411 Seven Days in Chicago: Experimental Words

This Tuesday, “series A, ” a monthly writing and reading project, returns to the Hyde Park Art Center, taking literary readings to a whole new plane through the new “it” language art, experimental writing. “The city itself is going through a renaissance for experimental writing,” says curator and poet William Allegrazza, who began “series A” in July 2006. According to Allegrazza, this language art form can be much more exciting than your average poetry slam. “This series pairs fiction writers and poets,” he says. “This is the only series in the city that does that—I like to have a mix of people.” As part of Allegrazza’s do-good ethic to bring up new artists, this week he is pairing an “experienced, well-known” writer with a sort-of newcomer: the poet, dancer and writing instructor Cheryl Pallant from Virginia and fiction writer and Chicago Public Radio contributor Charles Blackstone. Allegrazza points out, “This is the best venue in Chicago to see living, good writers,” and for those unfamiliar with an experimental language reading he advises, “Be open to experience the writing without trying to worry about understanding.”