The community that grew up around Public Displays of Altadena lost its tiny home in the Eaton Fire, but not its appetite for getting onstage. On Monday, June 15 at 2 p.m., that scene reconvenes for a free, all-ages Monday Mic and Dance Party, presented by Altadena Musicians together with Public Displays of Altadena at the Altadena Music Center, 1260 Lincoln Ave., No. 1300, in Altadena.
Headlining is Maria Bamford, the Altadena resident whose surreal, fearless stand-up has made her one of the most admired comedians working today. An actor and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir “Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult,” Bamford filmed her sixth stand-up special at the micro-theater before the fire and has become a tireless champion of the space and the artists it nurtured. She is joined by comedian and writer Melinda Hill for an afternoon that promises an open-mic spirit and, true to its name, a dance party.
Public Displays of Altadena, known affectionately as PDA, was a 40-seat “micro-theater” tucked into a Fair Oaks Avenue strip mall, a daringly do-it-yourself space for comedy, music and performance that drew big names and first-timers alike before the January 2025 fire destroyed it. Co-founders Claire Woolner and Kevin Krieger have been rebuilding ever since, staging shows in borrowed rooms while raising funds to bring the theater back.
A Monday matinee of comedy and dancing fits the project’s ethos — joyful, scrappy and rooted in a neighborhood still finding its footing.
Monday Mic and Dance Party will run on Monday, June 15 at 2 p.m. at the Altadena Music Center, 1260 Lincoln Ave., No. 1300, Altadena. Free for all ages. Registration recommended for free tickets.
