As part of the Actors’ Gang WTF!? Festival, PEN Center USA hosts a conversation with author TC Boyle. He’s written 20 books of fiction and more than 60 short stories and won the PEN/Faulkner award in 1988 for his third novel, World's End, which recounts 300 years in upstate New York. Bar opens at 7PM. Show at 8 pm. Tickets: $20. more ›

To celebrate the book launch of Pam Russell's new collection B is for Bad Poetry, the Better Off Dead Poets Society and ForYourArt presents an open mic at the Mandrake for people to share their bad poems. The evening’s hosted by Russell, and everyone’s welcome to bring your crappy blank verse and doggerel to foist on unsuspecting bar patrons. 8 pm. more ›

PERFORMANCE Captured Aural Phantasy Theater is throwing together its Halloween Spooktacular tonight at tomorrow at 8 pm at the Alexandria Hotel, Palm Court Ballroom. The show is a live, retro-influenced variety show built around radio show-style readings of real old comic book stories. Vintage tales of horror such as 1954’s The Mad Hate of Dr. Zart and 1953’s I Married a Zombie! are performed live in a show that includes sultry singing, stunning visual art, short acts, prizes and live music. Tickets are $10. more ›

Book Soup presents Alicia Silverstone at 7 pm who discusses and signs her book The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Losing Weight, Looking Great, Saving Yourself, the Animals and the Planet! more ›

As usual, things at the Ivy Substation in Culver City are not status quo. Then again, when you’re trying to keep theatre alive in an economy more suited for food stamps than Shakespeare, nothing is going to be easy. Enter The Actors’ Gang, who for years have been at the Los Angeles forefront of doing things the hard way, and with amazing results. Their productions, workshops, and community outreach programs are second to none, and the current WTF?! Festival is right in line with such forward thinking. more ›