August 23, 2008 @ M Bar

Lori Alan	Maurice Compte
Mayda Del Valle	Edi Gathegi
Joshua Harto	Gregg Henry
Jann Karam	Geno Monteiro
Tia Texada

WordTheatre teamed up with the PEN Center USA to put literal voices to the works of PEN's Emerging Voices program.

• Geno Montiero (Heroes, Jericho, The Unit) will read "Dos Ojos" by Sergio Reyes
• Joshua Harto (The Dark Knight, Iron Man) will read "Dolores" by Davin Malasarn
• Edi Gathegi (Twilight, Gone Baby Gone, House, M.D.) will read a story by Cynthia Bond
• Jann Karam (Seinfeld, Letterman) will read "The Night Counter" by Alia Yunis
• Amy Aquino (E.R., Crossing Jordan) will read a story by Libby Flores
• Mayda Del Valle (Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry) will read "Mighty Mighty" by Marytza Rubio
• Gregg Henry (The Riches, Gilmore Girls, Payback) will read "The Last Time" by Melinda Palacio
• Lori Alan (Family Guy, Spongebob Squarepants) will read "Viva Las Vegas" by Shanna Mahin
• Tia Texada (Third Watch, Nurse Betty) will read "White Spaces" by Sonia M. Quinones
• Maurice Compte (All the Real Girls, Big Top) will read "Diego in Sound" by Avi Lall
  

Now in its twelfth year, Emerging Voices serves up-and-coming writers from minority and underserved communities by providing them with an eight-month mentorship with a successful author. Previous mentors have included such literary luminaries as Janet Fitch, Carolyn See, Yusef Komenyaaka, and Sherman Alexie. In addition to the mentor component, the Emerging Voices Fellows take classes generously donated by the UCLA Writers' Extension program and participate in an intensive Master class with a renowned local writer.

Emerging Voices is the only program of its type in the country—focusing not just on creative development, but on professional guidance, with the ultimate goal of creating a generation of voices too powerful to be ignored. By giving these writers the tools to plug in to the publishing industry, and by pushing ceaselessly for their projects to be completed, Emerging Voices empowers these young authors with the freedom to write.

To date approximately 100 fellows have completed the Emerging Voices program and have gone on to write best-selling novels, win prestigious awards and residencies, and publish in renowned literary journals and anthologies. Emerging Voices alumni include published and award-winning writers Nora Pierce, Eduardo Santiago, Jenoyne Adams, Noel Alumit, and Reyna Grande.

Directed by Cedering Fox

Produced by Cedering Fox and Lisa Doctor

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