Harper College notes

Financial workshops: The Harper College Women's Program is offering its third annual series of financial workshops designed to help people achieve their fiscal goals. All programs will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., with light refreshments from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The location for all programs is Building A, Room A243. Upcoming dates and topics include:

• "Raising Financially Responsible Children," Thursday, presented by Susan L. Baker from New York Life

• "Credit and You," March 12, Presented by Harper College Vice President Judy Thorson

Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, call (847) 925-6558.

"The Meeting:" Pin Points Theatre's one-act play, "The Meeting," will be performed at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Building J Theatre as part of Harper's celebration of Black History Month. The play explores what may have taken place if Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X had met. In reality, the two men never met fact to face.

The conversation between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King quickly turns into a sort of confrontation, as they debate their opposing views on securing civil rights justice with Malcolm X's view "by any means necessary" philosophy versus King's viewpoint of nonviolent opposition.

Tickets for "The Meeting" are $5, with discounts for Harper students, faculty, staff, other students and senior citizens.

For tickets and more information, call (847) 925-6100 or visit online at harpercollege.edu.

Musical mosaic: The Harper College Community Music Center's third annual Concert Series will continue at 7:30 p.m. March 8 with The Hard Times Bluegrass Band.

The final concert in the series, "Tango Fantastico" at 7:30 p.m. April 12, will feature The Alma de Tango Quartet, with special guests tango dancers Javier Gomez and Olga Kokaurova.

All concerts are held on Harper's main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. General admission tickets cost $15 per concert, with discounts for students, seniors and children.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit harpercollege.edu or call (847) 925-6100.

Comedy at Harper: Comedian Jordan Carlos, perhaps best known for his recurring television role as Stephen Colbert's "long suffering black friend," will perform as part of Harper College's new Laugh Shack Comedy Series at 8 p.m. March 14 1 in Room A238 of the Student Center Lounge, Building A, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine.

A favorite fixture in the New York "alt comedy" scene, Carlos performs at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The People's Improv, and CBS/NYC, where he recently performed his improv/stand-up show "Flying Blind" to a sold out crowd. He was also nominated "Best Male Comic" by the Emerging Comics of New York Awards, and was a finalist in NBC's "Stand Up for Diversity" showcase.

Jen Kober will take the Harper Laugh Shack stage at 8 p.m. April 4. Winner of the Stand-up Comedy and Sketch Comedy categories in the 2003 Houston Comedy Games, Kober has developed a routine that combines stand-up, storytelling, and spontaneous singing.

Kober has appeared on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, Comic Relief 2006, and The Comedy Festival

Completing the Harper Laugh Shack Comedy Series is comedian Vidur Kapur at 8 p.m. May 2. Kapur's comedy is based on the social commentary of a "one-man culture clash" -- a gay, Indian immigrant raised in a conservative middle-class family.

Selected as top comic for NBC's "Stand Up for Diversity Initiative," Kapur was featured at the 2007 New York Comedy Festival and has appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and MTV World.

Currently registered Harper students can prove they have a talent for stand-up comedy with a special Harper Comic Showdown contest, being held in conjunction with the Laugh Shack Comedy Series. For more information about the Harper Comic Showdown, call George at (847) 925-6243.

Individual show tickets for the Laugh Shack Comedy Series are $10 in advance, or $12 at the door for general admission and Harper faculty, staff and senior citizens. Individual show tickets are $5 in advance, and $7 at the door for Harper students with valid ID.

For tickets and more information call (847) 925-6100, or visit online at harpercollege.edu.

Harper Speakers Bureau: Provided as a community service, the Harper College Speakers Bureau provides access to local experts in a variety of subjects.

Speakers are available to community organizations such as chambers of commerce, library groups, service organizations and other civic groups for free. Experts cover a diverse array of topics including art, astronomy, career training, cultural trends, ecology, entrepreneurship, estate planning, exercise, small business development, math and science.

For more information on booking a speaker, call (847) 925-6701 or visit harpercollege.edu.