L-R: Amy Richards, Allison Wolfe, Debbie Stoller, Jennifer Baumgardner
Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, authors of Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future, led a lively and eye-opening discussion Wednesday night at 92YTribeca about the legacy of Third Wave Feminism. The talk also featured Debbie Stoller (BUST, Stitch ‘n’ Bitch) and Allison Wolfe (Bratmobile).
Those in attendance learned that whether they were raised thinking that the US National anthem was I Am Woman Hear Me Roar, or if they grappled with their mothers’ bra-burning notion of women’s lib, today’s waves of second and third generation feminists are searching for new ways to experience, express, and appreciate femininity. Most importantly on Wednesday, we learned that feminism can, and should be, fun—even girly at times.
Related events coming up at 92YTribeca include First Kiss with Elizabeth Spiridakis, Marisa Meltzer and More (May 26), and Equally Shared Parenting: Finishing the Unfinished Revolution (May 27).
The cobblestones of the Brooklyn neighborhood known as DUMBO—a self-denigrating acronym that stands for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”—shine with rainwater. Fog tops the skyscrapers across the East River. The low-slung structure where Cave Canem keeps its offices sits just north of the bridge, which, viewed from inside, appears to hang from the windows like innovative blinds. A sign on the bridge flashes: “Wet road. Use caution.”
Caution, daring, and the need for shelter mark the story of Cave Canem that Cornelius Eady is telling me. The poet and Cave Canem co-founder sports black canvas high-tops, black sweatpants, a black long-sleeved shirt, and a gold ring on each hand. He’s pulled his long hair into a ponytail, and he smiles wide and often.
Before I arrived, I thought I knew what Cave Canem was: a foundation devoted to supporting black poets and poetry through workshops, awards, prizes, and readings. But the longer I talk with Eady, the more I sense that I’ll never really understand the nature of the organization. After the first week of the first summer workshop, in 1996, Eady says he started telling attendees, “You’re not going to be able to explain this to anyone. Don’t even try.”
Starting Jun 1, Cornelius Eady is teaching a four-week poetry workshop at the 92nd Street Y concerned with helping the poet become a stronger reader of his/her drafts; to better understand the distance between the draft and the finished desire of the poem. The deadline for application is May 6 by 5 pm. Visit here for more information on how to submit your manuscript to apply for Cornelius Eady’s class.
What Would You Like To Ask Former New York Governor Eilot Spitzer?
We would like to ask him for you when he appears here on May 2.
Leave your questions for him in the comments of this post; if your question is used during the Q&A of his appearance, we will provide you two tickets to an upcoming lecture of your choice, pending availability.
Music writer Christopher R. Weingarten spoke on stage yesterday at the #140conf hosted at the 92nd Street Y, offering a pointed and profanity laced summary of the current state of music journalism, and how the growth of the real-time internet spells doom for thoughtful and lucid music reviews.
“Sometimes, in one of theater’s more undervalued romantic story lines, an actor meets a set and — flash! — chemistry happens. The opening image of Christopher Walken in Martin McDonagh’s “Behanding in Spokane” is such a perfect, demented marriage of character and environment that you can’t help grinning like a fool.”
This Sunday on April 25, get a behind-the-scenes look into the production of this acclaimed play in a discussion with stars Anthony Mackie and Zoe Kazan; moderated by Jesse Oxfeld of The New York Observer. (Please note: Sam Rockwell will not be appearing as previously scheduled.)
Daytime: A Helluva Town: Veteran New York Times writer Richard Goldstein speaks about the important role New York City played in shaping the nation’s consciousness during World War II.
Film: PUNCH! Puppet Slam: Short Films: NYC’s most consistent puppet slam - is roaming the city from venue to venue bringing you the most amazing puppet theater around.
You can follow along by watching live feed at USTREAM and following the very active hashtag on Twitter: #140conf featuring live tweets from attendees and speakers. Including us!
David Veslocki, How To video star and Guitar Stars instructor at the 92nd Street Y, released a beautiful video featuring an exceptional rendition of J.S. Bach’s Prelude as played by him in the streets and subways of New York City.
Related:On April 25, Benjamin Verdery is leading a Guitar—Master Class. If you would like to perform for Mr. Verdery, please call 212.415.5580.
Jeff Pulver’s 140 Characters Conference (#140conf) At 92Y
Dan Harple via USTREAM live feed at #140conf
Above is a screen grab taken from a live stream featuring Dan Harple speaking at the 140 Characters Conference hosted at the 92nd Street Y. The event, billed as a “worldwide gathering of people interested in the effects of the real-time Internet on both business and “we” the people,” is taking place all day today and tomorrow.
Tuesday Night Tête-à-têtes / Tuesday Night Tête-à-têtes Ages 40+ with Jim Trotta. If you love deep dialogue and discerning discussion, revel in informed ideas and enjoy bouncing thoughts off others, these events are for you!
New Parent Get Togethers / Birth-12 mos. Join us for a lively, weekly get-together to share, learn and make new friends.
Toddler Parent Get Togethers / 1-3 yrs. Parents, drop in to discuss important topics with a parent education specialist while toddlers play in nearby play area.
Good folk is hard to find sometimes; in a city crammed with every kind of music imaginable, available on any night of the week at a myriad number of venues spread throughout the boroughs, it’s often hardest to find traditional folk that doesn’t put you to sleep.
Thankfully, we have musicians like Thomas Bartlett and Sam Amidon, appreciators of R Kelly as well as Woody Guthrie, to help with that.
Time Out New York attended the show as well, and has a photo gallery here.
Poisoning Pigeons in the Park: That’s Against The Law!
In the video above, Tom Lehrer melodically suggests poisoning the pigeons in the park, maybe a squirrel or two as well.
The New York Timeswould remind him: “Love them or hate them, those plump gray and white cooing birds are considered property of the state, and it is illegal to harm them.”
You are also prohibited from feeding pigeons in many parks, though it is not illegal. Either way, Lehrer as we’re sure you know, was only demonstrating his well known acerbic satire and, as far as we know, was not a pigeon poisoner. He was, as The New Yorkerrecently described, “a satirist by nature and a recording artist by accident.”:
He started writing and performing while an undergraduate at Harvard (“Fight Fiercely, Harvard,” a parodic college fight song, dates from 1945), and he continued clowning through his graduate studies in math. In 1953, Lehrer bought an hour of studio time and released “Songs by Tom Lehrer”; over the decade that followed, he became, much to everyone’s surprise, a pop-culture sensation. His songs had more to do with show tunes than rock—“The Elements” set the periodic table to Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Major-General’s Song”—but he also had a nasty topical streak, and his work has directly influenced performers as diverse as Mark Russell, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and Stephin Merritt, of Magnetic Fields (when he sent Lehrer a copy of his magnum opus, “69 Love Songs,” Lehrer responded “Now you realize that ‘69 Love Songs’ is 67 too many”).
Coming up on May 8, 9 and 10, Rob Fisher, artistic director of Lyrics & Lyricists™—Poisoning Pigeons in the Park: The Art of the Satiric Comedy Song, presents a clever salute to Tom Lehrer and the lineage of lyricists—from W.S. Gilbert and E.Y. “Yip” Harburg to Sheldon Harnick and Stephen Sondheim—who savor and serve up the follies of our imperfect world. Sheldon Harnick will host the series! Tickets are available here.
UPDATE: Debra Monk & Rob Fisher were guests on Garrison Keillor’s latest broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion last week. We don’t want to spoil the fun, so we’ll just give you a hint...listen here at the 46:46 mark for a special shout-out and mention!
UPDATE: What a pleasant surprise! Garrison Keillor enjoyed Monk and Fisher’s appearance so much, he’s asked them back with L&L writer and stage director David Garrison for tomorrow’s taping on May 1!
Upcoming Lyrics & Lyricists include Lyrics & Lyricists Downtown™ – Ahrens and Flaherty At 92YTribeca (Apr 19) and Lyrics & Lyricists™—In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening: The Stardust of Hoagy Carmichael (Jun 5).
92Y Q&A with Author Scott Turow of the Rock Bottom Remainders
Stephen King and Scott Turow performing with the Rock Bottom Remainders at Webster Hall.
Join Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Mitch Albom, Scott Turow and the rest of the literary all-stars who make up the Rock Bottom Remainders at the Nokia Theater in Times Square April 23 in a special concert benefiting the 92nd Street Y, America’s Promise and relief efforts in Haiti through World Vision. Most of the Remainders have appeared at the 92nd Street Y talking about their writing, but have you seen them play rock and roll? The Remainders have no music videos, no record contract, no Grammy® nominations—but do have over 159,000 hits on Google. Support these wonderful causes, get your tickets today.
We recently asked Scott Turow, attorney and best-selling mystery suspense novelist, a few questions about the band and his craft.
As a lawyer, writer and member of a rock band, which part of you should we trust the least?
I am always totally sincere—honestly, i really mean it, cross my heart.
Carlos Fuentes has said, “Writing is a struggle against silence.” What is the struggle of the Rock Bottom Remainders?
Against discerning tastes.
You once noted your role in the group is “to set a bottom threshold for musical ability.” That seems like a tall order for a band already named Rock Bottom Remainders. How do you do it?
Compared to me, every member of the band, even on the worst off-night, sounds like Beethoven. I am reliably bad, in all venues, seasons and musical modes.
The April 23 concert is a benefit for World Vision’s efforts on behalf of Haiti relief, the 92nd Street Y, and the America’s Promise Alliance. All of the band members have spoken at 92Y in the past (you appeared 3 times between 1989 and 2002) in your more recognizable professions as writers. What does it mean for you to support these causes and specifically the literary tradition of 92Y?
Amy Tan once noted that the members of the band have enough fun with each other that we would probably play to kill the whales, but with causes as worthy as 92Y we can sort of operate with deep cover. A presumption of good intentions clings to anyone who says, “I’m doing this for the 92nd Street Y.” People recall the great voices of literature who have appeared there over the years and think, even as they listen to us, “some good may still come of this.”
Your first appearance at 92Y was for your breakout debut Presumed Innocent. Twenty-two years (and seven best-selling novels) later, its sequel, Innocent, is set to be published in May. Why return to Rusty Sabich? How would you describe your connection to the character?
It is clearer and clearer to me that i wanted to go back to the beginning for personal reasons. Rusty’s voice—which is not the only one in innocent—is still automatic for me, deeply felt and largely spontaneous
The film is careful to avoid explicit political statement, but its reticence makes its critique of the Iranian regime all the more devastating. It will also make anyone who had grown cynical about the transformative, galvanizing power of popular music — an idea that might seem quaint in Western democracies, though less so in the former police states of the Warsaw Pact — think, and possibly believe, again.
The film features Iranian indie rock phenoms Hypernova and Yellow Dogs, who star in the film, along with DJ Loveletters. The bands’ music is forbidden in Iran, where playing Western music in public is illegal.
Both bands will perform tonight at 92YTribeca during the Official Afterparty for the film’s New York Premiere. Doors open at 8.30pm and the show starts at 9.30pm. Purchase your tickets here.
The forthcoming album eXpo: a compilation of independent Chinese electronic artists, which is timed to coincide with the upcoming World Expo in Shanghai, will be released May 4. This collection introduces an array of Chinese musicians and producers to the international community for the first time.
On May 15 at 92YTribeca, The Shanghai Restoration Project brings its unique blend of Chinese instrumentation, hip-hop and electronica in a multimedia performance featuring producer Dave Liang (TSRP), MC Jamahl Richardson, London-based artist Phildel and Brooklyn-based DJ Elan Vytal.
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We would like to ask him for you when he appears here 
Music writer Christopher R. Weingarten spoke on stage yesterday at the 
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