OXNARD — The Oxnard College Literature, Arts & Lecture Series will begin its 2016 Spring Series on February 24th, featuring Darius Wallace performing “Frederick Douglass and the Starry Road to Freedom.” Other events include: “Treasures of Spain: Song, Dance, and Guitar” on March 2nd, Sephardic music, performance art, a holocaust survivor’s story and more.
Sponsored by Oxnard College, the Series will be held on Wednesdays from 1 – 2 p.m. on campus in the Performing Arts Center. The events held on March 9th, 30th, April 6th and 20th are co-sponsored by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a James Irvine grant. All events are free, open to the public, and interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing. Parking is $2.00. The Performing Arts Center is located on the north end of Oxnard College at 4000 S. Rose Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033. For more information, contact the Series Coordinator, Shelley Savren, at ssavren@vcccd.edu or (805) 986-5800 ext. 1951.
SPRING 2016 SERIES SCHEDULE
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Frederick Douglass and the Starry Road to Freedom
In celebration of African American History Month, professional actor, Darius Wallace, will perform his one-man play about Frederick Douglass, a man born into slavery who became an abolitionist, statesman and a reformer, as well as a firm believer in the equality of all people.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Treasures of Spain: Song, Dance and Guitar
Flamenco dancer Wendy Castellanos, mezzo-soprano Janelle De Stefano, and guitarist Scott Wolf will perform a series of flamenco-inspired Spanish songs and will discuss how the themes, dances and the musical language of flamenco has influenced Spain’s classical composers.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Independent Publishing of Fiction, Memoir and Poetry
In celebration of International Women’s Day, editor and poet Kate Gale of Red Hen Press will discuss writing and publishing and how to find a direction from being a writer to being a published writer, followed by a short reading of her own poems, then a Q & A.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Why Practice Yoga?
Yoga teacher and long-time practitioner Nisahna Engel will present a PowerPoint that will acquaint the audience with yoga’s origins, which include more than just postures, and will introduce yoga’s eight-fold path and a simple secret for recharging the body and brain.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Roll Deep: Poems of Journey & Home
Award-winning Poet and Professor Major Jackson will read from his new collection, Roll Deep, and from previous books, Holding Company, Hoops and Leaving Saturn (National Book Critics Award Circle finalist) – all of which return to his African American roots – followed by a book signing.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
The Chicano Messenger of Hip Hop and Spoken Word
Hip-Hop performance artist Paul S. Flores will perform monologues and spoken word from his original words, including: “Brown Dreams” “You’re Gonna Cry” and “Placas: The Most Dangerous Tattoo,” that explore the intersection of urban culture, Hip-Hop and transnational identity.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Sephardic Music of the Eastern Mediterranean
Flor de Kanela will perform traditional Sephardic music, including: ballads, love songs, life-cycle and religious melodies from the Middle East, Greece, Turkey, North Africa and the Balkans, featuring vocals accompanied by the riqq, oud, nautilauta, darbuka, def, clarinet, violin and cello.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Rock-bottom Remedies: Poems for Dire Circumstances
In celebration of National Poetry Month, poet Marsha de la O will read from her award-winning collection Antidote for Night (BOA Editions) and discuss poetry as an antidote in an age of mass-produced entertainment, followed by a Q & A and book signing.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Auschwitz: One Survivor’s Story
In commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day, survivor Renee Firestone will share her story of imprisonment at age 20 in the infamous concentration camp during the last two years of WWII, the loss of her entire family and her path to and beyond liberation.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Life Through the Lens of the Elizabethans
Sigma Kappa Delta English Honors Society students, under the leadership of OC Professor Anthony Rodriguez, will analyze Shakespeare’s Macbeth, about a war hero in the Elizabethan Era – from his battles with glory and greed – to his fatal attempt to execute such desires.