WETA Arts September 2023

WETA Arts and host Felicia Curry are back! This month, experience the power of words at the Spoken Word to Go-Go finals, learn about Chelsea Ritter-Soronen’s transformative street art with ChalkR!ot in Silver Spring, and explore how Woolly Mammoth’s artistic director Maria Manuela Goyanes navigates the challenge of upholding the theater’s legacy while continuing to push artistic boundaries.

In this exclusive interview, Felicia Curry sits down with Maria Goyanas, the second Artistic Director of Woolly Mammoth Theater. Maria discusses her journey to this groundbreaking playhouse and her vision for the company. She also highlights Woolly Mammoth's rich history of aesthetic innovation and civic provocation, showcasing the legacy left by co-founder Howard Shawwitz.

WETA Arts visits Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland for a glimpse into Chalk Riot, a dynamic public art company founded by Chelsea Ritter-Sorenin. Watch as they transform Ellsworth Drive with colorful pavement murals and learn how chalk art is redefining public spaces.

Host Felicia Curry visits the 31st Annual Barbecue Festival in downtown D.C. to take in a spoken word competition called "Spoken Word to Go Go." Three poets compete in the finals, expressing their personal stories and emotions through spoken word poetry set to the backdrop of Go-Go music, a genre known for its percussion and bass-driven, which was pioneered by Chuck Brown in Washington DC.