Kelly Writers House 10th Anniversary Celebration
May 12 to 14, 2006Tenth Anniversary Celebration program
Al Filreis - introduction (mp3),
(RealVideo)
Ron Daniels (mp3), (RealVideo)
Paul Kelly (per Al Filreis) (mp3),
(RealVideo)
Directors and Program Coordinators: Shawn Walker, Jennifer Snead, Erin
Gautsche, Tom Devaney, Teresa Leo, Jessica
Lowenthal, and Kerry Sherin Wright (mp3),
(RealVideo)
Al Filreis - shout-outs and thanks (mp3),
(RealVideo)
Harris Steinberg (mp3), (RealVideo)
Kristen Gallagher - reading of her poem "In Honor of the 10th Reunion" (mp3)
Eric Karlan (mp3), (RealVideo)
Seth Laracy (mp3), (RealVideo)
Tahneer Oksman (mp3), (RealVideo)
Bob Lucid (mp3), (RealVideo)
Greg Djanikian - comments (mp3), (RealVideo)
and reading of his "Sonnet Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Kelly Writers House" (mp3)
Shawn Walker - comments (mp3), (RealVideo)
and reading of her poem "The Day You Were Born" (mp3)
Mike Magee - comments (mp3), (RealVideo)
and reading of his poem "Kensington and Huntingdon Streets" (mp3)
Al Filreis - final remarks (mp3), (RealVideo)
Tenth Anniversary CD
We produced a CD to commemorate our anniversary, featuring some of the best and most interesting readings and conversations from our first ten years. You can listen to or download it here.
Tenth Anniversary: Praise for the House and its Members (mp3)
Phil
Sandick
Tali
Aronsky
Wendy
Sternberg
Peter
Schwarz
Cecilia
Corrigan
Lauren
Lipsay
Susan
Albertine
Tom
Devaney
Kathy
Lou Schultz
Randall
Couch
Elliot
Whitney
Jamie-Lee
Josselyn
Lisa
Ford
Kate
Ford
Alan
Ford
Conni
Bille
Michael
Schwartz
Bill
Burrison
Richard
Lawrence
Erin
Gautsche
Emily
Missner Devaney
Jessica
Lowenthal
Al
Filreis
It's been ten years since a small band of Penn students, faculty, and staff conceived a new kind of place on campus. A warm, inspiring, communitarian, literary place. An alternative and complement to Penn's pre-professional culture. A hub where writers of all kinds could challenge themselves and each other, where serious thinking and serious creative craziness could go hand in hand. And it had to have a kitchen!
This coming May, during Penn's Alumni Weekend, the Kelly Writers House is throwing a huge party to celebrate our first decade. I'm writing to ask you to save the date.
Lots of us have joined along the way. Kelly Writers House was already there when many of us needed it, and maybe when you needed it too. It's surely time to say thank you to everybody who's helped perform this powerhouse of an experiment. Time to reminisce, to see how far we've come (and how many we now are), to renew acquaintances, and to party as only the hub can. Does the Virgin House Band still have its chops? We intend to find out.
So save the dates! We'll be celebrating all weekend long May 12-14, and it just won't be a party if you're not there. The schedule appears below.
Tell us you can come by writing to: wh10th@writing.upenn.edu.
We can guarantee some notable company, stimulating conversation, great food, and reunions tearful and joyous.
And just as a teaser, from time to time we'll be sending along some highlights from the KWH audio and video archives, to remind you of all we've accomplished together.
So stay tuned, and make plans now to join us in May!
As ever,
Randall Couch and Matt Rosenbaum
Co-Chairs, Tenth Anniversary Planning Committee
Schedule of Events
Friday, May 12, 2006:5:00 PM: Kick-off Barbecue Dinner
We're grilling in the garden! Join us for an informal dinner and gathering in the (now classic) hub style!
11:00 AM: "Whistlestop Cafe"-style Breakfast
Writers House Friday morning staff started this tradition a few years ago,
cooking each other breakfast and eating it out in the garden. Come ignore
the House phone and door bell with us for an hour or two over eggs, bacon,
toast, and (of course) plenty of coffee!
12:00-4:00 PM:Open House at Writers House
Take a break from Penn's Alumni Day festivities and join us for snacks and
quiet conversation in the afternoon. Meet up with an old hub friend or
two in the garden or have a nap on the green couch!
4:30 PM:Writers House Tenth Anniversary Celebration Program
By now the gang's literally all here! Join Al, Provost Ron Daniels, Paul Kelly,
Writers House Directors and Program Coordinators past and present, and close
to a hundred other members of the house community for a celebration of
our first decade.
6:00 PM: Post-Program Dinner
Homemade lasagna and garlicky bread - with us in the dining room!
7:00 PM: Hub Reunion Speakseasy
Sign up with Al to share our recent work, reminiscences, stories, and shout-outs
- open-mic style - in honor of the longest-running student-conceived and
organized Writers House series to date!
10:00 AM- NOON: Senior Capstone
It's become Writers House tradition to invite our graduating seniors, their
parents, families, and friends to this farewell brunch. Come celebrate our
own members of the class of 2006 as they share their memories and triumphs.
Pictures from the Event
Friday, May 12, 2006:
