MeFi Projects

"The Art of Python" was a miniature arts festival on Friday, May 3rd, at PyCon North America 2019, focusing on narrative, performance, and visual art "that helps us share our emotionally charged experiences of programming (particularly in Python)." It featured 4 short plays, a song, and a video remix. I started and chaired the festival. Then I wrote up a retrospective with photos, discussing why I started "The Art of Python", what led up to it, and how I feel about its future. Since I cannot be one of the co-organizers for "The Art of Python" at PyCon North America in 2020, I’ve also prepared a HOWTO guide for people who want to do this sort of thing in the future. [more inside]
posted by brainwane on Nov 4, 2019 - 0 comments

At the PyGotham 2018 tech conference, Jason Owen and I presented "Python Grab Bag: A Set of Short Plays", inspired by the Neo-Futurists' show "The Infinite Wrench". The 40-minute video is up on YouTube and my blog post links to the script and slides, credits the crew and cast, deep-links to the specific timecodes for individual plays, and gives citations for the references we made. [more inside]
posted by brainwane on Mar 29, 2019 - 1 comment

Your team’s code review practices cause ripple effects far into the future. In this play, see several ways a single code review can go, then fast-forward and rewind to see the effects – on codebase and culture – of different code review approaches. Video recording of a 22-minute play about code review, mentorship, tech management, and regret. Premiered on October 6th, 2017 at PyGotham in New York City. Announcement blog post ("it's Run Lola Run but about code review") and wrapup post (audience responses included "I used to be that reviewer and I'm trying not to be anymore" and "I don't code at all but this is a marvelous management parable").
posted by brainwane on Nov 20, 2017 - 2 comments

I've spent the past 18 months or so slogging away at apprecs.com, an app search engine that can detect review manipulation. You can see the worst offenders here. I posted this back when this was iOS-only, and I'd like to share some major new features I've added. [more inside]
posted by hodgebodge on Oct 20, 2016 - 2 comments

A play I wrote was picked as the third place winner in Rover Dramawerks' First Annual 10 Minute Comedies Festival. They were kind enough to send me a copy of the video they recorded of the show. It's a play about office manners, fate, and snipped neckties.
posted by xingcat on May 4, 2016 - 0 comments

This year, I continued my tradition of producing a festival of holiday plays by new authors, and as the producer, I'm also able to add my own play to the list. This year's play is my attempt at a (short) farce, complete with Santa, some light sexual innuendo, and a squirrel!
posted by xingcat on Jan 6, 2016 - 0 comments

My original 10-minute short play, "Closet," premiered at Acme Theater of Maynard's New Works Winter Festival and won the audience choice award (called the "Charlie"). I am exceptionally proud of this one, especially the performances given by my two leads. Recording is from our technical rehearsal, so you will see and hear a photographer taking publicity shots and there are a couple of edits to remove technical issues. [more inside]
posted by xingcat on Jan 17, 2015 - 2 comments

A short play I wrote for a holiday-themed new works festival. Some of the video quality is a bit shaky, but the whole play is there!
posted by xingcat on Dec 7, 2014 - 0 comments

Ad Astra is the fourth free EP of 2013 from The Harvey Girls. For it we wrote a play depicting a day in the life of an office worker who meets the weirdness and annoyances of the world with imagination. Full of sound effects and songs, the play Ad Astra is an updated radio play of sorts meant to transport the listener from their everyday office (or any other) job. The play includes fellow mefites melissa may and cortex as characters and musicians! The EP is rounded out by the tunes within the play itself, eight in total. So grab it for free at our bandcamp page.
posted by sleepy pete on Dec 3, 2013 - 1 comment

My friend and I have created a 5-part audio drama about how a really bad Hollywood movie gets made. The story is told sequentially, in self-contained 30-minute pieces, from the perspectives of the writers, the producer, the script supervisor, the van driver, the assistant editor, and an audience member after the movie comes out. The first 30-minute piece took six months to produce (in our spare time with even sparer money), but I’m happy with how it turned out. We’re trying to decide if we want to record the rest of the episodes. I’m for it (as is the cast, etc.) but my friend’s not sure if people will be interested in listening to something like this. We would love any feedback you have to offer. Thank you! [more inside]
posted by Kloryne on Sep 15, 2011 - 0 comments

Oahu Mefites, if you're interested in seeing a circus-themed interbellum all-girl rhyming verse burlesque performance art musical based loosely on medieval morality plays, this weekend and next are your opportunity to do so.
posted by kyrademon on Apr 7, 2011 - 2 comments