Lester Bangs, the rock critic who reached iconic status in the 1970s with his passionate, intellectually honest writing, is the subject of "How to be a Rock Critic," presented in a staged reading as part of DouglasPlus at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City on Sunday, December 15 at 1 p.m.
The reading will take place in the Douglas' rehearsal space, Upstairs@KDT.
Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, performed by Jensen and directed by Blank, "How to be a Rock Critic" follows the brief and outsized life of Bangs, who was manic, impossibly creative, and messianic about humanity in general and music in particular.
Bangs wrote about the The Clash, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Blondie, Iggy Pop, The Ramones and many more, in publications such as Rolling Stone, Creem, Village Voice and Playboy. His writing was wild, funny, original, unpredictable and dedicated to stripping away the marketing jargon surrounding the artists and telling the truth to his youthful audience.
Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen are actors, writers and directors, and together have authored "The Exonerated," a play based on interviews they conducted with over 40 wrongfully convicted death row inmates across the United States..
Tickets for "How to Be a Rock Critic" are $10 for all seats and are available by calling (213) 628-2772, online at http://www.CenterTheatreGroup.org or in person at the Center Theatre Group box office at the Ahmanson Theatre
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