You Think You Got Problems?
I'm 3 days away from opening on a production of 'Grease,' I find out: I don't have the rights. This is nothing.
dictated but not read
I’m very pleased to announce that I have acquired the stage rights to Elliott Kalan and Tim Miller’s Sadie Mouse Wrecks the House and am turning it into a musical for Adventure Theatre MTC.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Elliott “Two Ts” Kalan for a few years now since he was a guest on The Original Cast. His previous children’s books, Horse Meets Dog (also illustrated by Tim Miller) and Shark and Hippo, have been staples in our house. So when I he announced Sadie Mouse Wrecks the House on (one of) his podcast(s), The Flop House, I immediately grabbed a copy.
Aside from the fun of it, I was struck by the character of Sadie. A young mouse who just wants to do a very basic thing but is actively thwarted by her brother for no apparent reason until she snaps. I immediately thought it would make a great show. One where the pressures that young people (specifically women) put on themselves to be “good” can be laid bare for parents and kids to see for what it really is.
Some time in 2026, there will be a workshop presentation of the show and then (hopefully) a fully-staged production in 2027. I won’t be dropping regular updates until the workshop is announced but I’m very excited to have a comission from Adventure Theatre again and can’t wait for you all to see the show!
- Patrick, 11/5/25
p.s.: Through the years, I’ve also gotten to know Elliott’s cohosts on The Flop House podcast, Dan McCoy and Stuart Wellington. I love hitting up Stu’s bar Hinterlands when I’m in New York. And you can listen to all three of their episodes of The Original Cast at this handy-dandy link: Unknown Penguin Dot Com Slash Flop.
now playing
The Ferberizing of Coral
I can put it in “Now Playing” because it is PLAYINGH NOW. As in TODAY. Screening during Short Film Block B at 1:00pm TODAY (November 5) at the Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival.
Talk to You Later
We’ve begun our penultimate month! Only thirty-six (36) episodes left dropping every Monday-Friday from now until December 19th (nineteenth) on one of these fine platforms:
TikTok: @unkn0wnp3ngu1n
Instagram: @unknownpenguin
YouTube: @unknownpenguin
live on stage
Tinker Bell
available through Dramatic Publishing
Harlem High School (Machesney Park, IL) - November 6-8
Linden Hall School for Girls (Lititz, PA) - November 6-8
Hughesville JSHS (Hughesville, PA) - November 14-16
DeSales University (Center Valley, PA) - March 17-April 7, 2026
The Velveteen Rabbit: A Toy Story
available through Theatrical Rights Worldwide
Paschal High School (Fort Worth, TX) - November 6-7
Lindhurst High School (Olivehurst, CA) - November 19-21
from the vault
The Most Horrible Day of my Life.
I’m putting the text before the video because this one requires some explanation.
On or about my 28th birthday, David Cook bested David Archuleta and was crowned the season 7 champion of American Idol. A few days later, the following video hit YouTube. (Watch then keep reading.)
This video was a big hit among me and my friends at Comedy Sportz LA. And after the election of Barack Obama, we gathered at my Park La Brea townhouse and filmed the below using a mirrored video playback.
Shortly after this, the original came down and then was reposted. No idea why.
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