I AM SNOWMISER: Walken in a Winter Wonderland

Now playing at the Dark Rom (4 performances only)...

Featuring yours truly and a bunch of other talented folks. More details here.

On Obama & Blackberries

NYTimes article on Obama, his Blackberry, and why POTUS can't email.

RFK Jr. on Rachel Maddow explaing Voter Supression

Incredible, must see. Robert F Kennedy, Jr lays out in detail how voter surpression has and is being systemically done in Colorado and many other states. Steal Back Your Vote is Kennedy & Greg Palast's site to spread the word and help empower voters to defend their rights.

The Wicker Man rock opera, live at the Dark Room in October

Mikl-em and an incredible cast bring a cult classic film to the stage

This weekend our production of The Wicker Man opened at The Dark Room in the Mission.

The show runs Thurs-Sat at 8pm through October 25th.
Buy Tickets HERE


photo by Geof Teague poster by Foul Play

Fans of cult cinema know the original Wicker Man film as a great and odd British artifact of the early 70s, starring Christopher Lee (probably the most prolific actor in history appearing in over 260 films beginning in 1948) and that guy who later starred as The Equalizer on tv (aka Edward Woodward). Oh, and hottie Britt Ekland.

It was written by the guy who wrote "Sleuth", who also adapted most of Agatha Christie's plays into films (Evil Under the Sun, etc).

It's about pagans and a christian cop. And a lotta sex. And masks. And did I mention it was 1973?

It's a better than your standard B-movie, with a psychological horror aspect that is a step above Lee's vampire portrayals of that era. It is definitely a 60's free love hangover that could spend quite a while on the analyst's couch gloriously recounting its many much enjoyed transgressions against the Nixon, stadium rock & bell bottoms.

There is an obvious comparability to that desert festival out there in Nevada, though we don't overtly touch on it in our play. From what I hear this flick was a favorite amongst the cacophonists who started Burning Man way back when.

Here's the trailer for the original film:



And an interview with the great Christopher Lee talking about the film's rather star-crossed past (missing footage, a studio that didn't believe in it):




A few years back they slandered this noble savage piece of film history with a redressed, toned-down and Nick-Caged remake. That film is so awful, by numerous accounts including the At The Movies guys, that it deserves no linkage or further mention.


Our 'umble repurposing of the story adds "Rock Opera" with an INCREDIBLE score of new tunes by Jim Fourniadis of the Dark Room in collaboration with the band Live Evil. This show follows in the fine tradition of other Dark Room musicals like Lovesick and Emperor Norton. Great original music and a fine cast (I say, even notwithstanding my own membership in said cast, you know).

In fact I get my own Tom Waitsian solo tune, as the Gravedigger--one of three parts I play in the show.

The cast is incredibly strong including my pal Steffanos, the incredible Flynn De Marco in the starring role of x-tian cop, and a great ensemble who you've seen in various other Dark Room shows like Ten Commandments, Emperor Norton, Clue, Duck Soup & Twilight Zone.

It's great fun, and I hope you can catch it!

Alan Moore self-documentary from 1987

Alan Moore, author of Watchmen and V for Vendetta and "the face of success in Thatcher's Britain"

Wonderful, dated and wonderful. I'm finishing up Watchmen right now, quite behind the times really, since I've known about it since the 80's. But never got around to reading it until now. Can't wait for the movie, and meanwhile the design of website is fantastic.

For Pop Will Eat Itself fans, if there are any out there, note there's a sample pulled from the short above that is used in one of their songs ("Shortwave Transmission"); the quote is near the end of the video: "television, movies, comics" at 9:21 in. PWEI name-checked Moore and his works frequently on their This is the Day, This is the Hour, This is This album. And pages from The Watchmen appear in the video for "Can U Dig It?".

Here's a version of The Watchmen trailer that's been dubbed with the PWEI song "The Fuses Have Been Lit":



different, but it kinda works.

San Francisco Gin No. 209 featured on MSNBC

This report appeared yesterday on MSNBC. No. 209 is a great gin, made in SOMA right near the Giants' stadium. Great to hear about an excellent local product getting national attention:



Sept. 3: A small San Francisco distiller is combining the best ingredients from around the world with some tech knowledge to make a eco-friendly gin. KNTV's Lisa Bernard reports.

The Speech that Barak should give at the convention

The New Vision - Theodore C. Sorensen

The purpose of public office is to do good, not harm; to change
lives, help lives, and save lives, not destroy them. I look upon the
presidency not as an opportunity to rule, but as an opportunity to
serve. I intend to serve all the people, regardless of party, race,
region, or religion.

This is an excerpt from a remarkable speech that the Washington Monthly asked a former speechwriter for JFK to produce several months back, in the heat of the Democratic primary season. There were still many people in the field at the time, so this was written with the thought that any of the candidates might give it.

It's a wonderful idea and an incredible speech. Read it and then let's see how Barak's actual speech measures up.