Fringe: Liquid Sunshine 2

Posted on by Thor

I got to sketch Zelda Grey‘s one woman show, Liquid Sunshine last year and fell in love with her soul-filled performance. I wondered if I should sketch Liquid Sunshine 2 this year and decided to take the chance. I am so glad I did, because this year’s performance by Zelda Grey was a world different that the solo show she did last year. This year she had a full band, The You Know Whooz. They performed original songs from Zelda as well as lead guitarist Jeremy Lovelady and bassist Brian Byle. The drummer is Derek Engstrom.

There was a relaxed vibe between the band members and Zelda. They were so well rehearsed and I could feel feel their joy. As I sketched I was tapping my toes and rocking to the beat. Zelda knew a couple of the female artists in the front row, and she got them involved in the chorus of one song. One artist resisted, but then shouted out the lyrics of the chorus and the audience went wild.

The sketch I did was very different than any other sketch I did at Fringe this year. When I searched through my art bag, I discovered that I had left my pens and brushes back at the studio. I just had a tin of colored pencils. The music was so inspiring that I didn’t consider that a setback. I picked up colored pencils at random, and the lines danced on the page. Honestly, I should work like this more often. I cared less about accuracy and let the music establish the flow.

Zelda really pumped up her singing performance when she stripped off her guitar. She became a fierce singer, and she had the audience in her grip. I was mesmerized. I stopped sketching when the performance reached a fevered pitch, and I let the power of her singing just wash over me.

There is only one more performance of Liquid Sunshine 2. You don’t want to miss this performance. They will blow you out of your seat. As a matter of fact, you might find yourself wanting to get up and dance to let the music flow through every fiber of your body. Though I didn’t get up and dance, I felt the lines I was putting down dance to the beat. This show is pure unfiltered passion. If you are seeing several shows in a day, then Liquid Sunshine should be your concert intermission which will rejuvenate your soul with pure joy.

The final show for Liquid Sunshine 2 in the Brown Venue in the Shakes. The show is rated 13 and up and runs 60 minutes. Tickets are $12. Be sure you have your Fringe button for admittance.

Sunday May 24, 3:00pm

Fringe: Automatic Orchestra, Just Add Music

Posted on by Thor

At this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival, Automatic Orchestra: Just Add Music in the Blue Venue of the Orlando Shakes is an immersive improvisational orchestra where the actors are inspired by the music created by the audience. Entering the venue, there were various methods of making sound in every audience seat. I moved a rattle from my seat over to the next seat. There were kazoos, cooking pans, one of those metal barrels with metal beads wrapped around it, and so much more. I was hoping to play a trumpet while I sketched, but I didn’t see one. I would just be making the sound of a pen scratching on the page.

Actors entered from back stage and through magic portals. There were duels, fights, peaceful negotiations and so much action.  No actor ever spoke, they simply listened to what sounds came from the audience to decide what they should do next. The audience also fed off of the action. The fellow seated in front of me to my right banged a pot any time a gun was fired. It was as if the entire audience was hired to act as folly artists. Since my hands were busy sketching, I simply hummed and made other vocal noises.

If there was a story line, I missed it. Not knowing what was happening made sketching a challenge. I like to think of what the verb is before I start sketching someone. Chaos begets chaos. Kayla Fischl from her show Unconditionally, acted as the guest conductor. She had a music stand in front of her, but every member of the audience had their own agenda in terms of making sound. Conducting would be like trying to herd stray cats.

It was an hour of nonsensical experimentation. With a drink or two in you and a very open mind, you will likely have a blast. Just don’t go in expecting any three act play with  a well-defined character arc. Go in to laugh and make plenty of noise.

Here are the remaining show times for Automatic Orchestra, Just Add Music presented by Renie and Bob Productions of Altamonte Springs Florida. In the Blue Venue in the Shakes. Rated for all ages. Run time 60 minutes. Tickets are $13. Be sure to pick up a Fringe button for entry.

Saturday May 23, 5:24pm

Sunday May 24, 6:55pm

Fringe: Onwards!

Posted on by Thor

Onwards! presented by Big Empty Barn Productions from Montreal Canada starred Bremner Fletcher Duthie who sang and played instruments while telling stories. Around the stage were a series of lamps which could be activated with foot switches. Each of his variety acts would require different lighting which he initiated with taps of his toes.

Bremner was tires of auditions. Auditions require an actor to want to fill the role of what someone else requires of them. He reenacted an audition of  some insipid ad campaign to comedic effect. At first he delivered the line fairly straight. Then when asked to show more enthusiasm he overacted the line with operatic bravado. It was hilarious but at the audition he was told to get off the stage.

Fringe helped him realize that he didn’t need to wait for someone else to offer a role that might not fit his personality, but instead he could perform for himself. In a world that increasingly relies on robotic messaging it is more important than ever to remain human and chart your own course. The show had the flavor of an old time vaudeville act.

I couldn’t find any one theme that tied together all the acts but it seemed like Bremner was having wild sweaty fun, so I gladly went along for the ride.

Remaining show times for Onwards! Big Empty Barn Productions Montreal Canada. Yellow Venue in the Shakes. Rated 18 and up. Tickets are $15. Be sure to get a Fringe button for entry.

Saturday May 23, 8:30pm

Sunday May 24, 7:35pm

Fringe: The Black Jack Show

Posted on by Thor

The Scarlet venue at the Orlando International Fringe Festival seemed too large for The Black Jack Show. I suspect the puppeteer is used to performing for one or two people at a time. Jack and Black are two hand puppets that host a variety show that included torch songs, shadow puppets, a dog, a vampire comedian, a lion dance and two white gloves that performed between acts.

The white gloves were in my mind that stars of the show. They were entertaining and played off one another magnificently. After a puppy marionette pranced around the audience one of the white gloves popped up with puppy ears on. There was something magical about the simplicity of those two gloves. They had a humerus shtick that played off of every other act.

A COVID-19 puppet came out 3 separate times to sing cabaret numbers. Since I animated a film about COVID-19, I know that audiences are not that receptive to being reminded about how humanity, and America in particular, is ill equipped to handle an outbreak. As the COVID puppet performed her songs, I could see people in the front row begin to shut down. One person was literally nodding off. Since people during the height of the pandemic refused to accept reality by saying the virus was a hoax and vaccines carry microchips, they certainly don’t want to be reminded that COVID is now endemic and will always pose a threat to our immune systems. I was rooting for the singing COVID puppet, but her performance was accepted like a lead balloon. She left the stage saying, “I’ll be back.”

The little puppy marionette was cute, but it really didn’t have any performance potential other than sitting on its hind legs and panting. The puppeteer, who looked suspiciously like Rasputin paraded the puppy up and down the aisles of the audience. Very few people could see the puppet, so they sat wondering what was going on. It would have been nice if there was a much higher, eye level stage the puppy could have performed on.

There was a shadow box with white frosted Plexiglas on the front of it. A flashlight and shadow puppets were moved around behind the Plexiglas. The light from the shadow box illuminated about 5 people in the audience. From where I was sitting, I could not see what was being shown. From my vantage point, I was watching the puppeteer struggling to find the silhouette figures and juggling the flashlight. The flashlight kept falling as he searched for the next shadow puppet.

The lion dance puppet was much like the little puppy. Few people could see it since it was on the floor rather than up on a stage. The lion dance marionette just jumped up and down. I was just left wondering why?

Overall, this puppet variety show left me confused rather than entertained. A few drinks consumed at the beer tent before the performance could make the puppetry more palatable.

Remaining show times for The Black Jack Show by the St. Vetus Theater Company Orlando Florida. The show can be found in the Scarlet Theater in the Orlando Family Stage (1001 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803.) It is rated for 13 and up since there were some mature themes but no puppet sex. The show ran for an agonizing 60 minutes. Tickets are $12 and be sure you have a Fringe button.

Friday May 22, 7:15pm

Saturday May 23, 1:15pm

Fringe: Queer!

Posted on by Thor

Queer! Celebrates Latinx Queer resilience at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. The cast, each in turn, tells stories if growing up and feeling different that those around them. One female even conformed and lived the life of a mom. Deep down she knew she was stifling who she really was. Some stories were told through music, movement and projections. Some were spoken word which often resonates with me.

The stories were all tied together with a common thread of courage in being able to remain unique in a world that often the violently demands conformity. With some story tellers I would stop sketching, transfixed and wanting to quietly take in all I was being told. Some stories demand moments of quiet reflection.

Two big screens acted as bookends on either side of the stage. When the cast was speaking Spanish, the screens would project English translations. When the cast spoke English the screens projected Spanish. I loved that touch of inclusion.

America has turned dark by making war on our Latin neighbors with ICE raids. Florida leads the nation for ICE detentions and is home to Alligator Alcatraz, a concentration camp set up in the swamps southern Florida. This show is a reminder that Orlando remains a bubble of acceptance in a country that has gone mad.

The stories in the show, however, were not about politics or mistreating neighbors. The stories resonate with strength, determination and love. That is a message we need to hear in these times. No matter what your ethnicity or sexuality is, you will love this cast.

Remaining show times for Queer! Presented by Descolonizarte Tearo, Inc. Orlando Florida. Silver Venue. Rated for 13 and up. 70 Minutes. Tickets are $15.

Wednesday May 20,9:50pm

Thursday May 21, 6:30pm

Friday May 22, 6:30pm

Sunday May 24, 5:35pm

Intimi(dating): A Cabaret About Sex and Dating

Posted on by Thor

This post is sponsored by a very delicious mango flavored prosecco consumed on the Green Lawn of Fabulousness that left me floating in a wide zig zag pattern across the lawn not sure if my feet were touching the ground.

Katie Thayer is a powerhouse at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. She has become known as Bikini Katie for her unique advertising campaign where artists can advertise their shows on her bikini clad body with body paint. Placing an ad on her arm is cheaper than an ad on her shapely legs and an artist must pay top dollar to advertise on the the prime real estate of her chest.

Katie now has artists who help her by wearing bikinis to expand the advertising campaign. Katie purchased the award that Bobby Wesley had left unattended last year. He jokingly said he online that he owed Katie, and volunteered to wear a bikini at this year’s Fringe. Bikini Bobby honored that commitment, which I can verify since I saw him briefly at the beer tent. The ads were smeared and running because he had sprinted to a show at the Savoy, working up a sweat. The ads were legible but faint and dripping downward.

Back to Katie’s show Intimi(dating): A Cabaret About Sex and Dating which is at Savoy this year. Waiting in line to get into her venue in the Starlight Room there was a pre-show since we got to watch a male dancer in his thong gyrate on a platform near the bar. He kept nudging the thong down to his pubic arch as if about to reveal the not so hidden package.

Katie’s show was refreshingly honest and candid. I loved that two of Katie’s Bikini models were in the front row of her performance. Fringe is all about artists supporting artists. Katie held nothing back to reveal her sultriest scandals. When the sex was hot she was very honest about why. When she spoke about one relationship, the sex was no longer just about sexual pleasure, they became truly intimate.

Married men hid their secrets. She joked about how all women are master detectives when dealing with men. The trouble with her dating pool was that many of the men were international artists. She had less than stellar experiences dating Canadians.

Between stories Katie would play her ukulele and sing songs that helped musically define the bristling points of each story she related, followed by jokes about how she takes her men like she takes a cup of coffee. For the delicious punch lines you will need to see the show. Each sexual foray would lead to her questioning her choices.  But she lives fiercely and loves with absolute passion and abandon. Any failed relationships don’t knock her down; they make her stronger and more determined moving forward.

Experiencing this cabaret, you will leave feeling uplifted and hopeful that love and passion is always the right choice. As Katie says, “Life is more fun when you kiss and tell.” Hidden gems like this show are what makes Fringe great.

Remaining show times for Intimi(Dating): A Cabaret About Sex and Dating by Bikini Katie Productions, Orlando Florida. The Venue is the Starlight Room at Savoy (1913 North Orange Avenue Orlando Florida). Rating is 18 and up. The show lasts about 60 minutes. Tickets at $15. Be sure to get a Fringe button for entry. Happy Fringe!

Tuesday May 19, 7:00pm

Friday May 22, 8:30pm

Saturday May 23, 12:00pm

Sunday May 24, 7:30pm

Fringe: MacSchrek, The Comedy of Ogres

Posted on by Thor

The New Players Company of Oviedo Florida presents MacSchrek: The Comedy of Orgres. This  at this years Orlando International Fringe Festival. was a fun parody that mixes Shakespeare with the animated feature film Schrek. The combination is hilarious. If you are well versed in Shakespeare you will laugh at the comedic rewrites of his classic lines. If you have no clue who Shakespeare is you will laugh at the comedic timing and fast paced staging.

The stage was often crowded with players but I just felt the need to capture Schrek in his Shakespearian pantaloons. The actress playing Donkey was hilarious and the fair Gwendolyn was stunning even in green ogre horns. When drawing Pinocchio who was hiding behind a set piece, drew his nose sticking out after he told a lie. I thought it funny that the actor thought he was hidden like a manatee trying to hide behind a strand of sea grass.

I think everyone knows the story of how Schrek went on a quest to save his swamp land. Though self-serving, in the end it became an epic quest.  The actor who plays Farquaad the prince, played the roll bombastically and over the top which played well for comic relief. Somehow his narcissistic role seemed all the more suited for politics in America today.

Long story short, this is a really fun show to catch at the Fringe this year. It is a guaranteed good time.

Remaining show times…

MacSchreck: The Comedy of Ogres in the Yellow Venue. 60 minutes. Tickets are $15.

Monday May 18, 7:10pm

Tuesday May 19, 8:35pm

Saturday May 23, 12: 15pm

Sunday May 24, 3:45pm

Fringe: How to Play the Guitar (Poorly)

Posted on by Thor

The very first Orlando International Fringe Show I saw this year was with local Orlando legend Chase Padgett at the Renaissance Theater. The Renaissance has had a crazy year with the City of Orlando insisting it close while renovations were done to bring all aspects of the venue up to code. Over the course of renovations, the venue stayed afloat only through donations and a few shows staged at other venues. This was my first time returning to the venue and in my humble opinion the sound system is spectacular. The Phoenix has risen from the ashes of bureaucracy.

Chase was on stage as the audience filtered into the theater. He offered his own pre-show music as people settled in. The title of the play implies this might be an instructional show and it was, but it was not instructions on how to play Guitar, but rather on how to live while embracing your passions. In high school Chase had to choose between writing computer code or playing in the school band. The choice was obvious.

One Christmas Chases father, who loved Eric Clapton, bought Chase a guitar for Christmas. That guitar went abandoned and ignored while Chase played trumpet in the school band. Trumpet was his passion and he rose to first chair. It was only later in life that the guitar case was dusted off and the strings tuned. When Chase played, he could see how his father’s face would light up.

Chase took a course on how to build guitars, and he built the guitar he was using on stage by hand. He cut and sanded the wood, polished it and pieced it all together to be sure the acoustics were perfect. When his father learned this, he was in awe.

Separation, divorce, and substance abuse could have distanced Chase from his father, but he still sought to find ways to stay close. The approval of someone you love as an artist is something that some only dream about.

When Chase’s dad passed away there were tearful remembrances at the funeral and Chase decided to get up and play an Eric Clapton song on his guitar. As he played Tears in Heaven, my eyes welled up making it hard to sketch, so I stopped. The actress next to me was crying and I smiled as I fought back tears.

I am not sure why this show hit me so hard. Chase stressed that life as an artist was hard, but so rewarding. Had he decided to write computer code for a living he would have made so much more money. But life isn’t only about how much you earn. It is also about how much you can share.

After seeing several dozen Fringe shows so far, I can say without any hesitation that this show hit closest to home for me. You need to make your way several blocks over to the Renaissance and see this show.

Remaining Show times…

Chase Padgett: How to Play Guitar (Poorly), Peacock Farm Productions Orlando Florida United States. At the Renaissance Theater Company, 13 and up, 60 minutes. $15  and a Fringe button. Adult language.

Sunday May 17, 4:30pm

Tuesday May 19, 8:00pm

Thursday May 21, 7:00pm

Saturday May 23, 3:00PM

Sunday May 24, 6:00pm

Welcome to Matteson: First Pass

Posted on by Thor

Welcome to Matteson by Inda Craig-Gavlán, featured two couples having dinner. One couple needed to look high healed and the other needed to look lower middle class. This was a challenge which would rely on clothing to set them apart. In this first pass at painting the poster I relied on warm colors for the wealthy couple and yellows for the less wealthy couple. Having everyone toasting seemed to be the most natural gesture to get them all to interact.

Matteston is a suburb of Chicago Illinois. The less wealthy couple had just moved to Matteson from the Cabrini-Green public housing projects in Chicago. Cabrini-Green had a reputation for being overrun with gangs and crime. Cabrini Green was being torn down and residents were relocated. This couple was relocated to Matteson. They were excited to move to this quiet suburb, but they missed the sense of community they had found in Cabrini.

The buildings I put in the sketch were from a typical Chicago neighborhood. I had just screened my film COVID Dystopia in Chicago and fell in love with the old brownstone neighborhoods. The trouble was that Cabrini-Green looks nothing like this. The housing complex is more like the rows of housing developments that went up in the big cities after World War II. They are not very picturesque. The idea of replacing the brownstones with a suburban home made the most sense, yet most suburban homes are rather bland. Maybe I could just paint a dining room, but again I wanted something that was not so ordinary.

Snow fills the night sky. I then put in a circular yellow arch behind the buildings. This was meant to reference a snow globe and it helped silhouette the upper spires against the night sky. It was just a way to add a spark of more color. The buildings would have to go and that circular arch would morph into a much larger feature in the next pass at the poster.

Welcome to Matteson ran at the Orlando Shakes through March 29, 2025.

Henry VI Part 2: She Wolf of France Final

Posted on by Thor

The final version of the poster for the Orlando Shakespeare Theater production of Henry VI Part 2: She Wolf of France just involved me repainting the face since I now knew that Roberta Emerson would be playing the part of Queen Margaret. Emerson was credited with an “ice cold” performance and was honored by the Orlando Sentinel for her role for her ruthless demeanor and moments of vulnerability.  It was a rare role where the female lead could demand and gain absolute power.

Queen Margaret was a foreign bride, newly married to Henry VI. Unlike her husband, who was a weak ruler, Margaret was proactive and ruthless, commanding armies and seeking to secure the crown for her son. She was powerful in her own right, defying gender norms to engage directly in political intrigue and warfare. She became a Machiavellian political force, serving as a catalyst for chaos.

She despised her  weak husband and dominated court politics, engineered the downfall of Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, and began to dominate the House of Lancaster, setting the stage for the Wars of the Roses.

This was a rare case where I found out during the painting of the poster who the actress would be for the play many months in the future. There was fabulous reference because she had performed in many other Shakespeare productions.