Shane Koyczan at Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland

Internationally recognized author and spoken word artist Shane Koyczan has emerged as a creator of poetry that dares to belong to the people and speak directly to them in their own voice.
Some artists happen to be in the right place at the right time… that moment when the door is still slightly open, and there’s just enough space to sneak through. Then there are those artists who find themselves standing in front of a closed door, but instead of waiting for it to open, they kick it in to go through. In the rise of Spoken Word’s popularity, that open door cannot be discussed without saying the name Shane Koyczan.