Cantab Feature for Wednesday, May 3, 2017: World Qualifier Speed Slam

Our annual run of speed slams winds down along with National Poetry Month, folks, which means it’s time to ramp up for even speedier action: get ready for the World Qualifier series, a two-night, six-poem series to select the Boston Poetry Slam’s sole representative to the Individual World Poetry Slam! This year’s IWPS will take place in Spokane, Wash. in October, and our World Qualifier slam winner will be entered into the 2017 event.

Night one of the World Qualifier will be our annual grand speed slam: a huge field of poets compete in a lightning-fast two-round slam using ONLY 2- and 1-minute poems. That means lots of new work performed by your favorite slam winners from the past year! Top scorers move on to the Final on May 24.

Up to twenty-six poets will qualify to slam in this first round of prelims! For a roster of those qualified (and to see what dates are left to jump in), click here.

You can also click here for the full rules and format for the World Qualifier Series.

This show in our weekly Wednesday series takes place at the Cantab Lounge, 738 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. Doors for the show open at 7:15. An slightly shortened open mic begins at 8:00 and the slam begins at approximately 10:00. The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $5; proceeds will go toward funding the World Qualifier winner’s trip to IWPS in Spokane this October.