Tucson Festival of Books

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner



Andie Petkus

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner has written about theater and contemporary culture for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. Born and raised in Oregon, he teaches theater history at Portland State University and is the scholar-in-residence at the Portland Shakespeare Project. He lives in Portland with his wife, whom he met in a fifth-grade production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and their two children.

Visit website | Twitter Instagram


Scheduled events:
The Lasting Impact of Fame
Authors Jeff Pearlman, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner and Todd S. Purdum explore how major cultural figures build and perform their identities--especially around culture, artistry, and public perception--in the context of American fame.

UA Mall Tent (Seats 250)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sat, Mar 14, 11:30 am - 12:25 pm
Memoir / Essays / Creative Nonfiction
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - Central Mall (following presentation)  View this venue on the Festival map

Panelists: Jeff Pearlman, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, Todd Purdum
Moderator: Stuart Shiffman
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Pepper Viner Homes, Stephen Golden and Susan Tarrence, Terramar Properties Inc.
Reinventing American Entertainment
Join Bruce Handy, Daniel Pollack‑Pelzner and Todd Purdum for a lively look at the creative leaps that reshaped TV, film and stage, from Broadway’s turn to hip‑hop to teen stardom and the Cuban bandleader who helped invent the modern sitcom. Follow the unexpected choices that turned bold ideas into pop-culture history.

UA Mall Tent (Seats 250)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sun, Mar 15, 10:00 am - 10:55 am
Memoir / Essays / Creative Nonfiction
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - Central Mall (following presentation)  View this venue on the Festival map

Panelists: Bruce Handy, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, Todd Purdum
Moderator: Jonathon Crider
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Pepper Viner Homes, Stephen Golden and Susan Tarrence, Karen Randolph

Book:
Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Education of an Artist
Memoir / Essays / Creative Nonfiction
Simon & Schuster
September 2025
ISBN 9781668014707
400 pages
Buy now