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Costumed students perform poetry to full theater

Students and faculty got into the spirit of the season at the Poetry and Storytelling night, sponsored by the Writing Fellows.
The event was held in the Little Theatre on Oct. 29, just in time for Halloween.
Participants were encouraged to dress in costume and read their favorite poetry.
Some students even prepared original works of poetry to read.
Jacob Gonyea, a student in professor Carrie Nartker’s English class, started out the night with a short, fun freestyle.
“I’m a freestyle poet, my inspiration is life and people and how they interact,” he said.
Student Bill Borrous was inspired by his son to dress up as the video game character Luigi, and perform an original, Mario-themed poem.
“I talked with my son and he helped me with my poem a little bit. He came up with neat little words and rhymes and
I ad-libbed with him and that’s what we came up with. So I’m excited about it and he is too.” he said.
 Burrous also said he would be willing to perform again.
“It’s all in good fun. Everybody seemed to enjoy it, it was a great atmosphere and a good time.”
The Writing Fellow staff, advised by Professor Timothy Dillon, usually puts on this event in the Fall and Spring.
“It’s mostly the Writing Fellows who do it. They always want to do this,”
Dillon said. “They pretty much do all the leg work and I oversee it,”
Dillon said that though the costume contest usually is a hit among the audience, they can never predict how the turnout will be.
“We never know, we’ve had the place full and we’ve had only a few rows of people, so we never know. Last year we had about ten people dress up.”
This year, 31 students recited pieces to a theater of 60 students and members of faculty.
Dillon said that he does not “do costumes,” so he did not dress up. He did, however, participate in a performance with English professor William McCloskey.
 McCloskey performed a dramatic piece by Leroy Jones, while Dillon accompanied him on guitar. Other faculty members who performed pieces were Vinnie Maltese, who did a bit that included a math handout, and Carrie Nartker who was asked by a student to read his work for him.
Ten students participated in the costume contest. Ultimately, student Tiffany Miller won the contest, dressed as the book “Morris Goes to School,” which she also recited part of.
Miller won a $20 gift card to MCCC’s bookstore.
One of the Writing Fellows who judged the competition was Ashley Bates, who also helped host the event.
“I really did get nervous because I did not want to trip over people’s names. But it was okay, I enjoyed it,” Bates said.
“I did not perform something myself because I do not like my own poetry. I’m not a poem writer; I could not write a poem to save my life.”
Another Poetry and Storytelling night is scheduled for the Winter semester.