The Poetry Brothel Boston: MONSTERS!

Details

An immersive literary cabaret featuring burlesque, drag, mysticism, one-on-one readings, & a startling glimpse of your innermost self.

The Poetry Brothel Boston is the haunted forest of horrors and heroism you need this Spooky Season. Be brave darlings, and you will be rewarded with a unique night of poetry, burlesque, music, pole, drage, mysticism, and MORE.

Welcome to a parallel realm where pulp fiction, creature features, cabaret, and poetry collide.

This October, The Poetry Brothel Boston invites you into the forest for MONSTERS, an immersive Halloween literary cabaret and film-noir fever dream of things that go bump in the night.

The city is crawling with crimson-lipped creatives, lupine lotharios, and vampiric sirens swallowing secrets at the far end of the bar. We can share those secrets, for a price.

Throughout the evening, Boston's poets and multidisciplinary artists bring this strange world to life through original poetry, burlesque, drag, tarot, artistry for sale, and live music. Hear poets perform onstage, request a custom typewritten poem, have your fortune read, or meet a featured poet for a personal one-on-one reading in our mysterious back room at the edge of the woods. Do you dare?

The question isn’t whether monsters are real. It’s whether you’ll recognize one before it gets too close.

Doors: 7:30pm
Show: 8pm - 11pm

Age Requirement: 21+
Doors: 7:30 PM
Show: 8:00–11:00 PM

Please note: Seating is limited (approx. 70 chairs).

Immerse yourself deeper in the show by coming in costume or in character.
Think: Wicker Man, leather, crimson, Widow's Bay, lace, veils, The VVitch, Midsommer, Sleepy Hollow, heros, knights, or dress all in white to let the vampires know you are available.

The Poetry Brothel is an immersive literary cabaret with chapters across the U.S. and Europe—including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Denver, Boston, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Madrid.

As The New Yorker describes:

“A madam presents a rotating cast of poets, artists, and artisans who erupt into verse in public and lure guests into back rooms for private readings.”

Each artist lures you into a world of uninhibited creativity, intimate connection, and poetic magic. We blend poetry and vaudeville, intimacy and immersive theater, cabaret and activism.
You may encounter faeries, sirens, witches, anthropomorphic petrichor, or even an ancient forest—or perhaps something entirely unexpected.

Our cast is made up of poets, performers, mystics, and activists who reflect the vibrant diversity of our city. We are BIPOC, queer and straight, cis, trans, and genderfluid. We honor the sacred tradition of sex work by casting current and former sex workers, sparking conversations to destigmatize sex work, educating our audiences on consent and current issues in sex work, and donating 10% of our profits. We aim to foster a safe space for sex workers, our LGBTQIA+ community, and our greater community of artists.

Note: While some of our artists engage in sex work outside of this space, The Poetry Brothel itself is a literary and immersive arts experience only.

We have three house rules: Be Kind. Be Bold. Be Consensual. We are, by design, a no-contact event—here to captivate your mind and imagination. Always ask before touching anyone in our House. If you experience or witness anything uncomfortable, alert security, staff, or the Madam immediately.

This event is wheelchair accessible. The main show and all stage performances take place in the main room, which has approximately 70 chairs available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact us with any accessibility questions or if you need to reserve a seat.

We also offer a limited number of Pay What You Wish tickets for those experiencing financial insecurity. To request a discounted ticket—or for accessibility questions—please reach out to:

Our show may include flashing lights, amplified music, the clacking of typewriter keys, and the risk of leaving healed and inspired.

The Poetry Brothel is brought to you by The Poetry Society of New York. Become a PSNY member for discounted and/or free tickets to future Poetry Brothel events, and so much more. Learn more:

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Event Host

The Poetry Society of New York