WHAT: Poet, novelist and essayist Andrei Codrescu comes to the Fitzgerald Theater for the next installment of the American Humorist series. A contributor to All Things Considered, Codrescu is currently shooting Big River Blues, a documentary about the Mississippi River. He will arrive in St. Paul full of stories after two weeks of mucking about the upper Mississippi and the Fitzgerald show will be filmed for use in the movie.

Mr. Codrescu is the editor of Exquisite Corpse and a professor of English at Louisiana State University. His latest book is New Orleans, Mon Amour: Twenty Years of Writing from the City, filled with essays about his adopted town. His most recent book of poems is It Was Today—New Poems by Andrei Codrescu, published by Minneapolis' Coffee House Press. Other books include the novels Wakefield and The Blood Countess and the collection The Devil Never Sleeps & Other Essays. He also made the film Road Scholar, exploring America as a new driver in a red 1968 Cadillac convertible. Codrescu is a regular contributor to National Public Radio's All Things Considered and has won a Peabody Award and the ACLU Freedom of Speech Award.

About the American Humorists series
The Stage Series of American Humorists is Minnesota Public Radio's ongoing celebration of the best literary and witty talents in the nation. Series performers have included Roy Blount, Jr., Fran Lebowitz, Baxter Black and Lynda Barry, Lizz Winstead, Calvin Trillin, Ian Frazier and Peter Schickele.

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, June 1. Pre-show Wurlitzer organ entertainment and cocktail hour begins at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Minnesota Public Radio's The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul

TICKETS: Tickets are $20, $25, and $29 with a discount for Minnesota Public Radio members. Contact the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1221.