Solo Show HIPPIE KID at The Marsh Berkeley Cabaret

One man's hilarious and heart-opening adventures, from growing up in a commune with Wavy Gravy to traveling the world with famed Dr. Patch Adams, form the inspiring narrative of Zappo Diddio's solo show Hippie Kid, coming to The Marsh Berkeley Cabaret this September.

Through comedy and original songs, Hippie Kid shares the quirky, enlightening, and moving experiences that built a singular life dedicated to compassionate activism. Starting from his early days growing up in the famed Hog Farm commune, to clowning his way through the mountains and jungles of Peru cheering young hospital patients and an ongoing negotiation with chronic pain and autoimmune disease, Zappo takes audiences on a roller coaster ride of a life well-lived.

Written and performed by Zappo, Hippie Kid will be presented 8:00pm Fridays and 8:30pm Saturdays September 6 - October 12, 2019 at The Marsh Berkeley Cabaret, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale), the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1-4pm,).

Zappo Diddio grew up in America's longest-running hippie commune around teachers and activists such as Wavy Gravy, Larry Brilliant, and Ram Dass. This diverse artistic community instilled a philosophy of "love all, serve all," leading Zappo to passionately commit himself to a life of spreading cheer and laughter to children and young people in need. Joining Dr. Patch Adams (portrayed by Robin Williams in the feature film Patch Adams) in his Gesundheit Institute, Zappo embarked on a mission through children's hospitals, orphanages, and juvenile detention centers in the mountains of Peru, spending years volunteering as a clown to share love and laughter with underserved children. Zappo currently works for several Bay Area youth enrichment programs and runs the Cedar Center, an arts and recreation enrichment program he founded for children and teens.

The Marsh is known as "a breeding ground for new performance." It was launched in 1989 by Founder and Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman, and now annually hosts more than 600 performances of 175 shows across the company's two venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. A leading outlet for solo performers, The Marsh's specialty has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "solo performances that celebrate the power of storytelling at its simplest and purest." The East Bay Times named The Marsh one of Bay Area's best intimate theaters, calling it "one of the most thriving solo theaters in the nation. The live theatrical energy is simply irresistible."

Photo Courtesy of The Marsh