BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Elaine Pagels Cancelled
Due to an unexpected family emergency, author Dr. Elaine Pagels has cancelled her scheduled presentation tonight for the Pen Pals Author Lecture Series. She will be replaced by New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler. I guess we’re sticking with Christianity because this award-winning journalist is the author of Walking the Bible, Abraham, and Where God Was Born, and the writer-presenter of the PBS miniseries Walking the Bible.
7:30 p.m. (or noon tomorrow), Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins; 651-209-6799; $35, $45.
Family Ties
Maybe Christianity isn’t your thing — or maybe it is, but you’d like to expand your literary horizons a bit past that. You can still nurture the spirit. Go hear best-selling author A.M. Homes discuss her new memoir, The Mistress’s Daughter. Follow Homes on her journey of self-discovery (oh, how we love self-discovery!) as she searches for her biological parents, explores her roots, and contemplates what it really means to be adopted. Homes will sign copies of her book following the discussion.
7 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-625-6000; free.
MUSIC by Jon Lurie
Nauseatingly Successful Romantic
“Critics have called him a nauseatingly romantic wuss, a badge-of-honor Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard has worn through three Grammy nominations, six critically acclaimed albums, and a performance on Saturday Night Live. Everything this soft-spoken, melodic alt-rocker has touched in the ten years since he founded Death Cab, including his side project The Postal Service, has turned gold. This is a rare opportunity for Gibbard fans to check out the singer/songwriter performing solo and acoustic—no better way to hear the depressing yet soulful and ironically titled hit ‘Such Great Heights.’”
8 p.m., First Avenue, 701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-332-1775; $20.
Two Black Eyes
Maybe you need a show that will put a little more bounce back in your step. Les Yeux Noirs (the black eyes) offers up diverse rhythms and sounds from central Europe. The paris-based group is part gypsy, part Yiddish, part klezmer, a whole lot of jazz, and all about movement. The two frontman violinists, brothers, will get your blood flowing with their frenetic bursts as you rid the floor of the last remnants of winter dust. Summer is here. Get your hips swinging.
7:30 p.m., The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674; $20.
THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
A Story of which We Don’t Seem to Tire
The Evidence of Silence Broken is a lyrical exploration of process — the process of becoming — of becoming who we are. In fact, it’s an exploration of author and performer Zell Miller III’s own becoming — as usual — and how he chose poetry as his weapon in the ever-cliche war against the gun. (I say this, but then I am always utterly stunned at the general public’s acceptance of repetition. And after all, it is a true story, so I mustn’t be so cynical. I must learn to recognize some hope in the world.) Yes, that’s right, it’s the story of the birth of a poet — better known as how a man grows his second testicle — all in the context of hip hop as the weapon, the fodder, the seed by which ones own identity is rooted, and that of an entire people. Yup, it’s that same old story, and we’re all such suckers for it. Just so it’s done well, please. Just so it’s done well. (And in this case, the autobiographical aspect is a good sign.) OK, but this is the description I really like: “Miller delves into the relationship between silence, truth and love and explores what silence sounds like, looks like, and feels like once it is broken.” Beautiful! What the hell does that mean? I mean, sure, I can appreciate a good metaphor, but when people start talking about the sound of silence, I get hives.
7:30 p.m., Pillsbury House Theater, 3501 Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis, 612-825-0459; $15.
STYLE by Christy DeSmith
Not much happening in fashion this week…
Here’s a topic that flares up passions: bras. Or rather, the need to wear better-fitted ones, since the well-endowed among us can cause duress–to others, and especially themselves, while running around the lakes! Yikes!
If you crave control or maybe even less back fat, you might care to know that Fit for the Cure is happening at various area Macy’s stores later this week and through the weekend. You’ll likely have to wait a little longer than you normally would for your fitting. But these events do much to demystify the experience. And they’re for a good cause (breast cancer research). Here’s the schedule:
Thursday, May 3, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.: Rosedale, Ridgedale
Friday, May 4, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Minneapolis, Southdale, Burnsville
Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Ridgdale, St. Paul, Mall of America
Leave a Reply