John Ronan is the producer and host of The Writer’s Block with John Ronan, a television program featuring poets and other artists. The series has been a New England Cable Television Award winner for educational programming. Many shows are available by clicking this YouTube link. Programs are produced at 1623 Studios in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and cablecast to Gloucester, Essex, Manchester and Rockport, before being uploaded to the internet. It is one of the longest, continuously running cable series in New England and celebrated its 34th anniversary with the 2023-24 season. Read the Alliance of Community Media article about the history of the program
The series has produced over 400 episodes and featured over 500 guests. Among the poets who have graced the stage are Linda Pastan, Kate McCann, Moira Linehan, Joseph Featherstone, Claire Keyes, and many others. Prose writers have been included, too, as well as other artists ranging from musicians and sculptors to actors and photographers.
Check back here for news and events. And in the meantime, visit the You Tube link above, or just take a nostalgic look at the names below, the guest list for the first 425 programs of The Writer’s Block with John J. Ronan. You are also invited to watch the 30th anniversary celebration.
THE GUEST LIST
1990-91 SEASON
#1 Carol Dine
#2 Peter Watson
#3 Harriet Webster
#4 Sharron Cohen
#5 Joseph Garland
#6 Deidre Waz, Lisabeth Kirk, Tom Stoodley
#7 Carl Carlsen
#8 Chris Leahy
#9 Valery Nash
#10 Kim Bartlett
#11 Sue Jhirad
#12 Jackie Bigford
#13 Charles Taylor
1991-92 SEASON
#14 Kevin MacMillan
#15 Lisa Martin
#16 Carol Dine, Stephanie Sermuksnis, John Ronan
#17 Patricia Waller, Dorothy Squillace
#18 George Rosen
#19 Stephanie Sermuksnis
#20 Jen Dupee, Emily O’Brien
#21 Rae Francoeur
#22 Carole Wood Hardy
#23 Jim Munn, Matt Ventimiglia, Lorelei Costa
#24 Peter Foss
1992-93 SEASON
#25 John Burke
#26 John Nelson
#27 Joe Boyd
#28 Katie Lesch, Meghan Lordan, Alice Reagan
#29 Rod Kessler
#30 Neal Zagarella
#31 Susan Beattie, Janice Severance
#32 Charlotte Gordon
#33 Skye Alexander
#34 Billy Hruby
#35 Peter Anastas, Vincent Ferrini, Joseph Garland, John Ronan, Part I
#36 Peter Anastas, Vincent Ferrini, Joseph Garland, John Ronan, Part II
1993-94 SEASON
#37 Ken Willianson, Jamie Valle
#38 David Wise
#39 Helen Ann Lind
#40 Nuber Alexanian
#41 David Pugh
#42 David Leeco
#43 J. P. Smith
#44 Jerry Ackerman
#45 Gabrielle Viator, Jessica Laicano
#46 Jim Schoel
#47 Kitty Reeve
#48 Theresa Bernstein
1994-95 SEASON
#49 Helen Naismith
#50 Roger Martin
#51 Andrew Doran
#52 Shep Abbott
#53 Sharron Cohen, David McArdle
#54 John Burke, Anne Driscoll
#55 Arthur Rose
#56 Joan Borton
#57 Mary Wessling-Harrington
#58 Ray Bentley
1995-96 SEASON
#59 Writer’s Block Party I
#60 Writer’s Block Party II
#61 Writer’s Block Party III
#62 Writer’s Block Party IV
#63 Beverly Quint, Megan Heinze, Frances Wosmek
#64 Mike Vaughn
#65 Jeff Dingle
#66 Tom Dresser
#67 Peter Todd
#68 Beverly Quint
#69 Sage Walcott
1996-97 SEASON
#70 Michael York
#71 Peter Anastas, Vincent Ferrini
#72 Merrill McLane
#73 Eileen Whyte
#74 John Ronan
#75 Bonnie Jae Dane
#76 Bob Auwerda
#77 Linda Pastan
#78 Rufus Collinson
#79 Meredith Fine
#80 Ruth Maassen
#81 Laura Harrington
1997-98 SEASON
#82 Karin Gertsch
#83 Lyn Brakeman
#84 Mary Ann Shatford, Rusty Shatford
#85 Waino Ray
#86 Harry Walen
#87 Carmine Gorga
#88 Molly Minturn, Mike Keefe-Feldman
#89 Pat Lowery Collins
#90 David McArdle, David Ellis
#91 Herb Pomeroy
#92 Phyllis Karas
#93 Susanne Dubroff
1998-99 SEASON
#94 Herb Kenny
#95 Aine Greaney
#96 Anthony Weller
#97 Roger Martin
#98 Dave McAveeney
#99 Bonnie Hurd Smith
#100 Rhina Espaillat
#101 Pat Sutherland
#102 Eleanor Parsons
#103 Marty Krugman, Joe Garland
#104 Karen Laing
#105 Dan Connell
1999-2000 SEASON
#106 Peter Prybot
#107 Amy Dengler
#108 Carol St. John
#109 Gregory Gibson
#110 Joe Garland
#111 David Kantor
#112 John Ronan
#113 Erik Parillo
#114 Judi Jordan
#115 Steve Bergman
#116 Vincent Ferrini
#117 Peter Tuttle
#118 Kevin Baker
2000-01 SEASON
#119 Joseph Garland, Jim Sharp
#120 Anne Babson Carter
#121 Rick McCabe
#122 Dan Sklar
#123 Fred Dillen
#124 Leslie Dillen
#125 Karin Bruckner
#126 Josh Reynolds
#127 Claire Keyes
#128 Raymond Bates
#129 Carol Bjorlie
#130 Anne Driscoll
2001-02 SEASON
#131 Ken Gloss
#132 Rhina Espaillat
#133 Joe Palmisano, Jamey Burnham
#134 Dodie Gibbons
#135 Susan Oleksiw
#136 Zellie Kaplan, Susan Dunlap
#137 Mark Williams
#138 Frank Blessington
#139 Deborah Cramer
#140 Richard Earle
#141 Robert Froese
#142 Henry Ferrini
2002-03 SEASON
#143 Peter Prybot
#144 Roger Martin
#145 Ray Bentley
#146 Les Bartlett
#147 Miriam Weinstein
#148 Toni Kelner
#149 Karl Muench
#150 Lyn Brakeman
#151 Bob Drohan, Dom Nicastro
#152 Peter Anastas
#153 Ann McArdle
#154 Marianna Heusler
2003-04 SEASON
#155 Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#156 Mary Ray
#157 Karen Bruckner
#158 Sewell Hayes
#159 Felice Kachinsky
#160 Ed Touchette
#161 Chester Brigham
#162 Bill Waller
#163 Madeline Caviness
#164 Peter Tuttle
#165 Peter Bergholtz, Don Dawson, Eleanor Parsons
#166 David Joyner
#167 David McArdle, Amy Dengler
2004-05 SEASON
#168 Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#169 Joe Orlando
#170 Peter Anastas
#171 Kory Curcuru
#172 Tony Vallone
#173 Eileen Ford
#174 Susan Erony, Bethany Jay
#175 Mike Telles, Courtney Murphy
#176 Leslie Dillen
#177 Fred Dillen
#178 Anthony Weller
#179 Josh Arnold
2005-6 SEASON
#180 Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#181 Terri Hauck
#182 Peter Anastas,
#183 Russ Carriker
#184 Bonnie Hurd Smith
#185 Neil Olson
#186 David Olson
#187 Ed Touchette
#188 Ingeborg Lauterstein
#189 Danuta Borchardt
#190 Peter Prybot
#191 Carl Carlsen
#192 Roger Brisson
#193 M. Lynda Robinson
2006-7 SEASON
#194 Poetry Without Paper School Poet
#195 Marc Levy
#196 Kathleen Valentine
#197 Suzanne Seller
#198 Robert Froese
#199 Henri Smith, Nat Simpkins
#200 Jim Craig
#201 Tom Kaplan-Maxfield
#202 Janet Young
#203 Mark Williams
#204 Tom Brooks
#205 Dom Nicastro
#206 Roger Brisson
#207 Ron Gilson
2007-8 SEASON
#208 Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#209 Chester Brigham
#210 John Ronan
#211 Kim Smith
#212 Suzanne Seller
#213 JoAnn Hart
#214 Ron Morin
#215 Les Bartlett
#216 Susan Berg
#217 Sally Lee
#218 Sarah Dunlap, Stephanie Buck
#219 Dorothy Stevens
#220 Brian Orr
2008-9 SEASON
#221 Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#222 Robert Ellis
#223 Paula Sline
#224 Jape Payette
#225 Steve Scotti
#226 Lisa Ramos
#227 Davida Rosenblum
#228 Ray Lamont
#229 Jill Carter
#230 Greg Bover, Carol Gray
#231 Jane Enos, Janet Mackay-Smith
#232 Kate McCann
#233 John Ronan, Sinikka Nogelo
2009-10 SEASON
#234 – Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#235 – Kristina Lindborg
#236 – Carmine Gorga
#237 – Sharon Cook
#238 – Rufus Collinson
#239 – Tom Hauck
#240 – Margery Leach
#241 – Janet Green Garrison, Gordon Baird, Paul Jermain,
#242 – Bonnie Hurd Smith
#243 – Pamela Mansfield
#244 – Danuta Borchardt
#245 – Pat Lowery Collins
2010-11 SEASON
#246 – Poetry Without Paper School Poets
#247 – Susan Oleksiw
#248 – Peter Todd
#249 – Ha Tran
#250 – Sharon Chace
#251 – Sharon Love Cook
#252 – Robert Froese
#253 – Diane Giardi
#254 – Richard Wood
#255 – Tom Hauck
#256 – Jay Featherstone
#257 – Tara Gita
#258 – Michael McNamara
2011-12 SEASON
#259 – Beverly Johnson, Bob Quinn, Beverly Quint, Diane Giardi, E.R. Waldron
#260 – Daisy Nell
#261 – Henry Allen
#262 – Margery Leach
#263 – Doug Stewart
#264 – John Morris
#265 – Mary McCarl
#266 – Allen Estes
#267 – Chris Leahy
#268 – Lisa Martin
#269 – John Grant
#270 – Joey Ciaramataro
#271 – Henry Ferrini, Charlee Bianchini
2012-13 SEASON
#272 – Chester Brigham
#273 – Jean Hodgin
#274 – Jay McLauchlan
#275 – Daisy Nell
#276 – Betty Erkkila
#277 – George Rosen
#278 – Laura Harrington
#279 – Denuta Borchardt
#280 – Ruthanne Collinson
#281 – Mark Carlotto
#282 – Theresia Millasovich
#283 – Ellen Lefavour
#284 – Capt. James F. Parisi, Hilary Frye, Peter Willwerth
2013-14 SEASON
#285 – Poetry Without Paper Student Poets
#286 – Lisa Griffiths
#287 – Deborah Finkelstein
#288 – Tamsin Venn, David Eden
#289 – Michael Glenn
#290 – Susan Jhirad
#291 – Laurie Geary
#292 – Michael McNamara
#293 – William Sargent
#294 – Sharon Chace
#295 – Kate McCann
#296 – Daisy Nell
#297 – Peter Todd
2014-15 SEASON
#298 25th Anniversary Kickoff Program
#299 Sarah Clark
#300 Bill Waller
#301 Emma Romeu
#302 Tom Robinson-Cox
#303 George Ulrich
#304 Mary Pat Butterfield
#305 Susan Oleksiw
#306 Barbara Boudreau
#307 Coco Berkman
#308 Margery Leach
#309 Danuta Borchardt
#310 Oran Canfield
2015-16 SEASON
# 311 Poetry Without Paper Student Poets
#312 Chet Brigham
#313 Moira Linehan
#314 John and Betty Erkkila
#315 Sharon Chace
#316 Claire Keyes
#317 Hallie Baker
#318 Greg Phipps
#319 Deborah Cramer
#320 Justin Demetri
#321 Ronda Faloon, Martha Oaks, Stephanie Buck
#322 Emma Romeu
#323 Madeline Caviness
2016-17 SEASON
#324 – Poetry without Paper student poets
#325 – Arthur Beane
#326 – Sharon Love Cook
#327 – Jay DiPrima
#328 – John “Finney” Burke
#329 – Stephanie Cole
#330 – John J. Ronan
#331 – Henri Smith
#332 – Shep Abbott
#333 – Brian Murphy
#334 – Janet Young
#335 – Kim Garcia
#336 – Gary Larabee
2017-18 SEASON
#337 – Poetry without Paper student poets
#338 – Jorgelina Zeoli
#339 – Marc Levy
#340 – Danuta Borchardt
#341 – Rod Kessler and Kevin Carey
#342 – Joey Ciaramitaro
#343 – Stephanie Cassatly
#344 – Rob Bradshaw
#345 – Clem Shoenebeck
#346 – John and Betty Erkkila
#347 – Laura Harrington
#348 – Suellen Wedmore
#349 – Emma Romeu
2018-19 SEASON
#350 – Poetry without Paper student poets
#351 – Tom Dalton
#352 – Jim Masciarelli
#353 – Chester Brigham
#354 – Hannah Kimberley
#355 -Sharon Chace
#356 – Theresa Dannaher and Katherine Crosby
#357 – Ken Hruby
#358 – Gordon Baird
#359 – David Olson
#360 – Jim Chisholm
#361 – John Christie
#362 – Sharon Cook
2019-20 SEASON
#363 – Poetry without Paper students
#364 – Janice Petrie
#365 – Naomi Schalit
#366 – Christopher Leahy
#367 – Ellen Alden
#368 – Linda Finigan
#369 – John Nelson
#370 – Lynda Robinson, Michael McNamara
#371 – Eric Jay Dolin
#372 – Wilma Busse
#373 – Marc Levy
#374 – Madeline Caviness
#375 – 30th Anniversary Celebration
2020-21 SEASON
#376 – Moira Linehan
#377 – Rand Peabody
#378 – Jay Featherstone
#379 – Karin Gertsch
#380 – Barbara Boudreau
#381 – Sandra Williams
#382 – William and Susan Waller
#383 – Robert Ellis
#384 – Kate McCann
#385 – David Tory
#386 – Sharon Chace
#387 – Mike Cangemi
#388 – Chris Leahy
2021-22 SEASON
#389 – Suellen Wedmore, Ruth Maassen, Bob Whelan
#390 – Carl Carlsen
#391 – Linda Finigan
#392 – Heidi Wakeman
#393 – Taylor Ann Bradford
#394 – Sharon Love Cook
#395 – Kate Ranta
#396 – Lily Narbonne, Justin Genna
#397 – Howard Frisch, Carla Grillo
#398 – William Russell Webster
#399 – Bonnie Hurd Smith
#400 – Beth Pocock, Courtney Richardson, JoeAnn Hart
2022-2023 SEASON
#401 – Poetry without Paper students
#402 – Terry Weber Mangos
#403 – Judith Frieze Wright
#404 – Martin Ray
#405 – JoeAnn Hart
#406 – Bruce Tobey
#407 – Wayne Soini
#408 – Martha Fox
#409 – Laura Plummer
#410 – Ken Riaf
#411 – William Waller
#412 – Andrea Holbrook
2023-2024 SEASON
#413 Poetry without Paper students
#414 Antonietta Calabrese
#415 Suellen Wedmore, Mary Flaherty
#416 Robert Bliss
#417 Lenore Balliro
#418 JoeAnn Hart
#419 Morgan Faulds Pike
#420 Michael Glenn
#421 Karin Gertsch
#422 William Scannell
#423 Wayne Soini
#424 Karen Koretsky, Kristin Czarnecki
#425 Bradford Chase.