O'Meara goes deep into the story of an unsung heroine of the 1954 creature feature, famously shot in Wakulla Springs. The book uncovers the life and work of Milicent Patrick – one of Disney's first female animators and the only woman to create one of Hollywood's classic movie monsters. This is the only full, fascinating story of an ambitious, artistic woman and a forgotten feminist trailblazer. O'Meara discovers what really had happened to Milicent after The Creature's success, and where she went, while calling out a Hollywood culture (pre- and post- #MeToo) where little seems to have changed.

Mallory argues that had Milicent’s legacy not been erased, we may have had more women in film in the past and the present, where women are still largely under-represented. She also points out the present-day resonances of Milicent’s work (Guillermo del Toro cites the Creature as one of his inspirations for "The Shape of Water").

After the reading, follow us next door to Waterworks for a free patio theatre screening of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" and a special "Creature"-themed cocktail!

Special thanks to publisher HarperCollins for helping to make this event possible!

APRIL 3 // Admission is FREE!

Mallory O'Meara and "The Lady from the Black Lagoon" Book Reading & Signing
Midtown Reader, 1123 Thomasville Rd.
6-7:30 p.m.
(850) 425-2665

"Creature from the Black Lagoon" Film Screening
Waterworks, 1133 Thomasville Rd.
7:30 p.m.
(850) 224-1887

*Passes to the 2019 Tallahassee Film Festival will be on sale at this event, or you can purchase them now at www.tallahasseefilmfestival.com/passes