Founded in 2015, NER Out Loud is a collaboration of the New England Review and Oratory Now. In the tradition of NPR’s “Selected Shorts,” Middlebury student performers from Oratory Now read selections from the New England Review on stage, along with student writers who read their own work. Lending their voices to the words on the page, students bring contemporary literary writing to life for an audience of students, faculty, and community members. An archive of readings can be found on Internet Archive, care of Middlebury College’s special collections.
PAST EVENTS
April 23, 2026
NER Out Loud found a new home at the Hepburn Zoo, the black-box theater in Middlebury’s Hepburn Hall. This event featured student writers Adonai Haile ’27, Maya Hynes ‘28.5, and Margaux Joly ’27, and Amador Abiuso ’29, Mack Briglin ‘26.5, Zaina Mahbub ’28, and Monique Pond ’28 from Oratory Now.
Video recording available here.
November 1, 2025
NER Out Loud: The Inauguration Edition
As part of a celebration of the arts in honor of the inauguration of President Ian Baucom, New England Review and Oratory Now teamed up to highlight the literary arts at Middlebury in this special edition of NER Out Loud. Students from Oratory Now read selections from recent issues of the New England Review and student writers read their own poetry and prose. The event also featured displays about how NER connects to Middlebury and to the world. On stage: student writers and NER interns Gus Morrill ’27 and Sydney Alexander ‘25.5, and Zane Malarky ’28, Ting Cui ‘25.5, Artemis Ge ’28, and Alvaro Micocci ’28 from Oratory Now.
October 24, 2024
NER Out Loud got Louder in 2024! Students from Oratory Now read selections from the New England Review and student writers joined them on the main stage to read their own poetry and prose for an audience of students, faculty, and community members in the Dance Theatre. Featuring Sam Wemmer ‘26, Caroline Jiao ‘24, Tasha Deen ‘25, Sathvik Kunigal ‘28, Weronika Wozny ‘27, Sorina Johnston ‘25.5, and Max Gibson ‘25. Musical interludes by Mark Christensen. Video recording available here.
March 30, 2023
NER Out Loud returned to the Mahaney Arts Center’s Dance Theatre on Thursday, March 30, for the first full performance since November 2019. Featuring Jared Ahern ’25, Josette Chun ’26, Leta Chibssa ’26, Shea Brams ’26, Alpana Bakshi ’26, Max Gibson ’25, Livia Davidson ’26, Grace Mtunguja ’26, & Isaiah Izzo Lizard ’25. NER Out Loud was followed by a “S’More Readings” reception, where student writers read their own poetry and prose. Video recording available here.
Writers who presented there own work at the S’More Readings reception were Yardena Carmi ’23, David Factor ’23, Haeun Park ’23, Rose Robinson ’24.5, Bel Spelman ’23, Leo Swainbank ’25, Pearl Tulay ’24, Kai Velazquez ’23, and Keziah Wilde ’24. The reception was coordinated by New England Review student interns Niamh Carty ’23 and Emma Johnson ’23.5.