Recommended for ages 13+. Screening will be followed by a live slam. In the mid-'80s, slam poetry began as a small underground phenomenon in Chicago. It has since evolved to include the popular spectacle known as the National Poetry Slam, in which over a hundred spoken word artists fiercely compete. Judges are randomly chosen from the rowdy audiences, and the intense jealousy, petty rivalries, and cutthroat competition are all part of the fun. Even if you wouldn't be caught dead at a poetry reading, you'd probably stand in line to see a poetry slam. Emmy award-winning director Paul Devlin gives you a ringside seat at these wild verbal slugfests filled with raw energy and amazing oral artistry.