Daisey is back at the Public with a series of six new works that will continue to roll-out at Joe's Pub Nov. 19; Dec. 10; Jan. 15, 2013; Feb. 11, 2013; and March 11, 2013. His wife and longtime collaborator Jean-Michele Gregory directs.
American Utopias is the first of the monologues to premiere Oct. 22 at 9:30 PM.
American Utopias marks Daisey's first performance at the Public since his monologue The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, portions of which were found to be fabricated, played a critically praised, extended engagement there last season. Daisey has since updated and amended the work about labor conditions in Chinese factories, which build Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad. A Chinese production recently opened in Beijing and will tour to Hong Kong and Shenzhen next summer.
"Mike Daisey is an important voice in the American theatre and a vital member of The Public Theater's family. I am very happy to be welcoming him back to the Public with this exciting and surprising set of performances," Public artistic director Oskar Eustis said in an earlier statement.
With American Utopias, according to the Public, "Daisey explores how we create public spaces in which we come together to act out our dreams of a better world. He takes us everywhere to pursue the story: from Disney World and its nostalgic theme park perfection, to the drug-fueled anarchic excesses of Burning Man, to Zuccotti Park, where in the unlikeliest place the Occupy movement is born. Gunplay, giant glittery dildos, raving animatronic presidents, and brutal police actions come together to paint the landscape of our American dream." Titles and subjects of the additional works have not been announced.
Mike Daisey's monologues include How Theater Failed America, The Last Cargo Cult, If You See Something, Say Something, Invincible Summer, Monopoly!, Great Men of Genius, The Ugly American, I Miss the Cold War, Wasting Your Breath and Stories From the Atlantic Night Cafe. His films include "Layover" and "If You See Something Say Something." Daisey recently presented his 24-hour monologue All the Hours in the Day at the TBA Festival in Portland, OR.
For tickets phone (212) 967-7555 or visit JoesPub. Joe's Pub is located within the Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street.
