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.
The Dionysium Summer Show: Habit
Alamo Drafthouse Village
Wednesday, August 2nd @ 7pm
The time has come once again for the seasonal Dionysium show! The summer show is about Habit.
The Dionysium offers a unique, innovative program of debate, lecture, declamation, theatrical presentation and music in a salon-like atmosphere. Audiences enjoy offerings not to be found elsewhere in Austin, including the recitation of famous speeches, participatory discussion in a formal, moderated context, and the opportunity to participate in the recreation of ancient rituals.
A typical Dionysium show will feature a lecture, a declamation, a drinking song, a film or live musical performance, an appeal to Dionysus, a fiction-writing contest, and plenty of strong drink. But the heart of every Dionysium is the debate.
The Dionysium debate pits two experts against each other in toe-to-toe parliamentary combat. Dionysium debate resolutions have covered everything from Social Security reform to the future threat of genocidal robots. An audience interrogatory segment allows guests to personally challenge our debaters, and every resolution is adopted, or defeated, by an audience vote.
Purchase your tickets on the Alamo Drafthouse website and check out the Dionysium website for more info and other stimulating goodies.
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ArmadilloCon 39
August 4th – 6th
Omni Hotel – Southpark
THE Austin convention for readers and writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy, ArmadilloCon returns for its 39th year. Check out their website for information about guests, artists, and writing workshops!
Passes are $25 – $50
Almost Real Things – Issue Release Party
Friday, August 4th: 8pm–12am
Cherrywood Gallery: 3007 N I-35
Almost Real Things is celebrating their 7th batch of issues! Come celebrate with them and discover more about what’s going on in the Austin Art scene.
FREE admission, FREE drinks, FREE snacks, FREE friends
Interactive installations
Silent art auction & raffle
Dance party
Fuuuuun times!
RSVP on their FaceBook page (and don’t forget to follow them!)
Building the Wall
Written by Robert Schenkkan, Directed by Brant Pope
August 30th – September 10th @ Oscar G. Brockett Theatre
Texas Performing Arts – University of Texas, Austin
From Pulitzer Prize and Tony® Award-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle, Hacksaw Ridge), comes the incendiary political thriller that is captivating audiences across the country.
Written in “a white heat” fury following the November 2016 election, Schenkkan’s Building the Wall imagines a dystopia impacted by President Trump’s border and immigration policies. It’s the near future and millions of undocumented immigrants have been detained in overflowing prisons. Now, a writer interrogates the director of a private prison as he awaits sentencing for carrying out the federal policy that has escalated into the unimaginable. This riveting and illuminating drama delivers a powerful warning and puts a human face on the inhuman, revealing how, when personal accountability is denied, what seems inconceivable becomes inevitable.
The regional premiere, directed by Brant Pope, showcases a professional cast, including Franchelle Stewart Dorn as “Gloria” and David Sitler as “Rick.”
The running time for Building the Wall is approximately 90 minutes. There is no intermission.
“A must-see show!” – The New York Times
Purchase tickets on the Texas Performing Arts website.
SCREENINGS
August is full of upcoming screenings of book-to-film adaptations. Take a look!
Kids Camp: Speed Racer – August 1st – 17th, Alamo Drafthouse Various Times and Locations
Homo Arigato: Heavenly Creatures – Wednesday, August 2nd, 7:30pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
Minority Report – Saturday, August 5th, 4pm and Monday, August 7th, 9:30pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
War of the Worlds (2005) – Sunday, August 6th, 4:15pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
Tales of the Obsessed: Harold & Maude – Thursday, August 10th, 7pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Mueller
L.A. Confidential – based on the novel by James Ellroy, screens Tuesday, August 8th, 7:30pm @ The Paramount Theater
To Kill a Mockingbird – Sunday, August 13th, 3:45pm @ The Paramount Theater
Terror Tuesday: Carrie (1976) – The first of King’s novels to be adapted to the big screen! Tuesday, August 15th, 10pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Ritz. (Terror Tuesday is always $5)
2001: A Space Odyssey – based on the novel by Arthur C. Clark, screens Thursday, August 7th, 7:30pm @ The Paramount Theater
Afternoon Tea: Atonement – Saturday, August 19th, 4pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline and Sunday, August 20th, 4pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane
The Dark Tower (2017 – 1st Run) – The first film in the series based on the Stephen King’s magnum opus – releases August 4th everywhere.
The Beguiled (2017 – 1st run) – The latest from Sophia Coppola (who won Best Director at Cannes for this film, making her only the 2nd female director to win the award). Currently playing at Alamo South Lamar.
Lady Macbeth (2017 – 1st run) – based on the novel Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District by Nikolai Leskov, and is currently playing at Alamo South Lamar.
RECURRING MONTHLY EVENTS:
One Page Salon (every 1st Tuesday) – Tuesday, August 1st – 6pm @ The North Door (FREE)
Story Department by Austin Bat Cave – Tuesday, August 8th – 8pm @ Home Slice Pizza (FREE)
Nerd Nite (every 2nd Wednesday) – Wednesday, August 9th – 8pm @ The North Door (FREE)
Word Wednesdays (every 3rd Wednesday) – Wednesday, August 16th – 7pm @ Wake the Dead Coffeehouse, San Marcos (FREE)
Astronomy on Tap – Tuesday, August 15th – 7:30pm @ The North Door (FREE)
Greetings From Queer Mountain (every last Wednesday) – Wednesday, August 30th – 9pm @ Cheer Up Charlie’s (FREE)
Testify ATX (every last Thursday) – Thursday, August 31st – 7pm @ The Spiderhouse Ballroom ($5 cash, $6 CC at door)
Austin Events for the Literati is researched, curated, and written by former BookPeople bookseller Sarah Holdgrafer. It’s purpose is to make it easier to discover events that would interest people in the literary scene, or just people that 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.holdgrafer (at) gmail 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! For official BookPeople events, please see the BookPeople Events Calendar!
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