Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience

Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience is a theatrical celebration of the life, poetry, and activism of African-American poet, essayist and teacher June Jordan. Co-devised by Raymond O. Caldwell and Adrienne Torf, the show fuses spoken word, music, movement, audience participation, media projections and photo collages to create an immersive experience that reflects Jordan’s belief that poetry is a tool for social justice and communal engagement.

The ninety-minute, two-act show is performed by six multi-cultural women actors and Adrienne Torf on piano, blending biography, poetry readings, writing exercises, and songs with lyrics by Jordan, including many for which Torf composed the music during their nineteen-year artistic collaboration.

Co-devised by Raymond O. Caldwell and Adrienne Torf. Directed by Raymond O. Caldwell.

• World Premiere: March 16-27, 2022, Anacostia Arts Center, Washington DC, produced by Theater Alliance.
• District Tour: June 1-23, 2024, Anacostia Arts Center | Dance Place | Culture House | Dupont Underground, Washington DC, produced by Theater Alliance.
• West Coast Premiere: January 30-March 29, 2026, Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles
• Bay Area Premiere: February 24, 2026, The Freight, Berkeley, produced by the Fountain Theatre and the UC Berkeley Departments of African-American Studies and Women & Gender Studies