Kat McGill, better known in the poetry world as Simply Kat, will bring her emotionally-charged brand of poetry to center stage just in time for Women’s History Month.
McGill, performing at this month’s Another Type of Groove: Spoken Word Poetry, will be the first featured poet at Cal Poly to kick off the celebration of women’s history this month.
Simply Kat introduced herself to the microphone at age 17. She is a member of A Mic in Dim Lights which meets in Pomona, Calif. Performing for colleges across the country, group homes, festivals and summer camps based on the arts of dance and writing, McGill seeks to educate while entertaining audiences of all ages. She also aims to help improve creative expression and literacy rates in young people in the workshops she conducts.
Josue Urrutia of the MultiCultural Center said McGill intrigued him because she is a female poet and that corresponds well with women’s history month and that he also appreciated that fact that she hails from Los Angeles.
“We try to find many points of view when looking for poets. Last (month’s poet) was from the East Coast. We want to have every poet be from a different place so the school can be exposed to diverse backgrounds and perspectives,” Urrutia said.
McGill showcased her talents on HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam” and has also appeared in “Spit,” an independent movie about the connections between hip-hop and poetry. She was a member of the 2005 and 2006 Hollywood Slam team and the 2007 Los Angeles Slam Team. She has won the title of Slam Champion of the Highways Theatre Poetry Slam and released her first solo album in 2007. She is currently working on a play, “Corner Sweet” and “Noahlani the Dancing Lion,” a children’s book.
One hour prior to the show, ARTS Obispo will present the third year of “Poetry Out Loud,” an adaptation of a national recitation contest that will host students from Nipomo, Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande, Lopez, Mission College Preparatory, San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay high schools. Students will recite poetry, competing to represent the county at the California championship where winners will win scholarships.
“They’ve been chosen from their respective schools and now they’re competing to represent the Central Coast,” Gonzales said.
Another Type of Groove will be held from 7:30 to 10 p.m. March 4 at Chumash Auditorium.
It is free to the public. There will be an open mic for students, staff and community members.