Happening Tuesday: John Waters Aloud, HEALTH and more

BOOKS

An Evening With John Waters The trash cinema icon lets his singular tastes for the outlandish, unsung, arcane and maligned run rampant in one bombastic volume entitled “Role Models.” Sturdy is the book that can corral such far-flung influences as Little Richard, artist Mike Kelley, Johnny Mathis and Manson follower Leslie Van Houten. Actress and author Carrie Fisher is more than up to the task of teasing out the finer points of the Waters worldview for a discussion and signing presented by Aloud at Central Library. The Aratani/Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., L.A. 8 p.m. $17.50-$25. (213) 680-3700. www.aloudla.org.

How the Hoover Dam Made America Angelenos in particular know the importance of water and power, and the Hoover Dam has always been about both. It also had far-reaching effects in such realms as public works, architecture and the national political balance. Perhaps most of all, it became a symbol of American ambition. Zócalo welcomes The Times’ Michael Hiltzik, author of “Colossus: Hoover Dam and the Making of the American Century,” to discuss the dam’s legacy. Autry National Center of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, L.A. 7:30 p.m. Free (reservations recommended). (323) 667-2000. www.theautry.org.

COMEDY

2010 L.A. Improv Comedy Festival The six-night celebration of comedy bursts with such luminaries as late night’s Jimmy Kimmel, “ Reno 911!’s” Ian Roberts and “The Office’s” Angela Kinsey. Highlights include nightly installments of the popular Armando Show, each of which involves a special celebrity guest, and Cagematch Competitions, where improvisational skills are put to the ultimate funny-bone challenge. 6366 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 962-7560. 8 p.m.-midnight nightly through Saturday. $5-$25. /www.ioimprov.com.

MUSIC

HEALTH Two of the hottest indie acts to claim an L.A. area code, the fuzzed-out garage pop princess Bethany Cosentino (née Best Coast) and vitriolic noise rockers and dance experimentalists Health, will share the Echoplex stage. They have little in common other than a firm finger on the pulse of the most exciting fringes of rock music. The Echoplex. 1154 Glendale Blvd. 8 p.m. $14. (213) 413-8200. https://www.attheecho.com.