Derangement of the Senses is a multimedia literary reading featuring some of New York’s most exciting writers, storytellers, musicians, and burlesque performers. The result is an atmosphere where new artforms flourish and incredible acts of literary and artistic dynamo amaze and astound. Inspired by the French proto-punk poet Arthur Rimbaud, Derangement focuses on the innovative new genres that are born when transgressive, transdisciplinary collaborations happen. Burlesque performers dance as their favorite literary characters while psychedelic visuals swirl and acoustic and electronic music cacophonously collide. You haven’t seen this kind of literary reading before.

Derangement is hosted by Kevin Carter and Miracle Jones, and it takes its name from a letter written by Arthur Rimbaud, who believed that “a poet makes himself a seer by an immense, long, deliberate derangement of the senses.” Its focus is on the necessity of cross-pollination between artists that work in different genres and the explosive interactions that take place when this occurs. Shows in the past have boasted everything from laser harps and electroencephalographs to cakes and LED butterfly wings. The show began in January of 2010 and previously took place at Happy Ending Lounge in the Lower East Side. Some of New York City’s most talented young writers and performers have performed pieces that recall the NYC theatrical and artistic performance art renaissance of the 80s and 90s while also managing to make that spirit their own in an entertaining, contemporary atmosphere.

Past readers/storytellers have included Rae Bryant, Peter Aguero, Bill Cheng, Elizabeth Crane, Miracle Jones, Ed Champion, Leigh Stein, Steve Zimmer, Arianne Benford, Jeanne Thornton, Meghann Plunkett, Lisa Marie Basile, Sasha Fletcher, and Chavisa Woods. The show has also hosted burlesque performances by Nasty Canasta, Iris Explosion, Anja Keister, Lucille ti Amore, Boots LaMae, and Masae. You can find more at www.derangementofthesenses.com.

Ashleigh Lambert’s poems and other writing can be found in Anti-, Bone Bouquet, Coldfront, Elimae, Sink Review, and The Rumpus. Ashleigh is the author of the chapbook Ambivalent Amphibians (Dancing Girl Press). A native of the Midwest, she inexplicably lives in New York with her husband and daughter. You can read more at http://thetruthwithlies.tumblr.com/.
 

Todd Anderson creates poetic experiences using a projector, code, sound design and a wireless USB keyboard he wears around his neck. He calls this Hotwriting. He is a co-owner of Babycastles, host of the monthly WordHack language+technology series, and has a futuristic ebook forthcoming from Instar Books. See more at toddpoet.com.

Alyssa Morhardt-Goldstein is the founding editor of SOUND: a literary magazine on contemporary musico-poetics, and a staff writer for Luna Luna Magazine. Her chapbook, Quiet, was selected by Matthea Harvey as The New School’s 2012 Chapbook Contest winner for poetry. She received her MFA in poetry from The New School, and her BS in classical vocal performance and literature from Mannes. She is currently writing the libretto for Jonathan Dawe’s modern operatic re-telling of Tamburlaine. You can visit her website at alyssamorhardtgoldstein.tumblr.com.

Micaela Blei is a teacher, writer, storyteller and doctoral student. She is a Moth GrandSLAM Champion and has told stories onstage in approximately 5 other states besides New York. Micaela was a 3rd grade teacher for a long time and misses it. When it’s above 50 degrees, she can be found on her bicycle all over New York City. You can visit her site at http://www.micaelablei.com/.
 

Orion Martin is a writer, artist, and curator based in New York City. His site specific art event Kunming Markets was recently held in Southwest China, and his work focuses on comics and illustration as well as art criticism. You can see more at www.orionnotes.com.

The Dicey Dame of Burlesque, Anja Keister (New York) is a burlesque performer, host, and producer based out of NYC. She is most known for her nerdlesque group, D20 Burlesque, the longest running monthly nerdlesque show in NYC. She has performed all over the country at nerd conventions and burlesque festivals. She has been featured on CollegeHumor.com, The Washington Post, dubbed a Burlesque star of the Nerdlesque scene by Time Out NY and called “The Sexiest Nerd in NYC” by The New York Times.
 
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Emily Hughes works in book publishing and lives at the intersection between pop culture and semi-obscure literature. She blogs about books and booze at proofreadingbooks.tumblr.com, and about any other old thing at emchughes.tumblr.com. Theoretically you could find her singing in her shower, but that’d be weird.

Kevin Carter is a writer, technologist, and musician whose work has been featured in Luna Luna Magazine, MAKE, The Fiction Circus, 2600 Magazine, Kerouac’s Dog Magazine, and Divine Dirt Quarterly. His first collection of short stories, Lives of the Saints, was published by The Fiction Circus in 2012. He lives in Manhattan. Read more at shotintoeternity.com.

Jason Scott Laney is a piano/keyboard player and songwriter living in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to his solo work, Jason performs with the bands Victor V. Gurbo & Co., Mad Meg, and House of Fiction. His website is www.jasonscottlaney.com..

Miracle Jones is from Texas. He is a Sagittarius. He is a very private person. You can read more of his work at miraclejones.com.