Nikki Patin at Dyke Mic 2.0. Photo by Kat Fitzgerald________
Playwright: rotating schedule
At: Hoover-Leppen Theater at the Center On Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted
Phone: 773-472-6469; $10
Runs through: Aug.29
BY MARY SHEN BARNIDGE
The versatility of the snazzy new Hoover-Leppen Theater on the third floor of the even snazzier Center On Halsted is showcased by the impressive variety of entertainment presented under the auspices of JT Newman and Nikki Patin's Dyke Mic 2.0. This venerable poetry-music-performance series, founded in 2001 and formerly housed at the Bailiwick Arts Center, now makes its home in the sumptuous building on the northern fringe of Boystown and, if the night that I attended is any measure, looks to settle in for a long run.
The evening of Aug. 1 began with genial emcees Newman and Patin welcoming the mixed-gender audience with a pair of poems—Newman's, a nostalgic memoir of sexual awakening replete with pop-culture references ( e.g., Lip Smackers ) and Patin's, a romantic ballad blending spoken-word declamation with a cappella song. These were immediately followed by the first of the program's featured performers, Hyde Park poet Elena Jiminez, whose scholarly credentials in religious studies were promptly dispelled in a dryly compassionate farewell to mentors who would prolong their stewardship, heralding a 10-minute set encompassing 'masturbation haikus' and an ode to hugging dolphins.
Spectators quickly identified the painted trees flanking the stage proscenium as scenery for the playhouse's weekend tenants, the Hubris Productions theatre company, but anyone curious as to the presence of the red-lacquered drums were enlightened when the four members of the Condenada band then took the floor to lay down 15 minutes of punk-rock music, complete with spontaneous mosh-dancing in the front aisles. Contrary to expectations, the volume did not overwhelm the capacity of its space, and if the lyrics were occasionally swallowed up by the gritty aesthetic characteristic of this musical genre, the visual spectacle was riveting enough.
'We look for contrast in scheduling, because women express themselves in many ways,' explained Patin, adding that while the featured performers' material is typically 'female-identified,' no predetermined selection is imposed on the open mike afterward—its personnel, on this occasion, comprised of hosts from other poetry rooms around town, participants in the Horizons Youth Program and a former Green Mill slammer or two. Potential attendees should also note 'Women On Wednesdays,' a weekly cocktail-hour event offering food, wine and social networking on the Center's rooftop deck preceding Dyke Mic 2.0's curtain.
