When Mike Daisey gets an idea, he must see it through to fruition. So if that means going to the opposite side of the planet to watch a religious celebration performed by a South Pacific tribal society in order to write a one-man show about it, so be it.
Daisey, a playwright, author, monologuist and Maine native, will perform the piece that grew out of that experience, “The Last Cargo Cult,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, at the Bangor Opera House, as the opening play of the Penobscot Theatre Company’s Northern Writes Play Festival, which runs through July 3.
Daisey became obsessed with cargo cults, a phenomenon in certain South Pacific societies, in which tribe members worship “cargo,” or the material wealth possessed by the colonizing cultures that come to their islands. They believe that the cargo of the non-native cultures has been created by spiritual means, and they seek to obtain that cargo through magical and religious practices and rituals.
“This fall, I read that this particular cargo cult, on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, was really one of the last surviving cargo cults,” said Daisey. “They have this big celebration on February 15 of each year, in which they tell the history of America as they knew it to be, through dance and music.”
Unable to get the idea out of his head, Daisey traveled to Vanuatu to see the celebration. From his experiences, Daisey put together “The Last Cargo Cult,” an exploration on the culture of the people in the cargo cult, on what money does to a society and on what it means for something to be valuable. Such a dialogue is made all the more important by the current economic climate.
“It’s a synthesis of two ideas,” explained Daisey. “There’s the island and its culture, and how it seems so alien to us. And then there’s our relationship with money, which is sort of our own cargo cult. It’s a religion of belief and trust in money. The thing that enables money to exist is that we all agree that it has value. The show is largely about that.”
Daisey doesn’t write scripted monologues — his performances are based on a few concrete ideas, which Daisey then explores in a free-flowing, often funny, always deeply intelligent way.
“I create an outline, and go from there. It’s extemporaneous in nature,” said Daisey. “It changes with each performance. It’s not improv, but the wording and linkages shift each time.”
Several of his previous monologues, such as “How Theater Failed America” and “21 Dog Years: Doing Time at Amazon.com,” have received critical accolades from The New York Times, the New Yorker, Variety and the Boston Globe. Now a New York resident, Daisey was born in Fort Kent, attended high school at Nokomis High School in Newport, and went to Colby College in Waterville. Though he has lived away from Maine for more than 14 years, Daisey, 36, still maintains strong ties and a love for his home state.
“My work is very strongly influenced by growing up in Maine,” said Daisey. “The storytelling traditions combined with my very avid interest in speech and debate in high school certainly contributed to what I do, along with my training in acting.”
His collaboration with the Penobscot Theatre Company is a welcome return to a Maine stage for him — and as the “The Last Cargo Cult” premiered just last week in Washington, D.C., it’s a boon for the PTC to have a brand-new original work make its New England debut.
“I’m just so happy to be back and working in Maine,” said Daisey. “This state figures in my work constantly. It’s almost like a character that occurs again and again. Maine gives me a lot. I still miss it.”
Full schedule for the Northern Writes Play Festival
All performances at the Bangor Opera House; $5 for an individual show, $35 for an all-festival pass.
7 p.m. Wednesday, June 24
“The Last Cargo Cult,” by Mike Daisey (New York)
7 p.m. Thursday, June 25
“Jail Break,” by Kathy Kafer (New York City) — An upper-middle class couple visits the young man they have hired to housesit for them at the Westchester County Jail.
“Forgive and Forgive,” by Rick Doyle (Bucksport) — It’s time to pick up mom from the psychiatric hospital … again.
“Next-Night,” by T.P. Perrin — A calculated attempt to find the middle ground between spoken prose and poetry in a battle of wits.
7 p.m. Friday, June 26
“The Best Place We’ve Ever Lived,” by William Fowkes (New York City) — The exploration of art, love and family life in a violent world. In this fantasy, one family and their clan evolve through the centuries — from ancient Mexico to 18th century Europe and finally to present-day Scarsdale.
2 p.m. Saturday, June 27
“Hail Mary,” by Katherine Roscher (Bangor and New York City) — An absorbing play that explores the dynamics among three sisters. As their future unfolds, they are faced with questions about faith and responsibility within their family, their loved ones and God.
7 p.m. Saturday, June 27
“A Thing of Beauty,” by Mark D. Wyss (Milwaukee) — A dark romantic comedy featuring love, identity and Sinatra.
“Peaches En Regalia,” by Steven A. Lyons (Berkeley, Calif.) — Four strangers at Doug’s Diner are united by the politics of the men’s room, a peach dish, time management and a very special pair of panties.
2 p.m. Sunday, June 28
“Dogs,” by Max Werner (Bangor) — A look at a series of events that lead to the death of a man from Idaho.
“A Good Brain Day,” by Kate Wenner (Massachusetts) — A powerful look at veterans who are suffering with traumatic brain injuries from exposure to IED blasts during the Iraq War.
7 p.m. Tuesday, June 30
“Absinthe,” by Joe Musso (Birmingham, Ala.) — It’s July 1900 and a race riot has engulfed New Orleans, sparked by a black man who has killed two white policemen. Musso is the only playwright who has had work in all three Northern Writes festivals.
7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1
“Aftershock,” by Michael Walker (Sutton, Mass.) — A suspense thriller, which leads to a surprising outcome for a mother and daughter who are trying to build a new life after a car accident takes the life of a young girl.
7 p.m. Thursday, July 2
“Leavetaking,” by Barbara Schweitzer (North Smithfield, R.I.) — Faced with Alzheimer’s disease, George is sent away to be taken care of by his daughter.
“But Not For Lunch,” by Kirk Citron (New York City) — The story of a man who retires earlier than expected, which forces him to reappraise his marriage and his lunch.
7 p.m. Friday, July 3
“Hard Stop,” by Jeremy Sony (Columbus, Ohio) — Five distinct voices take us through a day in the life in the mind of a young man in today’s world.
“Knock and Bicker,” by Nancy Brewka-Clark — A 10-minute play told completely through hysterically composed tongue twisters.
“Parental Consent,” by Sheri Graubert — A short play about politics, family loyalty and self-preservation.
“The Kierkegaard Caper,” by Dan Levinson (Braintree, Mass.) — A noir parody about what it would be like if philosopher Soren Kierkegaard lived among us now — and worked as an existential investigator.
