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Pencil This In: Stand-Taking Storytellers, Australian Pulp Film, The Meltdown's 100th Show

Now that your post-election hangover has worn off, you may return to enjoying L.A.'s regularly scheduled programming of quality, non-partisan entertainment. Tonight we found events at Zanzibar, Cinefamily, Meltdown Comics, The Last Bookstore and more.
STORYTELLING
The Moth will be hosting a StorySLAM at Zanzibar in Santa Monica. The evening's theme is "Taking Sides," so storytellers should prepare a five-minute story about a time they took a stand. As usual, no notes are allowed! Doors open and the sign-up sheet goes up at 7 p.m.; attendees can start listening (or telling) at 7:30 p.m. Lauren Weedman hosts. This event is 21+, and tickets are $8 at the door.
FILM
The Cinefamily will screen a 35mm print of "Wake In Fright," a 1971 Australian exploitation film reviewed by Nick Cave as "the best and most terrifying film about Australia in existence" and "deeply unsettling and disturbing" by Martin Scorcese. It also hasn't been screened in America in years (if at all). The show starts at 9:40 p.m. Tickets are $12 or free for Cinefamily members.
COMEDY*
NerdMelt will showcase the best in local standup at "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail's 100th Show 2nd Birthday Blowout!" The popular weekly standup show at Meltdown Comics turns two and reaches 100 shows today, and hosts Jonah Rey and Kumail Nanjiani are ready to celebrate with guests, including Steve Agee, Sean Patton and Nick Kroll. Tickets are $8.
PERFORMANCE
Multimedia performance group Wilderbe will perform today and tomorrow at Cinespace in Hollywood. The group, described as "an interactive video mapping project where art, performance and...technology seamlessly play together," has performed on bills with Alicia Keys and Katy Perry. Tickets are $25 at the door; a $5 Facebook discounted is offered if purchased online. Doors open at 8 p.m.
POETRY READING
Poets featured in the new anthology "It's Animal But Merciful" will read from the collection at The Last Bookstore tonight at 8 p.m. Featured poets include Jane Ormerod, who edited the anthology of works by 55 poets around the world; poet/journalist Adele Slaughter; Marcia Arrieta; Rich Ferguson; Joan Gelfand; Christian Georgescu; Richard Loranger; Tina Yang and Mike "The Poet" Sonksen. Writers in the audience can also learn more about how to submit to the anthology's next volume. Free.
*Pencil pick of the day
Want more events? Follow Lauren Lloyd (@LadyyyLloyd) and Christine Ziemba (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
Have an event you'd like us to include in the future? Email us.
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