The 2017 edition of the Next Words Series opens at Skylight Books this weekend.
On Saturday, (April 15), the Creative Writing Program’s annual reading series, Next Words, kicks off with a reading at Skylight Books in Los Angeles. Each year CalArts’ School of Critical Studies hosts Next Words—both a reading series and an anthology—to showcase the work of the MFA program’s graduating class. The 2017 series features four small group readings, culminating in the final class reading and the release of the anthology, Running Moon, at REDCAT on May 7.
“We’ve planned really exciting readings of our odd, genre-defying work all across L.A. and are looking forward to seeing everyone show off,” said Amanda Choo Quan (Critical Studies MFA 17), one of the series’ organizers/editors.
An excerpt from Chelsea Dright’s MFA thesis, Black Harvest:
On a faraway planet, much removed from the little drama playing out
between Kingdom and resistance, a planet called Whisper where
the sands swirl and fly, and the desert is silent and mysterious in its beauty, lives
Taiwo. He lives in the house of his aunt and uncle, but wears the name of
his father, his real father. Igwe. Sky. He looks up at the bright blue dome above him
and wonders; quietly, subtly, only to himself. This is when he’s alone.
Additional organizers/editors of Next Words are MFA students Julia Nowak, Robert Merritt and Sophie Reiff, who worked closely with designers, community partners and CalArts administration and faculty to make the reading series and the anthology possible.
The Next Words Reading Series Schedule:
April 15, 5-7pm
Skylight Books
Chelsea Dright
Erik Alessandro Mondrian
Leann Lo
Jesse VanDenKooy
April 22, 5-7pm
Visitor Welcome Center
Vanessa Baish
Matthew Seidman
William Paul Smith
April 28, 8-10pm
Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
Giovan Alonzi
Amanda Choo Quan
David Connor
April 30, 7-10pm
Museum of Jurassic Technology
Robert Merritt
Julia Nowak
Sophie Reiff
May 7, 4 pm
Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT)
The 2017 graduating class of the CalArts Creative Writing Program
Event Details
Next Words: Session One
April 15, 5-7 pm
Skylight Books
1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
Free