A ninth season begins for the PERFORMANCE AND TIME ARTS SERIES. For those not familiar, it’s a whirlwind trip through the arts. Though there’s a bevy of local talent on the slate (Rachel James, F. Keith Wahle, Sarah Mann-Drake, I could really go on here), it’s the inclusion of Hong-Kong-born fiction writer XU XI (pronounced “shoe see”) that’s particularly fascinating for fans of literature. With a library of titles including The Unwalled City, History’s Fiction and Hong Kong Rose, Xu Xi will be reading her story, “Jazz Wife.” Her innate talent with words deftly captures Oriental life. After all, though she’s now an American citizen, she has retained permanent resident status in Hong Kong, regularly returning to her homeland. A chance to hear her recite her own text should be music to the ears indeed. P.T.A. kicks off at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at College Hill Town Hall, 1805 Larch Ave. Tickets are $10 at the door; $8 students and seniors. 513-591-1222. …
UC’s English Department is doing another round of its FRIDAY AFTERNOON READING SERIES at the Elliston Room with all programs beginning at 4 p.m. It’s an intimate settling that allows readers a chance to listen to and visit with local fiction writers and poets. This week is DAVID SANDERS, director of Ohio University Press, followed by NICK CARBO on Oct. 24 at the special time of 1 p.m. Coming to a close on Halloween, the series finishes with an exciting preview of a new work by DALLAS WIEBE called Vox Populi Stories. And yes, this UC Emeritus Professor will be on hand to read from his work. For someone who’s faced censorship, Wiebe certainly has a lot to say and, no, it isn’t always likable (see Rebel with a Cause … and a Past, issue of Sept. 23-29, 1999). And that’s what makes him all the more important to hear. This treasured and fascinating part of UC and Cincinnati history has pushed buttons without even trying. 513-556-1570.
This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2003.
