The Complete History of America (Abridged)

Posted on by Thor

CFCArts is presenting The Complete History of America (Abridged) at the CFCArts Black Box Theatre, (250 SW Ivanhoe Blvd. Orlando, FL 32804). It was a bit tricky to find at Central Christian Church on Lake Concord. Parking was in back behind the church.

The show is a tongue in cheek roller coaster covering the history of America from Columbus to the modern day. I had seem actress Melanie Leon at Fringe in a musical called Buggin’ Out. She has an expressive way of using every nuance of a gesture to convey her thoughts,  and so I knew she would be very funny in the show. She sat in the audience several times and each time she got the audience members to interact with the cast on stage. Justin Hughes and James Blaisdell also kept the energy high in this fast paced show. There were fast paced costume changes galore, and a mysterious bullet kept sneaking into each period of history.

From the moment the actors took to the stage the lights flashed and they performed with over the top vaudevillian zeal. The trenchers of World War I were represented by several overturned chairs. The weapons they carried turned out to be high powered water guns and they sprayed the audience. I leaned forward and then closed the sketchbook to protect my sketch from the ravaged of war.

The final number was going to be either a high spirited Broadway musical number or a Film Noir mystery. A vote was put to the audience and we clearly wanted the Broadway number but at the last second it was decided that the Broadway number might have had the popular vote, but the Noir won based on the electoral college. The audience moaned.

The evening was a fun flippant and interactive experience which is perfect for the July 4th holiday. If you want a laugh with your fireworks, go see The Complete History of America (Abridged).

The remaining show dates are:

July 5, 2018 at 7:30pm

July 6, 2018 at 7:30pm

July 7, 2018 at 7:30pm

July 8, 2018 at 7:30pm

Tickets are $15 to $18.

A New 3D Printer at Art Systems

Posted on by Thor

Four days after the Pulse Massacre, I found myself at Art Systems (1740 State Road 436, Winter Park, FL 32792) getting some prints. As I waited, I noticed this fellow behind the counter adding finishing touches to a laser printed architectural piece he had made. It looked like a tiny hotel. What was odd was that he spent so much time carving away sections of the print with an Xacto blade. The print was made from thin strips of paper that had been layered one on top of the other. Part of me wonders if there is a practical usage I could have for such technology. I havn’t figured it out yet.

The color printer that was going to run my work broke. I left empty handed and haven’t been back to Art Systems for a print since. Actually, I take that back I did go back one more time but the printer was still broken. Old technology fades away while new technology is pampered and slaved over.

July 4th Fireworks Guide for Central Florida

Posted on by Thor

Fireworks

Baldwin Park Independence Bash July 3, 2018 at 6 PM – 11 PM (fireworks at 9:15 PM)
4801 New Broad Street, Orlando

Freedom on the Waterfront July 3, 2018 at 5 PM (fireworks at dusk)
Elizabeth Evans Park, Mount Dora

Red Hot and Boom July 3, 2018 at 4 PM – 11 PM (fireworks 9:30 PM)
Uptown Altamonte 150 Cranes Roost Park Blvd, Suite 2200, Altamonte Springs

4th Annual Firecracker Festival July 3, 2018 at 5 PM – 9 PM
Earl Brown Park DeLand

Smoke on the Water – Fireworks over the Harbor Port Canaveral
July 3, 2018 at 8 PM (fireworks around 9:30-10)
The Cove at Port Canaveral

Fireworks at the Fountain
July 4, 2018 at 2 PM – 10 PM
Lake Eola Park 4th of July Celebration July 4, 2018 | 5 PM – 9 PM
Oviedo Mall 1700 Oviedo Mall Blvd, Oviedo

Celebration of Freedom July 4, 2018 at 5 PM – 9:30 PM
Central Winds Park 1000 Central Winds Drive, Winter Springs

Fourth of July Celebration July 4, 2018 at 5 PM – 9 PM
Avalon Park 3680 Avalon Park East Blvd, Orlando

Fourth of July Spectacular
July 4, 2018 at 5:30 PM – 9 PM
Port Orange Parks and Recreation 1000 City Center Circle, Port Orange

Red White And Boom
July 4, 2018 evening
Check site for location Clermont

Fireworks on the Fourth! July 4th Celebration!
July 4, 2018 at 6 PM – 9 PM
City of Apopka Recreation Department | 3710 Jason Dwelley Pkwy, Apopka

July 4th: Symphony Under the Stars
July 4, 2018 at 8 PM – 11 PM
Cocoa Riverside Park Cocoa 
Star Spangled Sanford
July 4, 2018 at 4 PM – 10 PM
Ft. Mellon Park, Sanford

23rd Annual Olde Fashioned 4th of July Celebration
July 4, 2018 at 9 AM – 1 PM
Central Park
2018 St. Cloud Fireworks
July 4, 2018 at 10 PM
Wilson Park and Hester Park along 5th Avenue North
DeBary Lights Up Liberty July 4, 2018 at 2PM – 11 PM
Gemini Springs Park 37 Dirksen Drive, DeBary

Geneva 4th of July Parade and FestivalJuly 4, 2018 at 8:30 AM – 2 PM
Kissimmee Lakefront Park 201 Lakeview Drive, Kissimmee

Monumental 4th of JulyJuly 4, 2018 at 5 PM – 10 PM
Kissimmee Lakefront Park | 201 Lakeview Drive, Kissimmee

15TH Annual All American Kids Parade and Breakfast
July 4, 2018 at 8 AM – 12 AM
Masonic Lodge 230 West Bay Street, Winter Garden

Party in the Park – Winter Garden July 4, 2018 at 6 PM
Newton Park, 29 West Garden Avenue

Independence Day Parade
July 4, 2018 at 10 AM
Corner of Donnelly and Seventh and runs into Charles Avenue

Red, White, and Boom over North Brevard July 4, 2018 at 7 PM – 10 PM
Sand Point Park 10 East Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville

Smoke on the Water Cocoa
July 4, 2018 at 5 PM (fireworks around 8:45-9)
Riverfront Park in Cocoa Village

Great American Celebration July 4, 2018 at 6:30 PM (fireworks around 9)
USA Space Coast Complex in Viera

Palm Bay’s Independence Celebration July 4, 2018 at 4 PM (fireworks around 9)
Palm Bay

Firecracker 5 K July 4, 2018 at 7 AM (fireworks around 8)
Front Street Park Melbourne

Red, White and Boom
July 4, 2018 at 7 PM (fireworks around 9:15)
Sand Point Park Titusville

Daytona Lagoon July 4, 2018 at 10am – 10pm
601 Earl Street, Daytona Beach

Smoke on the Water July 5, 2018 at 8 PM (fireworks around 8:45-9)
Lori Wilson Park

Red White and Blues Live Music
July 7, 2018 Centennial Plaza at 7PM-9 PM
Downtown Winter Garden

Other Events 

Bucket of Balls Eating Contest at Drive Shack July 4, 2018 at 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
7285 Corner Drive, Orlando

$5 Fourth of July at Astro Skate July 4, 2018 at 1 PM – 6 PM– free all-you-can-eat hot dogs from 1-2pm
866 Goldenrod Road, Orlando

Fourth of July Science Celebration July 4, 2018 at11 AM – 4 PM
Orlando Science Center

Theme Parks 

Walt Disney World Fireworks Events July 4, 2018
Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. You can watch the fireworks outside the parks in the following spots…

The promenade at Disney’s Boardwalk.

Capa at the Four Seasons Orlando.

The marina at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Private Cruise.

The beach at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Eleven at Reunion Resort.

Red, White and Boom! July 4, 2018
LEGO LAND Kids Bop Stadium at 9 PM pricing starts at $74.99

Fourth of July at Sea World – Electric Ocean July 4, 2018 at 9:30 PM
Bayside Stadium reserved seating; pricing starts at $49 per person

Modern Widow’s Club: Love Always

Posted on by Thor

LOVE, ALWAYS was a Modern Widows Club fundraising event held at
East End Market (3201 Corrine Dr, Orlando, Florida 32803). The evening was a celebration of living a life full of love, always, all ways! I sketched the photo opportunity in the corner of the room where women in crowns could have their picture taken in front of the giant heart.

International Widows Day will be on June 23, 2018. Carolyn Caple Moor who founded the Modern Widows Club is raising money to help empower women who are often overlooked when their partner dies in our society.

Carolyn introduced herself to Isabella and Megan, both in their 20’s. 
They didn’t understand what the Modern Widow’s Club was, and said “Whaat?“. She said “It’s a nonprofit that
empowers a lot of young (and older) widows to thrive”. “Do you know what a widow is?” Carolyn asked, and they both said “Yes, a woman whose
husband has died”. she agreed and said “It can be a woman whose lost a
wife too”. They agreed.

Then, she said “Which of these ladies on this board do you think is the widow?” and they both really took their
time looking at each one. They both selected the older widows “Mary,
Mary and Bonnie”. I asked them why they selected those ladies and they
said “Because they look like grandmothers and a lot of grandmothers I
think would be widows”.

They are right. Of the 14 million
American widows, 66% are over 65 years old and may or may not be retired, but
34% are younger and under age 65. The average age is 59. Carolyn became a widow at age 37 and that her daughter Mackensey Moor
was only 4 years old when she lost her father.

That’s when
Isabella’s face completely changed because she realized that someone her
mom’s age could have become widowed and all widows are not grandmothers
like she thought. When Carolyn told her that every woman on the page was a
widow, she was quite shocked.

Thankfully, these two young ladies are now aware that as women,
education and information is so valuable. Megan said “Yeah, I would want
to know this if I was married and could prepare if anything happened”.
Right, because 70% of all wives will experience widowhood at some
point! We don’t know if it will be us or when. Let’s prepare this generation better than our own.

Tai Chi in Central Park

Posted on by Thor

I rented a place in Winter Park two summers ago. Since I lived there, I started looking for local events to sketch and when I found out that Tai Chi was offered in Central Park, I had to go out and sketch. I arrived early, sat on a bench in the shade and started sketching where I assumed they would set up in the grass.

Back in 1998 I was working for Disney Feature Animation on the film, Mulan which is set in China. During the making of that film I studied Tai Chi as a way to unwind from the stress of production. I knew the moves and could have joined in on this day, but I decided instead to focus on the zen of creating the sketch.

When the Tai Chi participants showed up they set up on the main stage which is usually reserved for musical performances. Rather than start the sketch over, I just placed them on the green grass where I felt they belonged. Of course Tai Chi could be interpreted as a form of dance and an art form.

Creating art is forbidden by city ordinance in Winter Park. According to the Ordinance, artists a lumped together with street performers…”Perform and performance means to engage in any of the following activities: acting; singing; playing musical instruments; puppetry; pantomiming, miming; performing or demonstrating magic or acts of illusion; dancing; juggling; or the public display of and composition or creation of crafts, sculpture, artistry, writings, or compositions, including the application of brush, pastel, crayon, pencil, or other similar objects applied to paper, cardboard, canvas, cloth or to other similar medium.” I still wonder if a digital sketch is exempt.

“Prohibited public area means the pedestrian accessed public areas of the Central Business and Hannibal Square Districts along Park Avenue from Fairbanks Avenue to Swoope Avenue, and along New England Avenue from Park Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue including the area within fifty (50) feet of the public right-of-way of Park A venue and New England Avenue on the public lanes, streets, thoroughfares, and ways, including the Winter Park train station and the public property at

what is  known as the Winter Park Farmer’s Market and the Winter Park Historical Association located at 200 West New England Avenue, excluding public performance zones as provided in subsection ( d)(2). ”

The city of Winter Park does allow for a “Weekend of the Arts” in February. Thankfully, no police wrestled me to the ground to take my pencil and the shops on Park Avenue hummed and generated profits despite my anarchistic decision to sketch performers at their craft.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for June 30th and July 1st

Posted on by Thor

Saturday June 30, 2018

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

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. Fashion, Food and Architecture – Urban Sketching On Location. The Mall at Millenia 4200 Conroy Rd, Orlando, Florida 32839. This is the Orlando Urban Sketchers June sketch-out gathering. We Sketch on location, from observation, capturing time and places into our sketchbooks.

 In this session our goal is to combine small stories of trendy
fashion as showcased at the store fronts and by the shoppers passing by, to
capture the colorful food vendors and activity, all in the
context of the modern architectural design of the Mall at the Millenia
as a background.

This is a great place to go vignettes sketching, focusing on small composed scenes!

It is an indoor sketch out as we try to avoid the Florida summer’s high temperatures.

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free. Brewery Tour. Orlando Brewing, 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, FL.

Sunday July 1, 2018

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuition $275. Crealde Urban Sketching Class. Class two of six.

Instructor: Thomas Thorspecken

Location: Main Everest Campus, 600 St Andrews Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792

Duration: 6 Weeks

Learn
to sketch from subject to the environment. Classroom sessions will
focus on sketching clothed models and progress towards sketching the
model and classroom environment. Learn how to incorporate storytelling
into your sketches in our location sessions. These trips to local venues
will challenge you to use your sketchbook the way a photojournalist
uses a camera. The six-week goal is to produce finished sketches using
pencil, pen, and watercolor within two hours. Skill level: Intermediate.

10 a.m. to Noon. Free. Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation Class. University, 5200 Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32811. The Method of Heartfulness. A simple and practical way to experience the heart’s unlimited resources.

4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Free. Market2Park. Shady Park Hannibal Square New England and Pennsylvania Ave. Small outdoor Farmer’s Market.

310 Park Avenue

Posted on by Thor

At a recent Oral History interview it took three of us to pin down the time and date of a particular vigil. For most people memories are tied in with children’s milestones or changes of address or jobs. My memories play back as sketches. Sunday was my birthday back in 2016. I had just sketched the Jason Calhoun wedding at the Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum. I did a detailed sketch of the ceremony and the reception. The month before I had separated from my wife and I was renting a condo from a snow bird in Winter Park. For the first time I was living on my own since my college years in New York City.

Rather than go back to the condo, I decided to do one more sketch for the day at 310 Park Avenue (310 Park Avenue Winter Park FL). I sat at a side table alone and sketched people out having their first drink for the night. I was fascinated by the backless dress with the red bra. The bartender stopped to listen to the couples story. I assumed this was their first stop before heading out to a club for the evening.

Sometimes waiting for a friend offers just enough time to finish a sketch. 21 days later, the Pulse nightclub massacre would occur. Never again would I sit in a bar with my back to the entrance. In this sketch I was firmly aware of the exit through the kitchen. Rather than focusing just on some isolated vignette, my sketches seem to always point out the best means of escape.

Beth Marshall Presented Wilds as part of the New Works Series

Posted on by Thor

Beth Marshall‘s new work series presented new works by playwrights. There were over 170 submissions and just two plays winners were selected from the play writing contest. The inaugural New Works Series featured workshop play readings from Top Teen actors mixed of industry professionals. Pam Schwartz I went to Class Act Studios (11561 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, Florida 32825) to sketch the first play by author Lisa VillaMil. Wilds is a surrealist play about intolerance, whose plot draws from
social and political events of the past year, including Brexit, the
United States’ election, Poland’s attempted total-ban on abortion, and
the Syrian refugee crisis, particularly in relation to Hungary. It is
told in a series of short interwoven scenes of various plot lines.

The show was directed by Tara Kromer. Stage manager, (Jazzlyn Whiddonn) read at playwrights notes to set up each scene. The first scene that really struck a chord was an office meeting with men surrounding a conference table and Phoebe, (Arianna Aviles) as the only female employee. The boss (Nick Serino) ran the meeting and any time Phoebe offered insight, she was cut off. One of her ideas was repeated by one of the male employees and the boss praised him for the concept. They wanted to market their product to a female audience but refused to listen to any idea Phoebe offered.  After the meeting, the boss cornered her and asked why she was being so aggressive by speaking out at the meeting. She had actually been quite meek. It was clear that a woman has to work so much harder to have her voice heard. Men can act like assholes and be rewarded for their contributions but woman must stay subservient. In another scene Phoebe sat on a park bench and a man literally walked up and sat in her lap because he hadn’t seen that she was there. She was becoming invisible.

A politician (Joshua Huff ) spoke about the need to close borders to keep the unwanted out of our country. Every misguided word seemed to have already been said by our present president. An immigrant named Dinah (Alexia Correa) managed to make her way across the border but she was stopped by border patrol. Her baby was taken from her as she faced detention. She asked everyone she talked to where her baby was and no one would answer her. Childless she was finally released and she wandered the street with a photo of her child asking anyone she met if they had seen her child. Anger and frustration turned her into a wild animal.

One scene involved a character talking about having an extra cone receptor in his eyes that lets him see far more color that the average person. I had just listened to a segment on WMFE radio about these trichromats. As an artist I hope I have this extra receptor. One person referred to my use of color as garish, and I have tended to mute the pallet since. The point didn’t really forward the plot in the play however. In another scene a man played the part of a female nurse advising Phoebe to not have an abortion. Gender was blurred for effect. The play became surreal as one woman disappeared and the other turned into a wild cat.

The play resonated with political subjects we are all experiencing now in America. Everyone in the audience but a 14 year old agreed that the play should be produced for the stage. Beth Marshall is producing plays this year that are written by women or minorities. She is well aware that her primary audience is old and usually looking for simple escapist entertainment. Despite this she wants to present them with challenging contemporary works that challenge the status quo.

On Saturday June 30, 2018, at 3 p.m. Beth Marshall presents The Top Teens Showcase, featuring the acting, singing, musical, technical, and
performance art talents of select young emerging artists that are
theatrically coached and mentored or adjudicated by Beth Marshall
throughout the season. Local veteran industry professionals adjudicate
and award scholarships as well as we will be launching the BMP and
Billy Manes Arts Activism Scholarship. Scholarships provided by: Beth
Marshall Presents, Florida Theatrical Association and The Billy Manes
Society.This will be at Class Act Studios – 11561 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, FL 32825. Tickets are $15.

The Companion and Safe Word at Fringe

Posted on by Thor

These two short one act operas came from the Opera, Three Way. Music was by Robert Paterson and lyrics by David Cote in an arrangement with Bill Holab Music. The music Director was Deniz Uz and the stage director was Eric Pinder.

The Companion was set in the near future in a comfortably appointed apartment. A single smartly dresses business woman, Maya (Samantha Barnes Daniel) returned home to a perfectly prepared dinner and wine served by her perfect boyfriend, Joe (Johnathan Lee Iverson). it became clear that he was perfect because he was a carefully programed robot. His programing also included hundreds of sexual positions, but he did have a tendency to slip into mechanical speech patterns.

The woman decided she wanted a programing upgrade. The live tech support guy, Dax (Jacob Pence) flirted a bit and was a reminder that perhaps she should consider the real deal. When the sex robot was fully upgraded, he began to  ignore the heroine playing video games constantly. When she called the company to complain, she was told that every aspect of the programing was designed to make him seem like a true to life boyfriend. It was a fun premise and the music carried the show beautifully.

The second one act opera, Safe Word, was about a dominatrix, Mistress Salome (Sarah Purser). I have seen Sarah perform in many other operas and I didn’t realize she was performing in this opera until she took her wig off to take a bow after the show. You have to admire an opera singer who can transform so completely. I hope to get to see her in leading roles more often.

Salome was waiting on a client (Jacob Pence) and when he did knock at the door, she let him wait. She insisted that anticipation is needed before pain and pleasure.

The client was a businessman who wanted to dress in pantaloons and act like a child needing punishment. I resisted sketching but had to jump in when she tied him to a restraining cross. Of course, a safe word is agreed upon in case anything gets out of hand. Things do indeed get out of hand with more pain than pleasure involved. In the end however, we realize that the dominatrix is actually the client and she has had the most empowering experience of her life.

I love that Opera Orlando is bringing such edgy modern productions to the Fringe and Orlando in general. A  month after Fringe they presented Star Trek Abduction which is based on Mozart‘s The Abduction from the Seraglio. They are going where no opera has gone before. Who doesn’t want to hear an aria sung in Klingon?

Spilled Milk Open Mic

Posted on by Thor

The Milk Bar Lounge (2424 E Robinson St, Orlando, Florida 32803) supports local poets by hosting a monthly poetry night.  The poetry started around started around 9pm. That is when the poetry and drinks started flowing.The signup slot time length was around 5 minutes or 2 poems, whichever came first. This might change depending on how many poets show up.

I started sketching before the first poet took to the stage. They arrive notoriously late and usually sit and start writing when they arrive. The Milk Bar’s public relations puppy wanders from table to table welcoming each poet. It gradually grew dark outside making the warm glow inside all the more inviting. After a few drinks every poem seems inspired and meaningful. An impartial member of the audience is invited to judge, and each poet in turn weighs in for the bragging rights to become the top poet for the night.

The next poetry event is the Orlando Poetry Team Slam with Jay Salazar. This will be on July 5th, 2018. Each poet must buy a drink/support the venue to sign up! Sign Up at 8pm, and the slam starts at 9p.m.

Two rounds! 3minute poems, no props or costumes.

Round One, 12 teams, top five move on!

Round Two, 5 teams, Best poem wins!

Winner gets $50 and major bragging rights!

Here’s the catch. Solo pieces are not allowed. Every poem must be a group piece. You can have 2 to 3 people per team.

The feature poet is Jay Salazar! Salazar is a spoken word poet out of New
Jersey and New York City. He writes about food, addiction, alcohol, and
family. When he is not writing he is probably cooking, working out,
eating, or binging some Netflix show that isn’t that good.