Open Letters

Julie Gerstein and Rachel Buchman hit upon a simple, compelling notion: Other people’s correspondence is fascinating. Their immensely popular Open Letters series at Fergie’s Pub features readers going public with a wildly eclectic range of correspondence. Sunday’s spotlighted readers are Todd Levin, a funny writer from Brooklyn (check out www.tremble.com), and Matt Hart, a tall Brit.

Open Letters is vastly superior to your typical open-mic night for three reasons. First, there’s beer. Second, it’s located at Fergie’s, which means that genial barkeep Fergus Carey usually pulls up on his bicycle and joins the festivities. Most importantly, Open Letters doesn’t attract the usual crowd of underemployed and depressed poets with crappy material. The readers who sign up for the "as long as it takes" open-mic segment vary from South Philly Daily News addicts to peaceniks to suburban Baby Boomers. CP’s M.J. Fine read a letter sent by her ex-best-friend in sixth grade. A nebbishy accountant read an absurd series of letters to the IRS. A 60-ish mom read a letter written by her deceased father to the Happy Hooker, offering a Doctorate in Fuckology. What’s up next is anybody’s guess.

—Meredith Broussard

Sun., Jan. 27, 8 p.m., $3 suggested donation, Fergie’s Pub, 1214 Sansom St., for more info, e-mail lettersreading@hotmail.com or call 215-545-9899.