Upcoming Events

Sunday, Oct. 11th – 2:00 PM – SMALL THEATER

October Family Matinee – 40th Anniversary!!

LABYRINTH (1986, Columbia/Swank, 101 min.) “Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City,” says resourceful teenage heroine Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) to the King of the Goblins, Jareth (David Bowie, at his most 1980s-fabulous with massive wigs, tons of eyeliner and MTV-era fashions). Director Jim Henson’s much-loved fantasy-adventure follows Sarah as she winds her way through the enchanted, MC Escher-like Labyrinth in search of her missing half-brother, encountering an astonishing gallery of Henson puppet creations along the way: the massive Ludo! the wisecracking Worm! Hoggle! whatever those weird red feathery things are in “Chilly Down”!! Produced by George Lucas and written by Monty Python member Terry Jones, and featuring some of Bowie’s best-loved kid-friendly songs including “Underground” and “Magic Dance.”

Children under the age of 10 admitted free.

$10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Doors open at 1:30 PM, film at 2 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.

Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.

Wed., October 14th – 7:30 PM – SMALL THEATER

Presented with the Festival of Monsters 2026 – UC Santa Cruz THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT (1955, Park Circus, 78 min.).

A trio of British astronauts are launched into space by obsessed rocket scientist Professor Quatermass (Brian Donley) – but only one returns to Earth and he’s not the same, to put it mildly.   One of the finest B&W sci-fi / horror films of the 1950s (a great decade for them in general), THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT also launched Hammer Films into the stratosphere as the UK’s premiere genre producers.  Adapted from a BBC TV serial by the great writer Nigel Kneale and expertly directed by the legendary Val Guest (THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE), THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT was followed by three equally brilliant sequels and turned Professor Bernard Quatermass into one of Britain’s most iconic sci-fi heroes, next to Doctor Who!

Dr. Marshall Leicester will appear at the screening to discuss THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT.

Info on the Festival of Monsters 2026 – UC Santa Cruz:

The Festival of Monsters is an annual gathering of scholars and artists from across the globe who use monsters and monstrosity in their work. Sponsored by the UCSC Center for Monster Studies, the 2026 Festival will be the fifth such event, investigating how monsters and language intertwine with panels on monstrous communication, cursed texts, horror poetry, and more! Not just for academics, the festival features public events in beautiful downtown Santa Cruz for the whole community to enjoy. https://www.monsterstudies.ucsc.edu/2026public

Tickets:  $10 advance / $15 at the door.

Heels & Honey, Santa Cruz's cabaret dance troupe, returns to The 418 Project for its 2026 showcase, Sweet Obsession.

From spotlight-stealing shows to vibe-raising parties, Heels & Honey brings the sugar, the spice, and a whole lotta sparkle: a powerhouse of dancers from Santa Cruz County who light up the stage with fierce energy, elegance, and unforgettable style, in heels, burlesque and belly dance.

Saturday, October 17, 2026. Show 8:00–10:00 PM in the Large Theater. Box office opens at 7:30 PM.

Tickets

• General Admission: $40
• VIP Table: $120. Two prime seats, a Honey Goodie Bag, and an up-close view of the show. Limited.
• Live Link: $20. Watch the performance live from home; the viewing link is emailed on October 17.

Ticket service fees apply. Online sales close at 12:00 PM on the day of the show (2:00 PM for the live link). If tickets remain, they are sold at the door from 7:30 PM.

Get tickets from Heels & Honey

More about the troupe and its classes at heels-and-honey.com and on Instagram.

The Santa Cruz Film Festival returns for its 26th year, October 14–18, 2026, with 75+ independent films at venues across Santa Cruz. The 418 Project hosts nine programmes over three days in the Small Theater: four feature films, including a world premiere, and five shorts blocks.

Founded in 2000, SCFF is an artist-driven, filmmaker-forward festival built around discovery, connection, and a shared love of independent cinema.

Tickets: $10 general admission, $5 students (THE DAO OF THAO: $8 general). Tickets and festival passes are sold by the festival at scff26.eventive.org.

Thursday, October 15

5:00 PM — One Plant

Feature documentary, 92 min. Directed by Jordan Berger. California premiere. A filmmaker and hemp farmer, searching for answers after losing his mother to addiction, travels the country meeting the farmers, scientists and doctors working to bring hemp back.

7:30 PM — Good Grief: Short Films on Letting Go

Shorts programme, 108 min. Drama, documentary and animation about how we remember, let go and keep living: Camino, My Plastic Mother, Life in Death: The Anthropology of Death and Dying, The Six Seconds, Cities Like Oakland, In Between, My Friend the Dandelion.

Friday, October 16

5:00 PM — Through My Board

Feature documentary, 66 min. Directed by Dan Eason. California premiere. A portrait of Paul Johnson, a Black, deaf, lifelong skater who grew up at Portland's Burnside Skatepark, and of friendship, recovery and growing older in the place that made you.

7:00 PM — That's Just Wrong!: Friday Night Comedy Shorts

Shorts programme. Six comedies that go places you were not expecting: The Expiration of Darius Campbell, SANDWICHED, Period Hotline, Knock Out!, AI JESUS, A DUMMY STORY.

9:00 PM — Seven Deadly Shorts: Horror and Thrillers

Shorts programme. Seven horror-comedies, psychological thrillers and body-horror shorts: This Is Book Club, The Music of Anjali Mudra, Mel, Donor, The Sacred Hunger, Intramus, Pigmentosa.

Saturday, October 17

2:30 PM — THE DAO OF THAO

Feature documentary, 70 min. Directed by Khai Thu Nguyen. Follows queer Asian American performer Thao P. Nguyen as she develops a one-woman show in San Francisco with directors W. Kamau Bell and Martha Rynberg.

5:00 PM — What If?: Sci-Fi, Satire, & Strange Futures

Shorts programme. Eight shorts about strange possible futures: Acid City, Us and Them, Morpheus, Reprogrammed, Severed, Addie, Fake News Movie, Homebodies.

7:30 PM — Experimental Shorts

Shorts programme for adventurous viewers: We Didn't Know Why, Meeting with the naked man, OOZING, Devour, NECROPOLIS, Sea What I See, Tamago, Man Eating Pussy.

10:00 PM — MESSIAH INK

Feature comedy, 65 min. World premiere. Directed by the Schmenge Brothers (DNA, Dylan Hillerman and Julia Reodica). Followed by a Q&A moderated by 418 Project Executive Director Dennis Bartok with cast members Toni Nagy, Hannah Marianetti, Curtis Taylor III, Daymon Ferguson and DNA.

The programme is set by the festival and may change. See the full festival schedule and santacruzfilmfestivals.org for every venue.

Thurs., October 22nd – 7:30 PM – SMALL THEATER

Illustrated Lecture by master taxidermist Allis Markham:

The Living Dead: Taxidermy as a Tool for Conservation Education

Join master taxidermist Allis Markham and learn about the art and science of taxidermy. Discover why this “dead art” is very much alive today as a tool for conservation and public education. Allis will talk in-depth about the specifics of taxidermy, show photos of her process, and bring examples of her work for you to view in-person. You will leave with a new understanding of this secretive art and hopefully a new appreciation for its use in museums across the world.

Bio:

Allis Markham is an award-winning taxidermist / Nassologist trained at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. She was named 'Third in the World' at the 2017 World Taxidermy Championships for her African Jacana. Allis is also the 2018 California Champion receiving Judges Choice Best of Show, People's Choice and the Artisan Award from the United Taxidermist Association. She was a seminar instructor on '3D technology in Taxidermy' at the 2019 World Taxidermy Competition.

More recently, Allis has focused on museum work and public education. She is proud to have been an adjunct professor during the 2019 semester at Occidental College teaching taxidermy on behalf of the Biology Department. It is the only taxidermy college course in the country in recent years. Her clients include institutions such as the Natural History Museum of Santa Barbara, Moore Lab of Zoology, The Huntington Library, The Frost Museum of Science, Colorado State University and The Getty. Additionally, she has created commissions for Gucci, The Nomad Hotel, EB Floralsand television shows such as Bates Motel. Allis has also been featured in numerous publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, the cover of LA Weekly and more. You can also watch the critically acclaimed documentary STUFFED which followed her for several years or listen to her Ologies podcast. You can find Allis hunched over a bird, listening to a true crime podcast at Prey Taxidermy, located in Los Angeles, CA. Take one of her classes for yourself at Preytaxidermy.com. Follow her work on Instagram at @allis.

Ticket Price: $15 advance / $20 at the door

The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.

Film Screening + Live Music + Cast Q&A:

THE LOST BOYS: A Celebration of Santa Carla, Santa Cruz, and the People Who Were There

Presented by The 418 Project. Hosted by Jennifer Otter Bickerdike.

In the summer of 1986, Hollywood arrived in Santa Cruz and transformed the town into Santa Carla, the fictional vampire capital of the world.

What followed was The Lost Boys—a film that helped redefine the vampire genre and became one of the most beloved cult classics of all time. Nearly forty years later, its influence can still be seen everywhere from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Twilight and beyond.

Join native Santa Cruzan, bestselling author, BBC broadcaster, and cultural historian Dr. Jennifer Otter Bickerdike and special guest Jamison Newlander, one half of the legendary Frog Brothers, on October 23rd at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project for a celebration of the film, the music, the memories, and the community that helped make movie history.

More than a screening, this special Halloween-season event brings together the people, places, and stories behind the movie that made Santa Cruz immortal.

The evening will feature:

• Special screening of The Lost Boys

• Live music performance celebrating the film's iconic soundtrack by The Dead Cassettes from Salinas!

• An onstage conversation hosted by Dr. Jennifer Otter Bickerdike featuring actor Jamison Newlander (“Alan Frog”) and members of the Santa Cruz community

• Stories and memories from those who experienced the production firsthand

• Rare photographs and ephemera from the summer of 1986

• Special meet-and-greet and signing following the event with Jamison Newlander*.*

• A celebration of the film, the music, the memories, and the town that inspired it all

THE LOST BOYS (1987, Warner Bros./Swank, 97 min.) “I think I should warn you all, when a vampire buys it, it's never a pretty sight. No two bloodsuckers go the same way.” Director Joel Schumacher’s wildly entertaining re-imagining of *Peter Pan follows an uprooted family (Dianne Wiest, Jason Patric, Corey Haim) who move to the gorgeous northern California town of Santa Cruz, er, “Santa Carla” – and quickly discover it’s infested by a gang of motorcycle-riding, glam metal vampires led by Kiefer Sutherland. An amazing time capsule of 80s fashions, music and Santa Cruz locales – Greasy Sax Man! The Boardwalk! The Rob Lowe poster! – THE LOST BOYS has held up astonishingly well, in large part due to the pulpy, comic book tone and a superb cast including Alex Winter, Jamie Gertz, Edward Herrmann, Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander as the Frog Bros., and Barnard Hughes as Grandpa. “You're a vampire, Michael! My own brother, a damn, blood-sucking vampire. You wait 'till mom finds out, buddy!”

Tickets: $35 advance / $45 at the door

Doors open at 7:00 PM, film at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.

Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.

Sat., October 24th – 7:30 PM – SMALL THEATER

A Live Podcast Recording:

SpectreVision Radio Presents: BIGFOOT LIVES! at The 418 Project

He has had many names through time and across cultures: Mawas, Skookum, Grassman, Wood Booger, Skunk Ape, Yowie, Yeti, Sasquatch… BIGFOOT.

Is he an undiscovered hominid hiding in our forests? An ethereal being from another dimension? A figment of the collective imagination? Whatever the answer, reports of encounters with the wild man of North America stretch from the 1800s to today, with “flaps” occurring in states ranging from Pennsylvania to Washington, Florida, and Ohio. But nowhere is this mysterious being more prevalent than in the redwoods of Northern California.

On October 24, SpectreVision Radio’s Daniel Noah will stomp a long and winding forest road to examine the wide swatch of beliefs in, perspectives on, and evidence of this enigmatic creature, featuring a formidable lineup of Bigfoot researchers, documenters and experiencers including Bryce Johnson (Expedition Bigfoot), Ron Morehead (author of Voices in the Wilderness and purveyor of the famous Sierra Sounds recording), Joshua Cutchin and Timothy Renner (Where The Footprints End), professor David Mitchell, M.S., PhD (author of Sasquatch in the Psyche and Assistant Director, Integral Noetic Sciences Program at the California Institute for Human Science), Brett and Jill Eichenberger (A Flash of Beauty: Bigfoot Revealed), and surprise guests.

Bring your Plaster of Paris.

SPECTREVISION

SpectreVision is an independent production group founded in 2010 by Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah. Known for championing distinctive creative voices at the intersection of the arts and the uncanny, the company has produced modern genre classics including A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Mandy, and Color Out of Space. In recent years, they have expanded their reach with several new divisions, including SpectreVision Radio, a podcast network that explores all facets of the esoteric and paranormal; Mutant, an art-driven collectibles brand and record label; High Strangeness, a comic book imprint with Oni Press; and SpectreVision Artists for talent management. Their video game with Ubisoft, Transference, was nominated for D.I.C.E. and Golden Joystick Awards.

SPECTREVISION RADIO

SpectreVision Radio is the podcast network of independent production group SpectreVision, dedicated to the paranormal, the esoteric, and the unexplained. Launched in 2024, the network is home to roughly 62 shows reaching approximately 4.8 million monthly unique users and 10.2 million monthly downloads across audio and video platforms. The network explores everything from high strangeness and ufology to occult history and fringe science, giving voice to experiencers, researchers, and storytellers pushing at the edges of consensus reality.

DANIEL NOAH

Daniel Noah is a filmmaker, programmer, and co-founder of SpectreVision. He has produced, written and/or directed nearly two dozen feature films, including the modern genre classics A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Mandy, and Color Out of Space. He is also on the Board of Directors and a minority owner of Mutant, a boutique record label specializing in art-driven special-edition vinyl and Blu-ray releases. An experiencer and outspoken advocate for the paranormal, Daniel is the founder and Director of SpectreVision Radio, a podcast network dedicated to exploring esoteric and uncanny subjects, and the author of High Strangeness, a comic-book series published by Oni Press dramatizing real-world paranormal encounters. He serves on the advisory boards of the Philosophical Research Society, New Paradigm Institute, Hollywood Disclosure Alliance, El Cine, and the Overlook Film Festival, and is an adjunct professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

BRYCE JOHNSON

Actor, Producer, and Podcaster Bryce Johnson is always looking for his next adventure, whether acting in film and television, voicing characters, pod-casting or hunting down the elusive creature known as Bigfoot, Bryce Johnson is forging new paths in the entertainment industry. His big break came in 1999 when he was cast in Ryan Murphy's freshman creation Popular as sensitive jock Josh Ford. The show endeared itself to fans and critics alike. After only two short years it amassed a cult following and won multiple awards, including 'Choice Breakout Show' at the Teen Choice Awards. Bryce went on to guest star in a number of television's top shows, including Dawson's Creek, Gilmore Girls, and seasoned dramas like Nip/Tuck, Without A Trace, The Mentalist, C.S.I., N.C.I.S., Code Black, The Good Doctor, and many, many more.

Drawn to challenging roles and unconventional stories, Bryce starred in the Sundance hits Harry and Max, written and directed by Sundance veteran Chris Munch, and Sleeping Dogs Lie by Sundance newcomer Bobcat Goldthwait. Bryce and Bobcat have continued working together with Bryce starring in two more of Goldthwait's films, Gob Bless America and Willow Creek. Other memorable roles include Officer Billy Pierce in MTV's Death Valley, Voicing the title character of 'Doctor Strange' in Marvels fully animated Feature of the same name, and Detective Darren Wilden in ABC Family's smash hit Pretty Little Liars. Outside of acting Bryce is the co-creator of the podcast Bigfoot Collectors Club, a weekly paranormal podcast in which amazing guests discuss their personal paranormal histories, followed by a story of high strangeness. Bryce is also the star and producer of Discovery channel's hit show Expedition Bigfoot, in which he put together a team of scientists, experts and researchers in the quest for definitive proof of Bigfoot. Most recent credits include Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, as well as starring in Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3.

Tickets: $15 advance / $20 at the door.

Doors open at 7PM, podcast at 7:30PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.

Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.

Grateful Dead Dance is a community dance night at The 418 Project. A community member DJs the music of the Grateful Dead, and the floor is open to everyone: Deadheads, spinners, and anyone who just wants to move.

Admission is by donation. No partner or experience needed.

Photo: Revisorius, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source). The photo is from a Grateful Dead concert, not from this event.

9:00 PM – 12 Midnight – LARGE THEATER

Live Drag Rave + DJ + Dance Experience

DANCE OR DIE: A DRAG RAVE

What is Dance Or Die? DANCE OR DIE is a community organization, presented under basic principles of movement, creative expression, and community as ways of spiritual enrichment, and seeks to create a safe space for people to express themselves in queer freedom.

What is Dance Or Die: A Drag Rave and what does it look like? DANCE OR DIE: A Drag Rave is Santa Cruz’ largest recurring drag show. It is not just a rave, it is a punk-spirited drag experience. We have a DJ who plays killer music before the show, during intermission, and after the show, this is usually electrifying techno/house. The main show is a drag show, with 5-6 performers total, 2 gogo dancers, and 4 main performers (including Sam Bennaroch, the host, Squeeb), and a guest performer. Main performers plan two performances. Gogos dance to the music before the show, during the intermission, and after the show if they feel like it. Guest performers plan one performance. Before our intermission we have a contest -- previous contests have included: costume, kissing, and dance.

Our crowd is 18+. We tend to appeal to a crowd of Santa Cruzians who do not have access to traditional club spaces and want a place to express themselves, though we see people of all ages.

Get ready for the BIGGEST DRAG EXPERIENCE SANTA CRUZ HAS EVER SEEN, Santa Cruz’ very own hit drag show DANCE OR DIE: A Drag Rave RETURNS to The 418 Project in the large theatre. Get ready for a night of high octane sounds by DJ DEATHTONOKIA, and drag performances from top talent in Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. Leave your life’s problems outside.

Are you ready to get your life?

Follow @wedanceordie and @squeebster for all things DANCE OR DIE!

Tickets: $15 advance / $20 at the door.Click Here For Tickets

Doors open at 9pm at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. The 418 Project complies with local health regulations.

Thurs., November 5th – 7:30 PM [SMALL THEATER]

“CONFESSIONS OF A FILM POSTER ADDICT: From Golden Age Completist to Big Paper Film Classics and Women Leaders Behind the Camera” – Illustrated Lecture with film historian & collector Dwight Cleveland

During his illustrated talk, longtime film historian and poster collector Dwight Cleveland will walk us through his 50-year collecting odyssey, sharing images from around the world hoping to energize our aesthetic and awareness of why these fragile paper posters are important documents of U.S. cultural and cinema history. He will focus on the often-overlooked and under-recognized women of Silent Era (directors, writers and producers) who played leadership roles and were essential to development of the cinema business as we know it today.

Dwight will have limited copies of his book "CINEMA ON PAPER: the Graphic Genius of Movie Posters" available for purchase and signing at the event.

Bio:

Dwight started collecting film posters as a high-school senior in 1977 and has owned more than 250,000. In 2016, he sold his archive which represented 115 years of film history and was comprised of over 45,000 items. There were posters from 58 countries and all 83 "Best Picture" Academy Award Winners. Dwight wrote the first article on film posters to appear in a major arts publication, The Antique Trader, in 1981 while a student at Columbia College in New York. Since then he has published books on various categories of his personal collection including 1920's and 1930's lobby cards, big paper representations from famous titles, and as varied as Mexican Golden-Age Diva María Félix. He has lent images to newspapers, magazines and books over the years including Light + Noir: Exiles and Émigrés in Hollywood, 1933-1950 at the Chicago Holocaust Museum. His first exhibition was at the 2014 Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival. He has donated significant posters to institutions around the United States including the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, the Library of Congress, and to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. And among those internationally, the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum at the University of Exeter.

In July 2019, a portion of Dwight's collection was displayed at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida. The exhibit, titled Coming Soon: Film Posters from the Dwight M. Cleveland Collection, included over 200 rare posters (and 1,250 movie 'Coming Attraction' glass slides) that span across multiple film genres from the early 20th century to the late 1980s. The exhibit ran from July 12 through October 29, 2019. Dwight's book, CINEMA ON PAPER: the Graphic Genius of Movie Posters was published by Assouline in 2019. Ben Mankiewicz, host of Turner Classic Movies and grandson of Herman J. Mankiewicz screenwriter of CITIZEN KANE (1941), wrote the foreword.

Dwight’s latest collection is comprised of over 10,000 silent film lobby cards focused on films relating to the careers of over 1,000 women whose careers have heretofore gone unnoticed and unrecognized. This collection was on exhibition under the title Behind the Camera: The Unknown Women of Hollywood at Poster House in New York City from April 7th thru October 9th, 2022. In March 2024, Cleveland organized his sample collection of lobby cards in Glamour & Grace: The Anna May Wong Legacy Unveiled, a focused exhibition at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum highlighting the career and cultural impact of the pioneering actress. The show ran from March 1–10, 2024. These were then part of the exhibition Unmasking Anna May Wong at The Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles which ran from May 24, 2024 through April 27, 2025. In 2026, selections from Dwight’s collection of Maria Félix posters were on exhibition at the American University of Paris from March 24 thru April 17. This was the first-ever retrospective on the most recognized Spanish speaking star of the Mexican Golden Age who made 47 films in Argentina, Spain, Italy and France.

Cleveland has been the subject of two episodes on NBC's The Hunt for Amazing Treasure with a story on discovering the earliest known Mickey Mouse poster from Barn Dance (1929) and later a large find of U.S. movie window cards used as insulation in a house built during the early 1930s. He has been interviewed, quoted, in a broad range of news outlets including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Classic Images, Classic Chicago, Movie Collector's World, the Chicago Tribune, The Sun Times, BuzzFeed, The London Independent, Forbes Magazine and The ROBB Report. In 2022, Dwight collaborated with Dartmouth College's Media Ecology Project by allowing them to digitize 10,000 silent lobby cards from his collection as part of the Early Cinema Compendium. Dartmouth received a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant to fund the digitization. MEP is a sustainability project that develops literacies of moving image and visual culture history and functions as a collaborative incubator, fostering new research questions and methods. Those range from traditional arts and humanities close-textual analysis to distant reading, which relies on computational methods to help analyze graphics and visual culture components as data. For his contribution of scale to the project, Dwight was named to the newly created post of Associate Visual Cultural Curator. In 2023, Dwight gave a fellowship to Columbia University in honor of Frederica Sagor Maas which supports historical research on women artists from the 20th century silent film industry. The scholarship cultivates and encourages students’ abilities to preserve the work of female filmmakers, making possible the future expansion of archival resources and exhibits.

Doors open at 7:00 PM, presentation at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.

$10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Sat. November 7th – 7:30 PM – LARGE THEATER

THE ZABRECKY HOUR Magic Show

A Comedy, Magic & Variety Show Like No Other with Rob Zabrecky

"Zabrecky - the name means 'Abracadabra,' sideways" - LA Weekly

Prepare to step into a world where the boundaries of magic, comedy, and performance art blur beyond recognition. Rob Zabrecky’s The Zabrecky Hour is an astonishing, one-man tour de force that brings audiences face-to-face with a unique brand of storytelling, offbeat humor, and mind-bending illusions. It’s less a show and more an experience — one that feels like it’s been lifted straight from the strangest corners of your imagination.

If David Lynch turned his attention to the art of illusion, The Zabrecky Hour might just be the result: a fusion of the bizarre, the beautiful, and the unsettling. Onstage, Zabrecky is a figure both distant and magnetic, pulling you into his off-kilter universe with equal parts warmth and coldness. His magic isn’t just for magic lovers — it’s for those who don’t even realize they’re fans of magic.

Zabrecky’s absurd, often chilling persona plays like a character out of a lost 1950s sci-fi/horror B-movie. He's an alien from a bygone era, attempting — and often failing — to relate to the world around him. His charm lies in this dissonance, this tension between the familiar and the utterly unfamiliar. The result? A show that’s at once unnerving and irresistibly engaging.

Zabrecky’s magic breaks the mold in ways that will have you questioning your very perception of reality. Each moment unfolds with a subtle complexity that pushes the limits of your expectations. His performances are at times unpredictable, and darkly humorous. And when you least expect it, the show morphs into a strange reverie, an altered state where magic is more about emotional resonance than mere illusion. With The Zabrecky Hour, you're not just watching magic — you're being transformed by it.

A six-time award-winning act at the Magic Castle, Zabrecky’s reputation for unflinchingly original performances has earned him accolades worldwide. Critics have taken note — including the Chicago Tribune, which declared in 2022: "Zabrecky is very funny, assuming you like your humor cynical and caustic, akin to a horror show of a bygone age. His improvisational genius, mixed with a penchant for pushing boundaries, makes every moment a dangerous gamble."

The show’s eclectic mix — a dose of comedy, a sprinkle of song & dance, a touch of parapsychology, and a dash of audience interaction — all serves to create an unpredictable, one-of-a-kind atmosphere. This is magic for the adventurous soul, a performance that dances between darkness and whimsy with effortless ease.

Zabrecky’s dry wit and deadpan delivery add to the allure. Think Steven Wright’s absurdist humor meets Robert Bloch's eerie storytelling, laced with the offbeat awkwardness of Emo Phillips and the suspense of Hitchcock. His dry, quirky punchlines deliver the goods, pushing everything just far enough into the absurd to keep you hooked. After an appearance on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us, even Penn Jillette remarked, “We were trying to think if there’s ever been a mentalist doing a mentalist act that was sincerely funny and sincerely good. You may be the first ever.”

In The Zabrecky Hour, nothing is predictable — except for one thing: You’ll never forget it.

Running Time: Approximately 60/70 Minutes

Tickets: $25 advance / $30 at the door

Doors open at 7 PM, show begins at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate.

Sunday, Nov. 8th – 5:00 PM – SMALL THEATER

New Indie Comedy – Santa Cruz Premiere - Cast Q&A!

THE BIG WHOOP (2025, 88 min., dir. Lisa Satriano).

“The Big Whoop is a hilarious clown caper that made me laugh my socks off. If you’ve found them, will you return them to me, please?” – Eric Idle of Monty Python

“Hilarity battles sadness and, as usual, we all win.” – Patton Oswalt

“Sam Beckett meets Sam Shepard meets Sam Kinison meets ‘What the Sam Hill is this?’” – Jay Martel, head writer of Key & Peele

“Clowns used to make the world laugh. Now they make the world scream.” A trio of desperately out-of-work birthday party clowns, including an Emmett Kelly-wannabe-but-never-will-be, Big Bugs (beloved comedian Jim Turner, MTV’s Randee of the Redwoods), the unintelligibly mumbling Corky (Mark Fite), and the equally-unintelligible Swedish butler, Gustav (Dave “Gruber” Allen), find themselves losing out on jobs to a much younger, sexier and well, better, clown named Darius (Shin Lim). After screwing up their latest gig in spectacular fashion, they go on the run with an accidentally-stolen artifact, pursued by a ruthless thief (Samantha Cole) and cross paths with a Who’s Who of comedy legends including Sandra Oh and Penn Jillette (who co-produced the film with Kristy Pitchford). In the spirit of classic slapstick farces like Peter Seller’s THE PINK PANTHER films and Arthur Hiller’s THE IN-LAWS, THE BIG WHOOP is a dark indie comedy that is both a hilarious and hilariously-tragic portrait of the trials & tribulations of three working (er, barely) comedians.

Bios:

Mark Fite is an L.A. based actor and comedian. Originally from the Midwest, Fite received a B.A. in Communications and Theatre Arts from the University of Iowa. In Los Angeles he's worked in theatre, film, tv, animation, commercials, and comedy for 35 years. Film & TV credits include MOM, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., SpongeBob SquarePants (25 episodes), Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Mr. Show, NewsRadio, Friends, Seinfeld, Embattled, Independence Day, Godzilla, and The Big Whoop.

Dave (Gruber) Allen has appeared as a long-haired, bearded weirdo in all sorts of TV programs (like “Freaks & Geeks” and “Gilmore Girls”) and some movies (“Bad Teacher”). He lives in Salt Lake City.

Jim Turner spent seven years as a series regular on HBO's hit show ARLI$$, playing Kirby Carlisle, the ex-quarterback with a gambling/girls/booze and self-esteem problem.

Film credits include Bewitched, Kicking & Screaming, Meet Dave, Golf In The Kingdom, The Ref, Lost Boys, The Right Stuff, Joe's Apartment and a gob of others that will never even seen the light of straight-to-video day. He appeared regularly, and ran for President, on MTV as Randee of the Redwoods in 1988. Theater credits include Girly Magazine Party, Clowntown City Limits ,The Return of Pinocchio, The Brain That Wouldn't Go Away, and 2 Headed Dog. He's been a charter member of Duck’s Breath Mystery Theater for the past 50 years.

Steven Banks is the Emmy nominated head writer of SpongeBob Squarepants. He wrote and starred in the one-person show, Home Entertainment Center, currently on Amazon Prime. Other plays include Love Tapes, co-written with Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) and Shadowland, which he co-wrote with the dance/theater company Pilobolus and has been performed in 40 countries. His books include the series Middle School Bites and the YA novel, King of the Creeps. Steven is a drop out of Los Angeles City College and a graduate of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey’s Clown College.

Lisa Satriano is a filmmaker with 30 years of experience spanning directing, producing, and first assistant directing across studio features and premium television. Recently announced in Deadline, Lisa will direct "Iris," a female-led noir action film shooting in Spain and Japan. Her directorial work includes the independent feature "The Big Whoop," ABC's "The Wonder Years," and HBO's "Made For Love." As a Producer and 1st A.D., Lisa has contributed to over 50 studio productions, including "Ally Clark" (directed by Phillip Noyce), "Animals" (Ben Affleck), "Artificial" (Luca Guadagnino), Eli Roth's "Borderlands," Lee Daniels' "The Deliverance," "Black Adam," "Thor: Ragnarok," "Black Panther," "Straight Outta Compton," and many more.

Discussion following with cast members Jim Turner, Mark Fite and Dave (Gruber) Allen and writer Steve Banks.

Tickets: $10 advance / $15 at the door.

Doors open at 4:30 PM, film at 5 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.

LA HAINE (1995, Janus Films, 97 min. Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz)

Mathieu Kassovitz took the film world by storm with LA HAINE, a gritty, unsettling, and visually explosive look at the racial and cultural volatility in modern-day France, specifically the low-income banlieue districts on Paris’s outskirts. Aimlessly passing their days in the concrete environs of their dead-end suburbia, Vinz (the great Vincent Cassel, from IRREVERSIBLE and BLACK SWAN), Hubert (Hubert Koundé), and Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui)—a Jew, an African, and an Arab—give human faces to France’s immigrant populations, their bristling resentment at their marginalization slowly simmering until it reaches a climactic boiling point. A work of tough beauty, La haine is a landmark of contemporary French cinema and a gripping reflection of its country’s ongoing identity crisis – notes courtesy of Janus Films.

Discussion following moderated by The 418 Project board member Amber Wyld and special guests on issues raised by LA HAINE on racism and identity, financial hardship, alienation, and immigrant communities being terrorized by law enforcement.

Tickets: $10 advance / $15 at the door.

The Night Agents aren’t just a band—they are the ultimate social dance party. Founded by Jeremy Pilling, professional dancer and owner of the Palomar Ballroom, the group was built with a singular mission: to create a cover band that would keep the dance floor packed all night long. Not only can you freestyle to every song, but you can partner dance to every song, something unique to their band.

Fronted by the suave male & female lead duo, they deliver an authentic multi-decade, multi-genre experience few bands can match. This intriguing 5-piece band moves effortlessly through rock, pop, hip-hop, and disco. From the grit of ZZ Top and the groove of Michael Jackson to the flow of Young MC and the pure pop of ABBA, the momentum is dramatic and energetic.

Whether you’re looking to West Coast Swing to a modern groove, East Coast Swing to a classic rock hit, or just freestyle to the 70s–2000s, the energy never stops. If you're ready to dance through the decades, they are ready to play.

Evening Schedule

• 7:00 PM – Dance Class: Kick off the evening with a fun, accessible dance class designed to get everyone moving and comfortable on the floor (dance style and instructor TBA).
• 8:00 PM – Live Social Dance with The Night Agents: High-energy live sets taking you through decades of hits. Partner dancing and freestyle are both welcome and encouraged all night long!

The Night Agents Band

• Jeremy Pilling – Vocals, Guitar, Keys
• Maddie Partida – Vocals, Keys
• Jory Rice – Lead Guitar
• Paul Francisco Gonzalez – Bass
• Zephyr Christenson – Drums

Esalen Institute Presents:

HUMAN FUTURES: PRESERVING HUMAN POTENTIAL IN THE AGE OF AI– Illustrated lecture by Esalen’s Sam Stern

Artificial intelligence can be extraordinarily useful, creative, and powerful. As it becomes more deeply embedded in our lives, however, it also raises questions about what we may be outsourcing, weakening, or losing along the way.

Drawing from his work at the Esalen Institute and the history of the human potential movement, Sam Stern considers the history of the Human Potential Movement: the enduring importance of embodiment, authentic relationship, community, somatics, agency, creativity, and direct experience — qualities that may become more valuable, not less, as intelligent machines become more capable.

Bio: Sam Stern is a Senior Content Creator at Esalen Institute and host of the million-download podcast Voices of Esalen, where he’s interviewed voices shaping psychology, spirituality, and culture, including Sonya Renee Taylor, Richard Schwartz, Michael Pollan, Bayo Akomolafe, and Stanislav Grof. Sam is a cum laude graduate of Brown University, where he received the William J. Weston Award for excellence in Film and Video. At Esalen, he frequently teaches on human-centered AI, guiding others to approach emergent technologies with curiosity, critical thinking, and play.

Tickets: $15 advance / $20 at the door.