On July 6th 2009, Janet Kuypers performed her first feature at Waiting 4 the Bus (W4tB is an energetic, eclectic, electric poetry powerhouse that fires up on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month, hosted by Buddah309... Right by the Loop in downtown Chicago at Jaks Tap — the back room, 901 W. Jackson, Chicago IL 60035). This 7:30-10pm evening (starting late because of poet-time) had Kuypers as the only feature for the evening (when there are usually two features at Waiting 4 the Bus). After seeing one acts of play performances in Chicago 05/17/09 (where one was of a single man saying a story, like a prose poem), Kuypers realized that this show is exactly that — a series of “one acts”. For this performance, Kuypers not only pulled a number of older never-read-before pieces of poetry and prose (including poetry and prose from 1991), but she also re-worked poetry to incorporate either “waiting”, or, more usually, “buses”. In addition to this altering of classic writings of hers (including poetry from the “He Told Me His Dreams” series), Kuypers wrote a number of brand new pieces of poetry and prose poetry for this show, including an extensive prose poem about conflicts with the United States and Russia (originally stylized while considering the Carolyn Forché poem “the Colonel”) for this show. Not only is there brand-new written material for this show, but she also opted for using not only a new projection screen and the projector for showing off her artwork in this performance, but she even opted to “meditate” at a bus stop for this show (video from her meditating was also shown in this performance).
Vittorio Carli (of Mercury Cafe) even wrote about this Kuypers show at
Kuypers also released a chapbook of the poems
and prose “one acts” (sorted in the order read).
During the live performance at Waiting 4 the Bus, Kuypers had two computer screens and two photo image frames with rotating images in them (along with The Key To Believing Bear), displayed below the large projector screen of images related to the performance. While wearing her husband’s Marine Corps dog tags, Kuypers performed both poems and prose oems while both iamges and video clips were displayed on the projected screen. Also included in the live show were backgrouns noises of buses running. Each piece also started with the sampling of the words “Get on to the bus” from “Bus to Beelzebub” by Soul Coughing (off thealbum Irresistable Bliss)... and during the second part of the last piece in the show (Hurry Up and Wait), meditation music ( “Sante Dei,” sampled from a Meditation Music CD) played.
Although lighting was dark for the performer to be well viewed on film, you can see samples of images (and hear the full performanceas well) with the links below.
see some of the random art displayed on the small screens below the projector during this live performance
View a video of some of the random art that appeared in smaller frames under the projector during the show
This film is from the Internet Archive
Waiting for a Sign(poem)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (2:56, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(2:47, studio recording 06/11/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (2:27, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(2:14, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered slightly for this show from the original writing)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (:48, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(:44, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
:32, vocals track recorded 06/03/09
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered slightly for this show from the original writing)
View a video of some of the random art that appeared in smaller frames under the projector during the show
This film is from the Internet Archive
A Select few images appearing in the laptops and digital picture fames below the projector include: a globe statue in front of a church in Omaha (Nebraska), and graves at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl Cemetery, Omaha, Hawaii).
In the Projects(prose poem)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (1:24, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(1:38, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
1:16, vocals track recorded 06/03/09
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered slightly for this show from the original writing)
Watch this YouTube video
(of the no audio projected video that was playing during this reading)
View a video of some of the random art that appeared in smaller frames under the projector during the show
This film is from the Internet Archive
A Select few images appearing in the laptops and digital picture fames below the projector include: Joe walking on a tower along a Pasadena California mountainside, part of a statue in Salzburg Austria, Michael Stipe (of REM) in Urbana Illinois, an urn at Summer Palace in Beijing China 03/11/04, and a train station welcome sign in Munich Germany.
Walking Home From School(poem)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (2:01, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(2:47, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
1:53, vocals track recorded 06/03/09
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered very slightly for this show from the original writing)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (:52, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(:53, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
:33, vocals track recorded 06/03/09
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered significantly for this show from the original writing)
View a video of some of the random art that appeared in smaller frames under the projector during the show
This film is from the Internet Archive
A Select few images appearing in the laptops and digital picture fames below the projector include a “teenage dreams” drawing and a mural painted on the side of a building on Montreal.
Park Bench(prose poem)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (1:49, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(1:48, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Vittorio Carli
from “Bits and Pieces ([including] Kuypers)”
Janet Kuypers, the driving force behind SCARS publications, [performed] at Jak’s Tap at 901 W. Jackson (the quasi religious leader, Buddah 309 is the host). Kuypers is a dynamic and theatrical performer especially when she is reading her own poetry. When she performed at one of my own big Megapoetry readings (I have been doing them twice a year at Mercury Café), I thought she was going to burst into tears on stage during one particular poignant piece (I think the performance exists on video somewhere). She also has a delicious, husky voice and a come-hither Mae West influenced vocal delivery style that helps put her work over. Janet likes to give multimedia performances that are tailored to her specific venues and/or shows. Since Janet will be performing at the Waiting for the Bus venue, she will be doing a series of poems about (surprise) waiting for the bus (I have a poem about riding on the bus.) In a Cagean move she will utilize various sounds such as water and meditation music along with projected images as part of the performance.
Leather Jacket(poem)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (1:31, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(1:47, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
2:01, vocals track recorded 06/03/09
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered slightly for this show from the original writing)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (1:25, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(1:14, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
:47, vocals track recorded 06/03/09
Rather read it? Then check out
the original writing
(which was altered slightly for this show from the original writing)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (2:50, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(3:01, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (5:55, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(7:48, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the LIVE track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set) (3:15, live 07/06/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
Order the STUDIO track on CD 8 from the CD set Live
(an extensive 13 CD 2010 CD set)
(4:01, studio recording 06/03/09)
(Because of the extensive size of this CD set, the easiest way to find the track in iTunes is to open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Janet Kuypers and the title of the track, and it can find the track for you)
(poem)
Vittorio Carli
