WORDS
SCI-Arc’s spring lecture series on design and architecture kicks off tonight with Jeffrey Kipnis, professor of architectural design and theory at Ohio State University. Kipnis will discuss “happy,” “zany” and other important political trends in architecture. So the title of his lecture -- *@$#*!#!! -- does make sense. Kind of.

7 pm // W. M. Keck Lecture Hall SCI-Arc, 960 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles // Free.

MORE WORDS
David Frum is a former speechwriter for President Bush who “argues that Republicans, like the Democrats before them, have been the victims of their own success.” (Excuse us, while we vomit a little more.) At tonight’s discussion, moderated by Arianna Huffington, Frum outlines how the GOP can rebuild the conservative majority, and ultimately elect the next Republican president. Reservations recommended.

7 pm // ALOUD at Central Library: Mark Taper Auditorium // 630 W. Fifth St., Los Angeles // Free.

THEATRE
Attention West Wing fans (and you know who you are): Richard Schiff stars in the LA premiere of Secret Order tonight with George Segal, Will McCormack (The Sopranos, FX's Dirt) and Angela Goethals (24). In the drama-thriller, a young scientist has reservations about a breakthrough he’s made in cancer research, but he's pressured by his senior mentor to share his findings with the world – pronto – despite any misgivings. As part of LA Theatre Works’ The Play’s the Thing series, the performances are recorded for radio and will be broadcast on KPCC next week. Runs until Jan. 20.

8 pm // Skirball Cultural Center // 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles // $20-$47.

MUSIC
Explore the traditional music and dance of Japan performed by numerous emerging artists. Tonight's performers take on the taiko drums, the shakuhachi (traditional bamboo flutes) and the tsugaru-shamisen (lute).

7:30 PM // Aratani/Japan America Theatre: JACCC Plaza // 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles // $15-$20

LEARNING
If you’re an artist, and don’t know how to protect your work, then this session may be for you. As part of the California Lawyers for the Arts community series, Greg Victoroff will provide an overview of copyright and trademark issues that affect the work of visual artists. He’ll answer questions about basic agreements to protect artists and their works.

7 pm // Ken Edwards Center // 1527 Fourth St., Santa Monica // $20 for students and seniors ($5), Santa Monica residents ($10).

Photo by tomooka via flickr.