This is my One Person Show about Charles Manson called, "Piggie, Piggie, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb" that was performed in the Celebration Theatre at Wright State University on March 11 & 12, 1986. Instead of merely presenting the unedited video exactly as it originally appears, this video is a special, 2024 Director's Cut edition. Please allow me to elaborate: The standing-room-only performances were presented with a strong influence from noted Russian director Bertolt Brecht (who felt that theatre is a remarkable medium through which society could be improved. For example, he would direct shows with the intent of reminding the audience that they were watching a show); and so accordingly, these unique documentary-type performances utilized two old school slide projectors which were continually changing images throughout the entire show. In the fashion of Brecht, this would constantly remind the audience that they were watching a LIVE theatrical performance. In the original video tapes, you see long gaps of "dead" space wherein the screen is black, usually during voiceovers or when the camera was jostling between the two screens as the images were ever-changing. The presence of these gaps in "dead" space are what prompted the editing of a new, 2024 Director's Cut, which, to the best of my ability, helped to correct this problem in the original performance tapes. Almost every single slide image from the original performances has been included here, along with new images, new music, new [vintage] video, new sound effects (from my band, IRON CITY, circa 1985) and new computer graphics by my good friend, artist and actor Phillip Thies. Lastly, I would comment on two things: [1] This show was presented in 1986 before we had the internet through which today there is a great deal of information about Charles Manson, his vocal style, his overall demeanor, etc . . . information that simply wasn't available to the masses at the time of this show. When I wrote, "Piggie, Piggie, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb", I had a few books, a couple of movies on VHS and one magazine interview with Manson . . . At that time, there was very, very little video of Manson, himself, that I could watch and absorb. If I'd had a better impression of what Manson was really like, I'd have played the role much differently; and [2] when editing this show for the 2024 release, my personal inexperience as an actor has been realized as blatantly clear. Again, if I'd had more information about Manson's anger, hostility, weird gibberish, strange dancing, overall resentment towards society and, for example , the flat-out violent threats that he became known for, I would have played the role very differently. Many of you who are friends of mine here on FaceBook were involved in "The Manson Family Be-In", which was a very special photo/video shoot held at the Media Arts Center at Wright State University that was designed to capture the look and feel of Family life at the Spahn Movie Ranch. Special thanks goes out to all those people who were there, everyone who did the voice-overs and all the girls who did embroidery on Charlie's vest. The purpose of the show is to pose the question of whether or not Charles Manson and his Family were products of society. Are they? Put your headphones on and play at maximum volume.
This is my One Person Show about Charles Manson called, "Piggie, Piggie, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb" that was performed in the Celebration Theatre at Wright State University on March 11 & 12, 1986. Instead of merely presenting the unedited video exactly as it originally appears, this video is a special, 2024 Director's Cut edition. Please allow me to elaborate:
The standing-room-only performances were presented with a strong influence from noted Russian director Bertolt Brecht (who felt that theatre is a remarkable medium through which society could be improved. For example, he would direct shows with the intent of reminding the audience that they were watching a show); and so accordingly, these unique documentary-type performances utilized two old school slide projectors which were continually changing images throughout the entire show. In the fashion of Brecht, this would constantly remind the audience that they were watching a LIVE theatrical performance.
In the original video tapes, you see long gaps of "dead" space wherein the screen is black, usually during voiceovers or when the camera was jostling between the two screens as the images were ever-changing. The presence of these gaps in "dead" space are what prompted the editing of a new, 2024 Director's Cut, which, to the best of my ability, helped to correct this problem in the original performance tapes. Almost every single slide image from the original performances has been included here, along with new images, new music, new [vintage] video, new sound effects (from my band, IRON CITY, circa 1985) and new computer graphics by my good friend, artist and actor Phillip Thies.
Lastly, I would comment on two things: [1] This show was presented in 1986 before we had the internet through which today there is a great deal of information about Charles Manson, his vocal style, his overall demeanor, etc . . . information that simply wasn't available to the masses at the time of this show. When I wrote, "Piggie, Piggie, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb", I had a few books, a couple of movies on VHS and one magazine interview with Manson . . . At that time, there was very, very little video of Manson, himself, that I could watch and absorb. If I'd had a better impression of what Manson was really like, I'd have played the role much differently; and [2] when editing this show for the 2024 release, my personal inexperience as an actor has been realized as blatantly clear. Again, if I'd had more information about Manson's anger, hostility, weird gibberish, strange dancing, overall resentment towards society and, for example , the flat-out violent threats that he became known for, I would have played the role very differently.
Many of you who are friends of mine here on FaceBook were involved in "The Manson Family Be-In", which was a very special photo/video shoot held at the Media Arts Center at Wright State University that was designed to capture the look and feel of Family life at the Spahn Movie Ranch. Special thanks goes out to all those people who were there, everyone who did the voice-overs and all the girls who did embroidery on Charlie's vest.
The purpose of the show is to pose the question of whether or not Charles Manson and his Family were products of society. Are they? Put your headphones on and play at maximum volume.