Outside Talker Press is thrilled to announce ‘Coney Island Crackpots: Six Weird American Plays’ by legendary Coney Island institution Dick D. Zigun.
BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, March 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Outside Talker Press, an imprint of Vaudevisuals Press, is thrilled to announce the 2026 publication of ‘Coney Island Crackpots: Six Weird American Plays‘ by legendary Coney Island institution Dick D. Zigun. Presale begins March 1st—making this the perfect gift for theater lovers, history buffs, and fans of America’s most eccentric cultural traditions.
This provocative collection examines distinctly American obsessions through the vibrant history and unique culture of Coney Island. Developed by Zigun’s Funhouse Philosophers Theater Company, the plays span the early 1900s to the 1950s—from the Amusement Park Workers Union Local 105 meeting wall to the raucous Harvard Inn saloon in 1918, and the boundary-pushing Blue Bird Casino and Tirza’s Wine Bath.
About the Plays The collection explores the chaotic morality that defined Coney Island, where high culture and infamy collide:
• Gorky Denouncing Dreamland (1905): Russian literary giant Maxim Gorky critiques American capitalism, viewing the electrified “city of fire” as a “slimy marsh of glittering boredom” and the “opiate of the people.”
• The Education of Al Capone as if Told by Jimmy Durante: Chronicles teenage Al
Capone’s first job at the Harvard Inn, where he earns the nickname “Scarface” and learns from gangster Frankie Yale—alongside future stars Jimmy Durante and Clara Bow.
• Becoming Bettie Page: The pin-up queen’s discovery on Coney Island beach by NYPD Sergeant/photographer Jerry Tibbs and her journey into burlesque and fetish work.
• Lillie’s World in Wax: Features historical figures from JFK and Martin Luther King, Jr. to notorious criminals, reflecting America’s obsession with mixing celebrity and sensational tragedy. Lillie Santangelo deemed her museum the “greatest resort in the world for poor people,” highlighting Coney Island as keeper of “the people’s culture.”
The book features vibrant historical photographs by Norman Blake showcasing compelling performance shots.
About Dick D. Zigun:
Dick D. Zigun famously proclaimed himself Permanently UnElected Mayor of Coney Island in 1979. His lifelong commitment includes creating the Mermaid Parade, founding Coney Island USA—a landmark arts center—starting a museum, and reviving circus sideshows. A Yale School of Drama graduate, Zigun has received a NYC Acker Award for avant-garde excellence and induction into the Burlesque Hall of Fame and the People’s Hall of Fame. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky praised him as “a large reason Coney Island had a renaissance in the 21st Century.”
Availability:
Coney Island Crackpots: Six Weird American Plays will be available for presale beginning March 1st, 2026 at the http://outsidetalkerpress.com Use code word: CRACKPOTS20 for 20% off cover price. LIMITED TIME ONLY!
Media Contact:
Name: Jim R Moore Outside Talker Press Email: outsidetalkerpress@vaudevisuals.com
Phone: 347-374-8342
James R Moore
Outside Talker Press
jimmoore@vaudevisuals.com
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