Frequently Asked Questions

What is the House of Poets?

The House of Poets is the absolutely fantastic theater and banquet space that sponsors the Open Stage event by providing it with a home.

Where is the House of Poets located?

The physical address to the House of Poets is:

580 W. Arapaho Road, Suite 199
Richardson, TX 75080

Please note that the House of Poets is a private facility. There is no street-facing signage. Look for the Peace Pipe Hookah Lounge, and you’ll find the House of Poets directly next door.

What is the Peace Pipe Hookah Lounge?

The owner of the House of Poets, Nasif, also owns a popular hookah lounge located next door to the venue.

What is Creative Motion?

That’s us! We’re the social organization behind the Open Stage project. For more information, visit circusfreaks.org

What is the Open Stage?

The Open Stage is an experimental physical theater project hosted by the Creative Motion community and the House of Poets.

What are these “Ten Commandments” I keep hearing about?

The “Ten Commandments of the Open Stage” are a simple set of rules we created to ensure that both our event and your creative process runs smoothly. Entrance into the Open Stage event constitutes an agreement to follow these rules, so you should take a moment and read them over before attending.

What’s a positivity pill?

A positivity pill is a Creative Motion in-joke. Read about it here.

What’s this whole “Performer’s Playground” thing about?

Each week, once the stage performances wrap up, we transform the House of Poets into a giant spin/dance/play space. You’re welcome to bring your circus skills, dance moves, musical talents or almost any other performing art you want a chance to practice in a giant climate-controlled space chock full of fellow performers and explorers.

Are there any age restrictions?

You must be 21 or older to attend the Open Stage.

How much does it cost to attend?

There is a $10 cover to enter the Open Stage.

Can I smoke at the Open Stage?

The House of Poets prohibits cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking. Our host does offer hookah service, which is available during the performer’s playground portion of our event.

Can I get a decent drink at the Open Stage?

Better…You can bring your own.

The House of Poets welcomes you to bring your own alcoholic beverages. Mixers and set ups are provided at a small fee.

Can I get something to eat at the Open Stage?

Thanks to an arrangement with a nearby restaurant, delicious Lebanese food can be ordered at the event.

Can I bring my own food?

Outside food is not allowed.

Do I have to pay cover if I’m performing/volunteering?

The Open Stage is 100% volunteer driven. All participants, including the volunteer staff and performers, pay cover to support the project.

Are there any restrictions to the sorts of things I can do on the open stage?

We only enforce a small number of restrictions on your content:

• As the entire event will be documented, we request there be no hate-related or overtly-pornographic material at the Open Stage event.
• The venue does not allow fire performances of any type at this time.

It is our hope to put as few restrictions on a performer as possible. If you have any concerns or questions about your performance, please contact us to discuss it.

Do I have to use the entire five minutes?

Nope. Performances can be of any length, up to a maximum of five minutes per performer.

I need more than five minutes for my performance.

We try to keep our performances to the five minute time limit per performer, but in certain circumstances we are willing to extend your performance time. Please contact us to discuss it.

Is the stage lit?

The stage area has both general lighting and a spotlight trained on center stage. This can be turned on or off depending on the needs of your act. There’s also a cheesy disco light, if you’re so inclined.

Is there a sound system?

The venue has a brand new sound system which you can use as part of your stage performance.

I’m a DJ/Drummer/Musician. Can I play the Open Stage?

You betcha. Sign up here for a five minute slot.

Can I play longer than five minutes?

You’re more than welcome to start up a music jam during the playground portion of the event. If you’d like to be a featured DJ or performer during this more-freeform portion of the evening, contact us to arrange an open date to showcase your skills.

I told someone officially involved with the project that I wish to perform on the Open Stage. Do I still need to fill out the online sign up form?

You must fill out our online sign up form prior to the event in order to perform on the Open Stage.

What time do I need to arrive if I’m a performer?

We ask that our performers arrive no later than thirty minutes before the event.

Is there a dressing room available?

The House of Poets has large restrooms which can serve as changing/dressing areas. If your costuming situation requires a large amount of space or time, please contact us before the event so that we can make arrangements to accommodate you.

I’m a film student/photographer/videographer/news crew/media person, can I document the Open Stage?

Absolutely! In fact, one of our “Ten Commandments” was specifically written to encourage this. We only have two requests when it comes to recording at the Open Stage:

1. Share your pictures with both the performers you document and the Open Stage’s crew.*
2. Delete all the really lousy pictures before you do.

*You can either email photos/urls to openstage@circusfreaks.org or tag them to Creative Motion on facebook.

I have a question about the Open Stage which you haven’t covered here.

Email it to openstage@circusfreaks.org and we’ll get you an answer.