross, Lincoln
Kat McCoy, TN
Copasetic Soul, St Louis

2pm Saturday:

Josh Boyd, Des Moines
Ian Dougherty, Denver
Cynthia French, 48th Street Slam (MN)
Heather AKA Heather, 48th Street Slam (MN)
Nick Hendrix, The Nebraska Writers Collective
Myrlin Hepworth, The Downtown Poetry Slam (AZ)
The Klute, Mesa
Ed Mabrey; Columbus, OH
The Mo-Man, Arkansas
Adrienne Nadeau, Tampa

Wait List: