NEW ROCHELLE, NY — 0n Sunday, October 22, 2017, at 3:00 pm, the New Rochelle Public Library will welcome the popular live reading series 650/Where Writers Read, to the Ossie Davis Theater for an event titled, “The Kids Are Alright.” The show will feature short, original, true stories on growing up—with both the child and parent perspectives on driving tests, empty nests, and more.
“650” is the maximum word count for featured stories—two-pages that can be read aloud in five minutes. Themes from previous sold-out shows in New York City and elsewhere include Dog Stories, Siblings, What We Ate, and The Great Outdoors; digital recordings of the stories are being developed as podcasts and radio broadcasts. The broad themes selected for 650 events allow for a wide range of expression, and—unlike an open-mic event—the pieces featured at 650 events are selected from a deep pool of submissions in order to build the best show possible.
“I basically created the kind of reading I would want to attend,” says founder and editor Edward McCann, an award-winning former broadcast television writer/producer. “No one gets fatigued at a 650 show. The breadth and quality of the work we receive is remarkable, and our audiences have been very generous, responding strongly to the performances. Afterward, over refreshments, the audience engages directly with the writers. It’s hard to say who has a better time.”
McCann says it doesn’t matter whether submissions come from first-timers or bestsellers—or from graduate students or grandmothers. “In a publishing environment with a shrinking number of opportunities to showcase new work, we’ve created a solid platform we’re really proud of. We simply feature good writing at a well-produced event.”
Sponsored by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library and by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, “The Kids Are Alright” is free and open to the public and will conclude with a reception.
The complete show roster can be viewed at Read650.com. Seating for the event is limited, but the readings will also be live-streamed at Facebook.com/read650 beginning at 3:00 PM EST.