This American Life – live in theaters May 10
For the past few days we’ve been announcing a special event for our listeners — a live performance of This American Life via satellite from New York, transmitted to specially-equipped movie theaters across the country.
KUSP is the sponsoring station for two screenings — in Salinas at the Century 14 Northridge Mall, and in downtown Santa Cruz at the Regal Santa Cruz 9 on Pacific Avenue.
The show plays at 8:00 PM our time (the show goes out live to theaters in the Eastern and Central time zones, tape delayed for us).
Click on this link for Santa Cruz tickets, or this link for Salinas tickets. The event is also playing at theaters in San Jose, Cupertino, and Monterey, but KUSP is not sponsoring those screenings. You can see all the theaters where the show is happening by combining these lists: here (big chains), here (independents), and here (Canada!)
Today Ira sent out an e-mail with more about the show than we have room for in our on-air announcement. He writes:
Our all-star lineup for the May 10th cinema event has gotten all-starrier! David Sedaris will join David Rakoff, Mike Birbiglia, Tig Notaro, Glynn Washington, Ryan Knighton, the Monica Bill Barnes Dance Company and OK Go.
I’ve been so busy putting this show together I fear sometimes that the promos we’ve done for it have not communicated just how special and different it is. We’re trying to make a show that’s more visual than any stage show we’ve ever done, so there’s animation and dancing and a little movie and we’ll be performing the whole thing in front of a rear projection screen that we use throughout, to enhance the stories.
In short, we’ve been trying to think of things that can’t be done on the radio. Things that are best done in a movie theater. Making this our most ambitious live show ever. I was talking to a friend last week and realized, right, this is either going to be the most amazing thing we’ve ever created onstage, or it’s going to be a complete train wreck and there is no in-between.
You should be there.
And if you still need more inducement, we’ll have special giveaways that night for folks who come to the Salinas or Santa Cruz shows. I hope you’ll join us!
