MARC KELLY SMITH
Cooked up in 1984 at the Get Me High Jazz Club a new style for presenting poetry on stage went from bop to boil-over in 1986 when ex-construction worker Marc Kelly Smith debuted a weekly poetry show that has turned into an international movement. He christened the show the Uptown Poetry Slam, now called the Uptown Poetry Cabaret, and over twenty years later it’s still cookin’.
Under Marc’s leadership, performance poetry and poetry slam shows have spread across the globe, into nightclubs, libraries, high schools, universities, and cultural institutions. Germany, Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Madagascar, Singapore, and event the South Pole all have thriving poetry slam communities, modeled after The Uptown Poetry Cabaret -- Marc’s weekly, standing-room-only production at the legendary Green Mill Tavern in Chicago.
Born on Chicago’s southeast side, Marc’s innate sense of rhythm and unflinching realism reflect the energy and sensibilities of his native city -- a major source of his passion, principles, and inspirations. His boundary-breaking performances have earned him a place among the country’s most compelling performers. Audiences from Queensland, Australia to Fargo, North Dakota have been captured and transported by his passionate vision of what poetry is and can do. Marc has chalked-up over 3,000 national and international engagements. He is the consummate performance poet and producer.
Smith’s book, Crowdpleaser, celebrates the Green Mill, particularly its audiences who remain at the core of the Slam’s success. Illustrated by Michael Acerra, Crowdpleaser, is a remarkable document, sensitively chronicled by original poems and anecdotes. As with the Slam, the book defies labels and explores new forms. It has been credited by the Chicago Book Review, The Chicago Sun Times, The Chicago Tribune, Illinois Entertainer, New City and The Reader.
Smith’s poetry has been featured in Hammer’s Magazine, Chicago Magazine, The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry, Poetry Slam, an anthology, Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, which won the 1994 American Book Award, and The United States of Poetry, a publication that accompanied the PBS television series. His work has been cited by The Wall Street Journal, Playboy, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, New York Times, The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun Times. Selection of his work can also be heard on CDs: By Someone’s Good Grace, a recording of the first National Slam Team Champions (1990), Grand Slam: The 1995 National Slam, It’s About Time (1999), and Quarters in the Juke Box (2007).
In recent years Marc collaborated with editor Mark Eleveld to create Sourcebooks’s Spoken Word Revolution and Spoken Word Revolution Redux, poetry anthologies covering the performance poetry scene at the top of the best-selling list. The CDs included in both these books (and narrated by Marc) are found in the collections of young poets and educators around the world. Marc’s Bible of Slam The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry released by Alpha/Penguin to national and international audiences is used as a blueprint for creating slams and learning the ins and outs of performance poetry.
Moving his talents forward into an even more dramatic realms, he has written and produced two stage plays: Flea Market, a night of monologues, and A House Party For Henry, an interactive play, and co-wrote, produced, and performed in the Zeitgeist Theater’s The Psychic Café. He is on the Artistic Board of several Chicago based performing arts companies and has just recently debut his highly acclaimed Sandburg to Smith, a musical adaptation of Carl Sandburg’s poems and stories performed in concert with the Rootabaga Band.
Cooked up in 1984 at the Get Me High Jazz Club a new style for presenting poetry on stage went from bop to boil-over in 1986 when ex-construction worker Marc Kelly Smith debuted a weekly poetry show that has turned into an international movement. He christened the show the Uptown Poetry Slam, now called the Uptown Poetry Cabaret, and over twenty years later it’s still cookin’.
Under Marc’s leadership, performance poetry and poetry slam shows have spread across the globe, into nightclubs, libraries, high schools, universities, and cultural institutions. Germany, Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Madagascar, Singapore, and event the South Pole all have thriving poetry slam communities, modeled after The Uptown Poetry Cabaret -- Marc’s weekly, standing-room-only production at the legendary Green Mill Tavern in Chicago.
Born on Chicago’s southeast side, Marc’s innate sense of rhythm and unflinching realism reflect the energy and sensibilities of his native city -- a major source of his passion, principles, and inspirations. His boundary-breaking performances have earned him a place among the country’s most compelling performers. Audiences from Queensland, Australia to Fargo, North Dakota have been captured and transported by his passionate vision of what poetry is and can do. Marc has chalked-up over 3,000 national and international engagements. He is the consummate performance poet and producer.
Smith’s book, Crowdpleaser, celebrates the Green Mill, particularly its audiences who remain at the core of the Slam’s success. Illustrated by Michael Acerra, Crowdpleaser, is a remarkable document, sensitively chronicled by original poems and anecdotes. As with the Slam, the book defies labels and explores new forms. It has been credited by the Chicago Book Review, The Chicago Sun Times, The Chicago Tribune, Illinois Entertainer, New City and The Reader.
Smith’s poetry has been featured in Hammer’s Magazine, Chicago Magazine, The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry, Poetry Slam, an anthology, Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, which won the 1994 American Book Award, and The United States of Poetry, a publication that accompanied the PBS television series. His work has been cited by The Wall Street Journal, Playboy, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, New York Times, The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun Times. Selection of his work can also be heard on CDs: By Someone’s Good Grace, a recording of the first National Slam Team Champions (1990), Grand Slam: The 1995 National Slam, It’s About Time (1999), and Quarters in the Juke Box (2007).
In recent years Marc collaborated with editor Mark Eleveld to create Sourcebooks’s Spoken Word Revolution and Spoken Word Revolution Redux, poetry anthologies covering the performance poetry scene at the top of the best-selling list. The CDs included in both these books (and narrated by Marc) are found in the collections of young poets and educators around the world. Marc’s Bible of Slam The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry released by Alpha/Penguin to national and international audiences is used as a blueprint for creating slams and learning the ins and outs of performance poetry.
Moving his talents forward into an even more dramatic realms, he has written and produced two stage plays: Flea Market, a night of monologues, and A House Party For Henry, an interactive play, and co-wrote, produced, and performed in the Zeitgeist Theater’s The Psychic Café. He is on the Artistic Board of several Chicago based performing arts companies and has just recently debut his highly acclaimed Sandburg to Smith, a musical adaptation of Carl Sandburg’s poems and stories performed in concert with the Rootabaga Band.
HIGHLIGHTS & PAST PERFORMANCES
ZAP’s 15th Year Celebration of Poetry Slam in Brazil. Dec. 2023
9th edition of the "Portugal SLAM" festival September 2023
6 edition of th Festival international de slam/poésie en Acadie, Moncton, Canada Oct. 2022
The Queensland Literary Festival -- Brisbane, Australia, 2006
The ABC Liyerary Festival celebrating Bertiot Brecht -- Augsberg, Germany, 2006
The Cruit Lterary Festival – Galway, Ireland, 2005
The French National Poetry Slam – Nantes, France, 2005
International Festival Poetry Without Borders -- Olomuc, Czech Republic – 2004
Antwerp World Book Festival -- Antwerp, Belgium – 2004
The Midwest Literary Arts Festival -- Aurora, Illinois – September 2003
The Singapore Arts Festival -- Singapore – 2003
Washington Front & Center -- Kennedy Center for Performing Art, 2002
Romaposeia – Rome, Italy, 2002
Swiss/German National Slam – Bern, Switzerland, 2000
Television Appearances & Performances
CNN-News
60 Minutes
PBS, The United States of Poetry
NPR, “Whadda Ya Know”
WTTW/PBS, Wild Chicago
WGN’s, Chicago’s Very Own
Publications & Recordings
Ground Zero (Northwewstern University Press 2016)
The Spoken Word Revolution (Sourcebooks, 2002),
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry (Alpha/Penguin Books, 2004)
Crowdpleaser (Collage Press, 1996)
By Someone’s Good Race – Compact Disc
It’s About Time – Compact Disc
Quarters in the Juke Box – Compact Disc
Love & Politics – Compact Disc
Take the Mic (Sourcebooks2009)
Stage a Slam (Sourcebooks 2009)
Published Work In Anthologies & Periodicals
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry
Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café
The United States of Poetry Publication that accompanied the PBS television series
Smokestacks & Skyscrapers An Anthology of Chicago Writers
The Encyclopedia of Chicago History published by The Newberry Library, 2004
The Wall Street Journal
Playboy
The Los Angeles Times
USA Today
The New York Times
The Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Sun Times
Phat Poetry Project -- Underdog and It - the Remedy
Rattle Magazine
Fifth Wednesday
Theatrical Productions Homefront by James Duff Role: Bob
EP Theatre, 2009
Kerouac Jack Role: Narrator
Noble Fool Theatre, 2003
Pyschic Café Role: Zarek
Zeitgeist Theater Company, 2000
A House Party for Henry
Playwright
Three Arts Club, 1999
On the Waterfront Role: Mac the Dock Worker
American Blues Theatre, 1998
Flea Market
Playwright
Live bait Theater, 1997
Poetry Productions The Poetry Hot Dog Cart -- Chicago For Chicago’s 2006 “Stirring Things Up Festival” The Neutral Turf Poetry Festival at Navy Pier-Chicago Chicago’s citywide performance poetry festival
Slam Dunk Poetry Day at The Field Museum – Chicago A day-long event blending the art of poetry with the sport of basketball.
The Biker Slam at the Field Museum – Chicago A performance in conjunction with the Guggenheim “Art of the Motorcycle”
The Summer Solstice Poetry Show – Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago
ZAP’s 15th Year Celebration of Poetry Slam in Brazil. Dec. 2023
9th edition of the "Portugal SLAM" festival September 2023
6 edition of th Festival international de slam/poésie en Acadie, Moncton, Canada Oct. 2022
The Queensland Literary Festival -- Brisbane, Australia, 2006
The ABC Liyerary Festival celebrating Bertiot Brecht -- Augsberg, Germany, 2006
The Cruit Lterary Festival – Galway, Ireland, 2005
The French National Poetry Slam – Nantes, France, 2005
International Festival Poetry Without Borders -- Olomuc, Czech Republic – 2004
Antwerp World Book Festival -- Antwerp, Belgium – 2004
The Midwest Literary Arts Festival -- Aurora, Illinois – September 2003
The Singapore Arts Festival -- Singapore – 2003
Washington Front & Center -- Kennedy Center for Performing Art, 2002
Romaposeia – Rome, Italy, 2002
Swiss/German National Slam – Bern, Switzerland, 2000
Television Appearances & Performances
CNN-News
60 Minutes
PBS, The United States of Poetry
NPR, “Whadda Ya Know”
WTTW/PBS, Wild Chicago
WGN’s, Chicago’s Very Own
Publications & Recordings
Ground Zero (Northwewstern University Press 2016)
The Spoken Word Revolution (Sourcebooks, 2002),
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry (Alpha/Penguin Books, 2004)
Crowdpleaser (Collage Press, 1996)
By Someone’s Good Race – Compact Disc
It’s About Time – Compact Disc
Quarters in the Juke Box – Compact Disc
Love & Politics – Compact Disc
Take the Mic (Sourcebooks2009)
Stage a Slam (Sourcebooks 2009)
Published Work In Anthologies & Periodicals
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry
Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café
The United States of Poetry Publication that accompanied the PBS television series
Smokestacks & Skyscrapers An Anthology of Chicago Writers
The Encyclopedia of Chicago History published by The Newberry Library, 2004
The Wall Street Journal
Playboy
The Los Angeles Times
USA Today
The New York Times
The Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Sun Times
Phat Poetry Project -- Underdog and It - the Remedy
Rattle Magazine
Fifth Wednesday
Theatrical Productions Homefront by James Duff Role: Bob
EP Theatre, 2009
Kerouac Jack Role: Narrator
Noble Fool Theatre, 2003
Pyschic Café Role: Zarek
Zeitgeist Theater Company, 2000
A House Party for Henry
Playwright
Three Arts Club, 1999
On the Waterfront Role: Mac the Dock Worker
American Blues Theatre, 1998
Flea Market
Playwright
Live bait Theater, 1997
Poetry Productions The Poetry Hot Dog Cart -- Chicago For Chicago’s 2006 “Stirring Things Up Festival” The Neutral Turf Poetry Festival at Navy Pier-Chicago Chicago’s citywide performance poetry festival
Slam Dunk Poetry Day at The Field Museum – Chicago A day-long event blending the art of poetry with the sport of basketball.
The Biker Slam at the Field Museum – Chicago A performance in conjunction with the Guggenheim “Art of the Motorcycle”
The Summer Solstice Poetry Show – Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago