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Life of Steve Jobs to be a play


The Berkeley Repertory Theater is producing a play titled The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.

The play will be a monologue monologuist piece that "dives into the epic story of a real-life Willy Wonka whose personal obsessions profoundly affect our everyday lives" The play isn't all roses in it's portrayal of Jobs, though. It follows the trail to China where millions toil in factories to create iPhones and iPods – something Apple has been under pressure for lately.

The play's monologue is written by and staring Mike Daisey. Daisey is best known for leaving Amazon to become an actor. In 2001 his book 21 Dog Years, an account of his time working for Amazon.com during the dotcom boom years, thrust him into the limelight

The play will run from January 14 to February 27, 2011 and is directed by Jean-Michele Gregory.

UPDATE: I have corrected the piece after speaking with Mike Daisey. He is a monologuist, so he doesn't play people - he does a monologue about them. "The monologue is about Steve Jobs, industrial design, Apple, and is woven against where our tecnology is made, and at what cost," Mike told me.

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The Berkeley Repertory Theater is producing a play titled The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. The play will be a monologue...
 

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MG

It is spelled Berkeley.

March 06 2010 at 7:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
c.d.miller

Mike Daisey might be staring during his monologue, but I think the author meant he will be "starring" in the play/monologue.

Just to pick a nit.

March 05 2010 at 12:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
glad

its a monologue you dont have to look anything like the person

March 05 2010 at 7:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
howie

I'm going to be really mean here and point out that this guy is FAT. The performer could at least look similar to Steve!

March 04 2010 at 6:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to howie's comment
andrewkircher

Not only is your comment ignorant (read the above clarification that Mike does not play the part of his subject), it is the kind of drivel I'd expect from an ill-mannered child. Mike is an amazing writer / performer. I count myself lucky to have seen so much of his work. Tech enthusiasts should be thrilled that someone is telling their stories in the theatre.

March 04 2010 at 8:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve

I'm going to be really mean here and point out that you are an idiot. Thanks for sharing your bigoted, ignorant opinions with the world.

I also want to apologize on behalf of the entire world. We are all very sorry we can't be as perfect as you are. As always, we will continue to strive to your greatness.

As for the monologist, even if he WERE playing Steve, who the hell cares if he looks like him? If it's funny, or entertaining, that's all that matters.

I love the "idiot side" of the internet.

March 05 2010 at 12:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Will Clarke

Mr. Daisey, if that's really you, I wanted to say I loved The Last Cargo Cult and really look forward to this project. Come back to the Woolly Mammoth if you can!

March 04 2010 at 3:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Will Clarke's comment
Colin Scattergood

Probably was him, directly from his site, check number 2:

IF YOU ARE A TECH JOURNALIST WRITING ABOUT THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY OF STEVE JOBS:

1) My last name is spelled Daisey.

2) I will not be playing the "role" of Steve Jobs. The monologue concerns Steve Jobs' rise and fall and rise, Apple, industrial design, and the human price we are willing to pay for our technology, woven together in a complex narrative. I play no one but myself, speaking to the audience.

3) I'm a monologuist. What I perform is a monologue, not a play.

4) You can visit wikipedia, or use google, and even some of the links on this site to quickly get a sense of my work.

5) This one is for the old-schoolers: If you cut me, I always bleed six colors.

March 04 2010 at 3:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike c

Anything to sell a ticket

March 04 2010 at 3:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mrmister

Mike Daisey here. I just wanted to clarify that I'm a monologuist--you can check my wikipedia page for details--so I don't "play" people--I do a monologue about L. Ron Hubbard, but I do not play Hubbard, for example. And I perform a monologue about Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, and don't "become" either of those people.

Similarly I will not be playing Jobs--the monologue is about Steve Jobs, industrial design, Apple, and is woven against where our tecnology is made, and at what cost. So if you'd please use a different graphic than the image of me with an arrow indicating Steve Jobs, that would be much more accurate.

Best,

md

March 04 2010 at 3:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
matt

Mike Daisy rules! I saw three of his shows a couple years ago, and they were fantastic!

March 04 2010 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
chad

obviously portraying Jobs before his bout with cancer...

March 04 2010 at 2:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to chad's comment
awundrin

Ha ha...this is entertainment? How much are the tickets?

March 04 2010 at 2:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ed

Millions. Haha.

March 04 2010 at 2:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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