City Council Newsletter - 01/11/07

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Thisfunny, poignant evening weaves together memories, songs, and poems exploring DeMark’s relationship with his father through their shared love of baseball and storytelling. Included is a visit with Willie Mays, the creative use of a Beatle wig, an appearance by Hank Aaron on the Home Shopping Network, and DeMark’s trip to Tiger Stadium for a final farewell to his dad. Hard as a Diamond, Soft as the Dirt was originally commissioned by the College of the Redwoods Visiting Writers Series. DeMark's work has drawn critical acclaim as well as enthusiastic audience response. The Humboldt Beacon says: “DeMark uses humor as a tool to show us ourselves . . . you will look at your family relationships with fresh eyes.” The North Coast Journal review calls Hard as a Diamond “wonderfully poetic in places, ironic throughout, tightly unified and universal . . .” According to the Eureka Times- Standard, "He's a gem -- it doesn't get any better than DeMark." DeMark has toured widely, including performances at Northern California’s Mad River Festival and New York’s Knitting Factory. He began his performing career in Madison, Wisconsin, reciting original poems and stories with the backing of musical groups including “The Violent Femmes.” DeMark has written and toured with three other solo theatrical pieces: Went to Lunch, Never Returned; Making Every Mistake Twice; and Writing My Way Out of Adolescence, which was well-received by a Eugene audience at DeMark's Windfall debut in 2004. The Windfall Reading Series features authors reading their own works with a focus on Northwest authors. The Series is sponsored by the Eugene Public Library, Lane Literary Guild, Friends of the Library, Eugene Public Library Foundation, and the Cultural Services Division of the Lane Arts Council. For more information, call 682-5450. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 January 11, 2007