THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW Ends 4th Season & Co-Founder Releases Debut Book, 6/6

The monthly THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW ends its 4th season today, June 6, 2012 with this month's theme The Universe and Shanny Jean Maney's book debut at the Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St. Created by co-hosts Robbie Q. Telfer and Maney, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW explores a set theme and artists across disciplines, from spoken word to music, are invited to create a piece about that theme. Tonight's June 6 show will also feature an interview with one of the founders of string theory, Leonard Susskind. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW has now spread to 10 cities world-wide including New York, L.A., Austin, Seoul, Korea, and Berlin, Germany. The season finale on June 6 also celebrates the book debut of Maney's book of poetry "I Love Science!".

"I think the reason THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW has spread so quickly to all these other cities is because live audiences are looking for new ways to experience literature in groups and communities," said Telfer. "Our show offers people an excuse to share a brand new, once-in-a-lifetime literary conversation."

In addition to the regular ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW , the June 6 performance serves as the debut for co-founder Maney's book "I Love Science!", published by Write Bloody Book Publishing. A humorous and thought provoking look at science and poetry, "I Love Science!" contains many works produced for, and inspired by, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW. Award-winning cartoonist Lynda Barry created the introduction for "I Love Science!" There will also be a book release party on June 1 at 7 p.m., at the Book Cellar, 4736-38 N. Lincoln.

"I Love Science! dissects the points of existence where science and emotion intersect," Maney said. "Sometimes tender and fraught, and sometimes hilarious, my goal is to represent those awkward bits of life with bright, unfiltered honesty."

Beginning in 2008, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW acts to fill a hole in the Chicago poetry scene. It is a live variety extravaganza that endeavors to build an age-integrated community cultivating accidental knowledge and irreverenT Lovingkindness. The show brings artists and experts from many disciplines to use their individual talents to present a different verbal encyclopedia entry each month. For the 2011/12 season, themes have included saints, invasive species, railroad, extreme sports, Mesopotamia, candy, supreme court, puberty and Alan Turning.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW has been featured at the Wisconsin Book Festival and the Chicago Humanities Festival, as well as many other colleges and writing communities. Recently, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW received a grant from Emory University to perform a special show on "Origin of Life Chemistry". THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW is also part of Chicago Slam Works Alliance.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW's cast members include Megan Mercier from Neo-Futurists, Tim Stafford, an HBO Def Poet, Joel Chmara, also an HBO Def Poet, Patrick Carberry, fiction writer, Evan Chung, musician, and Emily Rose Kahn-Shehan, an award-winning poet. Contributors include Lynda Barry, Sonia Sanchez, Paul Sereno, Bill Ayers, Marc Smith, Bobby Conn, and hundreds more.

The last ENCYCLOPEDIA SHOW  of the 2011/12 season is Wednesday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for students. To purchase tickets online visit www.theencyclopediashow.com. For additional information visit www.facebook.com/EncyclopediaShow and twitter @EncycloSho.

About Chicago Slam Works: Chicago Slam Works (CSW) is rooted in the Poetry Slam movement, which began in Chicago as a highly entertaining, interactive, innovative poetic experience and spread around the world to become a major force in stirring the minds of students, scholars, and everyday people. The founding members of CSW are pillars of the international movement and the organizational force behind dozens of major poetic events in and around Chicago-as well as the world including three National Poetry Slam Championships.

Mission: Building on Chicago's unique heritage as the birthplace of modern-day performance poetry, Chicago Slam Works brings together audiences, poets, and arts organizations to promote well-crafted performance poetry through event production.