Hamilton at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

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 On November 15, 2018 tickets went on sale for Hamilton. With ticket prices upwards of $175 to $385, I really didn’t think I would be sketching this show. When tickets went on sale the Dr. Phillips Center was plagued by technology
failures. People called in and had to wait for hours only to wind up empty-handed. Social media lit up with frustration and annoyance from people who could not get ticket. Unknown to me, Pam and another member of her staff were among the first to call in for the tickets. On Christmas day she let me know that we would be going to the show. It is my understanding that the shows are all sold out but, there is still a lottery for the trickle of tickets that become available.

Tony-winning Hamilton, by Lin-Manuel Miranda, tells the story of
founding father Alexander Hamilton with a multi-racial cast and
energetic music. Since opening on Broadway in 2015, it has become
cultural phenomenon.chaos and frustration of the original sales date.

I stripped down my sketch kit and left the cell phone at home knowing that security would be tight at the Performing Arts Center. We put my kit in Pam’s purse thinking it might slip through more easily there. My pencil sharpener was still in my pocket as it always is. It raised suspicions since the guard wasn’t sure of why someone might need that analog technology. She let me through the metal detectors but then asked to look at the sharpener one more time as I waited for Pam to get through security.

In the theater I quickly blocked in the stage as people filed in to take their seats. When the play started the house lights went black. I needed Pam’s cell phone set to a very dim setting to see my sketch page. Painting would be impossible, so once the sketch was complete in ink I waited for an intermission.

All the hype for this show is well deserved. Joseph Morales plays the title character in the touring production of Hamilton. The show’s score blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, RandB, and Broadway. The lyrics are fired off at a break neck pace, so it would be a good idea to listen to the show soundtrack before seeing the show in person. I caught the emotional broad strokes however of everything going on.

Besides being prolific in writing, and aggressive in politics, Hamilton was always striving for more. He worked as if running out of time, a candle burning bright. Aaron Burr (Nik Walker) acted as a lifelong political foil, being jealous of of Hamilton’s quick rise to power.  He married Eliza Schuyler (Shoba Narayan) as her sister Angelica (Ta’Rea Campbell) suppressed her feelings for the sake of their happiness. However his always restless heart gets him in trouble and he breaks Eliza’s heart. Amazingly she finds forgiveness in the second act and she is the one who keeps Hamilton’s name alive after he is gone. The final song of the show, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story” is a reflection on legacy and what we leave behind. It is why we create art. Can we ever do enough in this lifetime? Though the emotions might bring tears, it was the beast Christmas gift in years.

Leaving Montgomery, Alabama

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While in Montgomery, Alabama, Pam and I came across a women’s’ march demonstration that ended at the capitol steps. There were a few rainbow flags. Tents had been set up on the capital steps and speeches and chanting resonated from there.  There was one hateful counter protester. He had a loud voice and tried to shout over the loud speakers. This counter protester made it clear that Montgomery still has deep roots of hate. He wanted to shout about hell and damnation rather than love and acceptance.

On the second day in Montgomery, Pam and I were looking for something to do. The few museums that were open wouldn’t open until after noon. We switched our attention to breakfast. We settled on a place called Goat Haus Biergarten. The building was old with chipping paint on the front porch. It would have made a great sketch but I figured we would be in and out pretty fast. Service however was insanely slow. Half of Pam’s dish was inedible.

I have a horrible sense of smell, but as we sat outside having breakfast, I started to notice a sulfur smell that might have been the smell of a paper production plant. We considered going to the Montgomery Art Museum, but would only have an hour to look around before rushing off to the airport, so instead we went straight to the airport and hung out there until our flight boarded.

There are only 6 gates at the Montgomery airport and the airplanes are little puddle jumpers. I focused my attention on the aviation fuel trucks parked across the way. It was overcast and cold. I wore at least 6 layers of sweaters the entire time I was in the city.

Saint Pete’s Roman Catholic Church

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After sketching at the Lynching Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, I wandered the empty streets in search of another subject. I settled in to sketch Saint Pete’s Roman Catholic Church, but discovered the major problem of using a digital sketchbook on location… the battery dies.

A small wooden church was built on the site in 1833 and was dedicated in 1834.  A brick building which is part of the present structure was built in 1852. The current Spanish style tower and facade were added in 1882.

After the battery died I searched for a lunch spot where I might be able to recharge. I found Chris’ Hot Dogs which was opened by a Greek immigrant in 1917. Until the 1960s he offered curb side service which resulted in long lines of cars waiting to be served. The dogs are served with a secret chili sauce only known by a few family members. Millions of customers were served in the first 10 decades. President Franklin D. Roosevelt often ordered boxes of hot dogs when his presidential train traveled through town. Other presidents included Truman and George Bush one and two. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Hank Williams Jr., and Elvis Presley all sampled these delicious hot dogs. My two dogs were soggy with chili sauce, but quite good. People in the know, lined up at the bar and had their dogs within minutes.  I sat at the bar, which reminded me of the many bars in the south where sit-ins were held during the civil rights era.

I eventually found a plug in a public park, but by the time the pad was recharged, I decided I didn’t have time to go back to complete the sketch. It had to stay the way it was. It shows my loose thought process early in a sketch before details are added.

Buggin Out: A Small Musical

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This was a small musical for kids at the 2018 Fringe. The premise is simple enough, Mitch (Austin Palmer) is a shy Monarch Butterfly who has just molted and he is concerned about his new look. Tina the toothless termite (Melanie Leon) offers him some solace.

The show’s original songs are composed and performed by SAK keyboardist Ryan Goodwin, house left. The rhymes were playful and light-hearted. A large storm swept into Bugville and Mitch and his friends needed to bond together to ride it out. This high stakes scene had the actors crouched down together center stage behind chicken wire. The moral that kids, and perhaps parents, might take from the show is that friendship helps ride out any storm. In a time when divisiveness seems to be the daily norm, it is nice to hear a message that encourages kids to work together rather than fight.

Lynching Memorial in Montgomery Alabama

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Members of the onePULSE Foundation Board flew into Montgomery, Alabama to visit the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, commonly known as the Lynching Memorial. Pam Schwartz and I flew in the same day, but on a separate flight. While the Board explored the museum, I walked over to the memorial to sketch.

Entrance to the memorial costs $5 and there are two metal detectors for security. Video isn’t allowed but still photography is fine, although they don’t want people taking selfies in front of the sensitive  statues of enslaved people. Since we were only in town for a day, I had a change of underwear in my artist stool and I hoped I wouldn’t have to drag it out while going through the metal detectors. My sketch pad should get through fine.

I was surprised when security told me that I would have to leave my art bag behind, although I was told I could take out anything I needed. I said I would need my sketchbook and then I was informed that sketching was not allowed. I would also have to leave my art stool, so I faced the prospect of standing for several hours as I sketched, which can be exhausting. I decided to turn on my heel, get my refund, and leave.

I hiked around the block until I found this view of the memorial from an abandoned empty lot across the street. About half way into this sketch another security guard walked down the steps and across the street from me. I stiffened up, thinking he might try and stop me from sketching from this public spot. The opposite happened. He apologized and said I could could sit inside on one of the granite benches if I wanted to. I thanked him for the offer but I was already deeply committed to this sketch. I also had shade from a tree on the empty lot which was needed. There were few trees inside the memorial property.

This is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved
black people, people terrorized by lynching, African Americans
humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color
burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence. The memorial uses sculpture, art, and design to contextualize racial
terror. The site includes a memorial square with 800 six-foot monuments
to symbolize thousands of racial terror lynching victims in the United
States and the counties and states where this terrorism took place. These rust colored monuments hang from the ceiling. The Equal Justice Initiative is inviting counties across the country to claim their monuments and
install them in their permanent homes in the counties they represent.

The streets of Montgomery, Alabama are strangely deserted. I got the feeling like I was the last man on earth walking the quiet streets. When a car did rush by it seemed out of place. The city wears its history of hate and racism on its sleeve with pride.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for February 2 and 3, 2019

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Saturday February 2, 2019

9am to 5pm Free. Saturday and Sunday. Mount Dora Arts Festival. Mount Dora, Mt Dora, FL 32757. What better way to celebrate one of the top Downtowns in the country than by walking America’s favorite home-town! Filled with fine-art from national artists, along a magnificent lake view! Discover terrific entertainment, food, superb shopping and of course, The Premier Arts Festival in Central Florida!



7pm to 11:30pm Free. Plankton – by Doug Rhodehamel. Stardust Video and Coffee 1842 E Winter Park Rd, Orlando, Florida 32789. Diatoms, cyanobacteria, coccolithophores, dinoflagellates…who doesn’t
love plankton?!! Leave it to Doug Rhodehamel to take them to an all new
fun and lovable level!

Plankton features an assortment of large
decoupage panels featuring many micro flora and fauna as translated by
Doug’s weirdo brain. There will be cheese.

8pm to 10pm Free. Shuffleboard. Orlando’s Beardall Courts 800 Delaney Ave Orlando FL. Shuffleboard at Orlando’s Beardall Courts at 800 Delaney Ave on the 1st Saturday of each month.

Sunday February 3, 2019

10am 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.

Noon to 1pm. Free. Yoga. Lake Eola near red gazibo. Bring your own mat.

10pm to Midnight. Free. 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.

Jealousy

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Jealousy, by Ricardo Soltero-Brown featured three actors caught up in a love triangle at the 2018 Orlando Fringe.

Al (Colton Butcher) sits pensively on the floor in my sketch from “Jealousy.” He has had a crush on Celia (Cameron Gagne) since they were in school. Celia is sleek and aloof, and I like that fact that she was always sketching. Unfortunately, I never got to see what she was scratching on her sketch pad. Al was in the midst of explaining his feelings when Celia’s boyfriend, Gunnar (Jack Kelly) entered the room. He was self-absorbed yet possessive when he realized that Al was making moves on his girl.

Celia didn’t discourage Al, instead basking in the attention of both men who acted like sophomoric boys as they battled for her attention. I don’t understand why he didn’t just leave, but I suppose it would have been a much shorter play had he been that reasonable.

Directed by Jeremy Seghers, Jack came across as a self-absorbed jock mostly concerned with his own looks. Celia was just a prize for his self-absorbed ego. Gunner on the other hand seemed sincere in his desire for Celia until he doesn’t get his way. Then he came across as a spoiled brat not getting the toy he wanted.

Love came across as a depressing wasted emotion.

Story Club at the Abbey

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Orlando Story Club is held at The Abbey, (100 South Eola Drive, Orlando, FL 32801) and offers an evening of entertainment where the audience creates the show!

Everyone is invited to throw their name in a hat for a chance to tell a story. Ten participants are chosen from the hat. Stories must be no longer than 5 minutes in length, told without notes, and must connect with the theme. The results can be unpredictable, sometimes outrageous, sometimes poignant, but always a lot of fun!

Judges are randomly selected from the audience and special story prizes are awarded at the end of the evening. Other audience participation opportunities abound.

Best of all, this evening of fun raises money for a different local charity every month! Story club champion, Danielle Ziss was a host despite having to favor a twisted ankle.

Orlando Story Club was founded by storyteller and filmmaker Robin Cowie (producer of “The Blair Witch Project”).  After participating in the national storytelling series “The Moth,” Central Florida based Cowie sought out to produce the same event here and so Orlando Story Club was born.  The first event, held at Orlando’s East End Market in March 2014, was a standing room only smash hit.  Two years later, Cowie’s popular series caught the attention of Downtown Orlando’s dynamic  Downtown Arts District who teamed up to put on monthly events at The Abbey in Downtown Orlando, furthering the growth of Story Club and the arts.  

The April charity partner was Summer of Dreams.  Since 2011, Summer of Dreams has helped inspire hope and opportunity in those who need it most – homeless students in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.  The program is designed to provide students with access to food, supervision and engaging activities, as well as financial counseling for parents.  Since 2011, Summer of Dreams has served 5,573 children and is proud of the impact they have had on homeless students and parents.  Their mission is to inspire and offer opportunities to all homeless students and provide a safe, encouraging environment for students to play, dream, and achieve. 

The theme for the next story Club is Smitten Kitten. It will be held on February 6, 2019 at the Abbey. Tickets are $5. Doors open at 7pm.

Ever had a CRUSH? On The Orlando Story Club stage tell us a time when
you got tongue-tied at the mere sight of a certain somebody. Was it
love or just an infatuation? You make eye contact and it’s pure giggles
or you’re full on enraptured. We know the, “I can’t think, I can’t
sleep” routine, but when you do sleep they just invade your dreams,
which is kinda nice actually.

From your brother’s friend who followed you around like a puppy in
that unrequited love story, to the neighbors who’ve been married for 67
years, to your art teacher who made “the colors, like, come alive.” Love
comes in many shades. By the way, pet stories are adorable.

Whatever it was, spin some silk from the cocoons the butterflies left
in your tummy and put those moments on display. What did they do that
set you off, or turned you on? Tell us who (or what) stole your heart.

All proceeds support the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando

Admission: $5 (additional donations encouraged)

Doors open @ 6:30pm. Show starts @ 7pm.

Five Centuries of Florida Cattlemen History

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Photographer Bob Stone gave a talk at the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens in the Capen House (633 Osceola Avenue, Winter Park, FL). It was a crowded event so seating was limited. I went back to the car and got my artist stool so I could get to work sketching. A few seats did remain open, so Pam managed to sit as well.

The cattlemen history began way back in the 1500s when Spanish settlers first brought cattle to Florida. Raising cattle has been a long tradition in Florida. One cattlemen explained it this way, “You can plant crops, but at the end of the harvest you have to load that crop onto the train. The cattle just walk onto the train themselves.” It is possible that the word cowboy originated as a derogatory reference to blacks who worked raising the cows. One woman in the back row was a real character who clearly has been raised in the cattle culture. She pointed out that some whips used to be 15 feet long and someone she knew could flick a match out of your lips from 15 feet away.

Bob had an amazing collection of historic photos that showed how raising cattle has changed over the years. Ranchers used to create cattle “dips,” or troughs in the ground and fill them with a poison that killed the bugs. When development encroached, these toxic sites had to be cleared.

Christianity has long been ingrained in cattleman culture. One photo showed a cowboy being baptized in a metal cattle trough, while other photos showed bull riders praying before getting on the back of a bull.

After the talk, Rachel Frisby invited everyone to see the exhibit, “Lay of the Land: The Art of Florida’s Cattle Culture.” This show, in collaboration with the Florida Cattleman’s Foundation, explored the 500 years of Florida cattle culture through art and hand-crafted items such as saddles and spurs. My favorite discovery at the exhibit was the sketchbooks of Sean Sexton. He has been documenting life on a cattle ranch in his sketchbooks since 1973. I desperately wanted to flip through the sketchbooks, but they were behind glass.

The Collective

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The Collective was launched in early 2017. The idea was to bring
together Central Florida’s nonprofit community and empower the region’s
change leaders. As a new organization big
strides were made in 2017.  The Collective, approved nearly 400 members, hosted 10 gatherings, launched a website and social media accounts, worked with several new organizations, including Opera Del Sol and Immerse, held monthly “Breakfast Breakout Sessions” at the Citrus Club and hosted the inaugural Change Everything Awards.

Each month, The Collective hosts several events and training
opportunities with the goal of sharing ideas, learning from proven
social innovators and creating a community of like-minded passionate
advocates. Those events include a membership-wide meeting, after-work
networking, and a breakfast learning session. This meeting in July was held at the Sanctuary, which has an open community room on the second floor.

Jon Busdeker introduced Mayor Buddy Dyer. The Mayor pointed out that he was so successful because he surrounded himself with truly talented people and he trusts them to do their best. Ideas are shared and nourished. It is rare to hear a politician talking about collaboration in a non-partisan way. It is a simple formula that works here in Orlando. “My hope is the history books will reflect that the Dyer administration
asked citizens to imagine a great city and created just that,” he said. His administration has tackled some big and costly construction projects which have brought Orlando a new Amway Arena and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Slowly, Orlando is growing up to possibly one day become a world class city rather than a suburb just north of the theme parks.