Juniata Presents Monologuist Mik
(Posted February 4, 2016)
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HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Monologuist Mike Daisey, who has courted celebrity and controversy with theatrical one-man performance pieces, will perform at Juniata College at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 12, in Rosenberger Auditorium in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts.
For tickets and information about the Juniata College Presents series, please call (814) 641-JTIX (5849). General admission tickets for single performances are $20, except where otherwise noted. Single-show tickets for seniors over age 65 and children age 18 and under are $12. Juniata College students are admitted free with a student ID.
Daisey will be in residence working with Juniata students in the college's health professions programs on cummunication skills, starting Feb. 9 through his performance on Feb. 12. Daisey previously performed at Juniata College in 2012.
Daisey came to the public's attention when he wrote and performed a monologue called "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," which into great detail about the factories and working conditions in China, where Apple computers are made. Daisey later had to apologize when an NPR radio show reported he fictionalized some incidents and places he spoke of in the show.
Since then, Daisey rewrote the Jobs show and has performed other pieces such as "Orient Express (Or the Value of Failure)," which tells of a train trip on the famed Orient Express, and "American Utopias," which addresses Disney World and Burning Man Festival.
Daisey's performance style is minimalist, as is his stage set. He sits at a table, with a glass of water and a few notes.
Daisey began his performing career in Seattle with the show "21 Dog Years," which centered on his short career as a customer service representative for Amazon.com. Since then he has performed shows based on the Monopoly board game, the life of electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla, the role of Walmart in his life, and the wealth of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Daisey's monologues continue to support his one-man-show theatrical career. In addition to the Jobs piece, he has performed "The Last Cargo Cult," which is a scathing indictment of American consumerism and how Americans view the world through the prism of cash.
Described as a combination of Garrison Keillor and the late Sam Kinison, Daisey workes off the cuff, but does use notes during his performance.
Daisey's theatrical shows also include, "Great Men of Genius," "If You See Something, Say Something" and "All Stories are Fiction." He also has expanded some of his projects into books, such as "Rough Magic," which is a collection of his monologues. He has also made two films based on his work, "Layover," and a filmed version of "If You See Something, Say Something."
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.