Suheir Hammad, Beau Sia and Georgia Me present a segment in "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam," which features spoken-word performances. Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam • What: The national tour of the popular HBO series. • When: 8 p.m. Wednesday. • Where: Clowes Hall, 4600 Sunset Ave. • Cost: $45 and $35 adults, $40 and $30 seniors and students. Tickets available at the Clowes box office or Ticketmaster. • Info: 1-317-940-6444.   Meet the poets, read their credits Poets featured on "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam" tour: • Beau Sia has won numerous poetry slams and is a regular on HBO's "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry." His work has been featured in books and on CD. • Black Ice was discovered by Simmons at New York's Soul Cafe. He became the first spoken-word artist signed to Def Jam Records. • Mayda Del Valle is past winner of the Nuyorican's Grand Slam and the National Poetry Slam, where she became the youngest poet and the first Latina to win the individual title. • Georgia Me has been featured on Simmons' HBO show. A winner of several poetry competitions, she is a regular guest on Atlanta radio stations. • Suheir Hammad has had her poems featured in numerous publications and on BBC World Service and National Public Radio. She has been featured on Simmons' HBO show. • Bassey Ikpi performs at colleges and universities across the country. She's also graced the pages of "Glamour" and "Marie Claire" magazines and has been featured on Simmons' HBO show. • Lemon has traveled the spoken-word and poetry scene for several years. He performs at colleges and universities across the country and has appeared on Simmons' HBO show. • Poetri has performed his work in theaters, on disc, radio and television. He's appeared on Simmons' HBO show and has written, produced and arranged more than 150 commercials.

While arts executives blame budget cuts, empty theater seats and employee downsizing on the "aging of the arts," music mogul Russell Simmons is busy packing theaters across the country with the old, young, wealthy and those living paycheck to paycheck.

And he's not doing it with platinum-toothed rappers singing about the roundness of a woman's backside, either -- although the content, set and atmosphere are reminiscent of a hip-hop concert.

These days Simmons is using the spoken word to fill theaters with his latest production, "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam."

The national tour, which had a successful run on Broadway and won the 2003 Tony Award for "Best Theatrical Event," will stop at Clowes Hall at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Simmons also will serve as guest lecturer during Butler University's Distinguished Lecture Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Clowes. (Tickets for the lecture are free and available at the Clowes box office.)

New spin on hip-hop

With eight poets of diverse backgrounds, cultures and ages (in their 20s and 30s) taking the stage -- individually and sometimes as a group -- a DJ playing hip-hop and old-school music to pace the show, a few choreographed moves and subject matter ranging from drugs to homosexuality to politics to weight issues, Simmons is putting a new spin on the way people view the hip-hop generation.

"Poetry is the most beautiful expression hip-hop has today," said Simmons via speaker phone from his New York office. "The silence that people write poetry from is higher than that which they write rap music (from). That's because looking inside makes you write about the world. And when you look inside, you're always advised properly."

According to Simmons, poetry is about higher aspiration, a higher calling. And he's pleased to see more kids taking an interest in poetry and writing poetry.

"The fact that more kids are writing poetry is an example of the growing consciousness of the hip-hop generation," said Simmons, who successfully has his hands in the rap music, film and cable TV industries. "(These kids) are getting the chance to express their truth."

Getting an opportunity

Beau Sia, a 27-year-old Chinese-American, is grateful for the chance to share his truth and himself with audiences each night as one of the tour's featured poets. He's also a regular on Simmons' HBO series, "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry."

Writing poetry since his days in junior high ("because I was trying to impress girls"), Sia says his poetry has evolved from teenage angst to poems that affect change and the way people view Asian-Americans.

"My poems now are based on who I am right now," said Sia, who says his delivery onstage is explosive. "I'm really writing a lot of poems about people falling into systems. I want people to know that it's about choice and deciding for yourself."

And he wants people to stop viewing Asian-American men as "emasculated computer programmers and lackeys to corporate executives" and Asian-American women as "sex objects."

He vents some of his frustration through "The Asians Are Coming, The Asians Are Coming": "We are programming your Web sites/making your executives look smart/and getting into your schools for free/raise the bar and we'll meet it."

Learning by listening

Sia, who was raised in a suburb in Oklahoma, also is being transformed by the work of the other poets.

"When I hear what it's like to live in the ghettos and under the poverty line and about the different forms of racism, it opens my mind and encourages me to treat people like individuals.

"At the purest level, it's made me more humble to realize that I'm not the only voice that needs to be heard and that I need to put my ego aside to let others be heard. The show has made me focus on what's important."

The show is giving theater a new look, too.

"We're attracting a cross-generational audience," said Sia. "There's been a tremendous amount of high school and college students that have come as groups. There's the young professionals crowd and the older audience looking for a fresh new approach to the theater."

Edgier than usual

Samantha Cross, director of marketing and sponsorship at Clowes Hall, believes the show will have the same effect in Indianapolis.

"I'm optimistic that we have such a cutting-edge show that the appeal will be broad," said Cross. "Booking this show is outside of the box for us, but this is a chance for us to do something really cool. It's more than poetry; it's performance art. And having the poets recite their own work is really moving."

Even though the show contains some deep moments, "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam" also is fun.

"We try to make every poem in the show represent a larger audience, but there's also humor and music," said Sia, a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. "We're giving voice to the voiceless, but it's also very entertaining, and we're just having a good time.

"It's going to blow their minds. The show is amazing."