Poet t.l. sanders to bring his art house film, The kNew Born, to the Olathe.
Join this special screening to witness the birth of faith, of fears, and the fate of finding forgiveness.
Olathe, Kansas, January 18 at 6:00 P.M. – Olathe Indian Creek Library will be hosting a free public screening of the art house film The kNew-Born followed by a Q&A with Poet. The kNew-Born invites viewers to experience conscientious compassion for a convict slash drug addict who craves a connection with his children. Known as “The Dean'' of the state penitentiary—Terry, a prodigious felon and a prodigal father, is offered another chance to earn parole. Over the years, his violent crimes against prison staff and fellow inmates, his continuous abuse and distribution of drugs and contraband, and his blatant disregard for prison rules have prevented any possibility of release. Now, as he seeks freedom, Terry hopes; he strives; he reaches out from within to become a better man than he has ever been. With coercive coaching from a crazy counselor named Dr. Dennis, might Terry win this fight against himself?
Come see the knew born.
What did reviewers say?
“Without pity and with a clear gaze, Poet t.l. sanders brings a deep and compassionate vision to the human cost of problems most of us only read about in the news: the incarceration of Black men; the costs of addiction; the heartbreak of children growing up without fathers,” writes reviewer Barbara Dooley.
“Intense, gripping . . . a one-two punch . . . written in fire and delivered with thunder," writes reviewer Kelly Luck.
"Equally as riveting as For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange," says Victor En Yu Tan, UMKC professor of lighting.
The caliber of his creativity, stage presence, and delivery deserve to be elevated to a broader stage and audience-Look out Broadway, this is one for you! I'm reminded of the phenomenal 1975 theater performance of Tony Perkins in "Equus." An absolutely masterful show that most certainly IS the BEST of the BEST!
~Teresa Bronston Mckinley
Poet’s book will be available for purchase. $10 dollars each.
The Birth of the Backstory
The culmination of this work is profound when one considers how each character was conceived from individual poems. In 2018, editor Polly Alice McCann asked Poet for the story behind the poetry. During that same year, the birth of kNew: The Poetic Screenplay was inspired by the death of Poet’s father, who died of a heroin overdose. That summer the work grew into a one-person, six-character one-hour, award-winning live show performed at KC Fringe 2019. Two years later, Poet delivered The kNew-Born. While the poetic screenplay is about the son, Dr. James Dean. The recent arthouse film, The kNew-Born, is about the father--Terry Dean.
Currently, Poet is creating the next install of The kNew-Born. Click here to view the trailer of The kNew-Born.