Flip at Fringe

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Local artist Adam McCabe wrote and directed Flip which is a bleak look at America’s future in which very citizen is given a bluetooth  switch at birth which can be flipped to bring about their death. The scene opened at the dinner table where the working mom, Jeanine (Janice Fisher) is trying to enjoy a glass of red wine after a hard day’s work.  Noah, (Daniel Cooksley) her second husband is jobless. Her children are Malory,
(Chelsea Talmadge), and Caleb, (Indigo Frost) a bullied middle-schooler.

No one is happy in this play. Hope is a long lost concept. This insular family is just a speck of dust in an unforgiving universe. We get to learn the most about Malory who is desperate and depressed. She clutches an urn full of her grandfathers ashes. He had flipped his own switch. Without a shred of hope it was hard to want to know the characters. They went through the motions in their senseless lives.

In a long monologue, it became clear that Malory had likely been raped. She had dropped out of college to try and recover, but the depression never left. Noah, her step dad wanted to comfort her but that desire was misguided and turned to lust. His desire to help was really a desire for a moment’s pleasure. In the fumbling and confusion it is possible he flipped his daughters switch. This point wasn’t clear. Perhaps she had flipped her own switch. The American anthem played to announce her departure and she crumpled to the floor.

Jeanine and he son Caleb returned and somehow the son knew of his dads guilt and be beat him with a bat. The son had the habit of smiling at the most inappropriate times making him a bit creepy. Once again, the switch was flipped and the American anthem played as Noah died. There wasn’t an uplifting moment in the entire show. I suppose that was the point.

Suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly
30 years, a federal data analysis has found, with increases in every age
group. The rise was particularly steep for women.
It was also substantial among middle-aged Americans. There were over 44,000 deaths by suicide in 2016. The program listed a suicide prevention hotline…1-800-273-TALK. www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Central Florida Community Arts presented Symphonic Cinema

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Joshua Vickery the founder and Executive Director
Central Florida Community Arts suggested I sketch a dress rehearsal for a big orchestra concert called Symphonic Cinema. This concert featured film scores and movie music and was truly EPIC.

The concert was at the huge  Calvary Assembly Orlando (1199 Clay St Winter Park, Florida 32789). I parked in a smallish lot and made my way inside as people exited from what looked like a yoga class. There was a large open floor space but the room was empty. A gentleman offered me assistance in finding the Symphony rehearsal and he said, “It is a good thing you are wearing hiking boots because it is quite a hike to the main worship hall. As I walked up to that main entrance I realized I was in the right place because lots of musicians dressed in black were carting their instrument cases inside.

 Joshua introduced me to the marketing director, Matt Heim who suggested I sit on the upper level to get an overview of the stage. The stage was incredibly large to accommodate the 150 piece orchestra along with a huge chorus illuminated red behind them. To me the stage resembled shark jaws with the black curtains acting a sharp teeth. Sure enough, Jaws was one of the scores that was being rehearsed. Lighting was being worked out o the theater went completely dark on occasion and I had to find ways to  keep the sketch moving forward. The chorus was let go while the orchestra worked on various cinema scores. A large still from the musical La La Land was on the screens above the orchestra as they performed. The images changed for each new score. Last of the Mohicans was followed by Prince of Egypt. For one number the entire orchestra marched up the aisles of the auditorium to give the audience a taste of surround sound.

Directing such a huge group of artists must be a Herculean task. The director spoke quickly and succinctly to keep the rehearsal moving at the needed fast clip. My sketch ended as the orchestra was given a 15 minute break. They were going to then do a full run through of the show but I decided one sketch was enough. I could tell that the concert would be epic. All who attended would have experienced an unforgettable concert. BIG things are happening in Orlando.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for June 23rd and 24th

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Saturday June 23, 2018

3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Beth Marshall Presents New Works Series (Wilds). ClassAct Studios 11561 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, Florida 32825.

WILDS

By Lisa VillaMil

Director: Tara Kromer

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 plotlines.

Dinah – Alexia Correa

Phoebe – Arianna Aviles

Man 1 – Nick Serino

Man 2 – Joshua Huff

Boy/Stage Manager- Jazzlyn Whiddon

Post Show Talk-Back!

Visit BethMarshallPresents.com for more details and to book your tickets.

Class Act Studios is located in the Harrington Center on the backside of the building.

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free but get a brew. The Bloody Jug Band. The Veranda Live 111 N Summerlin Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801. Drawing inspiration from historic JUG bands of the 1920’s and 30’s as
well as the darker side of Blues and Rock n’ Roll, the BLOODY JUG Band
carves out its own niche in a genre of music that has never seen such a
bloody incarnation.

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Beth Marshall Presents New Works Series (Stuck). ClassAct Studios 11561 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, Florida 32825.

STUCK

By Paris Crayton lll

Director: Clark Levi

Stage Manager: Gabriel Neil Barnert

From
the writer of BMP’s HOODIES and Trayvon Martin Project’s: Worthless,
and Spare The Rod comes Stuck. The story of thirty-something, Jacob who
is struggling with the acceptance of his homosexuality later in life
while at the same time discovering his girlfriend is pregnant. He seeks
counsel from his therapist who is battling her own demons. When faced
with what to do, Jacob’s life and mind are a whirlwind of poetry and
overwhelm. How will he move forward?

Cast:

Jacob – Stelson Telfort

Whitney – Kate Murray

Patricia – Dernika David

Jessica –Lizzie Black

Mike – Coletyn Hentz

Post show talk-back!

Visit BethMarshallPresents.com for more details and to book your tickets.

Class Act Studios is located in the Harrington Center on the backside of the building.

Sunday June 24, 2018

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  Crealde Urban Sketching Class 1 of 6. Crealde School of Art, 600 St Andrews Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792. Tuition $275.

Instructor: Thomas Thorspecken

Location: Main Everest Campus

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.

2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Irish Music. Olivia’s Coffee House, 108 N Bay St, Eustis, Fl. http://www.oliviascoffeehouse.com/

10 p.m. to Midnight Free but get a drink. Comedy Open Mic. Austin’s Coffee, 929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL. Free comedy show! Come out and laugh, or give it a try yourself. 

Gideon’s Knot hits hard at Theater on the Edge

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The set was a hyper real children’s 5th grade classroom in the Lake Forest suburb of Chicago. Bright colors filled the room. A poster shouted, “Feel the Learn!” The house lights faded and a single spot light illuminated a poster in the center of the wall about the Gordian Knot. In this legend it was announced that anyone who could undo a particularly intricate knot would rule Asia. Alexander the Great stepped up and cut the knot with his sword.

Johanna Adams play, Gideon’s Knot is about a simple parent teacher meeting. The teacher, Heather, (Krystal Glover) was sobbing alone at her desk when the lights came up.She is startled by a knock on the classroom door and she dyed her eyes to see who was there. Corryn, a mom (Natalie Bulajic) was at the door seeking assistance since she had showed up for a parent teacher conference. Heather sent her to the front desk but Corryn returned since the meeting was with heather.

In the awkward exchange that followed it became clear that this was the mom of a child who had just committed suicide. Both actresses were visibly upset for the duration of the play, each harboring their own inner guilt and uncertainty. The play tackled a wide variety of themes straight on like freedom of expression, the purpose of art, innocence, responsibility, cowardice, rage, bullying and love.

Corryn’s son Gideon had been expelled from school for writing a school paper that incorporated grizzly detailed descriptions of teachers being dismembered and raped by students. The mom insisted that the teacher read her excerpts from the story. Rather than being repulsed, she recognized themes of Greek battle literature that she herself taught masters degree students. She loved what she heard, and she hated the teacher for censoring her child. More important she blamed Heather for her child’s death.

However it later surfaced that her son was attracted to other boys and may have been bullied because of that attraction. She realized that he had kept the paper from her and more importantly he couldn’t come out to her. She sobbed realizing she wasn’t a good enough mother to earn his trust. Although never discussed, Gideon had easy access to a gun which is a theme so relevant today after Pulse and Parkland took so many lives here in Florida.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youths from ages 10 to 24. LGBT youth are almost five times more likely to attempt suicide compare to heterosexual youth. This play will leave you thinking long after you leave the theater. Once again Theater on the Edge has delivered a stunning relevant production.

Gideon’s Knot remaining show times…

Theater on the Edge 5542 Hansel Ave, Orlando, FL 32809

Tickets are $18 to $22

8 p.m. Friday June 22, 2018

3 p.m. Saturday June 23, 2018

8 p.m. Saturday June 23, 2018

2 p.m. Sunday June 24, 2018

8 p.m. Wednesday June 27, 2018

8 p.m. Friday June 29, 2018

2 p.m. Saturday June 30, 2018

8 p.m. Saturday June 30, 2018

2 p.m. Sunday July 1, 2018

8 p.m. Friday July 6, 2018

2 p.m. Saturday July 7, 2018

8 p.m. Saturday July 7, 2018

2 p.m. Sunday July 8, 2018 (Closing Show)

Carrie the Musical at Rollins

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Carrie the Musical was presented by Actors Reaching Out at the Fred Stone Theater, Rollins College 1000 Holt Ave Winter Park Florida. The show was by Michael Gore, with lyrics by Dean Pitchford. Book is by Laurence D. Cohen. It was based  on the novel by Stephen King and directed by Eric Scherer.

Carrie White is a misfit. At school, she’s an outcast who’s bullied by
the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. At home,
she’s at the mercy of her loving but cruelly over-protective mother. But
Carrie’s just discovered she has a special power, and if pushed too
far, she’s not afraid to use it…

Of course I was mostly waiting for the bloody conclusion of the prom. The song anticipating the prom was fun to watch. Looking back, I realize that some of these talents have appeared again and again in my sketches of the theater scene in town. It is fun to see where some of these talents come from.

Beefy King turns 50

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Tom Veigle founded Beefy King in 1968. He had discovered the roast beef sandwich on a trip to New York City and immediately opened the restaurant in Orlando. He also owned a chain of pizza restaurants. Tom sold the original Beefy King location to Freeman Smith that same year. He made the company public and expanded the chain. He eventually sold the Beefy King brand and the Smiths restaurant became the only restaurant to remain in the franchise.

Son Roland Smith took over when Freeman Smith retired. The restaurant changed hands several times over the five decades but remained in the family. Now
Roland Smith’s daughter and son-in-law, Shannon and James “Woody”
Woodrow, run the restaurant.

The restaurant decor clearly  has not changed since the 60s. Tacky clowns hang from the ceiling. They remind me of the paint by number clown painting my parents had hanging in the basement when I was a child in New Jersey. Those clowns had been painted by my older brothers.

I have had lunch at Beefy King several times with the Orange County Regional History Center staff. It makes sense that folks who know about Orlando’s history would be attracted to the place. The sandwich was dissected and photographed for a recent exhibit at the History Center about how things are made. No family secrets were reveled in the process. Melissa Procko stopped in for the 50th anniversary celebration and she shot photos for the History Center archives.

On the day of the 50th celebration the line to get roast beef sandwiches went out the door and wrapped around the building. I went inside immediately and got a seat to start sketching while Pam stood in the line that wrapped around the aisles towards the food counter. Channel 6 News showed up with a TV camera and was interviewing the owners.

The menu hasn’t changed for 50 years. They do one thing and they do it well. It is a simple and direct path to success. I know I will be back.

Tornatore’s Pizzeria

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ODD 30 (Orlando Drink and Draw was held at Tornatore’s Pizzeria (3818 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, Florida 32804)
The restaurant was participating in “Dine For Paws”, to support Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando. Patrons could dine and donate during the all-day fundraiser that invited the community to dine out at Leading Local Restaurants.

When Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine gave Tornatore’s a makeover on the Food Network’s Ambush Episode of Restaurant Impossible, Chef Irvine stressed the importance of making everything served at Tornatore’s from scratch. Not just some things, but everything! Together they developed a new Tornatore’s menu filled with delicious signature dishes, creating the only neighborhood restaurant in College Park with a complete “made from scratch” menu.

I ordered Fettuccine Alfredo and some garlic knots. The six knots were the size of softballs so there was no chance I could eat them alone. I sat at a fairly large table just in case other artists arrived. No one ever did arrive. I sampled the Alfredo as I sketched. It did indeed taste like fresh pasta. I know the difference sine we sometimes roll out own pasta at home.

As i was packing up this sketch someone from the corner table did stop over and say hello. It was Ginger and Annette. They were indeed two artists who were catching up as they ate. Annette showed me a painting she was working on of a dog with one brown eye and one blue eye. it was rather good. I apologized for the small turn out and decided to let them go back to their food and their chance to catch up with each other. I took home the large garlic knots but I don’t think I will have the chance to finish them off. Good food and a decent sketch, it was a good afternoon, and part of the proceeds went to a good cause.

Pulse 2 Year Memorial

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June 12, 2018 marked 2 years since the massacre of 49 people at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Barbara Poma the owner of the club held a vigil at the nightclub to honor those lost. She founded Pulse for her brother who was gay and died from Aids. The name of the club was meant to keep his pulse alive. Now that Pulse is looking to keep 49 other peoples memories alive as well. An interim memorial was installed on the site featuring landscaping and design from Dix Hite Partners. A large photo mosaic mural was wrapped around the the building. The mural incorporates hundreds of photos pulled from the Orange County History Center‘s collection.

Pam Schwartz and I went to the memorial on June 12, 2018 just before sunset for the memorial and celebration of life. I decided to stop and sketch the iconic Pulse sign since I figured it might be difficult to get a view of the stage. Pam ended up sitting close to the stage since she is involved with the Pulse memorial task force. The base of the sign had been encased in a solid plastic case which lit up as it grew dark. People could sign the plastic with whiteboard markers that were supplied. These messages could be periodically erases so new messages could be added. A father stood his small daughter on his shoulders so she could sign high up.

Several of the Sisters of  Perpetual Indulgence stood on the far side of the sign. They wore black nun habits and one wore a rainbow veil held in place by Mickey Mouse ears. The angels were out in force although I doubt all 49 were there with their PVC and bed sheet fabric wings. Jen Vargas was an angel and she sat in her electric wheel chair wearing the large wings. She has been through surgery and seeing an angel in a wheel chair seemed appropriate for the occasion. A teenage daughter hugged her mom in front of me. Barbara Poma spoke, but her voice was so soft I couldn’t catch a word.

Politicians took to the stage. Each had a set script which was interpreted in Spanish on a teleprompter so Spanish speaking members of the audience could understand what was being conveyed. County Mayor Theresa Jacobs went off script and the planned interpretation had to stop. County Commissioner Patty Sheehan was in the crowd early on,  but she disappeared before all the political speeches. One man had sound muffling ear phones on and he shook and hugged his dog. I thought he might be crying, but I think he just isn’t used to being out in public.

Blue and her dancers performed on the stage which unfortunately I couldn’t see since the crowd was so thick. A chorus sang a bilingual Somewhere Over the Rainbow medley that incorporated songs from Wicked. The song Changed for the Better was included and it is a song I have found inspiring since the day I first saw the show. A rainbow formed across the club and cell phones rose in tribute to record the moment.

Parkland, Florida Memorial

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I spent the morning sketching jury selection for the Noor Salman Trial here in Orlando and then Pam Schwartz and myself drove south to Parkland, Florida where 17 students and faulty had been killed on Valentines Day in a mass shooting. Now, one month later memorial  items had to be cleared because an event was planned for this main stage in Pine Trails Park. The first impression of the town was that it is highly manicured giving the impression of suburban affluence. Seeing the memorial of course immediately reminded me of Pulse. 17 angels stood on stage with golden wings. I read the names of those killed on poster boards for the first time. In the field behind me there were 17 event tents protecting the 17 crosses. Some crosses had been switched out for stars of David.

It was a very windy day. Several tents had been blown over and more would do so as the storm progressed. Loose paper items from the memorial were blowing around, only stopping when they got wedged up against a fence. I heard that someone from a home in the neighborhood brought back items that had blown into her yard. Pam inspected the memorial and then began to return items and anchor them down.

Two high school students were looking at the memorial as I sketched. The girl collapsed to her knees. The boy put his hand on her shoulder waiting for her to regain her composure. It had only been about one month since the shooting. Then he approached me. I braced myself, he might consider my sketching to be disrespectful. Most people don’t understand why I do what I do. What he said took me off guard. He said, “I appreciate that you are sketching. We need to remember. People view sketches differently than they view photos. Thank you.” Considering that he must have been in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on the day of the shooting, this was an incredibly enlightened view. I got choked up, but cleared my eyes so I could finish the sketch.

Jeff Schwartz who heads up the Parkland Historical Society had invited Pam and I to stay at his home for the night.  Later that evening we would be meeting at City Hall so Pam could share her experiences and offer advice on how to collect and preserve the items from the memorials in Parkland.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for June 16th and 17th

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Saturday June 16, 2018

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Orlando’s 2nd Annual Solutionary Peace Walk and Festival. Lake Eola Park. Orlando’s Solutionary Peace Walk is back for another great day of
celebrating peace, health, and compassion! Mark your calendar for June
16th to come by the beautiful Lake Eola Park in Orlando to meet amazing
eco-friendly and compassionate vendors and join other peaceful people in
a walk around Lake Eola Park.  Donations for the walk
are welcome.

Featuring a peaceful and educational 1 mile walk
around Lake Eola Park, amazing vegan food, live music, knowledgeable
speakers, yoga, educational exhibitors, eco-friendly vendors, activities
for youth, and more!

This event is brought to you by Solutionary
Events, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational outreach organization with a
mission to create healthy, compassionate, and sustainable communities
through coordinating socially responsible vegan events all throughout
the state of Florida and beyond. Donations are tax-deductible and very
much appreciated!

4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free. Cruisin’ Downtown DeLand Car Show! East Indiana Ave Downtown  Deland FL. Classic cars & rods. Live DJ, giveaways, shopping and dining. Fun for the family! Every 3rd Saturday night!

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free. Improv Class – 8 weeks Improv Training Comedy Class. Orlando Public Library 100 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, Florida 32801.

Time and space is running out for this summers Improv comedy class
starts Wednesday, June 13th At 6 PM and last for 8 weeks. ending with a
student showcase. This class is for teens and adults ages 13 and above.
The class takes place at the Orlando Library on the first-floor main
stage. Come learn the skills to unleash the improv within you. The class
teaches Short Form Improv in the style of the hit TV show “whose line
is it anyway” This class is taught by Improv Coach Matt Gervia, he has
taught this class for eight years. He is a founder of Power2improv,
Monster Lab, and of the Orlando Comedy Festival. Space is limited so
sign up with the Orlando Library or at Power2improv.com  This is the only
FREE eight-week improv training class in Florida.


Sunday June 17, 2018 Fathers Day

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission. Harry P. Leu Gardens1920 N Forest Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 on Father’s Day. 

Noon to 5 p.m.  
Free admission for dad at Orange County Regional History Center 65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801 on Father’s Day. 

Noon to 3 p.m. Free admission Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum 656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. This is a great place to take Dad this Father’s Day. On Fathers Day
you can enjoy the music by Guitarist George Grosman as you explore the
historic home.