SPREADING THE WORD for 11 YEARS!
“Tongue & Groove”
A monthly serving of short fiction, personal essays, poetry, spoken word + music.
Produced by Conrad Romo and this month the theme is The Legacy of Lost Things featuring: Aida Zilelian, Anto Boghokian, Lory Tatoulian, Karineh Mahdessian, Lory Bedikian, and musical guest Ara Dabandjian + friends
Abril Bookstore
415 E. Broadway #102
Glendale, CA 91205
Thursday April 9th at 7:30pm.
FREE
https://www.facebook.com/events/1418898071755256
Aida Zilelian is the first time author of The Legacy of Lost Things. The book follows three generations of a family of Armenian immigrants living in the United States, as they struggle with one another and against the Old World expectations of their community. Aida is a New York writer and English teacher. She has been published in over twenty-five literary journals and several anthologies. She is also the curator of Boundless Tales, a reading series in Queens, NY. She is currently writing a collection of short stories. This is her first published novel and was the recipient of the 2014 Tololyan Literary Award.
Lory Bedikian received her BA from UCLA with an emphasis in creative writing and her MFA in poetry from the University of Oregon. Her poems have been published in multiple journals, including Connecticut Review, Portland Review, Poetry International, Poet Lore and Heliotrope. Her work has also been included in Blue Arc West: An Anthology of California Poets. She is the author of THE BOOK OF LAMENTING (Anhinga Press, 2011), whichreceived the 2010 Philip Levine Prize in Poetry. She teaches poetry workshops in Los Angeles.
Anto (THE Wordsmith) Boghokian was born and raised in Kuwait. He spent summer months in the Lebanese countryside of Anjar. The 1990 events of the Gulf War made the United States his permanent home. He has experienced firsthand the 21-year struggle of gaining residency in the U.S. Anto’s major struggles became the springboard he uses to bring his characters & poetry to life.
Lory Tatoulian is an award-winning comedic actress and playwright. For the past five years she has written, performed and produced seven different installments of The Big Bad Armo Show which has been staged across the country, The Symphony Space in New York (Off-Broadway), Fort Mason Theater in San Francisco, San Diego Repertory Theater and the Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. She has been awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for her work in the theater and has received three proclamations from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, California State Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon and California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto for her contributions to theater in Los Angeles. Tatoulian studies at The Groundlings Theater and Teaches dramatic arts at Eliot Middle School.
Karineh Mahdessian learned English by reading Nancy Drew books and watching Married with Children. She has a great affinity for really large earrings. She enjoys tacos from highland park taco trucks. She will challenge anyone to a thumb wrestling match. anytime. anyplace. She always has her chess set riding around in the trunk of her car. And she is absolutely in love with haikus. She hosts La Palabra at Avenue 50 Studios in Highland Park.
Ara Dabandjian is the multi-instrumentalist music director of the world fusion ensemble Element Band. His compositions and arrangements deliver unique expression of folk-fusion by incorporating deft instrumentation, lush vocal harmonies, and rich multi-ethnic musical styles that has landed him at the Kodak Theatre, Ford Amphitheatre, Hollywood Bowl, Nokia Theater and Skirball Cultural Center. His most recent works have traces of gypsy jazz, which suggest a different type of fusion for his future endeavors.
Come early and grab a seat! We start on time! www.conradromo.com
Tongue & Groove LA 