“Greg Noll: The Art of the Surfboard” is a tribute to the life’s work of one of the great creators of surfboards. Authored by veteran surf-writer Drew Kampion, the book is part life-story, part history, part how-to, and part fine-art portfolio. It tells the full story of the surfboard as realized through the hands and mind of this surfing legend who has been hand-building surfboards for over 55 years.
A legendary big-wave surfer of the 1950s and 60s, Greg Noll went on to become one of the world’s largest manufacturers of surfboards. He sold his business in the early 1970s and moved to Northern California where, for the past 20 years, he has been crafting re-creations of ancient and classic surfboards of the past for a growing clientele of collectors and surf aficionados.
The book also tells the story of the emergence of Noll’s son Jed as a next-generation craftsman of unique surfboards and surfing-related art forms.
To celebrate the publication of the new book, Jed and Greg Noll and writer Drew Kampion will be signing copies of “Greg Noll: The Art of the Surfboard” at Malibu Shirts on Friday, April 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Malibu Shirts is located at 22775 Pacific Coast Hwy., in Malibu. For more information, call (310) 456-7088.
The Tuna trails away tonight
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and Mc Coy Rigby Entertainment present the original cast of the comedy, “Greater Tuna,” portraying all 20 polyester-clad citizens of Tuna — Texas' third smallest town where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. “Greater Tuna” is scheduled to run through Sunday, April 29 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.
Although written and first performed over 20 years ago, the residents of “Tuna” could not be more up-to-date. Contemporary politicians and the Religious Right have put the basis for the comedy in “Greater Tuna” right back on the front pages of today's newspapers. Vera Carp is still leading the Smut Snatchers of the New Order in their campaign to clear the library shelves of dirty books like "Huckleberry Finn" and "Romeo and Juliet," Elmer Walkins speaks up for the KKK, Petey Fisk argues for animal rights, and a celebrity murder is on the front page of the papers.
“Greater Tuna” is scheduled to run through Sunday, April 29. Tickets are $45 and $37.50 and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre’s Web site, www.lamiradatheatre.com. Student, senior, children and group discounts are available. For more information on show times, call the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. The La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue. Parking is free.
Poetry with an aroma of pee
Union Station is the stage for annual National Poetry Month rush-hour readings.
Acclaimed L.A.-based poets will stage live poetry readings on April 30 at Union Station to culminate the Los Angeles events associated with the National Poetry Month of April. The readings personify and extend the experience of “Poetry in Motion L.A.,” where the work of 24 poets will be inscribed on placards and placed aboard Metro buses throughout the year. The program brings poetry to an estimated one million Metro bus riders a day. The readings are a collaboration of the Poetry Society of America and the Metro Art program. The program is coordinated by acclaimed poet Elena Karina Byrne. Admission is free.
Tony Barnstone, Brendan Constantine, Teka Park Lo, Ruben Martinez, Imani Tolliver, and Elena Karina Byrne will read to rush-hour commuters in the atrium of the Union Station East Portal and entrance to Metro Rail beginning at 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
The Union Station East Portal atrium is located at One Gateway Plaza, downtown Los Angeles.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 26, 2007. Read the original PDF.