Greer's OC

Orange County’s epicenter for contemporary theater, live music and unique storytellers, the Off Center Festival at Segerstrom Center, returns next week from Thursday, Jan. 23 to Sunday, Feb. 2 for the third consecutive year.

And, the Center will host its first POP: Party on the Plaza – a free celebration on Friday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. with a performance by celebrated Chicano/Latino theater troupe Culture Clash and the two bands Little Willie G. – The Original Voice of Thee Midniters and Latin rock band La Santa Cecilia. Food truck will also be serving up bites to hungry attendees.

Also, in the festival line-up will be Sekou Sundiata’s blessing the boats: the remix, Die Roten Punkte’s Super Musician, Edgar Oliver’s Helen & Edgar, Phil Soltanoff’s LA Party, the world premiere of KEEP CULTURE AND CLASH ON: 30 Years of Revolutionary Comedy Remastered by Culture Clash, Rinde Eckert’s Becoming... Unusual: The Education of an Eclectic and Gilbert Castellanos and The New Latin Jazz Quintet.

The Off Center Lounge in Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge will be offering a special low- cost post-performance menu and the chance to meet festival artists.

It’s affordable to attend Off Center Festival (tickets may be purchased for $15 via (Facebook.com/SCFTA), or you can purchase them online at SCFTA.org, for $25, or at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787.

Not to Miss Library Lectures

The first speaker of the year at the Newport Beach Central Library’s impressive Witte Lectures debuts with film critic Kenneth Turan on “Why Movies Matter” on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. Turan covers film for the LA Times and NPR’s Morning Edition.

On Friday, doors open at 6:30 p.m. a wine reception and music; 7 p.m. lecture and Q&A, followed by 8:15 p.m. book signing and dessert reception Tickets cost $50 and $35 and are available here.

Author and journalist Rick Reilly on “Playing the Game from the Inside Out” will appear on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. Reilly is a front-page columnist for ESPN.com and covers human-interest features for ESPN’s "Monday Night Countdown," opinion essays and features for ESPN’s golf coverage, and essays for SportsCenter. Tickets cost $50 and $35; available here.

Next up, "A Conversation with New York Times Op-Ed Columnist Frank Bruni" on Friday, March 21 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 22 at 2 p.m. During his tenure at The Times, he has also been chief restaurant critic and Rome bureau chief. ​Tickets cost $50 and $35; available here.

Playwright, actor and professor Anna Deavere Smith will be sharing “Snapshots: Portraits of a World in Transition” on Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m. Smith will explore race, community and character in America while moving in and out of character during her presentation. While speaking of polarizing issues she will recreate a diversity of emotions and points of view. Tickets cost $50 and $35; available here. 

1000 Avocado Avenue in Newport Beach. 949.548.2411.