All readings take place on Monday, beginning at 7pm at Art Reach of Mid Michigan (111 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI.) except for the April Finale Readings*, which take place at the UUFCM (319 S. University Avenue, Mt. Pleasant, MI.). Stay tuned to this website or The Wellspring Literary Series Facebook page for information about the upcoming readings. Click the writer’s name, where applicable, for more information about them.
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CURRENT SCHEDULE: NOTICE: 2021-2022 SEASON ON-HIATUS
Regretfully, the Wellspring Literary Series remains on hiatus due to the global pandemic. We look forward to packing in to the Art Reach Center of Mid-Michigan again, as soon as we can do so safely. In the meantime, the CMU Creative Writing Department plans to hold some online poetry events. Stay tuned to the CMU Creative Writing website for further details! Also, feel free to tune into Full Send, the CMU Creative Writing podcast, to hear periodic readings and interviews with CMU faculty, students and alums!
2020-2021: Cancelled due to Global Pandemic
2019-2020: Year Eleven
The schedule for 2019-2020 is as follows, tentatively. Click links for more information about authors and musicians.
October 7, 2019: Jason Irwin and Jen Ashburn: (Student reader Amanda Olsen. Music by CMU student saxophone sextet.)
November 4, 2019: Michelle Penaloza: (Student reader Jordan Gakle. Music by Joe Hertler.)
March 16, 2020: CANCELLED DUE TO PANDEMIC: Jenifer DeBellis: (Student reader Rui Wang. Music by CMU students of pianist, Alexandra Mascolo-David.)
*April 20, 2020: CANCELLED DUE TO PANDEMIC: Peter Markus: (Student reader Jimmy Hollenbeck. Music by Daryl & the Beans.)
Here is a list of featured readers who have shared their work at the Wellspring Literary Series. Click the writer’s name for more information about them.
2018-2019: Year Ten
October 1, 2018: Poet Marc Hudson (Student reader: Liz O’Donnell.) Music by Matteo Generani (Piano student, CMU).
November 12, 2018: kim d. hunter (Student reader, Bella Baricklow. Music by Bob Lindahl, Professor of Trombone, CMU)
March 18, 2019: Cindy Hunter Morgan (Student reader Gene Agee) Music by Seraphine Heft, Flute student)
*April 15, 2019: Featured poet Russell Brakefield, (student writer James Champion,) with Music by Daryl and the Beans, featuring CMU Faculty: Jeffrey Bean, Darrin Doyle, and Robert Fanning w/ student guest Sam Mooradian.
2017-2018: Year Nine
September 18: A Tribute to Matthew Echelberger: This evening’s special event will be a celebration of the life and poetry of former CMU professor Matthew Echelberger, who died in January. All are invited to read Matthew’s poems (which will be made available at the event) during an open mic reading.
October 2: Tommye Blount (w/ Delany Lemke, poet, and Joe Hertler/folk-funk-rock)
November 6: Charles W. Brice and Judy Brice (Student Reader: Greta Ginter, poet, and Alexandra Mascolo-David, pianist)
March 12: Fleda Brown (w/ Ashley Howell, poet. Music by Abigail Mullis, Matteo Generani, and Deniza Derdovski, CMU piano students.) April 9: Eric Torgersen (w/ Madison Eberth, poet. Music by Daryl and the Beans/rock)
2016-2017: Year Eight
October 3: Zilka Joseph (w/ Zachary Riddle, poet, and Gozde Cakir, flute, and Ryan Ramsey (saxophone)
November 14: Zachary Tomaszewski (w/ Maye Zerull, poet, and Tom Hymn, singer/songwriter)
March 13: Melissa Grunow (w/Karli Henning)
*April 10: Michigan Poetry Celebration! Featuring more than twenty Michigan poets who will their poems from the anthology, The Michigan Poet: Collected Poems
2015-2016: Year Seven
October 5: Jeff Kass, Scott Beal (w/ Mika Yamamoto; Dominic Bierenga, Ruben Shell/jazz)
November 2: Carolyn Dunn (w/ Jeremy Ball (alum), Matthew Moffett, Alexandra Mascolo-David/piano)
March 21: Josie Kearns (w/ Ben Kuzava)
April 4: Jen Tynes, Michael Sikkema (w/ Bryce Huffman, Daryl & the Beans/rock)
2014-2015: Year Six
October 13: Dennis Hinrichsen, Marc J. Sheehan (w/ Kimberly Priest, Dominic Bierenga, Ethan O’Brien, Kosta Kapellas/jazz)
November 3: Tarfia Faizullah (w/ Jessica Kaiser; Chelsea Storms/piano)
March 9: Diane Seuss (w/ Hayley McNichol; Crescent Duo/classical)
April 6: Phillip Sterling (w / Daryl & the Beans/rock)
2013-2014: Year Five
October 14: Sean Thomas Dougherty (w/ Hailee Sattavara, Kavazabava/klezmer)
November 4: Dianne Seuss (cancelled)
March 3: Jamaal May (w/ Saul Lemerond, Joe Hertler/rock)
April 7: Patricia Clark (w/ Hannah Fillmore, Daryl & the Beans/rock)
2012-2013: Year Four
October 11: Fleda Brown (w/ Joanna White, Joe Hertler/rock)
November 12: Anne-Marie Oomen (w/ Ben Harris, Bob Lindahl/cello)
February 11: Glenn Shaheen (w/ John Priest, Ugly Broads/rock)
March 18: Jamie Thomas (w/ Sonya Pouncy, Alexandra Mascolo-David/piano)
April 8: Courtney Kalmbach (w/ Bryan McAttee, Daryl & the Beans/rock)
2011-2012: Year Three
September 20: francine j. harris (w/ Ben Lambright, Joe Hertler/rock)
October 10: William Olsen and Nancy Eimers (w/ Tyler Kivel & Jason Drake/Piano)
November 21: Traci Brimhall (w/ Leigh Jajuga, Jamie Fiste/Cello)
February 6: Keith Taylor (w/ Jeremy Ball, Alexandra Mascolo-David/Piano)
March 12: Caitlin Horrocks (w/ Saul Lemerond, Kate and Micah Bracken/Singer)
April 9: Jack Ridl (w/ Brian McKenna, Daryl & the Beans/rock)
2010-2011: Year Two
September 20: Linda Nemec Foster (w/ Pamela Reames, Joe Hertler/rock)
October 11: Mariela Griffor and Chad Sweeney (w/ Josh Graham/marimba)
November 8: Terry Blackhawk (w/ Morgan Rae Glazier, Sarah Riegler and Essence Quartet)
November 29: Tommye Blount (w/ Danny Rendleman, Chris Belanger/rock)
January 24: Jeff VandeZande (w/ CJ Opperthauser)
February 14: Ronnie Apter and Mark Herman (w/ Nathan Emerson)
March 14: Matthew Gavin Frank (w/ Andrew Mendelsohn, Jodi Mata)
April 11: Blair (w/ Joe Kane, Joe Hertler/Rock)
2009-2010: Year One
September 9: Vievee Francis (w/ Jennifer Anderson, Crescent Duo/flute & clarinet)
October 5: Eric Torgersen (w/ Joe Kane, Joshua Graham/marimba)
November 9: Jamaal May (w/ Qiana Towns, Sarah Riegler, Josh Graham, Mike List, Andrew Wheelock/percussion)
December 7: Christina Rhein (w/ Matt Cicci, Andrew Strodtman/violoncello)
January 10: Allegra Blake and Andrea Devenney (w/ Blacktop Musical/rock)
February 15: Zilka Joseph (w/ Matthew Echelberger, Heidi Chu, Jason Drake and Loretta Lanning/piano)
March 1: Matt Bell (w/ Mick McGrath, Joe Hertler/Rock)
April 5: Matthew Olzmann (w/ Alexandra Mascolo-David/piano)
April 26: Blair (w/ Dawn Sandhal)
The Wellspring Literary Series 