SPEAKEASY PAGE-TO-STAGE

Community. Creativity. Conversation.

Black Lives Natter CIC is a non-profit community arts organisation committed to creating opportunities for Black and Global Majority individuals to explore their creativity, develop their voices, and share their work in safe and inspiring spaces. Through programmes such as SpeakEasy Page-to-Stage, we provide free workshops and performance opportunities that guide participants from writing to stage presentation, nurturing confidence, collaboration, and cultural care.

‘BLN-SpeakEasy is such a great programme and ultimately helped me find the courage to share my voice through poetry. From the accountability, to the feedback, to the community, to the fun, I loved everything about SpeakEasy.’ Arela SpeakEasy 2024

’The Black Lives Natter taster session offered excellent insights into creating poetry with heart - words with true emotional resonance. As a poet, you feel compelled to come back for more and more amazing gems.’ Elizabeth SpeakEasy Page-to-Stage 2025

SPEAKEASY PAGE-TO-STAGE PROGRAMME

SpeakEasy Page-to-Stage Online

Our monthly online workshops run on Tuesdays evenings from 6:30 pm–9 pm, February through to December, giving participants the chance to explore Page-to-Stage writing and performance exercises from home. Workshops are led by SpeakEasy Coordinator Eljai Morais and guest facilitator Daniella Fearon. There are 12 spaces available for each workshop. 

Workshops include:

Soliloquy to Monologue (1) August Wilson Fences (17th March)

Fact-ion Bio-Storytelling & Spoken Word (1) Childhood, Memory & Fairytales  (21st April)

Rant & Rhythm - Spoken Truths (1) Rage Against the Machine (19th May)

Soliloquy to Monologue (2) Shakespeare (16th June)

Fact-ion Bio-Storytelling & Spoken Word (2) Alchemy - Rewriting Trauma: Base Metals into Gold (21st July)

Soliloquy to Monologue (3) Cush Jumbo: Josephine & I (18th August)

Fact-ion Bio-Storytelling & Spoken Word (3) Ancestors - Messages from the Past & Folklore (15th Sep)

Female Empowerment & Poetry (20th Oct)

Sport & Movement Through Spoken Word & Poetry (27th Oct)

Rant & Rhythm - Spoken Truths (2) Angry Black Woman (17th Nov)

Rant & Rhythm - Spoken Truths (3) Seasoned  (15th Dec)

These online workshops are part of the wider SpeakEasy programme, which also includes in-person SpeakEasy Saturdays workshops and the Mono-Scratched monologue showcase for Black History Month. All sessions are free to attend, with donations gratefully received.

All participants are encouraged to submit their work for publication on the Black Lives Natter website, in the bi-annual zine, or in the SpeakEasy Anthology via this form: [Submit Here] and to apply to perform at SpeakEasy Po'JaM [Apply Here]

Eljai Morais SpeakEasy Coordinator & Workshop Facilitator

Eljai Morais is a London writer, director, performer and spoken word artist with a BA (Hons) in English with Drama. Her work explores identity, community care, resistance and storytelling across poetry, theatre, cabaret and podcasting. She is the founder and director of Black Lives Natter CIC, a community arts organisation platforming Black and Global Majority voices through community, creativity and conversation. Eljai curates SpeakEasy Po’JaM, Page-to-Stage, Co’LaB and the BLN Pop-Up Bookshop, supporting artists in developing spoken word, poetry and storytelling for performance and print. Her multidisciplinary practice includes early collaborations with Talawa and Black Mime Theatre, producing events such as Black Joy at Theatre Deli, and developing her spoken word anthology and album Attention Spanned. She is the creator of Bawdsville Cabaret and has over 25 years’ experience in literature, theatre and community-led arts. Her writing has featured in live performance, spoken word events and cabaret. Readings and performances include: Theatre Deli, Talawa Theatre - Lyric Theatre, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Clapham Grand, National Theatre Riverside Stage, The Glory, Bush Theatre and other community venues. She is currently working on a book that combines memoir with a free-writing method guide.

Daniella Fearon Workshop Facilitator

Daniella Fearon is a London writer who studied BA English with Creative Writing at Goldsmiths College and MA Poetry at Roehampton. Her poetry explores identity, racial equality and social change. Daniella is a recipient of the 2022 Eric Gregory award for ‘Beyond the Monochrome Lens’ and the StAnza poetry short film festival award 2024 for her collaborative film as part of Poetry vs Colonialism’s ‘The Word on the Street Festival’. Daniella has run creative workshops in arts centres for adults and school groups and been tutoring for over 8 years. Her writing has featured in bath magg, Roey writes, Pen to Print’s Write On magazine, UAL’s Encoding De-coding exhibition, and Poetry vs Colonialism anthology. Readings include: The Shuffle Series, Society of Authors and Encoding Decoding closing night.

We grow our creative community with your connection and our conversations. If you have any accessibility needs or adjustments please email community@blacklivesnatter.co.uk

We keep our tickets low cost and affordable, not as a reflection of the talent or work, but as a mission to increase access and engagement in the arts. Please donate what you can so we can continue to provide free and low cost events and opportunites for the communities we serve.

Black Lives Natter CIC is a non-profit community arts organisation that grows through donations and volunteer support. We welcome you to get involved by attending events, volunteering, donating, or collaborating with us. Together, we build a thriving creative community grounded in respect, kindness, empowerment, and cultural care.