Wonderplace Alpha is a liminal environment, one where travelers from all over space and time mix in all manner of ways.
We love what we do! The best part of being a vendor is meeting people who become friends! In addition to the many friendships we have cultivated over the past few years, making delicious drinks, treats & food really is our passion!
An award winning film and television writer, cartoonist, author, musician and voice actor, Dave has had his writing compared to the likes of Ray Bradbury and David Lynch and his cartoon work to that of Charles Schulz, one of Dave’s idols. As senior writer and head of cartoons at National Lampoon, he put out two best-selling cartoon collections while handling writing and cartooning for the flagship magazine. He was also involved with Comic Relief. His early work includes art for Tim Allen and Robert Wuhl’s HBO specials and, as cartoonist and writer for Tiger Beat’s Superteen Magazine he created the popular cartoon Toon Groupies©. Dave’s character Snuggy Bear© was licensed for multiple brands including children’s eyewear by Crystal Clear Vision Group, selling out worldwide after a highly successful premiere in NYC at the International Vision Expo. Dave is also the creator of the popular Hackidu characters for Everybody Loves Raymond.
Dave has illustrated several popular children’s books including Bellaboo, the Purple Princess written by General Hospital star Nancy Lee Grahn and The Lemming Shepherds, distributed throughout China and Taiwan and is being adapted into a feature film. He illustrated and helped edit the book Full Frontal Tenudity from famed comedienne Judy Tenuta. Dave’s own book, Brain Explosion (Bear Manor Media Publishing), a collection of his cartoons and writings from his National Lampoon days has become a best-seller and is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Dave’s kids show, Professor Creepy’s Scream Party(c) had huge premieres at the 2013 Phoenix Comic Con and Son of Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank, CA. It has been receiving rave reviews and was written up in iconic Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine (April, 2013). Professor Creepy won the Bronze trophy at the 2014 International Independent Film Awards and was an official selection in the 2014 R.I.P. Horror Film Festival. The pilot was picked up for airing on the Monster Channel, August, 2017 and in 2018 was the top show on Roku’s Around the World in 80 Screams, airing on 28 networks on Halloween. Dave’s documentary, From Cheesecake to Cheesecake: The Joy Harmon Story (WGAw), about the life of 1960’s film/TV icon Joy Harmon, won the 2013 Hollywood & Vine Film Festival and was a top five finalist in the prestigious 2014 Taste Awards and won the Silver trophy at the 2014 International Independent Film Awards.
Dave’s sitcom pilot Against Type, starring Roland Kickinger (Terminator Salvation), Stephen Furst (Animal House) and ICarly’s Jennette McCurdy, aired domestically in over forty US markets and was picked up for international distribution by the Global Broadcasting Company in Spring, 2010, CETV (Chinese Entertainment Television) and The Dish Network’s Simply Kids channel in 2011. It was also a finalist in the 2015 Taste Awards. Dave is a successful infomercial writer/director in China and his voice work can be heard on the SyFy Channel films Path of Destruction and Lake Placid vs. Anaconda and in the animated series Alien House, co-starring Kim Possible’s Christy Carlson Romano and the new series Cozmo’s. Dave was also a celebrity judge on ICN TV China’s top rated talent competition show, American Stars. He is in the classic rock documentary What is Classic Rock (2018) and entered his documentary Ask Me if I C.A.R.E. into festivals. In October, 2016, Dave’s song, I am A Zombie, charted on kids syndicated radio network JenniRadio. In June, 2018, Dave’s script for the short film, Selfie, was selected for the 2018 AT&T Create-A-Thon, beating out over 500 scripts to get into the finals. The film was shot at Warner Bros. In 2019, Dave played guitar on the single, Running, by actor Larry Thomas (Seinfeld’s The Soup Nazi). Dave’s weekly national horror radio show, Cemetery GoGo, began airing on WRSG 91.5 FM December 14th, 2019. In December, 2020, and was picked up in June, 2021 by WAKI FM radio. Dave’s children’s book, Bag Boy and Sweet Slob(c) was released by Headline Books Inc publishers and is now available worldwide on Amazon and wherever books are sold. In February, 2021, Bag Boy and Sweet Slob won the Reader’s Favorite 5 Star Award and honorable mention at the 2021 San Francisco Book Festival in June. Against Type and Professor Creepy’s Scream Party were picked up by Amazon Prime TV in December, 2020. In September, 2021, Bag Boy and Sweet Slob won the Bronze Medal at the 2021 International Book Awards sponsored by Readers’ Favorite.
UPDATE: Dave’s syndicated hit radio show, Cemetery GoGo(c), airs on radio stations around the country including WAKI Radio out of Anapolis, Maryland, Classic WJEG in West Virginia, WBNY 91.3 FM out of Buffalo, NY and WCMO 98.5 FM out of Marietta, Ohio. His hit Spotify podcast, Bitching with Bitchy the Clown(c), is on multiple platforms and is being adapted into a TV talk show. Brain Explosion is being adapted into a TV sketch comedy show. Dave’s original songs, The Visitor and Elementary in the Cemetery (recorded by Bitchy the Clown) are included in the soundtrack of the indie horror movie, Slice, which premiered at the legendary Chinese Theatre in Hollywood November 16, 2022.
Other credits:
Wrote theme song for Special Olympics, which named several of their teams after Snuggy Bear©. His cartoon work is part of the Charles M. Schulz (Snoopy) museum in Santa Rosa, CA and the Haig Museum of Cartoons in New York. Former song writing partner of the late Albert Hague (Fame, How the Grinch Stole Christmas). A direct descendant of Vlad the Impaler (inspiration for Dracula). An avid golfer, Dave has been sponsored by Roger Dunn Golf Shops. On the board of the prestigious Environment of People Foundation. Coached basketball with legendary UCLA coach Jim Harrick and former LA Lakers and Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy.
We’ve been hearing from a LOT of independent artists and creators who are excited about Wonderplace Alpha—but also a little hesitant. We get it.
If you’re feeling the call to vend but your coin purse is a little light, talk to us.
We don’t want a good creator to miss out just because the goblins are playing tricks with your finances. Let’s see what kind of magic we can work.
📩 Email us directly: mentat@wonderplacealpha.com
Let’s try to make it happen.
“The moonstone gleamed with the light of a thousand unspoken truths, a beacon in the darkness of Earthsea’s endless seas.”
-Ursula LeGuin
I make crystal dream catchers, gem trees, crystal crowns, beaded jewelry, divination boards and pendulums, smudge bundles, candle magic kits, make your own spell jars, and much more.
(This is about Steampunk on the East Coast of the United States of America. For the United Kingdom, check out these fine folks!)
Or visit.facebook.com/groups/eastcoaststeampunksunitedstates/
East Coast Steampunk is a subcultural movement and aesthetic style originating along the eastern seaboard of the United States, blending Victorian-era influences with retrofuturistic technology inspired by 19th-century steam-powered machinery. Emerging in the late 20th century, the east coast steampunk movement draws heavily from the large liminal event space, incorporating a tremendous variety of live performance more traditionally experienced at festivals than conventions.
Sometimes characterized by ornate fashion, especially with the influence of Deb’s SalonCon, the Northeastern Neo-Victoria often emphasizes tailored garments like frock coats, corsets, and top hats, often accented with brass goggles, pocket watches, and mechanical motifs. The aesthetic integrates local influences, such as New England’s maritime history and the industrial legacy of cities like New York and Philadelphia, resulting in designs that evoke airship pirates, clockwork inventors, and gaslit urban landscapes. At the same time, with the relaxed influence of Wicked Faire, dress became liminal, as with the themese and genre of the entertainment. Artifacts like modified firearms or faux-mechanical prosthetics are common, symbolizing a romanticized fusion of craftsmanship and innovation.
The movement thrives at conventions, such as the Steampunk World’s Fair and Watch City Steampunk Festival, where enthusiasts gather for cosplay, panel discussions, and maker workshops. Music, including bands like The Cog is Dead, often features vaudevillian or folk elements with mechanical undertones. East Coast Steampunk also engages with literature, with authors like Cherie Priest setting stories in alternate Gilded Age settings.
While sharing core steampunk tenets, east coast steampunk distinguishes itself through a darker, more grounded tone compared to the whimsical West Coast scene, reflecting the region’s dense urban history and colder climate. It remains a vibrant community, fostering creativity through art, performance, and speculative storytelling, with a focus on reimagining the past to critique modernity.
https://wonderplacealpha.com/what-is-steampunk-the-eternal-inevitable-panel/(Want other thoughts? Check out our panel design for “What IS Steampunk”?
Here, have some trivia:
First Steampunk Tattoo Parlor Event in NYC: In 2012, New York City’s Wooster Street Social Club hosted the Mobilis in Mobili steampunk art show, which included a live demo of the world’s first steampunk-inspired tattoo machine. The brass-and-gear contraption actually worked, inking designs with Victorian flair, and artists jokingly called it “the slowest, most dramatic tattoo gun ever” due to its theatrical steam-like hissing.
The Great Steampunk Mustache Prank in Boston: At the 2013 Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham, Massachusetts, a group of attendees pulled a prank by handing out fake mustaches labeled “Tesla’s Finest” to everyone, claiming they were powered by static electricity to “enhance wit.” By noon, half the festival sported curly waxed mustaches, leading to an impromptu “Mustache Parade” that’s still a local legend.
Unusual Steampunk Teacup Racer in Maryland: At Baltimore’s 2015 Kinetic Sculpture Race, a steampunk team debuted the “Teacup Trolley,” a human-powered vehicle shaped like a giant teacup with spinning gears and a faux steam whistle. It won the “Most Whimsical” award after crossing the finish line while blasting Gilbert and Sullivan operetta tunes, with racers shouting, “Full steam, half cream!”
First Steampunk “Time Traveler” Flash Mob in Philly: In 2010, Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square saw the Eastern US’s first steampunk flash mob, where 50 people dressed as Victorian time travelers “invaded” the park with pocket watches and parasols. They performed a synchronized dance to a brass-band cover of Sweet Child O’ Mine, confusing passersby who thought they’d stumbled into a film shoot. Organizers called it “history’s most punctual prank.”
Joking Airship Menus in Virginia: At the 2014 RavenCon in Richmond, Virginia, a steampunk convention featured a mock “Airship Dining Menu” circulated as a gag, offering dishes like “Aether-Infused Scones” and “Goggle-Cleaned Soup.” Attendees played along, pretending to order, with one panelist quipping, “I’ll take the soup, but only if the goggles are certified fog-free!”
First Steampunk Kazoo Orchestra in New Hampshire: During the 2017 Another Anime Convention in Manchester, New Hampshire, a steampunk panel debuted the “Aetheric Kazoo Orchestra,” where 20 attendees played kazoos decorated with gears to perform a wobbly rendition of In the Hall of the Mountain King. The audience laughed so hard the session ran overtime, with one player joking, “This is why airships don’t have orchestras!”
The “Lost Parasol” Caper in Savannah, Georgia: At a 2013 steampunk picnic in Savannah’s Forsyth Park, a running gag emerged when a lace parasol was “stolen” by a rogue “time bandit” (actually a prankster in a top hat). The group spent the day leaving silly ransom notes like “Return one cogwheel or the parasol sees 1899!” It was returned with a tiny monocle tied to it, sparking laughs and a tradition of playful “heists” at future meetups.
Amanda Madison was raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania where she spent her childhood dreaming of magic and saving the world. Fresh out of her creative writing bachelor’s degree at Western New England University, she plans to do just that: writing stories that inspire people to find the good in themselves. Driven by her family and close friends, Amanda strives to bring a sense of found family everywhere she goes.
Paul Hoover, a.k.a. The Critter Creator, creates critters. Mostly Halloween critters (monster props, masks, decorations) but sometimes other holiday critters and fun beasties. He works with the most inexpensive materials he can find, and has worked many years with paper mache. He also works with various plastics, and mixed media. He will soon be creating a video series that details what he does and how he does it.
“Some people have learned to embrace their inner child”, he says, “I actually just decided to become him, and wow has life been fun ever since!” He invites you to see his work, ask questions, and get solid answers with perhaps a bit of whimsy thrown in.
I started attending Faires as a small child, started working at them as a teenager, and have been a staff member since I was a young adult. I have worked with vendors, advertising, decorating, site management, and have been floated to many other aspects of running a festival as needed. My primary interests are Rennaisance, pirates, Tolkien, Harry Potter, Star Wars, sci-fi and cult films. The best thing about Faire is that people from all walks of life come together and we all fit in. I met some of my closest and most cherished friends in a faire setting. I am blessed to be able to love what I do for a living this much!
o.
Dave Lee Madison is an American independent filmmaker, actor, producer, and writer whose passion for cinema has deep roots in his childhood. Born with a love for the art form, Madison was captivated by the original Universal horror films by the age of five, setting the stage for a lifelong devotion to the genre. His first taste of filmmaking came at nine years old when he worked as an extra in Hero at Large (1980), a John Ritter comedy directed by Martin Davidson. This early exposure to the industry fueled his ambition, and throughout his teenage years, he continued to build his resume with roles in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs and James Lemmo’s Heart (1987), starring Brad Davis.
Madison’s career as a filmmaker truly took off with his multifaceted talents as a writer, director, and producer. One of his most recognized works is Mr. Hush (2010), a horror film he wrote, produced, and directed. The movie, which stars Brad Loree (Michael Myers in Halloween: Resurrection), Stephen Geoffreys (Fright Night), and Steve Dash (Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 2), has become a cult classic among horror fans. Mr. Hush enjoyed a limited U.S. theatrical run in cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas, northeastern Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 7, 2012, and spent six weeks on Redbox’s genre top ten list, a testament to its popularity. In a significant honor, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences requested a copy of the Mr. Hush script in 2012 to be preserved in the permanent core collection of the Margaret Herrick Library.
Another standout in Madison’s filmography is Full Moon Fever (2023), a contemporary werewolf film that blends horror, suspense, comedy, and drama. Directed by and starring Madison, the film follows Hunter Dunne, a husband and father whose life unravels after a brutal attack, leading to nightmares, hallucinations, and a horrific confrontation on Halloween night. Critics have noted its atmospheric quality and throwback B-movie style, with a runtime of 75 minutes that makes it a perfect fit for a double feature. The film showcases Madison’s love for practical effects, using no CGI for its werewolf transformations, and features a strong sound design that enhances its eerie Northeastern forest setting. Full Moon Fever has been praised as a personal favorite among Madison’s works by some reviewers, with its availability on Amazon Prime Video likely contributing to his status as an Amazon top ten filmmaker.
Beyond Mr. Hush and Full Moon Fever, Madison has an extensive body of work. In 2015, he released Middle Village, a film that debuted at the historic Cinemart Theater in Queens, New York. Featuring Brian O’Halloran (Clerks), Ray Abruzzo (The Sopranos), Scott Schiaffo (Clerks), and WWE superstar Gene Snisky, the film received overwhelmingly positive reviews and was included on whatchareading.com’s list of the best films of 2015. It also garnered laurels from the Forwardian Film Festival. Another project, Wit’s End, was scheduled for release in 2020, alongside Darkness Waits, a film directed by Libby McDermott in which Madison appeared, notable for featuring Conrad Brooks’ final performance.
Madison’s contributions to the horror genre extend beyond directing. In 2014, he launched a podcast/radio show called The End of the Night, where he interviewed notable figures in the industry, including Corey Feldman, Doug Bradley, David Naughton, Brian O’Halloran, Tiffany Shepis, and Tony Moran, among others, in its first ten episodes. His acting roles have also continued, with appearances in projects like Emerging Past, where he shared a comedic scene with his childhood idol Stephen Geoffreys, and Malevolence 3: Killer (2018), where he played Agent Smith. In 2016, he appeared in Tom Holland’s documentary You’re So Cool Brewster! The Story of Fright Night.
As an independent filmmaker, Madison has carved a niche for himself by blending traditional horror elements with personal, often psychological narratives. His work reflects a deep appreciation for classic horror techniques, as seen in his use of practical effects and his ability to create atmospheric settings on a modest budget. Despite some criticism of his laid-back filmmaking style—such as extended montages that occasionally prioritize mood over narrative momentum—Madison’s dedication to the craft and his ability to connect with genre fans have solidified his reputation. His films’ availability on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, where Full Moon Fever and others have gained traction, has helped him achieve recognition as an Amazon top ten filmmaker, a marker of his success in reaching wide audiences through digital distribution.
Madison’s career is a testament to the perseverance required in independent filmmaking. Balancing creative vision with the constraints of low-budget production, he has built a loyal following and left a lasting impact on the horror and indie film communities. His personal touch—such as casting his daughter Amanda in Full Moon Fever—adds a heartfelt dimension to his work, making him a filmmaker whose passion for the genre resonates both on and off the screen.
🕰️✨ CALLING ALL CREATORS, CRAFTERS, & CURIO DEALERS! ✨🕰️
Wonderplace Alpha still has space for a few more brave and brilliant vendors!
Do you sell:
🔮 Magical wares?
⚙️ Steampunk gear?
📚 Books of lore and fiction?
🖤 Gothic oddities?
🧝♀️ Faerie finery?
🎩 Costumes, props, candles, art, jewelry, or the just-plain-strange?
Then you belong at the most delightfully weird marketplace of the year—May 2–4 in Lake George, NY.
We’ve got 60+ vendors signed on so far, and we’re building a full-blown bazaar of the bizarre—with pirates, airships, live music, witches dancing under the stars, and a zombie invasion for dessert.
🌟 Deadline approaching. Spaces filling fast.
💼 Apply now and bring your magic to the marketplace: Application can be found here!
📍 The Barn at French Mountain, Lake George, NY
Let the curious find you.