Get Lit! Goes Patriotic

EWU has announced the theme and headliners for its 2011 Get Lit! festival (lucky number 13). Everything will fall under the umbrella of "Telling the American Story," which involves

looking at the American story from multiple perspectives, including the oral traditions of the Native Americans, the heroic and often tragic tales of the military, the classics as seen from a feminine perspective, the different-colored lens that fine arts can add to a story, as well as a look at the Grand Coulee Dam and water-related environmental issues.

In addition to author readings and presentations, the festival will include participatory events like workshops and open mics that address this theme. The dates for the festival are April 13 to 17.

The breadth of the theme — second only in scope to Life, The Universe, and Everything — means there's quite an assortment of headlining authors. Tim O'Brien will be on hand to talk about The Things They Carried, his collection of stories about the Vietnam War, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Sena Jeter Naslund (Ahab's Wife; or, the Star-Gazer) and Matthew Dickman (All American Poem) will respectively round out the fiction and poetry categories.

In the nonfiction corner, there's Maude Barlow, author of Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water, who was apparently in a lengthy subtitle competition with another headlining author, Sam Kean, author of the New York Times bestseller The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Young readers can look forward to hearing from Louise Borden (The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey, Fly High!: The Story of Bessie Coleman, and dozens more); Suzanne Morgan Williams (Bull Rider) and Michael Harmon (Skate, The Last Exit to Normal, and Brutal).

A more comprehensive list of authors can be found here. Ani DiFranco will be the music headliner and, judging by the ticket prices, the big festival draw.

Festival passes are already on sale for $45 (or a steep $60 if you want to see Ani DiFranco too). The $45 pass will give you admission to Sam Kean on April 14, Sena Jeter Naslund (with Nancy Rawles) on April 15, Tim O'Brien (with Brian Turner) on April 16, and Matthew Dickman on April 17. If you buy the pricier "Ani" pass, keep in mind that you'll have to forgo Sena Jeter Naslund on April 15. Pick the passes up at TicketsWest or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT. The pass offers a fairly hefty savings of $20-25 off the individual ticket prices.

Students luck out with free admission to the headlining events (DiFranco being the exception) provided they show a current high school or college ID. Student tickets are available at the door (resources permitting) or the area's college bookstores.