A Conversation with Louise Penny: In-Person & Online

Mikael Theimer

SAL Presents Icon

SAL Presents

A Conversation with Louise Penny: In-Person & Online

Past Event: Monday, May 15, 2023

At Benaroya Hall — S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium

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In Person & Online

Penny’s detective novels — more intricately wrought tone poems than procedurals — are suffused with Canadian history and populated by an eccentric cast

 

— Dan Bilefsky, The New York Times

(The books) are about duality, the public face and the inner turmoil. The gap between what we’re saying and what we’re really thinking, between the pretty village setting and the violation that happens with these crimes…

— Louise Penny, USA Today

Penny’s nuanced exploration of the human spirit continues to distinguish this brilliant series

— David Gernert, Publisher’s Weekly

One of the most acclaimed writers of our time, Louise Penny is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the beloved Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. With a CWA Dagger and seven Agatha Awards to her name, as well as her reputation as a master plotter, Penny is sure to thrill and delight with her latest release.

Q&A with Terry Tazioli.

Louise Penny is a beloved author and creator of the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. This gripping murder mystery saga spans seventeen books, with the eighteenth set to be released later this year. Penny is also co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling political-mystery novel State of Terror with former United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Before her career as an author, Louise Penny worked as a journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In 2005, Penny published Still Life, the first installment in what would become a massively successful series of murder mystery novels, often referred to as the “Three Pines” series. The decidedly Canadian crime saga takes place in a fictional Quebec town called “Three Pines,” and features the native French speaker Inspector Armand Gamache.

Huffington Post contributor Nina Sankovitch observes, “Penny uses the history of old Canada to set up her characters, and illustrate their differing personalities and backgrounds. She then takes on huge themes—memory, guilt, hope, love, friendship—that are amplified but never overtaken by the murder mystery the quietly heroic and hugely kind Inspector Gamache must solve.”

In 2017, Penny received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Penny is also the recipient of a CWA Dagger Award, multiple Agatha Awards, and she was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel, among other honors.

Terry Tazioli, our moderator for the evening, was born and raised in Seattle. He holds a BA in Communication from the University of Washington and a Masters in Journalism from the University of Missouri. During his career in the news business, he worked for the East Side Journal in Kirkland, the East Side Journal in Bellevue and KING5 News and The Seattle Times, both in Seattle. He was an assignment editor for nightly news at KING and then producer of the news magazine program Top Story. He was Scene editor at The Times and then Travel Editor before leaving the newspaper in 2008. Following that, he hosted an author interview program called Author’s Hour for TVW, Washington State’s public affairs network; then become co-host of the PBS books program Well Read; and finally worked for a short time for University Book Store in Seattle before retiring.

Videos

Louise Penny on creating her protagonist “Inspector Armand Gamache”

Full interview with Louise Penny on CBS News: The National

Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton discuss their co-authored book, State of Terror

Event Details

Benaroya Hall — S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium

200 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101

View directions.

Know Before You Go

COVID-19 Policies

The safety of our patrons, artists, community partners, staff, and volunteers continues to be important to us. At this time, facial masks are encouraged but not required for entry, and proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test is no longer required. However, health and safety protocols are subject to change. Before attending events, please check your pre-event email for the most up-to-date information.

Can't find your tickets?

All tickets have been emailed for this event, so be sure to check your inbox for an email from [email protected]. Call us at 206-621-2230 x10 if you can’t find them.

For in-person attendance: Your e-tickets come attached in a PDF with your ticket order confirmation email. Present on your mobile device or bring your printed ticket to the venue the night of the event. Check your pre-event email for details on COVID safety precautions.

For online attendance: If you purchased a digital pass for an event, SAL will send you and pre-event reminder email with instructions to log in and access the online stream on the day of your event. The night of your event, return to lectures.org/event/louise-penny and enter the password where prompted. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and will be available for viewing for a week after the event.

SAL will also send an email the day of the event, containing the same information. If you have opted out of receiving SAL emails, you will miss this important information—please email us at [email protected] and we will assist you.

Have a question for the speaker?

Want to ask the author something? Send your question to SAL at [email protected]—it might be asked onstage!

Books

A copy of A World of Curiosities is available for Create Your Own Series, and Super SAL subscriptions only, mailed to the subscriber’s door.

Our partner bookstore, University Book Store, will have books available for purchase at their table in the lobby and on their website.

Patrons & Grand Patrons, Have a Drink on SAL!

Patron & Grand Patron seating includes a pre-event drink ticket! Check your pre-event email for details.

Transportation & Parking

This event will be held in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, the largest event space at Benaroya Hall. 

Benaroya Hall is located at 200 University Street, directly across Second Avenue from the Seattle Art Museum. The public entrance to Benaroya Hall is along Third Avenue.

By Car

  • From Southbound I-5
    Take the Union Street exit (#165B). Continue onto Union Street and proceed approximately five blocks to Second Avenue. Turn left onto Second Avenue. The Benaroya Hall parking garage will be on your immediate left. The garage entrance is on Second Avenue, just south of Union Street.
  • From Northbound I-5
    Exit left onto Seneca Street (exit #165). Proceed two blocks and turn right onto Fourth Avenue. Continue two blocks. Turn left onto Union Street. Continue two blocks. Turn left onto Second Avenue. The Benaroya Hall parking garage will be on your immediate left. The garage entrance is on Second Avenue, just south of Union Street.
  • From Northbound I-5 via Westbound I-90
    Take the 2C exit for I-5 North. Follow signs for Madison Street/Convention Place and merge right onto Seventh Avenue. Turn left onto Madison Street. Proceed three blocks and turn right onto Fourth Avenue. Continue four blocks. Turn left onto Union Street. Continue two blocks. Turn left onto Second Avenue. The Benaroya Hall parking garage will be on your immediate left. The garage entrance is on Second Avenue, just south of Union Street.

By Public Transit (Bus & Light Rail)

Benaroya Hall is served by numerous bus routes. Digital reader boards along Third Avenue display real-time bus arrival information. For details and trip planning tools, call Metro Rider Information at 206.553.3000 (voice) or 206.684.1739 (TDD), or visit Metro online. The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, served by light rail, has a stop just below the Hall (University Street Station).

Parking

The 430-car underground garage at Benaroya Hall provides direct access from the enclosed parking area into the Hall via elevators leading to The Boeing Company Gallery. Enter the garage on Second Avenue, just south of Union Street. Maximum vehicle height is 6’8″. ChargePoint charging stations are available for electric vehicles. Visit the Benaroya Hall website for event pricing.

Parking is also available at:

  • The Cobb Building (enter on University Street between Third and Fourth avenues).
  • The Russell Investments Center (enter on Union Street between First and Second avenues).
  • There are many other garages within a one-block radius of Benaroya Hall, along with numerous on-street parking options.

Accessibility

Open Captioning is an option for people who have hearing loss, where a captioning screen displaying the words that are spoken or sung is placed on stage. This option is present at every event at Benaroya Hall in our 2021/22 Season.

Closed Captioning is an option for people who have hearing loss, where captioning displays the words that are spoken or sung at the bottom of the video during an online event. Captioning is available for all online events; click the “CC” button to view captions during the event.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are devices that people with hearing loss use in conjunction with their hearing device (hearing aids or cochlear implants). Benaroya Hall has an infrared hearing system, which transmits sound by light beams. Headsets are available in The Boeing Company Gallery coat check and the Head Usher stations in both lobbies.

Sign Language Interpretation is available upon request for Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing individuals for both in-person and online events. To make a request for interpretation, please contact us at [email protected] or 206.621.2230×10, or select “Sign Language Interpretation” from the Accessibility section during your ticket checkout process and we will contact you to confirm details. Please note: we appreciate a two-week advance notice to allow us time to secure interpretation.

Wheelchair Accessible Seating and Accessible Restrooms are available in all sections at our venues, and our venues are fully accessible to ticket holders with physical mobility concerns. Among other features, Benaroya Hall has designated parking spaces adjacent to elevators in their parking garage. Elevators with Braille signage go to all levels within the Hall. To reserve seating for a specific mobility concern, you may select “Wheelchair Accessible or Alternative Seating Options” during ticket checkout, and we will contact you to confirm details. For more details on their accessibility features, click here.

Guide and service dogs are welcome.

Gender neutral restrooms are available.

We are pleased to offer these accessibility services at our venues, and they are provided at no additional cost to ticket holders. Please contact us with any questions and feedback about how we can be more accessible and inclusive. Our Patron Services Manager is available at [email protected], or Monday-Friday from 10:00am – 5:00pm at 206.621.2230×10.

For more accessibility information, please head to lectures.org/accessibility. If you would like to make accessibility arrangements you do not see listed here, please contact our box office or select “Other Accommodations” from the Accessibility section during your ticket checkout process, and we will contact you to confirm details.

Seating Chart

Sponsors

Opus Sponsor