“Balancing Truth with Fiction: The Role of Literature in Global Communication”

CineCulture, together with The College of Arts and Humanities Middle East Studies Program, announces:

Presentations by Dr. Fatemeh Keshavarz, Professor, Persian & Comparative Literature and Chair, Department of Asian & Near Eastern Languages & Literatures, Washington University in St. Louis

Fatemeh Keshavarz is a published poet in her native language (Persian), writes poetry in English, and is the author of several books and journal articles. Her latest book, Jasmines and Stars: Reading more than Lolita in Tehran, blends personal memoir with literary analysis and social commentary. As a public intellectual, she takes interest in the broader implications of cultural education for world peace. In May 2007, she was invited to speak at the UN General Assembly on this topic. And she has been guest of NPR on various occasions. The show “Speaking of Faith” which featured her in the hour-long episode “The Ecstatic Faith of Rumi,” received the Peabody Award in April 2008. She was awarded the 2008 Hershel Walker Peace & Justice Award by People’s Weekly.

Title of Presentation: “Balancing Truth with Fiction: The Role of Literature in Global Communication”

Friday, Oct. 23, 2 P.M.
Peters Business 191

Film Screening: 5:30 P.M.
Location: McLane 121

Children of Heaven. Directed by Majid Majidi, this uplifting story of family and love received numerous film festival awards and was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film. When Ali loses his sister Zahra’s school shoes, they dream up a plan to stay out of trouble; they’ll share his shoes and keep it a secret from their parents! But if they’re going to successfully cover their tracks, Ali and Zahra must carefully watch
their step on what rapidly turns into a funny and heartwarming adventure!
Farshi with English subtitles. 88 minutes, Rated PG.

For more information:

CineCulture Club: http://cineculture.csufresno.edu/
Fresno Filmworks: http://www.fresnofilmworks.org/

CineCulture is a film series provided as a service to the Fresno State campus students, faculty, and staff, and community, at no charge. In addition, CineCulture is offered as a 3 unit academic course in the Mass Communication and Journalism Department. CineCulture Club promotes cultural awareness through film and post-screening discussions.

For further information, contact Professor Mary Husain at mhusain@csufresno.edu

Club President: Rory Carlberg roryjc@csufresno.edu
Faculty Advisor: Mary Husain mhusain@csufresno.edu

"Welcome Home Jenny Sutter" : Free Veterans' Advanced Performance

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Time: 8 PM (No latecomers)
Location: California State University Fresno
Dennis & Cheryl Woods Theater
5201 N Maple Ave (inside Speech Arts Building)

The Thursday, October 29, 2009 is open to veterans and one guest ONLY. Maximum theater capacity is 75 people.

RSVP is REQUIRED. Please RSVP by no later than Tuesday, October 27, 2009. You may RSVP by email me at tcrabb@csufresno.edu. For ticket receipt purposes. Please include name of Veteran when you RSVP.

Additional performance dates are open to the general public. Please go to the end of the email for additional performance dates, time and prices.

"Welcome Home Jenny Sutter"

LOOKING INSIDE WAR’S SILENCES

Jenny Sutter (Kelsey Oliver) is home from Iraq. She's a 30-year-old Marine, minus her lower right leg. With a mind filled with horrific memories. Those memories were bad enough while she was overseas. They are unbearable now that she's back in Southern California.

Jenny is struggling to return to civilian life — from the mundane struggle of putting on a pair of pants to the deeper struggle of finding meaning to her life. Jenny is in no shape to return to Oceanside, where her mother is taking care of her two kids.

How the kindness of strangers and Jenny's own inner strength allow her to finally make an attempt to return to the reality of civilian life is the ambitious subject of "Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter," by Julie Marie Myatt, that made its world premiere at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

On a whim, Jenny decides to accompany the ditsy stranger she meets in the smelly waiting room of a Los Angeles bus station to Slab City. Once there, Jenny finds that Slab City, a ragtag camp ground in the California desert, is chock-a-block full of souls just as lost as she is, each trying to run from their own unpleasant reality.

There is Lou (Kelsey Deroian), who never stops talking. Lou is addicted to absolutely everything and frantically trying to quit them all. But she is generous and empathetic and Jenny hooks up with her if only to find a temporary place to alight.

There is Buddy (Matthew McGee), physically twisted from the abuse he suffered as a child but spiritually straight and gentle. Buddy is the self-appointed preacher to the community, giving a message of love and hope to his unlikely congregation.

There is Donald (Bryce Earp), trying desperately to appear indifferent because he cannot bear to care so much.

And Cheryl (Kelly Derry), Lou's "therapist," who got her "training" from her experience as a hairdresser in the miniscule desert town of Hemet.

All of these misfits reach out to Jenny in one way or another. And gradually — against her instincts — Jenny allows them to get through.

Kathleen McKinley directs. Gwenna Merriman has designed the set, lit by Izzy Eisnidler and Stephanie Bradshaw designed the costumes.

Playwright Julie Marie Myatt grew up in a military family. She has said that she wanted to explore the experiences of the first generation women who have served in combat positions and who can't simply seamlessly reintegrate into civilian life.

Dennis & Cheryl Woods Theater
October 30-November 7, 2009

All Performances begin at 8:00 p.m. except on Sunday when it begins at 2:00 p.m. Closed on Monday

Ticket Prices:
General Admission: $17
Fresno State Faculty/Staff, Alumni Association Members*, Seniors (60 +) & Non - Fresno State Students (Under 5 not admitted) and Military: $15

Fresno State Students*: $10

*ID Required

Box Office Hours
Monday – Friday - Noon to 4 p.m.
North Entrance Speech Arts Building
Phone - 278-2216

Web Site - http://www.csufresno.edu/theatrearts
E-mail - pamd@csufresno.edu