In The Heights at Shakes

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When I worked as an illustrator in NYC I lived for 10 years in Washington Heights. Rent was cheap and I had a large railroad style apartment a few blocks for the George Washington Bridge. In the Heights based on a book by Quiara Algria Hudes and with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda is set in my old stomping grounds. The corner bodega in Jim Hunter‘s set could very well have been the spot I went each week to get milk and eggs.

I had seen In the Heights once before and I love the shows guttural energy. The show opens with Usnavi (Ernie Pruneda) opening his corner bodega early in the morning as the Heights come alive. The lyrics are delivered in fast paced rap and before long I was addicted to the beat. Sonny (Zach Infante) is Usnavi’s sassy, superficially lazy, yet ambitious younger cousin. Abuela Claudia (Alina Alcántara) is the loving matriarch of the barrio who knows everybody and is like a
grandmother to all. She looked after Usnavi when his parents died. He was born on the long passage to America, and he was named by the first American sign his parents saw, US Navey.

Across from Usnavi’s shop is a taxi dispatch office called Rosario’s. Mr Rosario (Juan Cantú) has invested in his daughter Nina’s (Iliana Garcia) college education so she can have a better life than his. She becomes a shining hope for the entire neighborhood that it is possible to live the American dream. She returns to the Heights and is welcomed by everyone. Benny (Deon’te Goodman) is working dispatch although struggling since his Spanish is weak. In a playful way, Nina teaches Benny how to brush up on his Spanish. There is clearly chemistry between them. Nina confesses that she could not keep up with the work load to pay for books she didn’t have time to read at college. There is chaos in the Rosario household when this bomb shell hits.

Usnavi and Nina’s stories run parallel with aspirations to live the American dream seemingly stifled in their North Manhattan neighborhood. They both come to realize however that the vibrant culture of where they are is as important as their dreams and aspirations and both are important for their future.

In the Heights from September 12 through October 7, 2018 don’t miss it.

Shakes (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803)

Tickets are between $22 and $42

BASE Orlando: Beach Bash Body Paint Art Show Reggae

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The BASE Orlando: Beach Bash Body Paint Art Show was held at DRIP (8747 International Drive Orlando FL). The black walls were great for allowing the painted model’s colors to shine.  After all the models were painted, there was a runway show of the creations. There was a jellyfish wig and plenty of aquatic themes. One woman had beach umbrellas painted on each butt cheek and a shark swam its way up another leg. Clam shells cupped breasts and along with octopi and starfish. Seaweed and scales adorned skin in faux patterns.

The runway show was too much of a challenge since each creation was on stage for less than a minute. I focused my attention on the reggae band instead. They played a lively set which did blend well with the beach theme. Body painting is such an ephemeral art form existing for just one night. All that remains after the evening’s festivities are the photos, videos and a few sketches.

BASE Orlando: Beach Bash Body Paint Art Show

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BASE Orlando founder, Mandi Ilene Schiff celebrated her birthday at the10th BASE show, at DRIP (8747 International Dr Suite 102, Orlando, Florida.) Painting for over a decade, BASE brings together the talents of renowned
Face and Body Painter Mandi and Photographer Robert Johnston.

From humble beginnings of face painting at princess parties, Mandi was
inspired to see the entire body as a canvas and potential work of art.
Since then, she has won multiple face and body painting awards, painted
across the state, on cruise ships and in the Bahamas and currently does
face and body painting in Orlando. Mandi and her dynamic team now bring
their work together at BASE Orlando for an imaginative experience unlike
anything else. After her community of body painters spent years
gathering in bars or homes to practice and exhibit their art, Mandi
founded BASE in an effort to reach out to a wider audience and produce a
complete art show. After many wildly successful events, Mandi and her
team continue to offer visitors a remarkable experience through their
one-of-a-kind collection of local artists and performers.

Over a dozen body paint
artists came together to showcase their unique work and channel
their inspiration for the Beach Bash Body Paint Art Show. BASE guests
experienced live body painting while watching talented artists transform
models into living works of art right before their eyes while getting
the unique opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes of professional body
painting.

BASE attendees get up close and personal with live
body art like nowhere else in Florida. While awaiting the final reveal
of the body paint masterpieces, they can browse artist vending tables,
enjoy food and bar specials and live entertainment from the area’s top
burlesque acts, dancers and more. For me, it is always a great sketch opportunity. I have been sketching BASE events for years and the final creations always amaze and inspire.

National Dance Day in Orlando

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The 6th Annual National Dance Day was held at various locations around Orlando like the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Studio K Orlando, and ME Dance. The multi day event offered free educational classes, professional showcases and community participation.

Free performances and classes, in ballet, modern, improvisational movement, Afro-Latin and other genres, took place all day Saturday. Classes are available for different levels of skill. I went  to Emotions Dance Company (111 North Longwood Street, Longwood, FL, 32750). I  sketched while dancers stretched and warmed up. With everyone constantly moving the sketch was a challenge to say the least.

I then sat in on a Latin Dance class. I finished this second sketch quickly because I decided to give the dance moves a try. There is a whole lot of fancy footwork in Latin Dance and I was just trying to keep up.

I have a new respect for dancers who can keep up that pace. The Dizzy Feet Foundation established the day to improve and increase
access to dance education in the United States. As part of its support,
the foundation produces and distributes instructional videos featuring
dance routines for the public to learn for fun.

Other cities that participate in National Dance Day include Los Angeles,
where activities take place at the downtown Music Center; and
Washington, D.C., where events are hosted by the Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts.

The Cardboard Art Festival

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In 2016 the TheDailyCity.com’s 4th Annual Cardboard Art Festival was held in two empty storefronts at the Sodo Shopping Center (80 W Grant St, Orlando, FL 32806). On Community Construction Night 100% of the admission ($5 adults) went to
the OneOrlando Fund. A large piece was being created to be installed at a
select tribute location and we need the community’s help with creating
their own cardboard heart. Also we are celebrating the life of a
local-lover Colleen Burns from YELP who passed away at the Grand Canyon just
last week. Guests could each take a star and decorated it.

I focused my attention on this cardboard rhino which was pieced together like a 3D puzzle. Next to him was a sculpture that looked like a section of a reef created by Jean-Claude Rasch. As I was preparing to leave, I noticed a long empty stretch of was above a map of Orlando that guests could sign. I  contacted the event organizers, Mark Baratelli and Denna Beena and suggested that I could hang the 49 portraits of victims of the Pulse massacre that had been created by local artists at the Falcon Bar.

I hung the portraits on fishing line using electrical clips. The result was they seemed to float high up near the ceiling. This was more work than expected since I had to climb up and down the ladder every time I needed a new portrait, or more electrical clips. Betsy Brabrandt showed up and cut the work in half by handing up portraits.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for September 8 and 9, 2018

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Saturday September 8, 2018

7:30pm to 9:30pm Free, but bring a dish or wine. Eleanor Matthews Welcome Potluck Dinner. Kerouac House 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida 32804. You are invited to join us in welcoming Kerouac House Fall resident
Eleanor Matthews. This event is a potluck dinner, so please bring
something to eat and/or drink and share.

Eleanor Matthews is a
fiction writer based in Bristol (UK). Her short stories have appeared in
print and online, in magazines such as Popshot, Litro, Unsung, Prole,
Haverthorn and Elbow Room. In 2017, she was selected for a Penguin
Write Now insight day. She also featured on BBC Radio 4’s Tweet of the
Day program, talking about magpies and the writing process. To support
her creative projects, Eleanor has worked as a professional editor for
various universities and charities.

8am to 1pm Free. Parramore Farmers Market. The east side of the Orlando City Stadium, across from City View. The Parramore Farmers Market will be open every Saturday. Purchase quality, fresh and healthy food grown in your own
neighborhood by local farmers, including Fleet Farming, Growing Orlando,
and other community growers.

4pm to 6pm Free. Young Voices. JB Callaman Center 102 North Parramore Ave Orlando FL. Teen Open Mic Every second Saturday of the Month.

Sunday September 9, 2018

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola Farmer’s Market. South East corner of Lake Eola.

Noon to 3pm Donation based. Music at the Casa. Beautiful Music “Paint it Black” Quartet with Shannon Caine.  Members of the public are invited to visit the historic home museum to listen to live music and take a tour
of our historic home museum and the James Gamble Rogers II Studio by
trained docents.

1pm to 5:30pm Free. Family Day on the Second Sunday. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803. The make-and-take craft table is open from noon-2:30 p.m., and docents
are available to give mini-tours of the museum. Then it’s open house in
the galleries until 4:30 p.m.

It’s Improvised at the 129: The Musical Edition!

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Pam Schwartz and I went to Dragonfly Studio and Productions (Dragonfly Studio 129, 129 W McKey St, Ocoee, FL 34761).  To see It’s Improvised at the 129 hosted by Richard Paul, Chris Barry (Four First Names) and Elaine Pechacek behind the piano. Dragonfly Studio 129 is a charming,
intimate performance venue that is fully convertible to fit the needs of
any given production or event. The venue’s will feature a full season of events,
including additional residencies, concerts, cabarets, theatrical
productions, readings, workshops, and more.

Four First Names’ Richard Paul and Chris Barry will put Sheryl Remekie
Carbonell, John DiDonna, Tracy Frenkel, Beth Marshall, and Rob Ward
through their improv paces. Each of the acclaimed Orlando directors will
be tasked with directing an impromptu scene made up entirely on the
spot with Dragonfly Studio and Production’s owner and executive producer
Elaine Pechacek on the piano providing an original, improvised
soundtrack.

The hosts Richard Paul and Chris Barry kicked the night off by taking suggestions from the audience. What resulted was a Rocky Horror Picture Show wedding. Elaine behind the piano provided just the right musical accompaniment for they as they turned the moment into an inspiring musical number.

All the actors and directors that were invited to this improv got on stage and each in turn described their experiences. John DiDonna’s story stood out because he used improv as a training tool for law enforcement. He described a scenario in which an armed gunman was on lock down with hostages. The goal was for police to get the gunman out without harming hostages.

Beth Marshall is a renowned local producer and she uses  improv to get a new cast familiar with one another. Simple exercised like tossing an object between actors can build trust and camaraderie. Rob Ward used improv among actors at the theme parks. These actors are usually hired because they look like a character rather than based on there acting prowess. Improv allows the actors to get off script for a bit and have fun with their lines. Actors in a theme park just as in animation, must play to the rafters. Whatever they are trying to convey must read as if seen from the bloody nose section of a football stadium. When actors played a scene over the top in the small Dragonfly studio they became very funny. Tracy Frankel had the actors create a scene at a barbecue. They were auditioning for a commercial and Tracy acted as the director trying to get them to play to the camera.  The goal was to be having so much fun, that people would want to buy the condiment.

The next It’s Improvised at the 129 is Friday, September 14 at 8 PM at Dragonfly Studio and Productions 133 W Mckey St., Ocoee, Florida 34761. The show will celebrate musical improv
with an amazing slate of guests including Robyn Pedretti Kelly
(Universal Studios), Summer Aiello (Universal Studios), Emily Fontano
(SAK Comedy Lab) and T. Robert Pigott (Walt Disney World).

Join Musical
Director Elaine Pechacek, Chris Barry, Richard Paul at Dragonfly Studios
for Its next Improvised at the 129: The Musical Edition! This place is a rare gem located out in Ocoee.

$10 Online $12 At Door

Beer and Wine – Free Snacks!

The Whaling Museum on Nantucket

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I went to the Nantucket Historical Association‘s Whaling Museum (13 Broad Street Nantucket Massachusetts). Whaling was the island’s primary industry back in the 1800s. There was no photography allowed but no mention of no sketching. The museum took several hour to wander through and the rooftop patio has amazing views over the historic downtown district.

The crew of the Essex were hunting in 1820 and 20 crew members set out in 3 small life rafts to chase an enraged sperm whale. In return the whale destroyed their ship and the men spent 96 day sailing thousands of miles across the ocean to safety with limited water and supplies. This harrowing tale of survival was apparently the basis for such classic tales as Herman Melville‘s Moby Dick and the Ron Howard film, In the Heart of the Sea.

The museum houses a large collection of whaling artifacts and memorabilia, including longboats, harpoons, and scrimshaw, but the centerpiece is the complete skeleton of a 46-foot (14 meter) bull Sperm whale
suspended from the ceiling. True to its original use as a candle
factory, the museum also has exhibits regarding that trade as well. The
exhibited beam press (used to extract oil from the spermaceti to make candles) is the only one in the world still in its original location.

Hanuman Chalisa

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I went to the Hindu Society of Central Florida (1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry, Florida 32707) with Hannah Miller and a friend. The building itself is absolutely beautiful made of white marble and looking like it came from the heart of India. I have to get back as soon as the heat dies down and get a sketch.

We went to experience the Hanuman Chalissa which  is a devotional song based on Lord Hanuman as the model
devotee. It is a poem written by Tulsidas in the Awadhi language. The
word Chalisa is derived from Chalis in Hindi, which means 40, as the
Hanuman Chalisa has 40 verses. Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, is one of the most celebrated and worshiped figures in Indian religion. He aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshiped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance, and devotion.

The
“Maha Kshetra” meaning, one of the most sought after regions to be born in for all sentient beings, was opened on June 19, 2005 in the presence of thousands
of devotees, fulfilling the dream of the entire Hindu community of
Central Florida. Hindus believe in universal acceptance and tolerance. The Scriptures
reveal that God is everywhere, the pure, formless, almighty and all
merciful. They teach that the Soul is divine but held in bondage of
worldly affairs. This bondage can only be removed by his mercy. He has
to be worshiped as one beloved, dearer than anything else.

The Hindu Society of Central Florida dedicated this temple to all
sects of Hindus with the principal objective of not only, making it a
place of worship but, also to be a learning center and a platform for
exposition of Indian arts and culture. Inside the temple were many of these ornate and beautifully carved  shrines filled with statues covered in colorful flowers, fabrics and and partially gilded. I didn’t sing the 40 verses but the sound soothed me as I finished the sketch.

Technology Classes at Melrose Center

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The Orlando Public Library asked me to sketch one of their Technology Classes held in the Melrose Center. Since opening in February 2014, the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for
technology, Innovation and Creativity has allowed the Orange County
Library System to expand its role as a provider of technology education.
Occupying 26,000 square feet on the second floor of the Orlando Public
Library, it allows users to gain the understanding
required to be a contributor to and consumer of emerging technologies.  They offer state of the art audio, video and photo studios, fabrication
and simulation labs, an interactive media wall, editing bays, sound
booths, collaborative work spaces and the means to pursue virtual
reality and video game development.

The brochure described the classes which incorporated hands-on projects in photography, graphic design, audio
production and video production in this 4-day camp. The camp runs 2:30
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday. Age requirements: 9-12.
Capacity: 8. Required Skills: None., Materials Fee:, $25, Out of
District Fee:, $65 (includes classes and materials fee)

Day 1: Create a
soundtrack for a short animated film.

Day 2: Find out how to operate
professional studio video cameras, recording a short film of yourself,
and showcase your movie on television screen.

Day 3: Work as a team to
create photo studio images.

Day 4: Use Adobe Photoshop and Wacom Pen
Tablets to design coloring pages.

The kids, acting as news anchors were dressed in adult sized suits and  posed in front of a green screen. They were reporting about a theme park and when the footage was composited together it looked like the kids were on a roller coaster delivering their lines. It was fun for the kids to see the final results. They would switch rolls giving another summer camper the chance to operate the camera. The camera was mounted on a tripod, and one student loosened the clamp sending the camera toppling forward. One of the staff jumped in to avert tragedy. This was an adventurous two hour workshop fr the kids familiarizing them with the inner workings of a video production studio.