Dozens of teams competed the final night of National Poetry Slam qualifying bouts on Thursday for a shot to move on to the semifinal round. With several teams already all but assured of a spot after their performances earlier in the week, the competition was fierce for a shot at making it into one of the 20 open spots.
By the end of the night, all the scores were tabulated and the teams moving on to the semifinals were decided. They are: Atlanta JM, Austin AP, Austin SF, Baltimore, Berkeley, Boston CT, Charlotte SC, Chicago MG, Denver DM, Denver NU, Lincoln, Los Angeles, New York LA, New York NU, Oakland, Richmond, St. Paul, San Diego, San Francisco, and Silver City.
The four semifinal bout match-ups at the Overture Center have been determined along with the specific venues. The are:
- Oakland, Charlotte SC, St. Paul, Baltimore, and Chicago MG in Promenade Hall
- Denver NU, Atlanta JM, Los Angeles, Austin AP, Richmond SR in Wisconsin Hall
- San Diego, Denver DM, San Francisco, Lincoln, and Boston CT in the Rotunda
- New York LA, Austin SF, New York NU, Berkeley, and Silver City in the Playhouse
The semifinal rounds will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are $15, and can be purchased at the venue.