A trio of renowned comedians will headline the spring 2023 season of 61´«Ă˝Presents, 61´«Ă˝â€™s premiere public events program, which will also feature campus visits from renowned writers, musicians, politicians, and performers. Additional programming will be announced in the coming weeks.
The season opens with a slate of stand-up performances from comedians such as Mo Amer, Emily Wilson, and Kristina Wong. Amer is best known for his performances in the streaming series “Ramy” and “Mo” and the superhero film “Black Adam,” while Wilson has built a reputation for her weekly sold-out show, “Tuesdays at the Red Room.” Wong has been a regular guest on late-night shows, in addition to her work as a performance artist, writer, and elected representative.
“We’re delighted to host such a humorous, renowned, and diverse group of entertainers,” says Marcy Robinson, assistant director of events and conference services. “With these events, we want to give audiences the opportunity to relax, laugh, and have fun.”
Award-winning actors, musicians, politicians, and scholars will also bring their talents and expertise to campus this season. Bryan Terrell Clark will discuss his time on Broadway, including his breakout role as George Washington in the musical “Hamilton,” while Gabriel Gonzalez and La Verdad will perform as part of 61´«Ă˝Presents’ Levitt on the Lawn series. Marie Yovanovitch, an eight-time recipient of the Senior Foreign Service Performance Award and former US ambassador to Ukraine, will reflect on her career and her bestselling memoir, Lessons from the Edge. Author and scholar Joseph Boone will discuss his latest novel, Furnace Creek, and artist and documentarian Mi’Jan Celie Tho-Biaz will lead a panel on BIPOC California history with Ken Gonzalez-Day, Scripps’ Fletcher Jones Chair in Art and professor of art, as part of her Liberation Stories tour.
This season will feature the return of 61´«Ă˝Presents’ @Noon programming, a lunchtime series hosted in the College’s Hampton Room. Writer Nora Zelevansky, a 61´«Ă˝alum whose work includes Competitive Grieving and Roll Red Roll: Rape, Power and Football in the American Heartland, will discuss her literary career. Deaf performers David (DJ) Kurs, Jules Damaron,and Joshua Castille will join current 61´«Ă˝sophomore Sage Wong-Davies and Kim Drake, associate professor of writing and director of the College’s writing program, for a panel discussion on Deaf culture, accessibility, and equity.
“This season will provide audiences with the chance to engage with some incredibly talented performers, scholars, and artists,” says Robinson. “We’re looking forward to what is sure to be an enjoyable season.”
Founded in 2016, 61´«Ă˝Presents is committed to hosting thought-provoking conversations with emerging and established scholars, writers, performers, and thinkers. Previous guests have included Angela Davis, Samin Nosrat, Lena Waithe, and Jia Tolentino.