Pencil This In: Shaking Up Shakespeare at the Annenberg Beach House, LAFLA Screens 'The Last Survivor' and Zocalo

Here's what's happening around town tonight: bilingual storytelling at ALOUD at the Central Library; The Salty Shakespeare Company is developing a shortened, guerrilla version of Hamlet; the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles screens The Last Survivor to commemorate today as UN Day in Support of Victims of Torture. And lastly, Zocolo discusses politics and America's future. Read on for all the details.

STORIES
Tonight at 7 pm, ALOUD at the Central Library presents Radio Ambulante: Stories from the Americas. Novelist Daniel Alarcón (Lost City Radio) and team from Radio Ambulante—the first Spanish-language radio show created to tell the stories of latinoamericanos de todas las Américas—are in bilingual conversation tonight with Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, arts and education reporter, KPCC 89.3 FM. Audience members are welcome to come early because they’ll be collecting stories in English and Spanish. Standby seats only.

PERFORMANCE*
The Salty Shakespeare Company is in residency through July 20 at the Annenberg Beach House, developing and rehearsing a brand new, much shortened version of Hamlet. With a firm belief in shaking up Shakespeare and theater, the company may demonstrate the use of rap, Alexander Technique, Parkour, and movement, attention and diversion practices in the midst of crowds while explaining their choices in the upcoming production. In this participatory workshop, the company asks guests to come with one line from a Shakespeare play or sonnet memorized. 6:30 pm. Free, but reservations required.

FILM
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles’ Torture Survivors Project commemorates today as UN Day in Support of Victims of Torture. LAFLA screens the film The Last Survivor tonight at the Museum of Tolerance. The award-winning film focuses on four survivors of genocide that “struggle to make sense of tragedy by working to educate a new generation, inspire tolerance and spark a civic response to mass atrocity crimes.” The evening begins with a wine and cheese reception at 6:30 pm. Tickets: $26.

TALK
Zocalo at the Hammer presents the program Can Old Government Catch Up to the New Economy? tonight at 7:30 pm. America isn’t the superpower it used to be. Michael Lind, author of Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States, argues that there’s a disconnect between new industries and old political institutions, and that political renewal is required to solve our current economic problems. Is America and its governing bodies up to the task?

*Pencil pick of the day

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