Fan favorite writer and humorist returns to Santa Barbara with razor sharp wit and observant commentary
Courtesy photo
SUMMARY
- UCSB Arts & Lectures presents David Sedaris
- Sat, Nov 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Arlington Theatre
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- The acclaimed writer will share published stories and works in progress in an evening of acerbic wit, insightful moments and biting commentary
- Sedaris’ most recent book, Happy-Go-Lucky, includes five essays reflecting on his fraught relationship with Lou Sedaris, his memorably unlikeable father
- Stick around after the program for one of Sedaris’ legendary book signings
- Books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Chaucer’s
- $39.50 – $54.50 / UCSB students $11 (Current student ID required)
- Tickets & Info: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu
“I’m the most important person in the lives of almost everyone I know and a good number of the people I’ve never even met.” – David Sedaris
“It’s a neat trick that one writer’s preoccupation with the odd and the inappropriate can have such widespread appeal.” The New York Times
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents David Sedarison Saturday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. One of today’s most observant writers addressing the human condition, satirist and bestselling author David Sedaris returns with his acerbic humor, social commentary and outlandish stories. Cutting through cultural euphemisms and political correctness, he delights audiences with twists of humor and perspicacity as he shares both published stories and works-in-progress. Stick around after the event for one of Sedaris’ legendary book signings.
David Sedaris on storytelling, humor and chatting with strangers (Jimmy Kimmel Live)
ABOUT DAVID SEDARIS
David Sedaris is one of America’s preeminent humor writers. He is a master of satire and one of today’s most observant writers.
Beloved for his personal essays and short stories, David Sedaris is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls and Calypso. His book The Best of Me collects 42 previously published stories and essays. Sedaris also wrote Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, a collection of fables with illustrations by Ian Falconer. He is the editor of Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories. His pieces regularly appear in The New Yorker and have twice been included in The Best American Essays. The two volumes of his diaries, Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002) and A Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020)were New York Times bestsellers. An art book of Sedaris’ diary covers, David Sedaris Diaries: A Visual Compendium, was edited by Jeffrey Jenkins. His most recent book, Happy-Go-Lucky, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The audio version of Happy-Go-Lucky, written and narrated by Sedaris, won the 2023 Audie Award. His next book will be a short graphic novel for children with illustrations by Ian Falconer titled Pretty Ugly (February 2024).
Sedaris and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name The Talent Family and have written half-a-dozen plays which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include Stump the Host, Stitches, One Woman Shoe, which received an Obie Award, Incident at Cobbler’s Knob and The Book of Liz, which was published in book form by Dramatists Play Service.
Sedaris has been nominated for five Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. His audio recordings include David Sedaris: Live for Your Listening Pleasure and David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall. A feature film adaptation of his story “C.O.G.” was released after a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (2013). Since 2011, he can be heard annually on a series of live recordings on BBC Radio 4 entitled Meet David Sedaris. In 2019 David Sedaris became a regular contributor to CBS Sunday Morning, and his MasterClass, “David Sedaris Teaches Storytelling and Humor,” was released.
There are over 16 million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 32 languages. He has been awarded the Terry Southern Prize for Humor, the Thurber Prize for American Humor, the Jonathan Swift International Literature Prize for Satire and Humor and the Time 2001 Humorist of the Year Award, as well as the Medal for Spoken Language from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In March 2019 he was elected as a member into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2020 the New York Public Library voted Me Talk Pretty One Day one of the 125 most important books of the last 125 years.
ABOUT UCSB ARTS & LECTURES
Founded in 1959, UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) is the largest and most influential arts and lectures organization between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A&L annually presents more than a hundred public events, from critically acclaimed concerts and dance performances by world-renowned artists to talks by groundbreaking authors and film series at UCSB and Santa Barbara-area venues. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” A&L also oversees an outreach program that brings visiting artists and speakers into local classrooms and other venues for master classes, open rehearsals, discussions and more, serving K-12 students, college students and the general public.
David Sedaris is presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures
Tickets are $39.50 – $54.50: General Public / UCSB Students $11 (Current student ID required)
For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535 or purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.
Tickets are also available through the Arlington box office at (805) 963-4408 and AXS (https://www.axs.com/venues/2330/arlington-theatre-santa-barbara-tickets).
Books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Chaucer’s
UCSB Arts & Lectures gratefully acknowledges our Community Partners the Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli for their generous support of the 2023-2024 season.