'How Could You' Miss 20x2 At Martyrs' Saturday?

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 17, 2013 6:35PM

“20x2” is a popular event held annually in conjunction with the SXSW Interactive conference in Austin, Texas. The premise created by co-founders Kevin Newsum and Jeff Rider is simple: give 20 people two minutes to answer a simple question. Over the past 12 years those questions have included “what is interactive?” “What’s the story?” “How did I get here?” “What changed?” and the ever existential “What if?”

The lineup of featured readers has included a litany of writers, web types, musicians, filmmakers and others, with their approaches to answering the question often as entertaining as the answers themselves. Gapers Block founder and publisher Andrew Huff has participated in a couple “20x2” events at SXSW and organized a Chicago version of the show back in 2010.

With Newsum’s blessing Huff has put together an eclectic lineup for Saturday’s “20x2” at Martyrs’. The question they have to answer is “How could you?” and Huff believes the talent pool in Chicago is so deep there’s a chance for “20x2” to be at least a biannual series.

Huff told Chicagoist Monday night the evening’s lineup has no editorial oversight whatsoever—”they can answer the question however they want,” he said. For example, artist Brandy Agerbeck is planning to draw her answer with musical accompaniment. Filmmaker Steve Delahoyde frequently collaborates with comedy troupe Schadenfreude and his wife, writer Claire Zulkey, for her “Funny Ha Ha” series. The marquee name on the bill is 47th Ward Ald. Ameya Pawar. “It’s interesting to see how he would answer that question,” Huff said.

If you’re also curious, check out the lineup here and then head to Martyrs’ 7 p.m. Oct. 19 and see how well these people use their two minutes. Admission is $10 and this is a 21+ event.