Each month I’ll be investigating events around town that might pique the interest of the book nerds, the literature obsessed, and those who enjoy stimulating entertainment and/or socializing. Not surprisingly, Austin has a number of things going on every month the Book People community would enjoy.
Scott Pilgrim vs The World Quote-a-Long
Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
Sunday, April 3rd @ 9:45pm and Thursday, April 7th @ 7pm
Based on the graphic series, Scott Pilgrim, by Bryan Lee O’Malley, this adaptation by Edgar Wright may be one of the most perfect comic adaptations of all time. And if you’d seen this awesome movie, you already know how quotable it is. So get to the Drafthouse for this event, where you actually have permission to quote along with the movie (but only in the quote-a-long, any other screening and you’re outta there)!
If you haven’t yet read the graphic novels, well, we have them on our shelves now!
Tickets to the quote-a-long at $16 and include themed merchandise. If you’d never been to a quote-a-long, they are a ton of fun!
Story Department w/ Austin Bat Cave
Home Slice Pizza
Tuesday, April 12th @ 8pm
This is an adults only live reading event, inspired by NYC’s The Moth, in which storytellers riff on a theme. April’s theme is PROM. Story Department is hosted by the Austin Bat Cave, an Austin non-profit writing and tutoring center for kids and teenagers. Started in 2007, Austin Bat Cave has held free camps and writing workshops for kids and teens, published numerous anthologies of their student’s work, and partnered with other non-profits like The Texas Book Festival, all with the genuine and laudable aim of helping young people put voice to their thoughts and develop their writing skills. All proceeds from Story Department benefit the free programs provided by Austin Bat Cave.
Story Department is a monthly event held at Home Slice Pizza.
Visit the Austin Bat Cave Story Department website to check their schedule!
So come join us at Home Slice Pizza (one of my personal favorite pizza joints in our fair city), and have a slice and a beer (or soda) with us while supporting writers as well as a good cause!
Where the Wild Things Are
The Long Center Rollins Theater
April 13th – 17th
Sail along with Max to the land of the Wild Things. This award-winning, internationally acclaimed production from Vancouver’s Presentation House Theatre is an intimate “guided play” experience for ages 4 to 7. Adapted from the timeless classic, the audience helps to transform Max’s bedroom into the various landscapes of his adventures. The audience then becomes the Wild Things as they are each given a mask and encouraged to “let the Wild Rumpus begin!” With the leadership of the performers, the audience also helps bring Max safely home. This highly interactive production has toured all over the world and now Austin families will have the opportunity to be part of this special show.
Tickets start at $17 and are for sale through the Long Center Website.
Pflugerville Book Festival
Pflugerville Public Library
April 16th & 17th 1pm-6pm
The Pflugerville Public Library is hosting two full days of panels, author interviews and book signings for the Pflugerville Book Festival! There will be eighteen authors in attendance, and panels include Diverse Voices in Fiction and Non-Fiction, an interview with Newberry Honor Medal winner Jacqueline Kelly, and 100 Greatest Crime Fiction Novels of all Time.
Please visit the Pflugerville Book Festival website for a complete list of authors and events.
The festival is FREE and will be held in the Poppy, Cosmos and Lantana rooms on Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Pflugerville Public Library is located at 1008 W. Pfluger St.
April is National Poetry Month!
Austin has many weekly poetry slams. Go check them out!
Are you also poet? These are all Open Mic Nights!
Austin Poetry Slam Tuesdays, 8pm. Spider House Ballroom
Ruta Maya Poetry Tuesdays, 6-9pm. 1209 S. First St.
Spoken & Heard Sundays, 7-10pm. Kick Butt Coffee on Airport Blvd
The Illusionist (2006) Film Screening
Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar
Sunday, April 17th 6pm
This wonderful Neil Burger film, starring Edward Norton, is loosely based on the short story “Eisenheim the Illusionist” by Steven Millhauser. The film tells the story of Eisenheim, a stage magician in Vienna, who reunites with his childhood love (Jessica Biel), who is a woman far above his social standing.
The film is full of outstanding performances by all, and was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography.
The short story this film is based on can be found in the Steven Millhauser collection of short stories called The Barnum Museum, which is available at Book People now.
RECURRING MONTHLY EVENTS:
One Page Salon (usually every 1st Tuesday, but is on WEDNESDAY this month) – Wednesday, April 6th – 7:30pm @ The North Door (FREE)
Nerd Nite (every 2nd Wednesday) – Wednesday, April 13th – 7:30pm @ The North Door (FREE)
Astronomy on Tap (every 3rd Thursday) – Thursday, April 21st – 7pm @ The North Door (FREE)
Testify (every fourth Thursday) – Thursday, April 28th – 7:30pm @ The Spider House Ballroom ($5)
Austin Events for the Literati is researched, curated, and written by bookseller Sarah Holdgrafer. It’s purpose is to make it easier to discover events of interest to literary minded folks and those who read the BookPeople blog, here in ATX. It is by no means comprehensive!
So, if you are hosting, or just know about, a literary themed event here in Austin in the upcoming months, email sarah.h (at) bookpeople dot com and let her know about it (hopefully with at least a few weeks advance warning)! The Austin Events for the Literati blog post goes up by the 1st of every month.
NOTE: These events are not produced by or affiliated with BookPeople. We just think they are great, that you’ll like them too, and hope to see you there!
BookPeople 
Thanks for letting me know about the Pflugerville Book Festival. I’ll try to make it the Diverse Voices panel. 😀