Regie Cabico is fierce. He is a dark angel with sharp angles who delivers spoken word with wit and humor and love. His sense of what’s right and what’s unjust permeates his work without overwhelming his delivery. For one week, playwright, comedian, queer poet and spoken word vixen Regie Cabico will lead Tigertail’s 2013 SpeakOut Workshops & Slam for gay youth. He’ll also perform his own work Friday, January 18th at Books & Books.

Regie Cabico.

“We are very pleased to bring Regie Cabico back again,” said Mary Luft, Tigertail Executive Director. “Regie Cabico is a pioneer of spoken word in this country. This informed, versatile, and witty voice needs to be heard by South Florida audiences, both in the schools and in the community. Our Tigertail SpeakOut project, which has presented such artists as Emanuel Xavier, Scott Turner Schofield, Lenelle Mose and Staceyann Chin, continues this season to bring quality LGBTQ programming to Miami.”

The significance of Tigertail’s SpeakOut can’t be underestimated. It reaches out to LGBTQ teens across Miami Dade and encourages them to open up and speak out. Cabico will lead teen workshops for SpeakOut at Dr. Michael Krop Senior High, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High, New World School of the Arts, North Miami Senior High and Miami Arts Charter School, as well as Pridelines. Teens will experiment with hybrid writing and unleash their voices as they mix and match poetry, theater and hip hop.

LGBTQ Teens: The youth component of the residency culminates in a SpeakOut Open Mic and Slam for LGBTQ teens, hosted by Regie Cabico at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach, on Thursday, January 17 at 6 pm. This is an opportunity for teens to read and perform their poetry, as well as to experience Cabico’s performance work. There is no charge to attend, but each participant must be between 13 and 19 years old and material must be gay friendly. No reservations are needed. Those interested in the Open Mic and Slam must register at the event between 5-6 p.m. at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens. For more information on all youth events, visit Tigertail on the web at www.tigertail.org or call 305-324-4337. Regie Cabico’s Performance: Friday, January 18th at 8 p.m. at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables. All events are free.