NPR Humorist David Sedaris to Perform in CFA

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present David Sedaris at 8 p.m. on Oct 10 in the Mainstage Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on May 5.

Sedaris may well be the closest thing the literary world has these days to a rock star -- his speaking engagements are consistently standing-room-only, a far cry from his early days as a housecleaner in New York City. The great skill with which Sedaris slices through euphemisms and political correctness proves that he is a master of satire. Everywhere he goes Sedaris delights his audience with his irreverent style and great humor. Sedaris' sardonic humor and incisive social critique have since made him one of National Public Radio's most popular and humorous commentators.

In addition to his commentaries on NPR's "Morning Edition," David Sedaris is the author of the bestsellers "Barrel Fever" and "Holidays on Ice," as well as the collections of personal essays, "Naked" and "Me Talk Pretty One Day," which immediately became a national bestseller. Sedaris and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name "The Talent Family" and have written several plays which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include "Stump the Host," "Stitches," "One Woman Shoe," which received an Obie Award, "Incident at Cobbler's Knob" and "The Book of Liz," which was published in book form by Dramatist's Play Service. His essays appear regularly in Esquire and The New Yorker.

Sedaris' book "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" was published in June 2004, and an anthology of stories, "Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories," edited by Sedaris, was published in April 2005. In 2005, Sedaris was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album ("Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim") and Best Comedy Album ("David Sedaris: Live at Carnegie Hall").

He taught writing at the Art Institute of Chicago for two years, and his essays appear regularly in Esquire. In the fall of 2002, Sedaris wrote the introduction for the collection of short stories, "Jenny and the Jaws of Life," by Jincy Willett. He was named by Time magazine as Humorist of the Year 2001. In September 2001, he became the third recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Sedaris' original radio pieces can often be heard on public radio's "This American Life," distributed nationally by Public Radio International and produced by WBEZ in Chicago. Sedaris currently resides in Paris.

A book signing will follow the presentation.

Tickets for David Sedaris are $29. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location.