Daisey melds Melville saga, ‘Star Trek II’ to create ‘Wrath of Moby Dick’

Storyteller Mike Daisey takes on Herman Melville’s masterpiece of revenge, fate and whaling terminology in a hilarious 90-minute monologue at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine.

Daisey, who was born in Fort Kent and graduated from Nokomis Regional High School and Colby College, weaves together Melville’s epic “Moby-Dick” saga with “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” to create “Kahn and the Whale: The Wrath of Moby Dick.”

Ornate nautical slip knots, space worms that crawl into your ears, tattooed harpooners and Ricardo Montalban’s Corinthian leather chest all combine with Melville’s gorgeous language for a sweeping story of revenge and at what temperature that dish is best served. (Spoiler alert: The answer is “cold.” Also: Whale wins.)

Daisey’s monologues combine autobiography, gonzo journalism and unscripted performance. His stories cut to the bone and expose secret histories and unexpected connections. He’s been a guest on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the “Late Show with David Letterman” and a host and storyteller for “The Moth,” as well as a commentator and contributor to “The New York Times,” “The Guardian,” “Harper’s Magazine,” “NPR” and the “BBC.”

Tickets are $20 for all seats, $7 for K–12 students. For more information and tickets, visit collinscenterforthearts.com. Also, for tickets and to request a disability accommodation, call 207.581.1755, Orders that include student tickets must be purchased in person or by phone and picked up at the box office the night of the show.