Skulls & Stairs: Rhiannon, Valerie darling, Maestro, Tyler, Oren Pine

Readings in the staircase at the historic original Venice City Hall Building, aka BB headquarters! Featuring poets embodying the occult and goth, with punk and rebel attitudes, come and hear poetry from current Development Intern and 818 scooterhead Rhiannon Cielos Chavez, poet and visual artist Valerie, darling, who has performed with The Poetry Brothel, and the Born This Way Foundation, Marketing Intern and playwright Tyler Neufeld; and revolutionary spirit of Maestro Gamin who has been active in the LA literary scene for over 15 years. After the poetry readings, electronic composer Oren Pine, will deliver a fusion of words and beats unlike any other on the calavescalera stage.

Doors Open: 7:30 PM, Readings: 7:45 PM, Music: 8:20 PM

Rhiannon Cielos Chavez is a trans-masculine whitewashed Mexican from Los Angeles, California. They read their first chapbook, Beer Hunter (Armadillo Pussy Press), at the 2023 Oregon Fringe Festival. Their work has been published by Angel Rust, Club Plum, and zines & things. Rhiannon often thinks of their father, who now sits next to God and their childhood dog.

Valerie, darling was born in and spent her formative years in Oklahoma. Despite this, she became a queer liberal poet. Valerie pursued her Bachelors specializing in Creative Writing under the instruction of the poet Ai. After graduation and a brief stint in criminal defense, Valerie moved to Los Angeles. Although she has been writing poetry for a quarter of a century, she has been reciting it publicly for only five years. In that time, Valerie has performed with numerous organizations including The Poetry Brothel and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. She is completing the manuscript for what will be her first full-length book of poetry: “Desire Line” - a collection of poems that chronicles the life cycle of desire and asks the reader to consider their place in relationship to desire, what they desire, and how they are changed through it.

Tyler Neufeld (he/him) is a playwright, scenic artist and immersive experience designer. He is currently studying playwriting and scenic design as a senior at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. He has workshopped plays with Untitled Theatre Company's Playwrights Circle, which he cofounded in 2022, and has created one-acts 3 years in a row at UCLA's Bruin Fringe Fest. He is excited to read at Beyond Baroque as he wraps up his marketing internship!

Maestro Gamin This underwhelming bio was very self consciously written and rewritten after another long night of karaoke while sitting on the toilet with the shower running. Striving to be better, suspiciously bored in the middle of his 5th or 6th Sag Aftra strike, and cynically against the performative or cliche, maestro can be found either at the Offbeat or Cuevita, when he's not eating bugs on the l.a. river bike path, or inhaling thc vape pens losing at dominoes 25 miles somewhere from his house. He has released rap albums, gotten drew barymore high, drag raced michelle rodriguez, and had his finger bitten off in the first season of HBO's Westworld, but wont admit any of that in real life. "im angry and i write, and i love and i write. all the other shit is pageantry for ego." also singing bohemian rhapsody is needy and safe, and baby got back is no risk at all. What the fuck were you thinking. This is not your babyshower it's a salon for words.

This event is Free & In-Person at Beyond Baroque. Masks are encouraged while inside our center.

Event attendees are expected to behave in a respectful and considerate manner while in our space. Beyond Baroque reserves the right to remove individuals from our events, virtual or otherwise, if they are not respecting the space, fellow attendees, or performers.

Because this is a free event, seating is limited. Please arrive early.

Host or Publisher Beyond Baroque Literary | Arts Center