And That's Final

You're probably freaked out by teenagers. They're so weird! They won't look at you, and they move too darn fast. At the Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam Grand Slam Finals, though, the kids onstage prove you lazy and/or deaf. Most of them have the three "A"s of teendom: They're adorable, angry, and articulate. Tonight, they're also the surviving champions of many nights of competitive performance poetry, so tack accomplished on that list as well. And as anyone who has actually spoken with adolescents can tell you, gramps, they rise to expectations and often defy stereotypes (like most of us, yo!) by working like horses and producing surprising, lovely art. The evening of spoken-word superstars also features DJ Funklor and emcees George Watsky and Chinaka Hodge.
Sat., March 22, 7 p.m., 2008