A political drama by Beau Willimon, presented by RC Players. Farragut North tells the story of Stevie Bellamy, a young press secretary working for Morris, a candidate in the democratic presidential primary. . Keene Theater, East Quadrangle, 701 East University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Free.
Like the original Blue Beard, Heinrich Blaubart brings death to women he meets. Unlike the original Blue Beard, though, he doesn’t seek to do so; in fact, his fear of relationships makes him try to avoid women. Presented in German by students enrolled in RCHUMS 334: From the Page to the Stage. Surtitles will make it possible for even non-German speakers to follow the action on stage. April 6, 8pm-10pm and April 7, 2pm-4pm, Keene Theater. Non-perishable food items or donation at the door.
Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, presented by Room 6 Productions. A cautionary tale of a high school honors student who falls for a cute transfer girl. He goes to great lengths to oblige her request for marijuana in the hopes of winning her affection – only to find out that his crush is actually an undercover cop planted in the school to find drug dealers. Keene Theater, East Quadrangle, 701 East University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Free.
Marcin Wodzinski has produced the first cartographic reference book on Hasidism, one of the modern era’s most vibrant and important mystical movements. In this lecture, he will discuss Hasidism’s emergence and expansion in Eastern Europe; its spread to the New World; and its remarkable postwar rebirth. Wodzinski’s innovative mapping allows him to show to what extent Hasidism dominated the Eastern European Jewry, which Hasidic dynasties were strongest and why, and how the Hasidim resurrected in the Post-Holocaust era.
Marcin Wodziński (b. 1966) was born and raised in Silesia, Poland. He currently works at the Department of Jewish Studies, University of Wrocław, Poland, where he is professor of Jewish history and literature. His research focuses on the history and culture of East European Jews in modern times, especially the Haskalah and Hasidism. Of his recent publications, he is most proud of “Historical Atlas of Hasidism” (2018) and “Hasidism: Key Questions” (2018).
The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor and Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor are proud to present ISIS: The Day After – A Look from Within, a lecture by renowned Israeli war correspondent and documentarian, Itai Anghel. One of the most prominent TV journalists in Israel, Mr. Anghel is known for his unique field-work and in-depth documentaries. In his lecture, he presents rare encounters with ISIS fighters, dynamic and updated maps of the region and exclusive pieces of his documentaries to help his audience understand the process that led to the rise and fall of the Islamic State and other Jihadists elements in the region. Wednesday, April 3 at 7pm. Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr., Ann Arbor, 48108. Free admission. Register at jewishannarbor.org or email events@jewishannarbor.org.
ONE PAUSE POETRY SALON is (literally) a greenhouse for poetry and poets, nurturing an appreciation for written art in all languages and encouraging experiments in creative writing.
We meet every Weds in the greenhouse at Argus Farm Stop on Liberty St. The poems we read each time are unified by form (haiku, sonnet, spoken word), poet, time / place (Tang Dynasty, English Romanticism, New York in the 70s) or theme / mood (springtime, poems with cats, protest poems). We discuss the poems and play writing games together, with time for snacks and socializing in between.
Members are encouraged to share their own poems or poems they like – they may or may not relate to the theme of the evening. This is not primarily a workshop – we may hold special workshop nights, but mostly we listen to and talk about poems for the sake of inspiring new writing.
Whether you are a published poet or encountering poetry for the first time, we invite you to join us!
$5 suggested donation for food, drinks and printing costs.
8-10 p.m., Argus Farm Stop greenhouse, 325 W. Liberty. $5 suggested donation. onepausepoetry.org, 707-1284.
This event brings together Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack, legal scholar and practitioner Len Niehoff, and acclaimed actor John de Lancie to explore the work of the courts and the law; how the human impulse for narrative performance and drama informs the inner workings of the courtroom; and how the courtroom is represented on stage and screen.
Chief Justice Bridget McCormack joined the Michigan Supreme Court in January 2013, and became chief justice in January 2019. As the chief justice, McCormack has promoted statewide initiatives devoted to improving the courts’ service to the public, and in particular delivering on a promise that courts are independent, accessible, engaged with their communities, and efficient. Len Niehoff is a nationally prominent law practitioner, professor, and scholar in three fields: media law and the First Amendment; higher education law; and trial and appellate litigation. Niehoff is working on a book about the Salem witch trials. John de Lancie is best known for his role as “Q” on Star Trek: The Next Generation, however, his credits are numerous and include The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, The Fisher King, Breaking Bad, and The West Wing. He was recently in a national tour of the “Scopes Monkey Trial” with Ed Asner where he played Clarence Darrow, and is the first recipient of the Clarence Darrow Award. De Lancie is currently at work on a play about the 2005 Kitzmiller vs. Dover School District trial.
Presented in partnership with University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA). This event heralds Witness Lab, a project by Roman J. Witt Artist in Residence Courtney McClellan. This courtroom installation is activated from February 15 through May 17, 2020, in UMMA’s Stenn Gallery.
Jonathan M. Metzl, MD, PhD, Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Medicine, Health, and Society; Director, Center for Medicine, Health, and Society; Professor of Psychiatry; Vanderbilt University
In the era of Donald Trump, many lower- and middle-class white Americans are drawn to politicians who pledge to make their lives great again. But, the policies that result actually place white Americans at ever-greater risk of sickness and death.
Physician Jonathan M. Metzl’s quest to understand the health implications of “backlash governance” leads him across America’s heartland. Interviewing a range of everyday Americans, he examines how racial resentment fueled pro-gun laws in Missouri, resistance to the Affordable Care Act in Tennessee, and cuts to schools and social services in Kansas. And he shows these policies’ costs: increasing deaths by gun suicide, rising dropout rates, and falling life expectancies. White Americans, Metzl argues, must reject the racial hierarchies that promise to aid them but in fact lead our nation to demise.
Sarah Vowell is the New York Times bestselling author of seven nonfiction books on American history and culture. By examining the connections between the American past and present, she offers personal, often humorous accounts of everything from presidents and their assassins to colonial religious fanatics, as well as thoughts on utopian dreamers, pop music, and the odd cranky cartographer. Her most recent book is titled Lafayette in the Somewhat United States.
Vowell was a contributing editor for the public radio show This American Lifefrom 1996–2008, where she produced numerous commentaries and documentaries and toured the country in many of the program’s live shows. She was one of the original contributors to McSweeney’s, also participating in many of the quarterly’s readings and shows. She has been a columnist for Salon.com, Time, and San Francisco Weekly, and is a contributing op-ed writer for the New York Times. She is an active advisory board member of 826NYC, a nonprofit tutoring and writing center for students aged 6-18 in Brooklyn, along with its sister organization in Los Angeles, 826LA.
Co-presented with the Ann Arbor District Library and the University of Michigan Library.
Each week will feature different Detroit-based speakers and guests who will explore the given topic and engage the students through a combination of formal remarks, presentations, and public discussion. Light dinner provided; free transportation from Ann Arbor to Detroit; public welcome and encouraged to attend.
