Stars Come Out for Poetry Benefit -- Meryl Streep, Katie Couric, Graydon Carter, Others Read Favorite Poems

A host of celebrities and public figures will read their favorite poems by some of America's best-loved poets on April 1. The 6th annual Poetry & The Creative Mind will feature Candace Bushnell, Robert Caro, Graydon Carter, Katie Couric, Philippe de Montebello, Jonathan Demme, John Guare, Dianne Reeves, Liz Smith, and Meryl Streep.

(PRWEB) March 18, 2008 -- Led by Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, a host of celebrities and public figures will read their favorite poems by some of America's best-loved poets on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center. Special guest readers at the 6th annual Poetry & The Creative Mind include actor Meryl Streep, columnist Liz Smith, jazz singer Dianne Reeves, playwright John Guare, director Jonathan Demme, Met director Philippe de Montebello, news anchor Katie Couric, biographer Robert Caro, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, writer Candace Bushnell.

The evening is titled "Poetry & The Creative Mind" and proceeds benefit the Academy of American Poets, one of the premiere literary nonprofit organizations in the country. "Poetry & The Creative Mind has become one of the most anticipated literary events in New York City," said Tree Swenson, the Academy's Executive Director. Swenson added, "The event also resonates with lovers of film, theatre, art, music, and dance."

Among the readers at the Academy's past benefits are Meryl Streep, Wynton Marsalis, Kevin Kline, Diane Sawyer, Alan Alda, Jessye Norman, Maya Lin, Glenn Close, David Halberstam, Ethan Hawke, Jules Feiffer, Mark Morris, Dan Rather, Diane Wiest, Natalie Portman, Laurie Anderson, Caroline Kennedy, Lauren Bacall, Alfre Woodard, Mary-Louise Parker, Vanessa Redgrave, Oliver Sacks, Kitty Carlisle Hart, and Brice Marden. View photos from these events at www.poets.org/gala.    

Poetry & The Creative Mind kicks off the 13th annual National Poetry Month (April), which was established by the Academy in 1996 and is now the largest literary celebration in the world. Event proceeds benefit the Academy of American Poets, and funds are used to provide free classroom materials to more than 200,000 schools across the U.S. during April. For example, in recent years the Academy donated one book of poetry to every middle-school classroom and library in New York City, plus thousands more to schools and libraries in New Orleans and other cities across the country.

To purchase tickets to Poetry & The Creative Mind, call 212-721-6500, visit www.lincolncenter.org, or visit or the Avery Fisher Hall box office at Broadway and 65th Street. Tickets to the performance are $40-$75.

The Academy of American Poets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1934 to foster appreciation for contemporary poetry and to support American poets at all stages of their careers. For more information on the Academy and its programs, visit www.poets.org.

Academy of American Poets
584 Broadway, Suite 604
New York, NY 10012
tel. (212) 274-0343
www.poets.org

Contact: Beth Harrison
(212) 274-0343 ext. 34

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