Litquake 2024

Co-presented with Kearny Street Workshop

Happy 25th anniversary, APAture! Samesies! The only festival to put the focus on emerging Asian Pacific American artists returns from Oct 12th to Nov. 9th. This year’s theme is RETURN, from the Palestinian right to return, the call for Indigenous Land Back, the various migrant histories and struggle for justice in our Pacific Islander and Asian communities, and the returns we face in our own personal lives. 2024's literary showcase features celebrated writer Maw Shein Win, author of Percussing the Thinking Jar, and emerging writers from the APA community, including Noelani Piters, Megan Noble, and many others. $12

Co-presented with LitCamp and National Book Critics Circle
Media sponsorship by Publishers Weekly

In its fiftieth anniversary year, the National Book Critics Circle gathers literary critics who have been defining the future of contemporary cultural criticism in recent years in a wide-ranging interactive roundtable conversation about the future of the form. With Jane Ciabattari, Anita Felicelli, Jonathan Leal, and Oscar Villalon. Moderated by NBCC President Heather Scott Partington. Free reception to follow, 8:30PM on. $21

Part of Litquake’s Words Around the WorldCo-presented with Villa Albertine and sponsored by Center for the Art of Translation/Two Lines Press

Villa Albertine and Litquake present French author Christine Angot in a discussion of her influential novels Incest and The Impossible Love. In Incest, Angot explores her personal turmoil through a fragmented narrative about a woman named Christine, grappling with the end of a relationship and the trauma of her father's incestuous abuse. In contrast, The Impossible Love delves into the passionate yet doomed romance between Angot's parents, Rachel and Pierre, set against the backdrop of 1950s France. Angot's discussion with Stanford professor Cécile Alduy will offer insights into her powerful storytelling and the deep emotional landscapes she navigates in her work. FREE, $10-15 suggested donation
Book sales for this event coordinated by Telegraph Books.

Co-presented with Generation Women

We’re pleased to welcome the San Francisco return of Generation Women, a live multigenerational storytelling series. One woman or non-binary performer in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s+ will share an original true story on the theme of “Plot Twists,” ones they’ve written, encountered, wished for, or regretted. Founded by author Georgia Clark in New York City in 2017, the mission of Generation Women is to amplify underheard voices and create space for intergenerational connection and community. Featuring Eirinie Carson, Susan Kiyo Ito, Giovanna Lomanto, Jenny Pritchett, Rachel Levin. and Jane Smiley. Hosted by writer, editor, and curator Samantha Schoech. Doors at 7:00pm. $20 adv / $25 door
Book sales for this event coordinated by Books Inc.

Join RAWdance and Litquake for "Escape," an evocative ensemble work inspired by culturally-rooted vacation enclaves such as the Borscht Belt and Provincetown. Set in a world of vintage beachwear, "Escape" offers a cheeky dance romp into resort culture, while also inviting reflection on the power of belonging. Lighting for all works is by long-time collaborator and Bay Area design powerhouse, Del Medoff. The theater lobby will feature storytelling recordings from Litquake’s Elder Project, a community-building writing program in Bay Area senior centers. "Escape" is one of four world premieres as part of RAWdance's, landmark 20th anniversary home season at ODC Theater from October 24-27, 2024. Visit RAWdance.org for more info. Doors at 6:30PM. $30 general / $25 students/teachers/seniors/artists