Hot damn, my office looks messy.

On Wednesday night at The Tranzac downtown, a 34-year-old man took to the stage and spewed more than 60 insults and obscenities to a large crowd. They hooted with laughter, gasped at the more taboo terms and broke out into applause when it was all over.

Andrew Jehan’s performance was an extreme example of what audiences might hear at Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids, a free reading series whose name pretty much says it all. This was the eighth installment of a show where people read old diary entries, angsty teen poetry and mystifying grade school assignments to a roomful of strangers.

A big thanks to everyone who came out to GRTTWaK8 at the Tranzac on September 17th. It was a great time.

I have two more Wednesdays at the Tranzac this month, with two very excellent shows:

• September 23: Singer/songwriters Kevin Quain, Patrick Walsh, and Peirson Ross (Facebook event)
• September 30: Japanese popsters The Moist Towelettes (Tokyo) wsg The Sweat (Facebook event)

Hope you can make it out.

Inspired by your wonderful podcast, my young adult choir used their own kidlit as a group icebreaker during our annual retreat last November. The prize I offered for the “best” childhood literature presented was that I would set the masterpieces to music. The result was performed at our February 21 concert, “Stories”, and I called the two-movement work “Juvenilia”.

How cool is that? Kathleen included a link to a YouTube video of the performance:

In case you’re wondering, here are the lyrics:

“Love” by Jennifer (age eight)

Love, love, love we all love love.
It is nice, kind and firendly
Love, love, love is such a dove,
we all love love, we all love
love. You and me love love.
Yes I love you. When I’m
blue I need too love you.

“Unicorns Are Magic” by Erin (age eight)

Once upon a time there lived two unicorns, a mother and a baby. The mother called her baby Shadowfacts. She was georgeous.
One day the baby asked “Are we magic?” Her mother said “Yes, of course, we’re magic.”
The next day the baby asked “Are we magic?” Her mother said “Yes we are magic.”
The next day the baby asked “Are we magic?” The mother yelled:
“Of course we’re magic. If you ask me one more time I’ll scream! You see, I’m getting mad.”
So the baby never asked “Are we magic?” again.

• If you’re looking for information about the next live show in Toronto on September 16, click here
• If you want to hear the radio show again or download an MP3, click here
• If you want to be on the mailing list to find out about upcoming shows, just send an email to toronto-subscribe@grownupsreadthingstheywroteaskids.com
• You can also become a fan of GRTTWaK on Facebook, if you’re into that kind of thing

Thanks for listening, and please, let me know what you think. Or better yet, let CBC Audience Relations know what you think. Call 1-866-306-4636 or email them using the form on this page. Make sure you include the show name (”The Lab / Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids”) and the airdate: 7:30PM on August 21, 2009.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m happy to announce Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids 8. Once again, we’re at the Tranzac.

When: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 8:00pm
Where: The Tranzac (main hall), 292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto (map)
Cost: FREE

As I write this, you have exactly one month to dig through your attic, basement, or parents’ house. So dig up your best stuff from your childhood, and bring it to the Tranzac in September.

Like last time, I’m asking people who plan to read to please sign-up in advance. Just use this form. A small number of spots will be held for walk-ins the night of the event, but really, just a few.

(Facebook event)

==

One last thing: this event is just one of the four “Wombat Wednesday” events I’m hosting at the Tranzac in September 2009. The others are going to be terrific, too, so you should come:

• September 9: Uncle Father and Brent Randall and His Pinecones – $5
• September 16: Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids 8 – FREE
• September 23: Kevin Quain w/ special guest – $5
• September 30: The Sweat and The Moist Towelettes (Tokyo) – $5

I hope you can make it out.

[Original image: http://thevisualdictionary.net/eight/278]

The show didn’t get picked up, but the pilot is going to air as part of The Lab on CBC Radio One on Friday, August 21, 2009 at 7:30PM (8:00 in Newfoundland), right after As It Happens.

Or you can listen to the whole show right here:

You can also download the MP3 file of the whole show.

Enjoy, and please let me know what you think. Or better yet, let CBC Audience Relations know what you think. Call 1-866-306-4636 or email them using the form on this page. Make sure you include the show name (”The Lab / Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids”) and the airdate: 7:30PM on August 21, 2009.

When: Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 8:00pm
Where: The Tranzac (main hall), 292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto (map)

As I write this, you have a little over one month to dig through your attic, basement, or parents’ house. Dig up those old diaries! Unearth those angsty teen poems! Rediscover yourself at age 9! Then bring your best to the Tranzac in April to read in front of a group of strangers.

One more thing: Like last time, I’m asking people who plan to read to please sign-up in advance. Just use this form. A small number of spots will be held for walk-ins the night of the event, but really, just a few.

(Facebook event)

Also, you may dig Lee Fraser’s project Something From Your Wallet.

When: Monday, March 2, 2008 at 8:00pm
Where: The Acoustic Grill, 173 Main Street, Picton, Ontario
Cost: Free

There’s a Facebook event, too. Hope to see you there!

When: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 8:00pm
Where: The Tranzac (main hall), 292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto (map)
Cost: Free
Note: 19+

If you’re home over the holidays, this is the perfect opportunity to dig through all those boxes you left at home. Dig up those old diaries! Unearth those angsty teen poems! Rediscover yourself at age 9! Then bring your best to the Tranzac in January to read in front of a group of strangers.

Also: We’re trying something new this time. If you’d like to read something at GRTTWaK, please let me know in advance by filling out this form. A small number of spots will be held for walk-ins the night of the event, but really, just a few.

(Facebook event)