Cover Story - Fall Arts Highlights

Best bets for plays, exhibits, film fests and more

BOOKS

ATLANTA QUEER LITERARY FESTIVAL Fourth annual event will feature open mic events, panel discussions, readings and book signings around town. Oct. 13-16. atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com.

CHUCK KLOSTERMAN Chances are you’ve never met Klosterman, but if you’ve read his collections of essays and nonfiction, you know what it would be like to drive cross country in a rented Ford Taurus searching for the house where Kurt Cobain killed himself or hang out with the members of a Guns ‘n Roses cover band. Few writers are as capable of parsing the schizophrenic nonsense of pop culture with such clear and confessional insight. Free. Thurs., Oct. 7. 6:30-8 p.m. SCAD Atlanta, 1600 Peachtree St. www.acappellabooks.com.

DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL The festival showcases fresh voices of contemporary Southern authors. See more here.

NATASHA TRETHEWEY Pulitzer prize-winning poet and Emory professor latest work, Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf, explores her and her family’s (they’re from Mississippi) post-storm experiences. Free. Sun., Sept. 5. 1:15 p.m. Decatur Book Festival, First Baptist Decatur Carreker Hall Stage, East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Church Street, Decatur. www.decaturbookfestival.com. Thurs., Oct. 28. 4 p.m. Cave Canem reading with poet Kyle Dargan. Spelman College, Cosby Academic Center Auditorium, 350 Spelman Lane. www.spelman.edu.

POETRY ATLANTA NIGHT Conquering Venus author Colin Kelly hosts an evening of local poets including JC Reilly, Eve Hoffman, Bob Wood, Ann Lynn and Jenny Sadre-Orafai reading their latest works. Thurs., Sept. 30. 7:15 p.m. Decatur Public Library, 215 Sycamore St. 404-370-8450. www.georgiacenterforthebook.org.

RICHARD BAUSCH Bausch is no less than a contemporary master of the short story. A Georgia-born writer of precise ear and profound economy (he whittled his first short story from the shape of an 800-page manuscript), Bausch continues his much celebrated and awarded career with his latest collection, Something is Out There. Free. Mon., Nov. 15. 6:30 p.m. Joseph W. Jones Room, 311 Woodruff Library, Emory University, 1365 Clifton Road. www.creativewriting.emory.edu.

WILLIAM GIBSON The legendary science-fiction writer defined the cyberpunk aesthetic with his 1984 debut novel, Neuromancer, a fluorescent trip through a place he called “cyberspace.” He’ll discuss past accomplishments and latest novel, Zero History. Free. Mon., Sept. 20. 6:30-8 p.m. SCAD Atlanta, 1600 Peachtree St. www.acappellabooks.com.

DANCE

AMERICAN MUSCLE A dance concert and live music performance party “about the will, wild and wonder of America” by choreographer Blake Beckham and musical director Stephen Wood. $12. Thurs., Sept. 11. 8 p.m. Eyedrum, 290 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E. www.eyedrum.org.

BLACKBIRD Brooks and Company Dance’s multimedia dance theater performance centers on the $36 billion dollar-per-year industry of commercial child trafficking and sexual exploitation, a large part of which takes place in Atlanta. Nov. 12-14. Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. 678-528-1500. www.brooksandcompanydance.org.

CORAZON ABRIENDO (HEART OPENING) CORE celebrates its 30th anniversary season this year with programming that includes a restaging of Corazon Abriendo, a multimedia performance based on Mayan weaving traditions. November 19-20. 8 p.m. Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. 678-528-1500. www.severaldancerscore.org.

IDEAS AT GARDENHOUSE DANCE Garden House Dance director Nicole Livieratos’ most recent work includes video, a dance collaboration with Patricia Henrtize, and a piece “investigating night-time monkey brain.” Free. Sat.-Sun., Sept. 18-19. 4 p.m. Gardenhouse Studio, 2752 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Suite A, Decatur. www.gardenhousedance.org.

LUMINOCITY Lauri Stallings’ next major performance will be the “largest site-specific art work both for gloATL and the city of Atlanta.” Lumincoity will include 11 site-specific performances throughout downtown. Nov. 26-Dec. 11. www.gloatl.com.

MOULIN ROUGE – THE BALLET Atlanta Ballet channels the famed Parisian cabaret and its high-kicking Cancan dancers for its season opener. Oct. 22-31. $20. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. 800-982-2787. www.atlantaballet.com.

STAIBDANCE, VEGA STRING QUARTET AND WILLIAM RANSOM: IN CONCERT Contemporary dance paired with classical and neo-classical music from artistic director and Emory dance program faculty George Staib, and Emory’s Vega String Quartet. Sept. 23-25. $10-$25. Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, Dance Studio, 1700 N. Decatur Road. 404-727-5050. www.arts.emory.edu.

FILM

DRIVE INVASION Annual rock ‘n’ roll movie extravaganza moves from the hot and crowded labor day weekend to a new October date. Oct. 10. Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre, 2000 Moreland Ave. 404-627-5786. www.starlightdrivein.com.

LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL 25th annual festival featuring 15 contemporary films outstanding recent films from Argentina Mexico, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. Sept. 25-Oct. 30. $6-$7. 8 p.m. High Museum of Art, Rich Theatre, 1280 Peachtree St. www.high.org.

OUT ON FILM The annual GLBTQ “celebrating PRIDE at the movies” enters its 23rd year. Oct. 1-7. Landmark Midtown Art Cinema, 931 Monroe Circle; Ansley Park Playhouse, 1545 Peachtree St. www.outonfilm.org.

THEATER

THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL The Lawrenceville playhouse’s black box space hosts Daniel May in this off-beat sounding monologue play, which touches on themes such as microbiology and anti-Semiticism. Sept. 16-Oct. 3. $15. Thurs.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m. Aurora Theatre, 128 Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222. www.auroratheatre.com.

page
LOBBY HERO For its second production, young Atlanta company Pinch ‘n’ Ouch Theatre stages this acclaimed tale of a young security guard who becomes involved in a murder in his building. Playwright Kenneth Lonergan wrote and directed the terrific little film You Can Count On Me. Nov. 3-28. $15-$30. Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m. Pinch ‘n’ Ouch Theatre, 14th Street Playhouse, 173 14th St. 404-733-4738. www.pnotheatre.com.

THE NACIREMA SOCIETY REQUESTS THE HONOR OF YOUR PRESENCE AT A CELEBRATION OF THEIR FIRST ONE HUNDRED YEARS Acclaimed Atlanta novelist/playwright Pearl Cleage returns with a world premiere comedy about the African-American debutantes and organizers who encounter surprises at a major social function in Montgomery, Ala. Directed by Alliance Theatre artistic director Susan V. Booth. Oct. 20-Nov. 14. $20-$40. Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m. 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4650. www.alliancetheatre.org.

NIGHT BLOOMS This world premiere by Margaret Baldwin follows two families, one black, one white, in Selma, Ala., in 1965. Featuring Lala Cochran, Jill Jane Clements and Tom Thon. Sept. 24-Oct. 24. $20-$30. Horizon Theatre, 1083 Austin Ave. 404-584-7450. www.horizontheatre.com.

THE ODYSSEY: A JOURNEY HOME Joe Knezevich plays Homer’s heroic castaway who contends with nymphs, witches, monsters and rival suitors in his long quest to reunite with his wife Penelope (Tess Malis Kincaid). Oct. 7-31. $15-$50. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Georgia Shakespeare, 4484 Peachtree Road. 404-264-0020. www.gashakespeare.org.

TWIST The Alliance Theatre opens its 42nd season with the musical Twist, but don’t get out your old Chubby Checkers records. This new musical offers a fresh spin on the tale of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, and the title Oliver! was obviously taken. With a book by The Wiz author William F. Brown and music and lyrics from Grammy-winner Tena Clark, Twist relocates the hapless orphan to 1928 New Orleans. Twist will be directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen, renowned for Fame and previous collaborations with the Alliance Theatre. Through Oct. 3. $25-$45. Tues.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4650. www.alliancetheatre.org.

VISUAL ARTS

ATLANTA CELEBRATES PHOTOGRAPHY October means Atlanta Celebrates Photography. The 2010 edition features more than 150 photography events, including exhibits, lectures and an art auction. Prices and locations vary. www.acpinfo.org.

CONVERGENT FREQUENCIES i45 collective, which includes Barbara Archer Gallery, Henley Studios, Whitespace Gallery, and Wm Turner Gallery, presents another site-specific ArtBox installation at the intersection of Krog Street and Irwin Street/Lake Avenue from artists Matt Gilbert, Nat Slaughter and Matt Haffner. Fri.-Sun., Sept. 17-19. 6 p.m.-midnight; live performance Sat., 9 p.m.

CONVERSATIONS WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS: JEFF KOONS Artist discusses the influence of Salvador Dalí on his work. Oct. 5. 7 p.m. High Museum of Art, Sifly Piazza, 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-5000. www.high.org.

DISCURSIVE DOCUMENTS: PERFORMING THE CATALOGUE A meditation by art collective John Q’s (Joey Orr, Andy Ditzler and Wesley Chenault) on cataloguing and preservation beyond the printed format. Oct. 2-Jan. 8. Opens Sat., Oct., 2. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free-$5. Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. MOCA GA, Education/Resource Center, 75 Bennett St. 404-367-8700. www.mocaga.org.

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE A group show featuring Jennifer Cawley, Zuzka Vaclavik and Cara Enteles, looks to be a sincerely cool endeavor into the fantastical that delves beyond Lewis Carroll. Through Oct. 23. Free. Opens Fri., Sept. 10, 7-10 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Emily Amy Gallery, 1000 Marietta St., Suite 208. 404- 877-5626. www.emilyamygallery.com.

EMANATE CAR SHOW Oakland-based artist Veronica de Jesus is bringing the automotive love with Emanate Care Show, a gathering of dreamy drawings and paintings. Through Jan. 8. Free. Opens, Sat. Nov. 20, 7-11 p.m. Wed.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Get This! Gallery, 662 11th St. 678-596-4451. www.getthisgallery.com.

JOE TSAMBIRAS AND JASON BUTCHER This is a local art power duo if there ever was one. You could lose yourself for days in Tsambiras and Butcher’s exciting, mind-boggling work. Through Dec. 5. Free. Opens Sat., Nov. 13. 7-11 p.m.; Wed., Fri. and Sat., noon-6 p.m.; Thurs. 1-6 p.m. Beep Beep Gallery, 696 Charles Allen Drive. 404-313-5722. www.beepbeepgallery.com.

KNOCK ON WOOD Folklore and emblems of luck are on the menu at Knock on Wood, the collection of 50 paintings and drawings by Sanithna Phansavanh. Through Oct. 26. Opens Sept. 11, 7-11 p.m. Free. Sun.-Thurs., noon-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., noon-9 p.m. Young Blood Gallery and Boutique. 636 N. Highland Ave. 404-254-4127. youngbloodgallery.com.

O’ SAY CAN YOU SEE Laura Poitras breaks through tired 9/11 art clichés by mixing Ground Zero imagery with audio from the Yankees come-from-behind World Series victory in October 2001. Through Dec. 12. Opens Oct. 9, 6-10 p.m. $5. Tues.-Wed. and Fri-Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, 535 Means St. 404-688-1970. thecontemporary.org.

PULL Under the wing of master printer Timothy McDowell this summer, artists Kim Anno, Kate Javens, Joanne Mattera, Don Pollack, Katherine Taylor and McDowell created a series of intaglio prints exhibited here in a portfolio edition. Show runs alongside McDowell’s solo painting exhibition Kingdom Come. Through Oct. 6. Opens Sat., Sept. 11. 6-9 p.m. Free. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Marcia Wood Gallery, 263 Walker St. 404-827-0030. www.marciawoodgallery.com.