Imagine sitting in a little coffee shop decorated with hanging plants, cozy couches and colorful pictures on the walls. The rich aroma of fresh brewed coffee and the sound of students and customers chatting in the background surround you. Then a man walks over to the center of the room, speaking into a microphone and welcomes everyone to Verbal Art Live. The room quickly quiets down and eyes slowly turn toward the stage.
This is one of the few times that Espresso Corner is actually silent. It is 9:00 p.m. and the host proceeds to read a poem. The poem is somewhat humorous and the audience begins to laugh: They are about to experience a session of Verbal Art Live.
Verbal Art Live is an ongoing series of readings held at Espresso Corner. The sessions are filled with different art forms including prose, dramatic monologues and journal entries.
The series began this summer after John Salidis, one of the three co-owners of Espresso Corner, decided he wanted to organize an event to embrace the arts, and, specifically, poetry. Salidis asked his friend and steady patron, Jeff Drouin, to put it together.
Drouin, a second-year graduate student in the University's English Department, came up with the idea of Verbal Art Live. Every few weeks University students and Charlottesville residents gather at Espresso Corner to read their own work or that of other artists. Anyone is welcome to participate. Although many come to perform, a lot of people come just to listen and enjoy.
"There's a good mix of graduate and undergraduate students. One time, a Charlottesville woman at least in her 50s sang a poem," Drouin said. "It's different every time. A lot depends on the chemistry of the audience".
Usually between 12 and 15 people participate and a solid core of about five individuals attend the sessions regularly.
One regular is Ben Jones, a 24-year-old Charlottesville resident and local artist. Last week was his third time attending the event and Jones said he keeps coming back because each time he is amazed by the quality of work being presented.
"There's nothing like seeing a group of intelligent, artistically inclined people staring at you with a look of outright understanding in their eyes," he said. "Unlike other art forms -- [such as] music and film, it is difficult is to get prose and poetry public. Verbal Art Live is a good vehicle to express yourself and expose your talent."
It's sentiments like these that make everything worthwhile for Espresso Corner co-owner Kerr Evans.
"This is great," Evans said. "There are about 12 bars and five restaurants on the Corner that serve alcohol. A lot of the nightlife is centered around it. We want to provide an alternative."
Last week was the first time he went to Verbal Art Live. Evans said the shop's management is trying to make Espresso Corner more of an enriching place with qualities of art and music incorporated in the day-to-day business.
"We want Espresso Corner to be a place were students can go to be entertained, a place where they can find culture," he said.
Salidis also spoke about their vision to make Espresso Corner the epicenter of community, with more interaction between students and Charlottesville residents. In addition to Verbal Art Live, Espresso Corner now is looking into hosting theatrical performances and art displays.
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