It is with great sadness that we share the news that Michael McElligott, an event producer, thespian, writer, long-time Long Now staff member, and relentless promoter of the San Francisco avant-garde, has died. He was 50 years old.
Michael battled an aggressive form of brain cancer over the past year. He kept his legendary sense of humor throughout his challenging treatment. He died surrounded by family, friends, and his long-time partner, Danielle Engelman, Long Now’s Director of Programs.
Most of the Long Now community knew Michael as the face of the Conversations at The Interval speaking series, which began in 02014 with the opening of Long Now’s Interval bar/cafe. But he did much more than host the talks. For the first five years of the series, each of the talks was painstakingly produced by Michael. This included finding speakers, developing the talk with the speakers, helping curate all the media associated with each talk, and oftentimes hosting the talks. Many of the production ideas explored in this series by Michael became adopted across other Long Now programs, and we are so thankful we got to work with him.
An event producer since his college days, Michael was active in San Francisco’s art and theater scene as a performer and instigator of unusual events for more than 20 years. From 01999 to 02003 Michael hosted and co-produced The Tentacle Sessions, a monthly series spotlighting accomplished individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area scene—including writers, artists, and scientists. He has produced and performed in numerous alternative theater venues over the years including Popcorn Anti-Theater, The EXIT, 21 Grand, Stage Werx, and the late, great Dark Room Theater. He also produced events for Speechless LIVE and The Battery SF.
Michael was a long-time blogger (usually under his nom de kunst mikl-em) for publications including celebrated arts magazine Hi Fructose and award-winning internet culture site Laughing Squid. His writing can be found in print in the Hi Fructose Collected Edition books and Tales of The San Francisco Cacophony Society in which he recounted some of his adventures with that noted countercultural group.
Beginning in the late 01990s as an employee at Hot Wired, Michael worked in technology in various marketing, technical and product roles. He worked at both startups and tech giants; helped launch products for both consumers and enterprise; and worked with some of the best designers and programmers in the industry.
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, he co-founded a college radio station and an underground art space before moving to San Francisco. In the Bay Area, he was involved with myriad artistic projects and creative ventures, including helping start the online radio station Radio Valencia.
Michael had been a volunteer and associate of Long Now since 02006; he helped at events and Seminars, wrote for the blog and newsletter, and was a technical advisor. In 02013 he officially joined the staff to help raise funds, run social media, and design and produce the Conversations at The Interval lecture series.
To honor Michael’s role in helping to fundraise for and build The Interval, we have finally completed the design on the donor wall which will be dedicated to him. It should be completed in the next few weeks and will bear a plaque remembering Michael. You can watch a playlist of all of Michael’s Interval talks here. Below, you can find a compilation of moments from the more than a hundred talks that Michael hosted over the years.
“This moment is really both an end and a beginning. And like the name The Interval, which is a measure of time, and a place out of time, this is that interval."
Michael McElligott
