Events

If you’re a fan of John Waters, you’ve inevitably heard of his ragtag group of filthy misfits…The Dreamlanders! The Pope of Filth often called upon his local Baltimore-based friends to serve as regular cast and crew for his most famous films: from Mondo Trasho, Pink Flamingos, Multiple Maniacs, and Desperate Living, to Hairspray, Serial Mom, Pecker – and everything in between. This is a rare opportunity to hear sordid, behind-the-scenes sauce and ever so dirty details about early films, old Baltimore, and making cutting edge cult flicks before it was cool.

The Return to Dreamland panel will include Susan Lowe (Desperate Living), George Figgs (Multiple Maniacs) and George Stover (Desperate Living).  Moderated by Dreamlander Super fan Gloria Gardenburger, you’ll have a chance to have your burning questions answered during Q&A after the panel discussion. And you won’t want to miss our Mortville Makeover contest hosted by Gloria Gardenburger and Auntie Pickles and judged by our panel!

George Figgs:

George Figgs is an artist, actor, musician, activist, projectionist – and all-around Baltimore badass. He first worked with John on “Eat Your Makeup” and “Mondo Trasho”, and arranged for the first public showing of John Waters films “Hag in a Black Leather Jacket” and “Roman Candles.”  In the 70s, George split his time between NYC and Baltimore, recording an album and touring with his band, joining T Bone Walker Band on blues harp, returning to Charm City to  shoot classics such as  “Multiple Maniacs”, “Female Trouble”, and “Desperate Living”. He worked on the set of Polyester, and joined Pat Moran and the crew at The Charles Theater as assistant manager and Projectionist until 1987. Later, George transitioned to the Orpheum Cinema in Fells Point, and joined the IATSE Projectionist union, at which point he began to run Dailies for major pictures shooting in Baltimore – such as  Sleepless In Seattle, Guarding Tess, and Major League II.  The Poe Mystery, an analysis/re-enactment screenplay of the two years of Poe’s life and mysterious death, was completed in 2009.

George has always been a painter, with work in demand from collectors and shown at the American Visionary Art Museum.  From burning his draft card in 1965 to linking arms, laying in the middle of Pratt Street to stop traffic for the Freddie Gray Protestors during the Baltimore Uprising, George is a lifelong activist and advocate. He still lives and paints in Baltimore.

George Stover:

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, George Stover became a movie buff at an early age. He acted in community theatre before eventually making his motion-picture debut in John Waters’ “Female Trouble” as the prison chaplain who escorts Divine to the electric chair. Soon after that, Stover made his science-fiction movie debut in Don Dohler’s “The Alien Factor”, regarded as the first science-fiction movie filmed in Maryland. Since then, George has  had additional speaking parts in such films as John Waters’ “Desperate Living”, as well as in “Fiend”, “Nightbeast”,  “The Galaxy Invader”, “What Happens next will scare you” and many , many more. George also played murder victim Kevin Lugo in a fourth season episode of “Homicide” entitled “The Wedding.” George still lives and acts in Baltimore.

Susan Lowe:

Susan Lowe is an American actress, educator and artist who played roles in ten of John Waters’ films, including Multiple Maniacs, Female Trouble, Polyester, Hairspray, Cry-Baby, Serial Mom, Perker, and Cecil B. DeMented. As a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art, she became friends with the legendary Divine and other Dreamlanders. In her first role with Waters, Susan portrayed an asylum inmate in Mondo Trasho. She continued to play bit parts in many of his films, and is best know for playing Mole McHenry, the ultra-butch bleach blonde lesbian in Desperate Living. Susan lives in Baltimore and works as an artist and from time to time teaches art at The Creative Alliance.