Support the artists of READING POETRY AS IF IT'S REAL, a choreopoem created by Anna Antongiorgi, performing in January and February 2026. All proceeds go directly to supporting the artists and the production.
About the work: READING POETRY AS IF IT'S REAL is a coming of age, a coming out, and a love letter to queer friendship. Structured as a choreopoem, it interweaves choreographed poetic scenes with musical interludes, moving from personal anxiety to connection with others, exploring isolation, resilience, and community.
This story follows AKA, a queer, anxiety ridden self-proclaimed silly goose, as she processes out loud with the audience and her friends: how can anyone possibly be a person, or worse, an artist, in the violent world we live in? She is chronically online, overwhelmed by selfhood, downright terrified of tackling any emotion head on(opting for humor over sincerity), and all the while confronting her queerness against her already shaky self image as a “real” “poet”. Thank god, she is surrounded by a gaggle of gays, theys, and girlies: Max, Annabel, Margaret, Nicholas and Phoebe, who are all figuring it out with her.
We are excited to present excerpts of READING POETRY in two studio showings at Mark Morris Dance Center on February 1st. We hope that audiences that see parts of our little show will feel seen and loved and inspired to care for themselves and their communities.
If you’d like to purchase tickets to see our studio showings, follow this link.
Below you’ll see the names of all the people that are working toward telling this story. Your contribution will go directly to them, will support queer art making, and will help this project continue to grow to reach more audiences.
Written and Directed by Anna Antongiorgi
Choreography by Anna Antongiorgi in collaboration with all performers
Collaborators and Performing Artists:
Adrienne Chan @byadriennechan
Anna Nader @Anna.k.nader
Danielle Guirma
Emma Blakley @_emmlou_
Kent Andrews
Lindsey [email redacted]
Lydia Bloomfield @lourbloom
Magali Johnston-[email redacted] / www.magalijv.com
Makenna Zelenak @makennaz8
Mars Garcia @marzorph
Molly Bagatto @mbagatto
Phoebe Amory @expiredtrina / @phoebeamory
Shiloh Hodges @shiloh.c.hodges
Sophie [email redacted]ron
Dramaturge: Jake Allen
Music by Alicia Lindberg and Sean Antongiorgi
Thank you for your support! For more, you can follow @annaantongiorgi on Instagram.