Award-Winning Radio Show to Play Library : The legendary Norman Corwin will direct a live broadcast of ‘The Plot to Overthrow Christmas’ in Thousand Oaks.

The legendary writer/director Norman Corwin, now 83, will direct a live broadcast of his award-winning “The Plot to Overthrow Christmas” before an audience in the Thousand Oaks Library at 8 p.m. Friday. The radio broadcast was first heard on CBS in 1938. The evening’s festivities include a champagne reception to celebrate the donation of Corwin’s radio and film scripts to the Thousand Oaks Library Foundation, which is also the recipient of the CBS archives. Author, film critic and television commentator Charles Champlin will serve as master of ceremonies.

Produced by the California Artists Radio Theatre, Corwin’s comedy features an all-star cast including Parley Baer, Richard Crenna, Samantha Eggar, Stan Freberg, Kathleen Freeman, John Harlan, Marvin Kaplan, Norman Lloyd, Joseph Marcell, Roddy McDowall, David Warner and William Windom. According to actress Peggy Webber, executive director of CART, this new production will be heard on KNX radio. Corwin has earned 28 major media and humanities awards, authored 17 books, Broadway plays and received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay of “Lust for Life.” He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame on Nov. 7.

Tickets (if still available) for the broadcast and reception are $25. The audience must be seated before 7:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. broadcast. Call 497-6282 or Roy Ballard at 495-7959 for information.

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Two events are scheduled this week at Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura. Nancy Carlson will read from her latest book, “Life Is Fun,” and sign copies of her book on self-esteem, “I Like Me,” at 3 p.m. today. Marc Brown, author of “Arthur’s New Puppy” will tell stories at 3 p.m. Saturday.

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The very British Tottenham Court gift shop and tea room in the Arcade in Ojai will assume an Italian flavor for a day. Chef Andy Lo Russo, author of “Sing and Cook Italian,” will appear Sunday at 1 p.m. to sing Italian love songs and sign his cookbook. A cassette tape of the singing chef, once under contract to Epic Records, comes with the book.

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Anyone interested in genealogy and computer research is invited to attend the Conejo Valley Genealogical Society meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Newbury Park Library, 2331 Borchard Road. Call 497-8293.

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Ventura residents Marlan Warren and Pawel Kuczynski will conduct a Troubleshooters’ Lab for Scriptwriters on Dec. 10 and 11 to help writers at any stage in the process. For information about the location, contact the Pacific Film Factory at 641-0411.

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The Camarillo Library has acquired a reading machine for people who are visually impaired or blind. The Reading Edge, a small portable machine that resembles a desktop copier, combines advanced speech synthesis and intelligent character recognition that can read almost any printed material. The Pleasant Valley Lion’s Club and Camarillo Library Authority provided funds for the reading device.

Words & Images columnist Frances Halpern is an author and radio talk show host. Submit literary events information to her at least two weeks in advance to 5200 Valentine Road, Suite 140, Ventura 93003. Send faxes to 658-5576.