THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Sa 7pm,M 8am, W 3pm

Guest Poets Paola Hornbuckle, Phillia, James Coats

POEMS ABOUT PALESTINE

A thoughtful in-depth conversation about poetry, inspirations, observation of life around us, compassion, war and more.

http://www.healpalestine.org

PROGRAM:

Poetry

“Vulnerable”, “Gatekeepers” written and
performed by Arwen Jamison. (Fri,Sat,Sun)
“Joan of Arc”, “Throwing a Ball to My Dog” written
and performed by Susan Allen. (Sat,Sun)

Anti-War Poetry Skit

“We Deserve a Better Death” by Mosab Abu Toha
performed by Andrea Nasset
“Enough for Me” by Fadwa Tuqan, performed by
Andrea Nasset.
“We Suck and Other Thoughts About War” written
and performed by Paola Hornbuckle.
“If I Must Die” by Refaat Alareer, performed by
Andrea Nasset.
“Not Poetic” by Ayling Zulema Dominguez
(@maizymachetepoeta), performed by Kimberly
Sellers.
“The Only Thing That Matters”, “2+2” written and
performed by Phillia Downing.

Moon Child
18 th Century Gypsy Love Story
Written and directed by Paola Hornbuckle
Song “Hijo de La Luna” by Mecano

Adria……………………………………..Kimberly Sellers
Ghost…………………………………….Paola Hornbuckle
Theo………………………………………Angel Mangual

W.C., Tennesee, The Blues, & Me
By Levi Frazier Jr, directed by Rhys Greene

Robert Johnson………………………Rhys Greene
Shugga………………………….Portia Gregory-Burnette
Conductor………………………………Kimberly Sellers
Diva Blues………………………………Paola Hornbuckle

All proceeds go to HEAL Palestine
www.healpalestine.org

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact: Paola Hornbuckle
Producer, Director, Playwright Actor
Paola.hornbuckle7@gmail.com
619 227-4883
www.communityactorstheatre.com
San Diego, CA, Feb, 26, 2026 –
Community Actor’s Theatre presents:
Poetica Theatre Festival
Celebrating Resilience of the Spirit
Blending poetry and theatre, featuring a lineup of local San Diego poets, an anti-war poetry skit including poems by three Palestinian poets, and two staged reading of the short plays: “Moon Child” by Paola Hornbuckle and “W.C., Tennessee, The Blues & Me” a musical by Levi Frazier Jr.
Poetica Theatre Festival runs from Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m, to Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m at Community Actors Theatre. “We created this festival to provide a platform for poets and actors to collaborate, come together and inspire.” says Paola Hornbuckle, producer, of Poetica Theatre Festival, “We are focusing on bringing together seasoned professionals, like director Rhys Greene, and emerging artists ensuing a dynamic experience for the audience.” Festival Highlights include: San Diego Poets: Arwen Jamison, Susan Allen, Phillia Downing, Paola Hornbuckle.
“Moon Child” a short play of gypsy folklore about unrequited love. Written and directed by Paola Hornbuckle. “W.C., Tennessee, The Blues & Me” a short musical play, by Levi Frazier Jr and directed by Rhys Greene, that highlights the major experiences that impacted three very different Mississippi Delta bluesmen: W.C. Handy, Robert Johnson, & Tennesee Williams, a blues brother from another mother called “Theatre.” Incorporating a travelling train motif, the musical not only touches on the times and people that affected these geniuses and their music, but it also illuminates the very significant places where these three great bluesmen created, played and lived. Clarksdale, Memphis, and St. Louis. The show is educational and entertaining and incorporates audience participation. There will be an opportunity to talk with poets and playwrights after the show, and buy poetry books from local poets. All proceeds will go to victims of war.
Friday and Saturday, March 20 & 21 at 8 pm, Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m.
Community Actors Theatre, 2957 54 th Street, San Diego, CA 92105. Tickets: $15

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor

Author AUDREY STEIDL

Sat 7pm, M 8am, W 3pm

Audrey returns to The Electric Picnic to talk about her latest book To Die For. Audrey reads passages from her book and she and Susan talk about the characters, back stories as well as a conversation about writing, research, inspirations, tips for writers and more.

audreysteidl.com

KNSJ FM COMMUNITY MEETING TONIGHT AT 6:30. FOR ZOOM LINK CALL 619-283-1100

ALL AGES WELCOME

KNSJ FM COMMUNITY RADIO IN SAN DIEGO IS A DYNAMIC STATION WITH A UNIQUE PLATFORM. JOIN OUR MEETING. WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOU AND YOUR INTERESTS. FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED IN CHANGE. COMMUNITY RADIO IS POWERFUL AND IN TOUCH WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, EVENTS, NEWS AND THE CREATIVE ARTS. BESIDES HAVING INFORMATIVE SHOWS AND INTERVIEWS-CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE RIGHT HERE WHO TELL THEIR STORIES AND EXPERIENCES, WE HAVE A FANTASTIC ECLECTIC MUSIC BLOCK WITH SAN DIEGO DJs SPINNING VINYL AND CAREFULLY CURATING MUSIC YOU WILL HEAR ONLY ON YOUR LOCAL STATION–KNSJ FM.

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Mon 8am Wed 3pm, Sat 7pm

CARL HALLBERG

Poet, Essayist, Musician, Puppeteer

Carl Hallberg was born in the watershed of the St Croix River of eastern Minnesota surrounded by lakes, eagles, and redwing blackbirds in the summer. Growing up around catholic workers and organic farmers exposed Carl to practices of mutual aid and reciprocal love for the land that formed the basis of his political and social understandings, which fomented in the 2020 uprising after the murder of George Floyd, and the indigenous led movement to oppose Line 3 of the following year. After graduating high school in 2020, Carl moved to New York City and got a degree in acting from the Juilliard School while also falling in with Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping and the Bread and Puppet Theater. Since graduating in 2024, Carl has toured internationally and nationally with both groups, and premiered a solo show of stories, songs, and puppet shows called A Performed Lecture on Gardening, Neighborliness, and John Brown in April 2025

_______A Statement on Influences and Hopes:

I write songs and make theater, often including original poems and prose. Recently I’ve been making simple, narrative based theater works in the vein of Spalding Grey, with inspiration from the Bread and Puppet Theater and the Rude Mechs of Austin Texas. Across disciplines, I’m inspired by Michael Hurley, gesturing toward decolonial futures, and the why cheap art manifesto by the bread and puppet theater, which says ‘Art has to be cheap and available to everybody because it is the inside of the world. Art is like good bread, art is like green trees, art is like blue sky.’ I’m drawn especially to the work of Michael Hurly, who sings very direct, catchy songs that capture the mystery of ordinary life, and the thrilling beauty of the natural world. By connecting to this beauty we can touch the fierce joy of life that, when united with our friends and neighbors, can beat fascists and topple governments. As the Gesturing Toward Decolonial Futures collective reminds us, there is profound physio-psychological work to be done to hospice the colonial psyche. I aim, through my work, to inspire this fierce joy in the spirit of this greater work, in all of its ordinary daily applications.

I want those who interact with my work to feel their hearts soften and stretch out toward the world, so that they can feel the pain and intensity of the current moment and remain open, connected to their neighbors and to the land around them.

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Mon 8am

Guest Author DHARA PAREKH

About Dhara Parekh:

I am an Indie author and a current resident of San Diego. I was born in one Indian town, raised in two, and moved to eleven more across three continents for work and education. Despite earning an MBA and diving into the world of digital marketing for local companies in California, I found my true passion lay elsewhere—in the boundless realm of literature, science, and astronomy.

After a ten-year exploration of poetry and blogging, In 2015, I started to pen my first book. For eight years, I balanced writing with my studies and professional commitments and finally published my debut novel in 2023– Unearthing Idyll

I have also contributed articles and content to prestigious platforms, including NASA, Fossbytes, and Women’s Web. As of 2023, I also contribute as a writer at Club SciWri, a non-profit science communication venture.

I have also contributed articles and content to prestigious platforms, including NASA, Fossbytes, and Women’s Web. As of 2023, I also contribute as a writer at Club SciWri, a non-profit science communication venture.

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Mon 8am

GUEST AUTHOR GREGG BRANDALISE

Susan and Gregg are in conversation about his historical novel THE DEATH OF US ALL Inspired by the life of Sister Dorothy Stang, research in writing an historical novel, the critical environmental situation in the Amazon and more.

FIRST TIME AUTHOR PENS BOOK ON NUN ASSASSINATED IN THE AMAZON

Sister Dorothy Stang dedicated 40 years of her life striving to save the Amazon rainforest and stop the atrocities inflicted upon Brazil’s indigenous peoples. These efforts ultimately cost Dorothy her life when she was brutally murdered by contract killers at age 73. Already being hailed as a masterwork in storytelling, Gregg Brandalise’s first book – The Death of Us All – follows Sister Dorothy’s narrative from early childhood when she knew her life would be dedicated to the service of God. Embracing her purpose, she spent decades working tirelessly to combat corruption, subjugation, and deforestation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR______

With almost 50 years in the entertainment industry, as a musician and recording artist, Gregg Brandalise has won many awards, including Emmy, Wildscreen Panda Award (Green Oscar), and Telly, for his music compositions, songwriting, and sound design. He has recorded the likes of Louise Hay, Tony Robbins, Matthew McConaughey and many other well-known personalities.

Born and raised in Southern California, Gregg received a BA from San Diego State University majoring in Creative Writing and Music. An Adventure Scientist, Eagle Scout, and environmentalist, he maintains local hiking trails, volunteers for the La Jolla Playhouse Partners, and has provided music programs for the local elementary school.

Gregg currently resides in Poway, CA, where he and his wife, Christie, enjoy the bliss of retirement and being grandparents.

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Mon 8am

Guest–San Diego Poet

CHRIS ERNEST NELSON

Chris Ernest Nelson is a poet, painter, and historian. He is a graduate of San Diego State University, and taught history and art for 27 years at Mount Miguel High School, in Spring Valley, CA. He has lived in San Diego since 1959, and presently resides in Golden Hill.

Nelson’s original history of the 1939 election contest over food-stamps for the elderly, “The Battle for Ham and Eggs,” appears in the Journal of San Diego History, Fall 1992 and is cited by Professor Kevin Starr in his definitive history of California, The Dream Endures.

Nelson was named Author of the Month, November 2018, by the San Diego Public Library for his book HARVEST the poetry of Chris Ernest Nelson, which is now available in an updated and expanded sixth edition. Nelson reads his poetry regularly at local poetry venues, and you can see all of his work on his blog: chrisernestnelson.wordpress.com – and feel free to friend him on Facebook.

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Sat 7-8pm

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING–POETS’ ROUNDTABLE, IN CONVERSATION ABOUT LISTENING TO POEMS

Featuring San Diego poets SERETTA MARTIN, DELORES FISHER, KARY VAIL and JOSEPH MILOSCH along with host and poet SUSAN TAYLOR

In a departure from Susan’s regular show, she and her guests are in conversation with suggestions on ways listeners can get the most enjoyment from listening to and reading poetry-spoken word. Have you wondered what a poet is trying to tell you, or wondered why some poems mean more to you than others? Listen in and see what might be meaningful to you.

Also, if you are ready to try your hand at poetry-spoken word and you are shy, you are going to hear tips on writing and ways to connect with your followers. Tonight, Susan’s show is full of thoughtful conversation, ideas, poets bouncing ideas off of one another, so that you can get the most from what poets are trying to say.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK SUSAN OR HER GUESTS ABOUT POETRY-SPOKEN WORD, CONTACT INFO@KNSJ.ORG OR CALL 619-283-1100.

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC with Susan Taylor Mon 8am

Guest Poet: Leah Meihaus

Leah is an educator and poet who believes that teaching is possible, and that eventually she’ll figure out how to do it. She enjoys baking. She sings when content. She wonders where along the road it all went right and how to get there from here. She holds a master’s degree because something spilled on the certificate and stuck to her hand and won’t come off. She has a bedtime and she does not follow it. She hopes more poets realize they’re everyone. She knows the future is uncertain and dangerous and she invites herself to be there to see it