Interview: David Mills Finds Resilience Through Humor in STAY LOST at Pangea

Comedic cabaret artist David Mills is back at Pangea with a brand new show, Stay Lost, which opened on September 21 and continues this Saturday September 28 at 9:30 pm. (If you miss it this weekend, it will also play October 19 and 26, and November 16 and 23, all at 9:30 pm.

A mash-up of storytelling, stand-up and subversive cabaret, Stay Lost looks to the explosive 1990’s New York solo performance scene for inspiration. Echoes of Eric Bogosian, Sandra Bernhart, Whoopi Goldberg and art star Penny Arcade pulse through Mills’ hilariously provocative monologues and surprising song interpretations. (Expect individual takes on the blues, classic American songbook, indie pop, gospel and spooky
folk songs.)

In Stay Lost, Mills explores uproarious yet uncomfortable themes of contemporary life – broken dreams, disappearing freedoms, casual violence and the tyranny of empty social media culture. All come in for ruthless skewering by Mills’ signature, coruscating wit. His own flaws – shared by so many of his gay contemporaries – receive the harshest critique of all, a well-deserved, rip-roaring roasting just as Gen X assumes cultural dominance.

Finally, in Stay Lost, Mills strives to make sense of this terrifying moment. How do we mourn what we’re losing? How do we celebrate what’s coming? Stay Lost is ultimately, a powerful and hilarious tribute to resilience and perseverance an urgent plea to ‘keep going’.

BroadwayWorld’s Stephen Mosher called Mills’ previous show, ‘Bitter Endings’ ‘…blisteringly smart, achingly funny, uncompromisingly bold,
staunchly unapologetic, blissfully original and completely, totally, absolutely enjoyable. One of the most flawlessly constructed nights of comedy one is likely to see.’

Below, read a conversation with Mills about Stay Lost.

How does it feel to be back at Pangea?

I’m so thrilled to be back at Pangea with this new show. I had such a great time with

‘glamour + despair’, my 2023 run at Pangea. 

Now I’m really working hard to stretch myself as an artist and a performer. I’m taking a lot of risks with STAY LOST and hopefully taking the audience on a real journey. All I can say is ‘strap in,’ people. It’s a pretty wild ride. 

How did the first show of this run go?

It went great. Of course, you can never know how the material is going to land until you get it in front of an audience. Let’s just say I was pleased with the response.  Everything I do is a real collaboration with my pianist, Jody Shelton, and we never stop evolving the material. Each show helps us understand what needs to change. We’ll be continuing to polish and evolve the show in between performances. It’s really an ongoing creative journey. 

What was the process of writing STAY LOST like?

I really try to be like the ‘radar’ they’re always referring to in adventure and sci-fi films. ‘What’s the radar picking up?’ I’m inspired by what’s in the ether. What are people talking about? What’s happening in the culture? How can I write material, choose songs that illuminate contemporary themes? Of course, this approach finds me on the internet way too much. Uggh. But media, culture, the world around us - that’s always where I go for inspiration. So it won’t surprise you that this show gets pretty dark! 

Who should come see this show?

Of course I want everyone to come. But it’s not fizzy ‘American songbook’. It’s much more wry and even cynical. Not hopeless, but definitely critical about the moment. At the same time, it’s funny. I mean what else is there to do in times like this but laugh, right? 

For the cabaret portion of the show, is there a particular song you can tease?

I’d rather not mention song titles but let’s just say Willie Nelson and Buffy Sainte-Marie figure prominently. 

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I’d just like to say ‘thank you’ to BroadwayWorld and anyone really who supports alternative comedy and cabaret. We’re the ‘outsiders among outsiders’, creating work that doesn’t fit easily into any category. STAY LOST is a mix of stand-up, monologue, cabaret - but mostly it’s a provocative look at the moment we’re living in and a tribute to our collective resilience.  Times may be dark but we’re in this together. 

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Tickets to STAY LOST are available on Pangea’s website. The next performance will be Saturday September 28 at 9:30 pm. It will also play October 19 & 26 at 9:30PM and November 16 & 23 @ 9:30PM.

Follow David Mills on Instagram @DavidMillsDept and on Substack.

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