To inquire about getting events listed, email the Calendar Editor. [Send all photos as small jpegs or gifs.] To learn about previous events, scroll to bottom of the page. All programs free unless otherwise noted.


Nov. 2 (Wed.), 6 pm-midnight—Launch of new weekly Levantine Social Club

The Levantine Social Club starts Nov. 2, from 6 pm-midnight, and will take place every Wed. thereafter. Come on out and relax, play some
chess, backgammon, Scrabble or cards, have some Moroccan tea or Turkish coffee...

Open mic from 9 to 11 pm will feature comedy, poets, spoken word and a range of musical performances. Invite your talented friends, and get your own material ready!

FYI, we're giving away free movie posters of "Paradise Now" and "Lila Says", while supplies last. We hope to have a new give-away each week, fresh talent, and great conversation across the cultural spectrum.

5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City 90232. Info 310.559.5544.


Nov. 1-6 (Tues-Sun) times vary—"My Daily Constitution" Features Insightful Speakers, Public Dialogue With Salam Al-Marayati Et Al

Tues., Nov. 1st, 6-8 pm, "Who are We the People Anyway? Our American Identity and the U.S. Constitution." Discussion led by: Salam Al-Marayati, Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council of Los Angeles. At the Los Angeles Public Central Library, 63O W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, 90071. Meeting Room A - First Floor (just inside 5th Street entrance). Parking: 524 S. Flower St. $1.00 Validated parking for library card holders.

Wed., Nov. 2nd, 8-10 pm, "The First Amendment, from Private Shopping Malls to Public Plazas and Everything in Between." Discussion led by Peter Eliasberg, Mgn. Director, ACLU of Southern California. At the Mountain Bar, 473 Gin Ling Way, (between Broadway and Hill St.) Los Angeles 90012 (Chinatown). 213.625.7500.

Fri., Nov. 4th - Two Discussions: 12 PM - Lunchtime Discussion, "Our California Constitution: Redistricting and Proposition 77." Led by Kathay Feng, Exec. Dir., Common Cause. At Los Angeles City Hall, Tom Bradley Tower, 200 N. Spring St. Los Angeles, 90012. 213.978.0600.

Fri., Nov. 4th, 8-10 pm, "The Right to Dissent and the U.S. Constitution - In Theory and in Practice." Discussion led By: JIM LAFFERTY, Ex. Dir., Los Angeles National Lawyer's Guild. At 33 1/3 BOOKS, 1200 N Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Echo Park). 213.483.3500.

Sat., Nov. 5th, 3-5 pm, "The Fourth Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, Racial Profiling and Affirmative Action." Discussion led by Devon Carbado, Prof. of Law, School of Law, UCLA. At Southern California Library, 6120 S. Vermont Ave. (between Slauson and Gage), Los Angeles, CA 90044. 323.759.6063.

Sun., Nov. 6th, 4-6 pm, "Case Study - Freedom of Expression in our Public High Schools: The Experience of Anti War Activists, From Vietnam to Iraq." Discussion led by Arlene Inouye, Founder and Coordinator, Coalition again Militarism in Our Schools, and Mary Beth Tinker of 1965 Supreme Court Case: "Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District." At Dutton's Beverly Hills Books, 447 North Canon Dr., Beverly Hills 90210. 310.281.0997.


Nov. 3 (Thurs.), 7-9 pm—Artist's roundtable discussion: "The First Amendment and its Shadow" in Foreign Xchanges series

Hosted by Dorit Cypis and Linda Pollack in Chinatown, "The First Amendment and its Shadow" is a group discussion that will address art practices within the context of the first amendment. The arts—artists, cultural institutions, cultural practitioners—are often on the frontline (by choice or by circumstance) in matters concerning freedom of expression and the First Amendment. But along the way, what shadows get covered up in the process? What are the questions and complexities that arise along side the broader issue of first amendment and freedom of expression?

This discussion is part of My Daily Constitution, a series of public discussions about the U.S. Constitution led by lawyers, academics, activists, and others. Discussions take place at various locations (café, theatre, library, cultural center, library, lounge) in and around Los Angeles. Among the topics that will be covered are immigration, voting, national security, prison, civil liberties, the First Amendment, and the USA Patriot Act.

More information at My Daily Constitution.

Dorit Cypis Studio, 970 N Broadway, #210, Mandarin Plaza, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles 90012. RSVP: dorit@doritcypis.com.


Thursdays to Dec. 15—"What I Heard About Iraq" at the Fountain Theatre

This play has received laudatory reviews across the spectrum. See reviews online. "What I Heard About Iraq (A Cry for 5 Voices" is an anti-war play, adapted from an article by Eliot Weinberger by Simon Levy and directed by Levy. This world premiere is said to be "a moving and galvanizing multimedia theatre piece about the war in Iraq."

Wrote F. Kathleen Foley in the Los Angeles Times: "Levy's razor-sharp staging features superb production elements [with a] keenly calibrated ensemble... Levy is clearly a man on a mission, and his passionately antiwar play is unapologetically biased. But, then, the sheer aggregate of disaster in Iraq, recapitulated here, makes a compelling case against a mounting misadventure that President Bush labeled, with no conscious irony, a 'catastrophic success.'... AN OFTEN STUNNING DISTILLATION OF AMERICAN HUBRIS AND DENIAL, 'WHAT I HEARD ABOUT IRAQ' SHOULD BE VIEWED WITH AN OPEN MIND, REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION."

Jerry Jackson, MetroLA, said: "The writing, direction and performance levels are uniformly top notch...... You can't sit through this compelling evening without being moved, angered, and hopefully charged to take some individual action."

With special post-performance discussions after every show.

Fountain Theatre. 5060 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles . Fri/Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Tix $15.00 to $25.00. Box office and group sales, 323.663.1525. Directions.

Nov. 5—Dec. 11 (Fri/Sat/Sun) 8 pm/2 pm matinee—Yussef El Guindi's "Acts of Desire" at the Fountain Theatre

Two beautiful, evocative one-acts from Egyptian/American playwright, Yussef El Guindi. The first play, "Karima's City," traces the haunting journey of an urban Muslim woman as she wanders through her unnamed city, the familiar trees evaporating before her eyes. The second play, "Such a Beautiful Voice has Sayeda," is the tale of a lonely young Muslim wife who is suddenly given the gift to sing. These plays give us a glimpse into the world of contemporary Muslim women.

Features Mueen Jahan Ahmad, Naila Azad, Marc Casabani, Kamal Marayati, Grace Nassar, Navid Negahban, Sarah Ripard, and Marisa Vural. Directed by Deborah Lawler, with music by Alfred Madain.

Fountain Theatre. 5060 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles . Fri/Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Tix $15.00 to $25.00. Box office and group sales, 323.663.1525. Directions.


Nov. 7 (Mon), 7:30 pm—Levantine's author series presents author and humorist Firoozeh Dumas

Author of Funny in Farsi, A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America, Firoozeh Dumas is the first American writer of Middle Eastern heritage ever to be nominated for the James Thurber Prize for American Humor. She is hot in the running against TV host Jon Stewart—the awards are announced Nov. 14 2005 at New York's Algonquin Hotel. Ms. Dumas will read from her memoir and recent work and talk about what's funny, and not so funny, about bicultural family life in the United States.

More about Firoozeh Dumas: Born in Abadan, Iran, she moved with her family to Whittier, California at the age of seven. After a two-year stay, she and her family moved back to Iran and lived in Ahvaz and Tehran. Two years later, they moved back to Whittier, then to Newport Beach. Firoozeh then attended UC Berkeley where she met and married a Frenchman.

Firoozeh grew up listening to her father, a former Fulbright Scholar, recount the many colorful stories of his life. In 2001, with no prior writing experience, Firoozeh decided to write her stories as a gift for her two children. Random House published these stories in 2003. Funny in Farsi was on the SF Chronicle and LA Times bestseller lists and was a finalist for the PEN/USA award in 2004 and a finalist in 2005 for an Audie Award for best audio book (she lost to Bob Dylan). She is currently a finalist for the prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor. She is the first Middle Eastern woman ever to receive this honor.

Critics and readers of all ages have loved her stories.
Jimmy Carter called Funny in Farsi, "A humorous and introspective chronicle of a life filled with love—of family, country and heritage."

For the past year and a half, Firoozeh has traveled the country reminding us that our commonalities far outweigh our differences…and doing so with humor. She has spoken in conferences, schools, churches, Jewish temples and Islamic centers. Everywhere she has gone, audiences have embraced her message of shared humanity and invited her back for more.

In April 2005, Firoozeh’s one-woman show, "Laughing Without an Accent" opened in Northern California to sold out audiences. Her show will run for a full season at Theatreworks in Mountain View, California in 2006.

Author: Firoozeh Dumas. Levantine Cultural Center, 5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City CA 90232. Tix $10/$7 members. RSVPs strongly recommended as seating is limited: 310.559.5544. Or send checks to Levantine Center, 5920 Blackwelder St., Culver City CA 90232. Or purchase online:

Nov.10 (Thurs.) 7:30 pm—Levantine's author series presents Micheline Aharonian Marcom, introduced by José Rivera

One of America's finest young novelists, and winner of this year's PEN USA Award for Fiction for her her latest novel The Daydreaming Boy, Micheline Aharonian Marcom comes to Levantine Cultural Center for an evening of readings and conversation, where she will be introduced by José Rivera, writer of the hit film "Motrocycle Diaries" (Marcom, Rivera and Rivera's wife toured Turkey and historical Armenia this summer while she was doing research).

Micheline Aharonian Marcom was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 1968 to an American father and a Lebanese Armenian mother. She grew up in Los Angeles, but, as a child in the years before the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), she spent summers in Beirut with her mother’s family. Marcom’s first novel, Three Apples Fell From Heaven, was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Foundation for first fiction and received Columbia University’s Anahid Literary Award. It was named a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times and one of the Best Books of 2001 by the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post.

Her new novel, the second in a trilogy, is The Daydreaming Boy, for which she won the 2005 PEN Fiction Award. Three Apples Fell from Heaven, depicted the lives shattered by the Turkish government's brutal campaign that resulted in the deaths of more than a million Armenians. Now The Daydreaming Boy, carries forward the story of the refugees from the twentieth century's first genocide. Read review.

Vahé Tcheubjian is an upstanding, unremarkable member of the Armenian community of Beirut in the 1960s. He and his wife attend concerts and dinners, and partake of the sophisticated, continental culture that distinguishes the Beirut of his time as a cosmopolitan capital on the Mediterranean, the "Paris of the Middle East." But inside, Vahé is in turmoil - racked by memories of the escape from the campaign of genocide, the years spent in a Lebanese orphanage, the brutalities of his fellow orphans, ferocious and desperate and unloved. He seeks refuge in an outrageous and graphic fantasy life that flirt dangerously with emotional catastrophe, just as the Beirut he has come to adopt as his home edges toward a devastating civil war.

Micheline Aharonian Marcom lives in Northern California where she teaches creative writing at Mills College.

Author: Micheline Aharonian Marcom. Levantine Cultural Center, 5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City CA 90232. Tix $10/$7 members. RSVPs strongly recommended as seating is limited: 310.559.5544. Or send checks to Levantine Center, 5920 Blackwelder St., Culver City CA 90232. Or purchase online:

Nov 12. (Sat.), 8 pm—Youssou N'Dour's "Egypt" with Fathy Salama's Cairo Orchestra at Royce Hall

Dubbed "The West African Sinatra, " Senegalese singer N'Dour performs from his Grammy-winning album "Egypt", a passionate celebration of the tolerance and divine joy of his Sufi Muslim faith, featuring awe-inspiring orchestral arrangements of Middle Eastern devotional music. Peter Gabriel has described Youssou's voice as one of the finest in the world. He has an amazing 4-5 octave range and sings in English, French, Fulani, and Serer as well as his native Wolof. With his complex rhythms and soaring vocals, Youssou's music breaks down all language and cultural barriers.

Youssou N'Dour's Egypt featuring Fathy Salama's Cairo Orchestra, wrote the New York Times, is "a statement of trans-Saharan African unity...a collection of humble, loving affirmations, with strings shadowing and fluttering around N'Dour's exquisite vocals."

Read bio for Youssou N'Dour. Listen to tracks from Café L.A.

Tix $60, $50, $40 ($20 UCLA students). Buy tix online (Ticketmaster) or call the UCLA Central Ticket Office, Tel: 310.825.2101, fax: 310.206.7540. Presented by UCLA Live.

Nov. 13 (Sun), 2-4 pm—World Beat for Peace Music Festival

Featuring music, comedy & food celebrating Indian & Mediterranean cultures.

With Jordan Elgrably, emcee, writer & co-founder of the Levantine Cultural Center dedicated to exploring arts & cultures of the Middle East/Mediterranean; Stephen Day, whose Indian sarod music is featured in the just-released film "Naked in Ashes", joined by Katarina Day, on the Indian violin; Marti Walker, Latin jazz flautist & vocalist, reflecting Spanish influence from her time spent in the Canary Islands; Larisa Stow, winner of LA Music Awards' Singer/Songwriter of the Year, combines world-based rhythms & melodies with ancient form of Kirtan, featuring sacred chants in Sanskrit, Aramaic & English; Hani Naser, a virtuoso percussionist & Oud player, has recorded with Nickey Hopkins (Rolling Stones), Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner (John Lennon's drummer), Steve Miller, Los Lobos, Don Henley, Hamza El Din, Kazu Matsui, Paco De Lucia, Santana & other musicians; Aldo Shllaku, Albanian-born composer of music for feature films & television, evokes on his keyboard East Mediterranean & Greek music, accompanied by Gerasimos Peikov on bouzouki; Peter the Persian, stand up comedian; Billionaires for Bush, featuring hip-hop activist Will B. and Cliff Tasner, culture jamming political satire.

Co-Hosted by Stanley Sheinbaum, Sandy Berlin, Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Ray Jallow, Vera Mijojlic, Cheryll Dudley Roberts, Stephen Rohde & Wendy Herzog, Anthony Saidy, Gurminder Singh.

Sun., Nov. 13, 2-4:00 pm, at the home of Jan Goodman & Jerry Manpearl, 939 San Vicente Blvd. in Santa Monica. $50 donation requested. R.S.V.P. or to volunteer: 310.392.8715 or email at: JoinUs@KellyforAssembly.com • www.KellyForAssembly.com


Nov.17 (Thurs.) 8:00 pm—"The Sultans of Satire, Middle East Comic Relief" with Maz Jobrani, Aron Kader, Peter the Persian and Vincent Ouchana, with Sultana Iris

When the news out of Iraq, Israel-Palestine, Syria, Lebanon or Iran is gloomy, we can always turn to the Sultans of Satire, with Sultana Iris, to provide comic relief and political insight into some of our worst nightmares. Post-9/11 paranoia? Call the Sultans! Got the Arab-Jewish blues? The Sultans have a bittersweet antidote.

A group of young comedians and satirists who also work steadily as dramatic actors in film, television and theatre, the Sultans of Satire come to Levantine Cultural Center on Thursday, Nov. 17, where they are certain to lampoon sacred cows, take poetic license and otherwise eliminate common ennui. The line-up includes comic change-artist Iris Bahr; the very funny Maz Jobrani; Palestinian-Mormon Aron Kader; Assyrian New Yorker and Iraq war vet Vince Ouchana; and Peter the Persian, another Iranian comic who is an attorney by day.. Full length bios.

Iris Bahr (Sultana Iris) appears on the comedy circuit including at L.A.'s Improv and N.Y.'s Gotham Comedy Club. She recently starred in the indie film, "Health Inspector", while her own short film "The Unchosen Ones" had its European premiere at Cannes in May. Wrote the Daily News, "The remarkable Iris Bahr demonstrates that smarts, talent and dramatic focus are a potent combination...The lady has more identities and accents than a cloned Meryl Streep...Wickedly funny..." Visit irisbahr.com.

"After Sept. 11," says Maz Jobrani, "people started asking me what nationality I am; I look them straight in the eye and say 'Italian.' A lot of Iranians these days call themselves Tony." Maz Jobrani has done standup comedy on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend", CBS's "The Late Late Show", and in London on "The World Stands Up" for the Paramount 2 Channel. He also performs standup regularly at the Comedy Store and the Laugh
Factory on Sunset in Hollywood. He also headlines at colleges and clubs all over the country including the Improvs and many of the top clubs in New York. Recently he starred as Agent Mo alongside Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman in Syndey Pollack's "The Interpreter." Visit mazjobrani.com.

"The problem in the Middle East," says Aron Kader, "is that the Jews and the Arabs both think they're God's chosen people. They're in the desert! Maybe the people in Hawaii or Samoa are the chosen people—ever think of that?" Aron Kader would like to thank his Palestinian father and Mormon mother for giving him so many reasons to be a comedian. Most of the time Kader can be seen touring all the major clubs and colleges around the country. Visit aronkader.com.

"I'm Middle Eastern and I am scared of terrorists," says Vincent Ouchana. "My father looked like Mohammed Atta. Imagine living with him." Born in Yonkers, NY, of Assyrian heritage, Vincent Ouchana was already making people laugh by the age of three. At the age of 19, he felt the call of duty and joined the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, Vincent received numerous medals for meritorious service and became one of the top 10 marksman on the USAF Shooting Team. While deployed in Iraq, Vincent found a way to get on stage and entertain his fellow troops during USO tours. After his honorable discharge he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of being a stand-up comedian.

Peter the Persian is a Los Angeles native. He is moderately ethnic and specializes in voices and character humor. Not afraid of big crowds, he's let it all hang out in front of at least 10,000 people. He may be one of the few stand-up comedians who is also a practicing attorney by day.

Sultans of Satire, with Sultana Iris: Middle East Comic Relief, Thurs., Nov. 17, 8:00 pm. Tix $15 general, $10 members/students. RSVP as seating is limited and this event will sell out. Best bet is to get your tix in advance, by sending your check to Levantine Center (mark Comic Relief in the memo of your check), 5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City CA 90232, or get them online below. Info 310.559.5544.

Nov. 19 (Sat), 8 pm—World music star Idan Raichel at Kodak Theatre

Following a sold-out performance in Los Angeles last February, top Israeli world Music recording artist Idan Raichel returns for a one night only performance, November 19th, 2005 at 8 p.m. at Hollywood’s prestigious Kodak Theatre.

The Idan Raichel Project CD consisted of original samples played by Ethiopian folk musicians that served as building blocks to most tracks on the soulful debut. Those raw and moving bursts of musical energy, set against modern grooves and drum loops, took flight and began an ambient-like journey that infused old & new, rural & urban, traditional & modern. The next CD, "From the Depth" also shot to the top of the charts and went platinum. Much like on its predecessor, most songs on the new album intricately weave together choruses sung in Hebrew with ethnic verses. However, this time around, Idan did not limit his inspiration to any one musical tradition; it is the “Israeli melting pot”, with its multiple shades and colors, that’s coming to life over the course of this 13-track long album. Anonymous vocalists who greatly contribute to the mesmerizing quality of this release perform both hymns and intimate love songs. The result is no less than ambient-world music cross over piece.

Not bad for a 28-year-old, unique looking guy whom – so the public thought - "surfaced out of nowhere, one bright and sunny Mediterranean morning"…. In reality, Idan had been working and playing with some of Israel’s leading pop/rock artists for quite some time, both on stage and in the recording studio. A sought-after session musician, it was his deep understanding of modern recording technologies & environments, coupled with his on-going curiosity for both - traditional instruments and ancient musical textures that led him on a totally different, more experimental creative path.

Listen to NPR story on Idan Raichel. Tix and more info.


Nov. 20 (Sun), 2-4 pm—Palestinian Director of "Paradise Now," Hany Abu-Assad, at Levantine Center

Director Hany Abu-Assad will come to Levantine Cultural Center on Sun., Nov. 20, 2-4 pm, to talk with filmgoers about his new film "Paradise Now"—the Palestinian entry for Best Foreign
Film of 2005. See the film at your local theatre (check local theatre listings), and meet Hany at the Center. Bring all your questions and comments!

This film talk is free to the public. RSVPs suggested as seating IS limited. Hany Abu-Assad, A Conversation on "Paradise Now" and filmmaking in the West Bank/Israel. Sun., Nov. 20, 2-4 pm, at Levantine Cultural Center, 5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City 90232. (Closest major cross-streets: La Cienega Blvd. & Washington Blvd.)

RSVPs 310.559.5544 or email info@levantinecenter.org.

ADC Interview with Hany Abu-Assad
Indiewire Articles/Blogs on "Paradise Now"
Read a review of the film by May Alhassen.

"Paradise Now" is the story of two young Palestinian men as they embark upon what may be the last 48 hours of their lives. Winner of multiple prizes at the 2005 Berlin Flim Festival, and warmly received at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals, the film has also been invited to the upcoming New York Film Festival. Directed by Hany Abu-Assad ("Ford Transit," "Rana's Wedding"), it stars Kais Nashef, Ali Suliman and Lubna Azaba.


Nov. 20 (Sun.), 7:30 pm sharp—Nadine Khoury debuts her new Arab-rock group The Last Great Hope of the Free World at the Whisky

Lebanese-born vocal artist Nadine Khoury is premiering her new group with Mark Volpe and Dean MacNeil at the Whisky-a-Go-Go on the Strip.

Her music is an interesting blend of Arab soul, American pop-rock and world music.

7:30 pm sharp, Whisky-a-Go-Go, 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069. For more info call 310.652.4202.

18 and over. $7 cover.


Nov. 20 (Sun.), 6 pm—Palestinian Folkloric Debka, Ibdaa Dance Troupe, Performs at Anaheim Convention Center

A Palestinian folkloric dance (Dabkeh)
by the youth of Dheisheh Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, Palestine. The Troupe is comprised of 20 youth ages 14-16 who are the fourth generation of Ibdaa dancers, trained by older, experienced dancers in the camp. The first generation of dancers came together in 1994 as part of a youth cultural exchange with France and for the past ten years the Ibdaa Dance Troupe has been touring throughout Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. With traditional folkloric dance (debka) and theatrical choreography, the Ibdaa Dance Troupe will perform three shows depicting Palestinian refugee’s history and aspirations. This performance will be a powerful educational opportunity to learn about Palestinian refugees and their struggle for self-determination. Proceeds from dance performances will support Ibdaa’s programs for children, youth and women in Dheisheh Camp. Read Worldpress article.

Tickets: General $25 l Students $15 | Children (5-12 yrs) $10 l Children under 5 yrs Free. (First Row $65 l Second Row $55 l Third Row $45). Call for ticket info any of the following numbers: 949.584.6433 | 951.233.9385 | 310.431.5411 | 949.369.6510 |714.305.7120. Email: ha9105@aol.com or nca-la@arab-american.net or visit www.arab-american.net.

Hosted By: The Palestinian American Women’s Association (PAWA) and the National Council of Arab Americans (NCA/LA), in conjunction with community and peace and justice organizations of LA & OC. To sponsor Ibdaa performance or to volunteer please contact us.


Through Nov. 27 (Fri), 7:30 pm—Aram Saroyan's new play" At the Beach House" Opens at The Lost Studio, Stars Alanna Ulbach and Orson Bean

"Hollywood has certainly been skewered by some talented writers, but Aram Saroyan's probing, funny glimpse into that unique universe can stand with the best of them."
—Publishers Weekly

Aram Saroyan's first play, "At the Beach house," takes us even deeper into the movie-star world that, as the son of writer William Saroyan and the stepson of Walter Matthau, the playwright came to know first hand in his own family. The play receives its world premiere in 2005 in Los Angeles.

"At the Beach house" charts a day in the life of the extended family of an aging movie star and his wife, Clyde and Wanda Harrow, at their second home in Malibu. The action focuses on Wanda's thirtysomething daughter, Angela, who is staying at the house, and the effort of friends and family to get her into rehab. The play stars Orson Bean as the movie star patriarch, and Alanna Ubach, the brilliant young actress seen most recently in "Meet the Fockers," as Angela.

Saroyan's insider knowledge of the scene and its players informs an unforgettable family portrait in a play by turns harrowing and funny. Indeed, Saroyan's beach house may well become a permanent fixture of the theatrical landscape of Hollywood. Read Aram Saroyan's bio.

The Lost Studio, 130 South La Brea, Los Angeles CA 90036. Tickets: 323.960.7721 or on-line at www.plays411.com.


Nov. 30 (Wed), 3 pm—"The Political Attitudes of Ordinary Citizens in the Arab World: Findings From Recent Surveys in Seven Countries" at UCLA's Bunche Hall

A lecture by Prof. Mark Tessler, University of Michigan. Tessler is the Samuel J. Eldersveld Collegiate Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he also serves as Vice Provost for International Affairs and directs the University's International Institute. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of twelve books, including Islam, Democracy and the State in Algeria: Lessons for the Western Mediterranean and Beyond, Area Studies and Social Science: Strategies for Understanding Middle East Politics, and the award winning History of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict. A past president of the Association for Israel Studies,Prof. Tessler's professional service activities include nine years as president of the American Institute for Maghrib Studies, and also the editorship for Indiana University Press of a leading scholarly
book series in Middle East Studies. He has conducted research in Tunisia, Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Palestine (West Bank and Gaza), and has directed social science training programs for universities and research centers in Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Sponsored by the Center for Near Eastern Studies, UCLA International Institute, and the Israel Studies Program. 10383 Bunche Hall, UCLA.


Volunteer with Levantine Cultural Center's Programming Committee

Bring your ideas, enthusiasm and support to the Center by participating in our Programming Committee, which cooperates with our Board of Directors in creating new arts programs in the months ahead. Visit our volunteer opportunities page. To get on the reservation list for the next meeting, email us now!


Board of Directors Seeks Community Leaders

Levantine Center's Board of Directors is continually in formation, and welcomes inquiries—we are actively searching for more people with our passion and conviction! The board consists of diverse members of the community who are of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean heritage or who have a strong professional or artistic interest in furthering our mission. As directors, board members represent the organization officially, are responsible for its financial health, and make the priority strategic decisions, with counsel from Advisory Board members where possible. Board members work with activists heading specific committes, including the Film/Video, Literary, Education Performing Arts and Membership Committees.

Our Advisory Board is also in formation. Advisory board members are known professionally in their own communities and offer valuable counsel and services to the organization; they are eligible to attend the organization's annual retreat and receive other benefits.

Please contact us at 310.559.5544.

Submit your calendar listings to our calendar editor now.


To subscribe to our listserve and receive our special updates (which include free ticket giveaways, articles and more), either visit our Sign-up page or send a message to: info@levantinecenter.org and include Subscribe Me in the subject box. Be sure to give us your first and last name and how you heard about us!

To join/support Levantine Cultural Center, simply go to our membership page and fill in the blanks, use your credit card, or print and mail in your check for $60 or $120 or $250 annual membership dues to: Levantine Center, 5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City CA 90232.

LEVANTINE CULTURAL CENTER
Cultures of the Middle East & Mediterranean
5920 Blackwelder Street, Culver City, CA. 90232
310.559.5544, info@levantinecenter.org

Levantine Cultural Center, founded in 2001 as a not-for-profit arts organization, advocates for, educates about, and in general promotes and supports Middle Eastern and Mediterranean contemporary arts and traditional cultures. We present or cosponsor programs of music, literature, art, film/video, publications, new media and more, often from educational and historical perspectives. While acknowledging the value of entertainment, we emphasize scholarship and substance. We are strongly multidisciplinary and non-sectarian, do not embrace any political or religious doctrine, and are committed to the principle of cross-cultural cooperation. We support the strengthening of ties between all cultural, ethnic and religious communities of the Middle East/West Asia/Levant, as well as between all peoples of Middle Eastern descent in diaspora.

 
See what Levantine Center has been up to and take note of other recent cultural events.

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