Calendar for Southern California

Updated April 21, 2008

April 1-30, 2008 S M T W Th F S 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 0 0 0

3 APRIL---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• MESS, Media Ecology Soul Sessions, presents Jammin' the Jammers, tonight's event redefines the ways 1950s comedy/music icons Lenny Bruce, Lord Buckley, Ernie Kovacs, John Cage, and Korla Pandit, with rare video clips, laid the groundwork for contemporary culture, with host Gerry Fialka leads a panel, with special musical opening by The Rondo Hatton Experience, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7, no one turned away for lack of funds, 7:00 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)
• Nina Revoyr reads from her novel The Age of Dreaming, Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Avenue, between Hollywood Blvd. and Franklin, LA, 7:30 (323/660-1175, www.skylightbooks.com)

5 APRIL---saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Beyond Baroque presents Richard Milazzo, Saint Clair Cemin: Sculptor from Cruz Alta and The Porter of Venice: Poems, artist Robert Burke presents photographs and text from his working class ethnology, and poet, short story writer, and children's book author Annie Reiner, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)

6 APRIL---sunday:
CENTRAL:
• Beyond Baroque presents A Spring Picnic Poetry Fun-Raiser, picnic with impromptu poetry readings and art-making in the poetry garden, admission is a line of original poetry which will be formed into a community poem, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $10 but no one turned away for lack of funds, 2:00-4:45 (rsvp to Lisa: 310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)
• Open reading featuring poets Kevin Lee, publisher of R)v Press, Zachary Locklin, poetry editor of Chiron Review, and prolific poet Gerald Locklin, hosted by Marie Lecrivain, two poem limit for open, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, free, open sign up 4:45, reading 5:00 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)

8 APRIL---tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• Julie Klam reads from and signs her account of growing up in a family of career-shunning women, Please Excuse My Daughter, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
EAST:
• Gneiss Poetry Series presents a reading by Lola Haskins, Auditorium, Room B-100, building closest to parking lot, University of California at Riverside, Cook Street and Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert campus, free, 7:00 (760/985-0853, palmdesertmfa.ucr.edu, www.lolahaskins.com)

9 APRIL---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• A reading and signing by Nina Revoyr from her novel, The Age of Dreaming, portrait of a time when the film studio was "a place of serious work," and Jerry Stahl, author of Love Without and Permanent Midnight, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)

10 APRIL---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• A tenth anniversary event for Poetry in Motion, a collaboration of the Poetry Society of America and the Metro Art program that places the work of twenty-four poets on placards aboard Metro Buses throughout the year, features Alice Quinn, Executive Director of Poetry Society of America, presenting poets Elena Karina Byrne, Suzanne Lummis, and Marisela Norte in a live reading for rush-hour commuters, atrium of the Union Station East Portal and entrance to the Metro Rail, One Gateway Plaza, downtown Los Angeles, free, 4:00 (213/922-2738)
• Poetry in Motion, a collaboration of the Poetry Society of America and the Metro Art program that places the work of poets on Metro Buses, presents a tenth anniversary reading introduced by Alice Quinn, Executive Director of Poetry Society of America, and featuring poets Molly Bendall, Eloise Klein Healy, and David St. John in a reading from their work, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, Santa Monica Library, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, free, 7:00
• Performance artist, singer/songwriter Laurie Anderson premieres Homeland, a combination provocative poem and concert, using the sensuous language of songwriting and poetry, UCLA campus, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Drive, LA, $54/$42/$30/$20 UCLA students, 8:00 (tickets: 310/825-2101, www.uclalive.org)

11 APRIL---friday:
CENTRAL:
• Beyond Baroque presents a screening of one of the most unusual documentaries ever made, Barbara T. Smith's 21st Century Odyssey: A Performance Documentary 1991-1993, it records a two-year performance in communication with a physician inside of Biosphere 2, with documentary co-director Kate Johnson, 3-1/2 hours, intermission with refreshments, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $10, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)
EAST:
• The Idyllwild Arts Academy Creative Reading Series presents poet G.C. Waldrep, reception and book signing to follow, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy, 52500 Temecula Road, Idyllwild, 7:30 (951/659-2171x2314, www.idyllwildarts.org)

12 APRIL---saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Beyond Baroque presents Ara Shirinyan, Syria Is In The World, editor of Make Now Press, Joseph Thomas, Poetry's Playground: The Culture of Contemporary American Children's Poetry, and Dan Machlin, Dear Body, founder of Futurepoem Books, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)
• John Harris and Los Angeles Poetry Society presents Resurrection: A Tribute to Poets Who Have Gone, a retrospective on distinguished southern California poets who have passed, featuring work of Bert Meyers, Charles Bukowski, William Pillin, Joseph Hansen, Lee Hickman, with readings by poets Michael C. Ford, Steve Goldman, open mike for those who wish to pay tribute, Church in Ocean Park, 235 Hill Street, Santa Monica, donation, no one turned away for lack of funds, 8:00 (310/399-1631, www.churchop.org)
NORTH:
• Poetry Zone with host Suzanne Frost, featuring poet Amalio Madueno, open mike, Karpeles Manuscript Library, 21 West Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, free, 2:00 (805/403-0567, www.rain.org)

13 APRIL---sunday:
CENTRAL:
• Writing group offers support for screenwriters and their works-in-progress, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, drop-in, 10:00 a.m. (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
• Poetry at the Ruskin presents a reading by poet Doug Van Grundy and essayist Meredith Hall, reception follows, hosted by Elena Karina Byrne and Kate Gale of Red Hen Press, The Ruskin Art Club, 800 S. Plymouth Blvd., LA, $10/$5 students, seniors, 2:00 (310/669-2369, 818/831-0649)
• The Valley Contemporary Poets presents Gail Wronsky and Michael C. Ford, in a poetry reading, open mike follows, Tarzana Community and Cultural Center, 19130 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana, $5.00 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds, 3:00 (818/705-1286, www.mytarzana.org)
• Ronald Alexander and illustrator Nathan Geare celebrate the release of Alexanders' third novel, The War on Dogs: In Venice Beach, appetizers and beverages served, James Beach Restaurant, 60 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, free, open to public, 4:00 (310/399-8420, www.hollyridgepress.com)
• Children's author Ann Whitford Paul reads from If Animals Kissed Good Night and Snail's Good Night, Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Avenue, between Hollywood Blvd. and Franklin, LA, 5:00 (323/660-1175, www.skylightbooks.com)

14 APRIL---monday:
CENTRAL:
• Life Coach Laurie Hacking discusses this week's book group selection, It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 11:30 a.m. (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
• Moonday, A West Side Reading Series presents a reading by David Alpaugh, Heavy Lifting, and Sherman Pearl, open mike follows, Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore Avenue, just north of Sunset, Pacific Palisades, 7:30 (310/454-4063, www.moondaypoetry.com)

15 APRIL--tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• 2008 Kate Tufts Discovery Award winner Janice N. Harrington will be honored for her debut collection of poetry, Even the Hollow My Body Made Is Gone, the event features a poetry reading by Janice Harrington with poet Tom Sleigh, winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award, Claremont Graduate University campus, The Colburn School of Music, Thayer Hall, Claremont, free and open to public, 6:30
• Local author Paula Brown discusses and signs Fur Shui: An Introduction to Animal Feng Shiu, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
• Valley Contemporary Poets presents Mitch Untch, fresh from 2007's Newer Poets presentation at the LA Poetry Library Aloud Series, in a poetry reading, open reading follows, Cobalt Cafe, 22047 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, free, one drink minimum, 9:00 (818/346-1698, www.cobaltcafe.com)

16 APRIL---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• Write On!, a monthly writing group led by Debra Eckerling, open to writers of all genres seeking insight and support, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/269-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
• The UCLA Spoken Word Series presents a conversation between best selling novelist and advocate for gender reform in Iran, Azar Nafisisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, joined by fellow Iranian-born writer Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis, a graphic novel, UCLA campus, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Drive, LA, $38/$28/$20, 8:00 (tickets: 310/825-2101,www.uclalive.org)
SOUTH:
• University of California at San Diego presents Majorie Welish reading from her new poetry book, Isle of the Signatories, Visual Arts Performance Space, La Jolla, 4:30 (858/534-2860, http://visarts.ucsd.edu)

17 APRIL---thursday:
CENTRAL:
• Award-winning jazz scholar, poet, and founding member of the Black Arts Movement, A.B. Spellman reads from his new book of poetry, Things I Must Have Known, California State University, Music Hall, 5151 State University Drive, LA, 6:30 (323/343-4140, www.calstatela.edu)

18 APRIL---friday:
CENTRAL:
• Beyond Baroque presents a reading by Teresa Carmody, Requiem, short stories, co-director of Les Figures Press, Stan Apps, God's Livestock Policy, and novelist and short story writer Axel Thormahlen, who writes in German and Swedish, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)

19 APRIL-----saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Noir in the Neighborhood Book and Film event, author presentation and book signing by Naomi Hirahara of Los Angeles Noir, a compilation of short stories that explore the dark side of LA's diverse communities, followed by the classic Venice Noir film, Touch of Evil, introduced by Ron Accosta, Santa Monica Public Library, Ocean Park Branch, 2601 Main Street, Santa Monica, free, reading 2:00, screening 3:30 (310/392-3804, www.smpl.org)
• A panel of poets read their works and discuss how poetry affected and was affected by social and artistic movements in the 1960s, with Linda Albertano, Laurel Ann Bogen, Michael C. Ford, John Harris, Jack Hirschman, Mel Weisburd, moderated by Sherman Pearl, part of The Ash Grove's 50th anniversary celebration (a legendary folk/blues music club, 1958-1973), UCLA campus, Choral Room, Schoenberg Hall, free but tickets are required, first come first served, pick up at Schoenberg an hour in advance, parking $8, 8:00 (www.ashgrovemusic.com)
• Calque & Friends: Literature in Translation, celebrates Calque, a new triannual journal of translation, edited by Steve Dolph and Brandon Holmquest, with a reading by Suzanne Jill Levine, The Subversive Scribe: Translating Latin American Fiction; Stephen Kessler, Burning Daylight, poems, translator of Luis Cernuda's prose poems, Written in Water; Craig Santos Perez, co-founder of Achiote Press; and translator, poet, and urban cyclist Jen Hofer, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)
NORTH:
• Arcade Poetry Series, hosted by Jackson Wheeler, features poets Adrianne Marcus and Carol V. Davis, Into the Arms of Puskin: Poems of St. Petersburg, Carnegie Art Museum, 424 South C Street, Oxnard, 7:00 (805/385-8157)
SOUTH:
• UCSD Professor Camille F. Forbes discusses her critically acclaimed book Introducing Bert Williams: Burnt Cork, Broadway, and the Story of America's First Black Star, D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, 7:00 (858/456-1800, www. dgwillsbooks.com)

20 APRIL---sunday:
NORTH:
• Corners of the Mouth presents a poetry reading by Gabriela Anoya Valdepena and Ray Clark Dickson, open reading limited to five minutes of original work follows, Linnaea's Café, 1110 Garden Street, San Luis Obispo, free, 7:00 (805/547-1318, www.languageofthesoul.org)

21 APRIL---monday:
CENTRAL:
• Tom Leopold and Bob Sand read and sign their book, Milt and Marty: The Longest Lasting and Least Successful Comedy Writing Duo in Show Biz, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
NORTH:
• California Poet Laureate Al Young reads with jazz musicians, and an eco-art slide show, to celebrate the earth, sponsored by Associated Students, Guthrie Hall, Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura, free, $1 to park near the gym, 7:00

22 APRIL---tuesday:
CENTRAL:
• Margaret Peterson Haddix, creator of the Shadow Children series, reads and signs her new novel Found, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
• Kate Buckley, winner of the North American Review's James Hearst Poetry Prize and author of A Wild Region, reads her poetry, open reading follows, Cobalt Cafe, 22047 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, free, one drink minimum, sign up for open at 8:30, reading 9:00 (poetrysuperhighway.com/cobalt, KateBuckley.com)

23 APRIL---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• An evening of music and poetry featuring poet Brian Michael Tracy, Driving With Dante, and folk/rock duo Andy Hill and Renee Safier, performing from their new CD, Midnight Tea with Dante, cocktails and sushi specials, Club 705, 705 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, 7:00 (310/372-9705, myspace.com/midnightteapoetry)

24 APRIL--thursday:
CENTRAL:
• Suzanne Finnamore reads and signs her memoir, Split, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)

25 APRIL---friday:
CENTRAL:
• California Poet Laureate Al Young, Something About the Blues, and the Suezenne Fordham Chamber Jazz group perform, Library Community Room, South Pasadena Public Library, 1115 El Centro Street, South Pasadena, free, no tickets or reservations necessary, doors open 6:30, event 7:00 (SFjeldsted@ci.south-pasadena.ca.us)
• 20th Anniversary Party for the Santa Monica Review with founder Jim Krusoe, former editor Lee Montgomery, and current editor Andrew Tonkovich, a festschrift for the influential So Cal literary journal, work featured by Diane Lefer, Diane Gurman, Gary Amdahl, Janice Shapiro, Ariane Simard, Mary Otis, Monona Wali, Tod Goldberg, Jeff Soloman, Dawna Kemper, live music from The Fancies, prose, poetry, cake, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org, www.smc.edu/sm_review)
• 28th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes with master of ceremonies, author Gay Talese, presenters feature Jim Newton/Biography, Scott Simon/Current Interest, Ngugi Wa Thiong'O/Fiction, Susan Salter Reynolds/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, Douglas Brinkley/History, Paula Woods/Mystery-Thriller, Mark Doty/ Poetry, Dava Sobel/Science and Technology, Francesca Lia Block/Young Adult Fiction, and David L. Ulin/Robert Kirsch Award, Royce Hall, UCLA campus, $16, 8:00 (www.latimes.com/extras/bookprizes)

26 APRIL---saturday:
CENTRAL:
• Poets' Passover Seder reinterprets the Haggadah through the eyes of poets, with music and Passover food, participants include Laurel Ann Bogen, Washing a Language; Ellyn Maybe, Walking Barefoot in the Glassblowers Museum; Larry Colker, co-host of the Redondo Poets Series, Rachel Kann, Chaudia Handler, co-director of the Valley Contemporary Poets, hosted by Cobalt Cafe maestro Rick Lupert, creator of PoetrySuperHighway.com, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 7:30 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org)
• 13th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, a major two-day literary event, almost four hundred authors, over three hundred exhibitors, author panels and events are held indoors in lecture halls, with outdoor readings, storytelling, and presentations; The Poetry Stage readers will be, outdoors, at 10:00 a.m.: Mark Doty, Fire to Fire; 10:30 a.m.: Sholeh Wolpé, Rooftops of Tehran; 11:00 a.m.: Eloise Klein Healy, The Islands Project: Poems for Sappho, and Elizabeth Bradfield, Interpretive Work: Poems; 11:30 a.m.: Albert Goldbarth, The Kitchen Sink: New and Selected Poems, 1972-2007; Noon: Brian Tracy, Driving with Dante, with musicians Andy & Rene; 12:30: David St. John, The Face: A Novella in Verse; 1:00: Jean Valentine, Little Boat; 1:30: Marvin Bell, Mars Being Red; 2:00: Christopher Buckley, Modern History; 2:30: Sarah Maclay, The White Bride, and Charles Hood, Rio de Dios; 3:00: Susan McCabe; Descartes' Nightmare and Cinematic Modernism: Modernist Poetry and Film; 3:30: Lynne Thompson, Beg No Pardon, and Jeffery Levine, Rumor of Cortez; 4:00: Jennifer Kwan Dobbs, Paper Pavilion; 4:30: Tony Barnstone, The Golem of Los Angeles; 5:00: Catherine Daly, Locket, and Stuart Dischell, Backwards Days; admission is free, but because of limited seating, tickets are required for indoor events, available through ticketmaster or ticket booth onsite, UCLA campus, free admission, parking $8, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 (www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks)
NORTH:
• Friday's on Saturday presents a poetry reading by Sherman Pearl, plus open mike hosted by Friday, The Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura, 7:30

27 APRIL---sunday:
CENTRAL:
• Writing group offers support for screenwriters and their works-in-progress, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 10:00 a.m. (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)
• 13th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, a major two-day literary event, almost four hundred authors, more than three hundred exhibitors, author panels and events are held indoors in lecture halls, with outdoor readings, storytelling, and presentations; The Poetry Stage readers will be, outdoors, at 10:00 a.m.: Elena Karina Byrne, Masque, and Marty Williams, Other Medicine; 10:30 a.m.: Robert Pinsky, Gulf Music: Poems; 11:00 a.m.: Maurya Simon, Cartographies; 11:30 a.m.: California Poet Laureate Al Young, Something About the Blues; Noon: Elaine Equi, Ripple Effect: New and Selected Poems; 12:30: Jill Bialosky, The End of Desire, and Dana Goodyear, Honey and Junk; 1:00: James Ragan, In the Talking Hours; 1:30: Adam Kirsch, Invasions: New Poems; 2:00: Stanley Plumly, Old Heart: Poems; 2:30: Carol Muske-Dukes, Sparrow, and Sam Pereira, A Café in Boca; 3:00: Chris Abani, Hands Washing Water; 3:30: Wanda Coleman, Mercurochrome, and Diane Ward, When You Awake; 4:00: Luis J. Rodriguez, My Nature is Hunger; admission is free, but because of limited seating, tickets are required for indoor events, available through ticketmaster or ticket booth onsite, UCLA campus, free admission, parking $8, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 (www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks)
• An Afternoon with The Pedestal Magazine, a bimonthly online literary journal celebrating seven years, with Pedestal editor John Amen, and readings by Ed Frankel, Marylen Grigas, Ellaraine Lockie, Karen Stromberg, David Dannov, PB Rippey, Timothy Green, Judy Kronenfeld, Lucia Galloway, Florence Weinberger, and Ruth Nolan, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, $7/$5 students, seniors/members free, 4:00 (310/822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org, www.thepedestalmagazine.com)
• G. Murray Thomas reads two or three sets of his poetry between three bands: Hellerkin, The Veritcles and Heaven Bound Train, The Huntington Beach Blue Cafe, 17208 Pacific Coast Highway, at Warner, Huntington Beach, 8:00 (562/592-1302)

28 APRIL---monday:
NORTH:
• California Poet Laureate Al Young reads, Oxnard College, Oxnard, free, 12:45

30 APRIL---wednesday:
CENTRAL:
• 13th Annual Los Angeles Public Library Awards Dinner honors Larry McMurtry, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist for Lonesome Dove and Oscar-winning screenwriter for Brokeback Mountain, Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, $750, cocktail reception 6:00, followed by awards program, remarks and dinner (213/228-7500, Library Foundation: www.lfla.org)
• Celebrate Poetry Month with Susan McCabe, reading and signing her poetry collection, Descartes' Nightmares, winner of the Agha Shahid Ali Poetry Prize, Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 7:00 (310/260-9110, www.barnesandnoble.com)