Paula Killen, Lisa Buscani and Marcia Wilkie are well-known former Chicago actors and performance artists who are now making their way in the entertainment worlds of California and New York. The Big Goddess Pow Wow has entertained sold-out crowds in Chicago for more than a decade, bringing together top comics, poets, actors and musicians.

The out-of-towners will be joined by some of the best Chicago has to offer, including Cheryl Trykv (for the March 27 show), Cin Salach and C.C. Carter. Brigid Murphy hosts.

In addition, each of the shows will also feature special guest hosts and performers. The Thursday, March 27 show will feature the bands Stewed Tomatoes and Sweet Accord (with Amy Matheny and Elaine Dame), plus guest host Joan Jett-Blakk. The Friday, March 28 show features musician Ellen Rosner and writers Donna Rose, Lisa Alvarado and RoiAnn Phillips, along with guest host Honey West. And the Saturday, March 29 show features slam poet winner Duriel Harris, Bev Spangler and Lisa Samra doing an excerpt of the Kathy & Mo Show, plus Patty Elvis rocking the crowd, and co-host Jessica Halem.

All three shows are at Circuit Nightclub, 3641 N. Halsted, 7:30 p.m. and will be general seating and standing-room. Tickets are $25 and available through Windy City Media Group, sponsors of the event and publishers of Windy City Times newspaper. Call (773) 871-7610 to charge by phone, or e-mail WindyCityMedia@aol.com .

Co-sponsors of the event are American Airlines, Circuit and New City.

See www.WindyCityTimes.com for more info and for photos of the artists.

Paula Killen: This writer and performer has spent the last two years as a consultant with Mandalay Entertainment, developing television and promotional pitches and writing/ producing multiple projects for the Branded Entertainment division. She has contributed commentaries and essays to the popular NPR radio series, This American Life since its inception in 1997. Killen has a national reputation as a playwright and monologist—premiering works at The Goodman Theater, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Steppenwolf Theatre, American Blues and Organic Theater in Chicago, La Mama, Dixon Place and PS122 in NYC and Zoo District Theatre, Largo, The Falcon Theatre and HBO Workspace in L.A. She has written the official biographies of hundreds of stars and directors for the 20th Century Fox archives and web sites and is developing a full-length feature for Maverick. She has created and produced multiple spoken word events including 'Two Big for the Chorus' (Garry Marshall, executive producer), 'The Big Goddess Pow Wow,' and is currently directing a new works series at the Lillian Theater. Since arriving in Los Angeles in 1999, Killen has performed her original material at Bang (hosted by Jeff Garlin), The Mint, The Improv Olympic, The Tamerind Theatre, The Comedy Union and is a regular guest at Jill Solloway's hip series, 'Sit and Spin.' Killen is also a teacher, voice over talent and actor—having just returned from a tour of The UK in Bill's New Frock with the Mark Taper Forum.

Lisa Buscani got her start in Chicago's poetry slam scene and went on to become a National Poetry Slam Champion. She spent three years as a Neo-Futurist, writing and performing in Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. She co-produced and curated the Big Goddess Pow Wow series at the Metro. She authored of a book of poetry, Jangle (Tia Chucha Press), and two acclaimed solo shows, Carnivale Animale and At That Time. She has appeared on NPR, CNN, PBS, HBO, Much Music, and Voice of America, as well as in numerous spoken word anthologies and CDs. Now based in Brooklyn, Lisa is currently touring with Late Nite Catechism at the Hanna Theater in Cleveland's Playhouse Square and finishing her first novel, Downtime.

Marcia Wilkie toured nationally for more than a decade with her solo shows, from the Joseph Papp Public Theatre in NYC to the historic Hahn Cosmopolitan in San Diego, Calif., as well as many major colleges and universities and numerous Pride events. Following a move to Los Angeles, she appeared in one really bad guest star spot on one really bad sitcom and decided to take up the pen in television. First writing for game shows, she was soon brought on to Donny & Marie as the head writer. In addition to the talk show, Marcia wrote the book, Behind the Smile, for Marie Osmond, which became a New York Times, U.S.A. Today and Los Angeles Times bestseller, and also her critically acclaimed speech for the Unique Lives and Experiences tour. Marcia has worked as a writer and consulting producer on a number of pilots and shows for Columbia Tri-Star, Buena Vista television and Telepictures. She continues to perform solo works at venues in Los Angeles, including the Falcon Theater, the Tamarind Theater, The Mint and The Triangle Room. She is currently authoring a series of fiction books for young girls, promoting self-esteem and respect for cultural differences under the title Magic Attic and due for publication in summer 2003. Despite the pressure of homesteading in Los Angeles where she says 'it's tough to shop as a size 14,' Marcia claims her identity as a BIG GODDESS.

cin salach: Performance poet cin salach has been a Slam Champ, Loofah, Disgrace & Big Goddess. Her CD & video recordings have been on WBEZ, Image Union and Oprah, and her poetry has been published in Rhino, Columbia Poetry Review and ACM: Another Chicago Magazine, among others. She is the author of the poetry book Looking for a Soft Place to Land and in the fall of 2001, wrote and performed in 'undone,' a musical based on her poetry and directed by Eric Rosen at About Face Theater. An Illinois Arts Council award recipient and two-time Ragdale fellow, cin is a segment host on the PBS show ArtBeat and can also be seen around town with her band ten tongues.'

Lisa Alvarado is a Chicana poet, performer and writer. She is the author of The Housekeeper's Diary, a chapbook based on her experiences as a maid for one of Chicago's wealthiest families, as well as a one woman show by the same name. Luis Rodriguez wrote, 'She is a fine poet, able to address deep concerns in trenchant, crisp language.' Lastly, she wants you to know that she loves women, loves men, that the written word gives her infinite pleasure, and that she grateful for every door opened for her by the sacrifices of her ancestors.