MetroArts Detroit
Featuring a diverse group of artists from the metro Detroit Area
Joel Fluent Greene
Joel Fluent Greene is a Detroit-based poet, author, & event curator and was the longest-running host of Detroit’s iconic, Cafe Mahogany poetry nights.
Greene has shared the stage with The Roots, Pharrell Williams, The Last Poets, Talib Kweli, Ledisi, Jessica Care Moore, Big Sean, Saul Williams, The Detroit Red Wings and many more.
In 2008, Greene, in collaboration with African American Consumer Market (AACM) McDonald’s franchises & Music Hall Center, produced 160,000+ “Words and Rhythms of the D” books that were distributed to McDonald's restaurants showcasing the poetry of young adults. In 2012, he was awarded the prestigious Spirit of Detroit Award for his years of commitment and leadership. In 2014, he released his first collection of poetry, WAXING/waning.
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Motor City Youth Theatre
Motor City Youth Theatre was sponsored by South Redford Schools from 1990-1999
where they continuously offered productions and workshops, including a six-week performing arts series for community children as well as touring to schools in Livonia, Redford, and Detroit. After having moved to Masonic Temple in 1999, after several years found their current home located in Livonia, MI. The youth group continues to perform throughout the Metro Detroit Area.
Nancy Florkowski is the artistic director and co-founder (1990) of Motor City Youth Theatre in Livonia. She retired from South Redford Schools in 2004, after thirty two years as a Special Education and Drama teacher and has a BA in Elementary Education (Eastern Michigan University), M.A. and Education Specialist degrees in Special Education (Wayne State University), M.A. in Drama/Theatre for the Young (Eastern Michigan University), and recently earned a B.A. in Theatre (2013) from Wayne State University.
Sharon Tse
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“Sharon Tse is a daring and uncompromising innovator with her confessional folk-pop to her jazz-inflected songs. Her sound and style remain uniquely her own while her honesty continuously pulls on your heart." --Grammy nominated producer/vocalist, Kate Hart
Detroit-born artist, Sharon Tse has been making music from the time she could hold a guitar in her hands. Early influences from jazz, folk, pop and the Great American Songbook can be heard in her music, but her distinctive fingerstyle playing, and ability to tell stories though “intelligent acoustic” music set her apart as a guitarist and singer-songwriter. One fan recently compared her to “a mash up of Carly Simon and Steely Dan." Backed by some of the finest musicians in the Metro-Detroit area, her debut CD, "The View From Here" takes you on a journey that you’ll want to return to again and again. Videos, lyrics, behind-the-scenes photos, songwriter’s blog and more can be found on her website: http://www.sharontse.com
Sharon works at Wayne State U and is on the board of "Lost Voices,” a non-profit group that brings hope and healing to at-risk youth through the power of music.