Winter Park welcomes Dogs and bans Artists.

On December 14, 2015 the City of Winter Park passed an ordinance that makes it illegal for artists to “perform” on Park Avenue, New England Avenue and Hannibal Square.  “Perform” is broadly defined as, ,”acting, singing, playing musical instruments, pantomime, mime, magic, dancing, artistry or the sale of visual art and wares.” The broad definition is because a city can’t discriminate based on content. Any artist caught performing could face 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. To protect our first amendment rights, the city designated Winter Park’s Central Park as a “First Amendment Zone.” This will make the annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art festival happening this coming March, a perfectly legal money maker for the City and Park Avenue merchants. If I try and sketch that festival from the opposite side of Park Avenue however, I could go to jail. It could be argued that taking a cell phone photo could be considered “artistry” or even witchery so keep those phones in your pockets people.

The ordinance, “finds that the existence of street performers … would interfere with
the public health, safety and welfare of the pedestrian traffic … [by]
attracting audiences which congest the prohibited public area” and would
“adversely affect the city’s interests in the aesthetics in a city with
a unique historic downtown district.” To think that a visual artist might attract an audience that could block traffic is ridiculous. Most people don’t even notice an artist at work. I’m also surprised they think artists are a public health hazard and ruin a city’s aesthetics.

The ordinance was modeled after a similar ordinance in Saint Augustine which bans street performers and artists. That ordinance is being contested in court. That ruling is still pending. Winter Park merchants decided they need the ordinance because of some rather loud street performers. One band allegedly used a car battery to power amplifiers that blasted the music so loud that nearby merchants couldn’t hear their own store muzak or thoughts. Rather than come up with an ordinance to ban amplified music or restrict noise above a certain decibel level, the city decided to ban all artists. Visual artists are not street performers. They are no more intrusive than a person reading a book, or an iPad. This is something that city officials and law makers do not seem to understand.

On January 5th, I was invited by a Winter Park merchant to sketch and report on the opening of their new men’s department store. I got to the store a bit early and peaked inside to find the place rather empty. It looked like a boring sketch opportunity.  Instead I strolled up Park Avenue with every intent to break the law. I stopped in front of Bank of America and decided to sketch a group of men having a bottle of wine outside the Wine Room. The scene reminded me of a cafe painted by Van Gogh in Provence. Thank god police didn’t catch him in the act. Flames flickered up in the vertical space heaters at Luma. For once it was cool enough out so that I wouldn’t sweat as I sketched. One person walking by joked that my sketch wasn’t complete, since I didn’t include the bank’s ATM. Another person wanted to shoot a photo of me at work. I allowed it, but now realize that the photo could be incriminating evidence in a court of law.

It turns out, that an old friend, was one of the men at the table. He was seated facing away from me, so I didn’t notice him at first. When he got up to leave he noticed me sketching and came over to say hello. He joked that most of the men at the table were deviants, but little did he know that he was speaking to a hardened criminal practicing his dark and mysterious craft. I love the warm glow of Park Avenue at night, but I was lucky that I wasn’t caught as I tried to capture it. Winter Park is now a place that doesn’t welcome artists, so I will simply no longer consider it one of my sketching destinations, unless there are protests against this insane new ordinance. After finishing a sketch, I usually order a drink or food, but this night I slipped away like a criminal into the night.

Base Orlando keeps pushing the boundries of themed Body Painting.

I arrived at BASE Orlando “British Invasion” Body Painting Show at the Majestic Event Center, (801 North John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL) a bit early so I could watch the talented body painters transforming models into living works of art. I immediately decided to focus on Nix Herrera who was painting a group of model to camouflage them against a British flag. A camera was set up on a tripod and from the camera’ vantage point the models blended in perfectly with the flag. The artists had to consult the came often to be sure they were on track.

Some of Orlando’s top entertainers also be performed on stage throughout the evening. Entertainment included BalaChandra Belly Dance,
Corsets and Cuties, and
Rock Hard Revue
Team Rush
.Vendors were also set up around the venue so there was plenty of art and fashion. For me, the event is always an exciting and challenging sketch opportunity, as I document the models who are transformed as I sketch.

BASE brings together the talents of renowned Face and Body
Painter Mandi Ilene
who has been painting for over a
decade,
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
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.

Mark your calendars! On January 14th, Base Orlando will present the Steampunk Body Paint Art Show at the Majestic Event Center. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are $11.54 to $27.37. I’m excited about the Steampunk Show. I can already imagine the women being transformed into exotic mechanized creatures. Since the event features artwork on nude models, all guests should be over 18.

The Little Sketch that no one Loves.

I have 7 large format prints on display at the Orlando Public Library downtown (101 E Central Blvd Orlando FL). The show was hung on New Year’s Eve and will be on display through February. The prints are on the ground floor just past the book checkout counters to the right. Hanging the work was an adventure in itself.

I originally threw 8 prints into the back seat of my car and secured them with the seat belt and a bungee chord. I was told that a parking spot was reserved for me behind the library in the loading dock area. Unfortunately all those spaces were full, so I parked in the loading dock itself. The entry to the mail room was through those large plastic strips you might find in a meat locker. I tried to keep the strips from slapping the frames. Calls had to be made before I could enter the library through two locked doors. I was offered help bringing the framed pieces inside, two at a time. With the help, we only had to make two trips to my car. Once the pieces were inside I was told I would have to move my car. There was metered parking nearby, but instead I drove about half a mile away to get some free suburban parking.

On the long hike back to the library I started thinking about one of the prints. The sketch in question had been done at the opening of Morgan Wilson‘s first one woman show at Falcon Bar and Gallery. Her work in the show titled The Holy and Obscene, was sensual, edgy and surreal. She has an amazing ability to capture the female form while making you think about America’s prudish views about sexuality.  The fact that I documented her opening made me a bit deviant by association.

The same print had hung in the Winter Park Chambers for several months along with about 25 other framed origin sketches. When that show came down, I was told that The Holy and Obscene piece had been taken down half a through the run of the show because a commissioner noticed the F-Bomb written on a woman’s tiara. I decided that I might have to open the frame and cut a Post-it note and cover the tiara.  Jessica Earley is an artist who also works at the library, and I figured she might be willing to help with the edit. As luck would have it, there was a Post-it in my pocket.

When I finally got back to the library, the piece I had been debating about was turned to the wall. I walked up behind two staff members who where discussing the piece. They didn’t even mention the F-Bomb. What they had noticed was a male phallus. I didn’t even remember drawing a phallus. I imagined the infamous hidden tower in Disney’s Little Mermaid poster. I took a second look, and sure enough, there it was, flaccid, small and Morgan was shooting a cell phone photo of it.

When Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, he painted the monumental figures naked. After his death, an unknown artist was hired to paint thin fabric over the exposed men. In one fresco next to the alter, Michelangelo depicted Saint Peter willingly offered himself as a martyr. He was nude as both heroes and the humble were depicted, because
he was naked before God. The frescoes were renovated over a 20 year period and in 1994 the Chapel was re-opened. The restorers left the flimsy fabric censorship in place opening an ongoing debate in the art community.

Now I’m wondering if I should have edited Morgan’s work as it was depicted in my sketch. I drew a phallus without a second thought and yet it means that the sketch can never be exhibited publicly in Orlando. As an artist I have sketched hundreds of different nude models in figure drawing classes over the years. The naked human form is something I celebrate. I do, however understand and respect the Library’s policy. For that reason, I decided not to start placing Post-it notes all over the sketch. Instead, I quietly removed the forbidden art from public view.

Across from the men’s room, Martha Merritt was exhibiting mirrors framed with hundreds of shells. She showed me one framed aquatic skeleton that resembled a creature from outer space. Hidden within the structure she pointed out the shape of a crucifixion cross. She went on to explain that sand dollars have religious significance because they have 5 teeth that resemble holy doves.  I found it fascinating that there could be so much hidden religious significance in shells.  The day was a lesson in the Holy and Obscene. I still absolutely love Morgan’s paintings. She pokes fun at a society that celebrates its guns but hides sensuality. If you happen to stop by the library be sure to check out the shells for a taste of the holy, and then see my prints if you dare. You might want to bring along some Post-it notes just in case.

The goal isn’t to live forever, but to create something that will.

In April of 2015 there was a reunion for the former Florida artists of Walt Disney Feature Animation. The reunion was held in an Elk Lodge down in Kissimmee. The Orlando, Florida based animation studio closed on Monday, January 12, 2004, putting
approximately 250 artists, technicians and other personnel out of work.
This followed the cancellation of the feature, A
Few Good Ghosts
, which was being developed by the studio. Artists scattered to the wind but many, myself included, stayed since Orlando had become home.

At Disney I got to work side by side with many of the best artists in the world. The reunion was an incredible experience because so many of these artists had re-invented themselves. Aaron Blaise who co-directed Brother Bear, had worked on a digital feature film about elephants, but that studio closed down as well before the film was completed. He has since moved back to Central Florida and now instructs Creature Teacher courses online.  I’ve looked at several of his instructional videos and always pick up something new. He also had a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise money for another animated feature film called Art Story.

Christine Lawrence Finney, who had been the head of the clean-up animation department at the studio, gave me a warm hug and smiled as she said “I thought you would have changed the world by now.”  She had an amazing gift for making people around her want to live up to their full potential. Her eternal smile reminded me of all the things the were great about working at Disney Feature Animation, a sense of family, friends and pride in making some amazing films.

On a table in the front of the room were seven photos of Disney artists who had passed away. One was Kevin Proctor who had been in my intern group when we first started at the studio. He went into the layout department which drew the backgrounds for the films. At lunch time I would often sneak in a sketch of my co-workers, and I caught a sketch of Kevin as he worked on a drawing of Lilo’s kitchen for the film Lilo and Stitch. Pres Romanillos had been the lead animator for Shan Yu in Mulan. Christine was the lead of the team of clean up animation artists who created the final drawings that went up on the big screen for this character. As she said “Drawing in his shadow was one of the highlights of my Disney career! He
was extraordinary!! His passion was contagious…forever an inspiration.”

I danced for one song at the reunion, but spent most of my time in the back room finding out what artists were doing now as well as adding a sketch to a memorial book that was for Bob’s family. Christine and her husband Trey were now accomplished plein air painters. Photos were layered thick on tables and we could dig through to find the memories of a crew of artists who took pride in their work and knew how to celebrate as well.

Bob Walker who had co-directed Brother Bear with Aaron Blaise had passed away unexpectedly just before the reunion. Aaron related a story about the day Bob had been given a computer at Disney. Bob had a large stack of papers next to the computer, and he called Aaron in to ask a question. He pointed at the stack of papers and said,  ” How do I get this in there?” Laura Ashborne Sacks said a few words in Bod’s memory, her voice cracked as she looked back, “The goal isn’t to live forever, but to
create something that will. Everyone in this
room should be proud of the work we created.” This heart felt sentiment got me choked up as well. I will always miss the intense collaboration with incredible artists but know that those films we created will live on for generations.

That brings me to the reason I started writing this article. Christine Lawrence Finney passed away suddenly on January 5, 2016. She was just 47 years old. I honestly can’t wrap my head around this. She was so vibrant at the reunion. She was such a joy to work for.  Terry remembered that when we moved to Orlando, we were invited to a Disney artist party in Winter Park and to this day she remembers how warm and welcoming Christine was. Photos of Christine keep getting posted online and each heightens the loss of an incredible artist and a shining personality. On the evening after I heard the news, I had to host an event called Orlando Drink and Draw. I had more wine than I should have to numb the thoughts in the back of my mind, and on the dive home, I cried for the first time when American Pie by Don McLean played on the radio.  In my inebriated state, the song encapsulated my sense of loss. “Something touched me deep inside the day the music died.” I pulled off the road to sing along, calm down, and sober up. The title of this site, Analog Artist Digital World, hints at the idea that traditional hand drawn animation might die because of the advent of computer animation. Christine’s death makes me feel that the magic of hand drawn animation might indeed become a lost art.  She inspired so many of us to push ourselves. Perhaps creating is the only way to eventually come to terms with the loss.

Christine always paid tribute to the special people in her life, “To all my family, friends, mentors, and supporters thanks for the safety net! You
teach me how to fly.” She taught everyone she met how to fly as well.

Soar on. Christine.

Home at the Current Galleries in Sanford Fl.

Frankie Messina of Apartment E is something of an Orlando institution. For years he has brought artists together from all disciplines. Visual artists mingle with writers, musicians, an performers of all kinds. He has begun curating shows at The Current Galleries (202 E.1st Street Historic Sanford Florida). ” The theme of this show held in March 2015, was Home. “The road to a friend’s house is never long.” It was a collective art and performance show where pieces or expressions were of “your home” or what “home” means to you.

This was the debut event in in the new galleries and Frankie was excited to build new relationships and connections between Sanford, Orlando and all the cities around and in between. The new Gallery was kicked off with an amazing opening night during the monthly Sanford Art Walk  that featured poets, instillation art, musicians and of course visual artists.  Tais Phillips combined poetry with an overhead projector to create an interactive experience where poets could see their words projected large on the wall. 

In the room next to me, mailboxes were mounted on the wall. Patrons were invited to write an inspirational note and put it in one of the mailboxes for future patrons to read. Scott Pantke and his wife Nicole from Blast Studios occupied a studio space where they encouraged people to give air brush painting a try. Just dropping off a painting for the show was an adventure, because Frankie had artists meet him behind the gallery and a spiral staircase lead up to the second floor gallery.

Admission was to the public and the opening was more like a non stop party rather than a formal opening. A 10% commission off work sold went to Apartment E’s Blanket Orlando Project for the homeless, held every year in November. This in itself is an inspiring story of how one person with a pick up truck and a big heart, can make a big difference when they decide to make a positive change. Every year that true gets filled to overflowing to help people who need to battle the cold through Orlando’s winter months. One of Frankie’s favorite sayings is, “What you don’t give away, is lost.”

Weekend Top 6 Picks for December 9th and 10th.

Saturday December 9, 2016

10am to 4pm Free. Sanford Farmers Market. First and Magnolia in Sanford FL.

8pm to 10pm $5 Second Saturdays in Sanford. 202 S Sanford Ave, Sanford, FL. Live music event featuring 2 stages, drink specials and more.

8:30pm to 10:30pm Free. The Geek Easy with Amy Watkins and Open Mic. The Geek Easy 114 S. Semoran Blvd Suite #6, Winter Park, Florida. Open to all: Musicians-Lyricists-Artists-and Poets of all kinds. Bring out the cape and have some fun. http://poetry.meetup.com/362/

Sunday December 10, 2016 

11am to Noon. Donation based. Throat Chakra (Color Therapy) yoga class : 7 chakra series. Artegon Studio One 5250 International Dr, Ste D6, Orlando, Florida. This 2nd Sunday of January, YogART will be hosting a donation based Color Therapy Yoga class for the community at Studio One inside of Artegon Marketplace.

This class is a continuation of our “7 Chakra Series” that focuses each class on an individual chakra: breaking down its color, meaning, location and function. This particular class will revolve around our fifth major energy point known as “The Throat Chakra”

This is an ALL LEVELS class which incorporates stretching, breathing exercises and light yoga poses geared to balance and improve the aspects of your life correlating to the Throat Chakra.

Color Therapy glasses will also be provided for those who wish to experience the healing and restorative effects of color has on the mind and body. Blue will be the primary focus for our Throat Chakra class, but you may wear any color that resonates with you.

We also have a color wheel on our site that explains the benefit of each color (glasses) Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. http://www.yogartinc.com/color-therapy-chart/

Bring your own yoga mat – we will have a limited amount of spare mats.

Check out our lovely YogART instructor’s website for more info on her, amazing recipes, and a variety of health based articles including yoga:

www.jamiecrowell.com

Any children who attend must be able to participate in the session quietly to respect the space of other guests. If your child is unable to partake without disruption we ask that you please refrain from bringing them.

info@yogartinc.com

1pm to 5pm Free. Family Day on the Second Sunday. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL. 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.

2pm to 4pm Free. Script Reading Workshop. Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show, 8267 International Drive, Orlando, FL. Read and workshop plays.

Dawn Branch Dance presents Eden.

Cindy Michelle Heen, a dancer I’ve sketched before, was kind enough to invite me to a rehearsal of Dawn Branch Work’s production of Eden. The show is a soulful reflection on the challenging journey toward
self-actualization and spiritual connection in this story of Eve as she
leaves the Garden of Eden and attempts to assimilate with the world
outside. With a cast of performers aged 8 to adult, Eden features both
professional and emerging artists. Branch says, “The idea of creating a
work to give honor to the Lord is exciting. It’s clean, wholesome and
necessary for outreach. If we can introduce God to one viewer, then I’m
pleased. It’s evangelism through the Arts.”

Cindy and Celinah Umaray who performs as Eve talked to me briefly before warming up. Celinah who came from NYC, was incredible slender. She looked like she couldn’t be older than 16 but she is actual 19. She is the only dancer, I’ve ever met who wants people to know she is older than she looks. When Eve exits Eden she is confronted with the challenges of modern life. In that way the dances theme unites the old traditions story with a modern aesthetic. Although the show has a religious theme, it is also secular, offering inspiring dance that is universally understandable. The other dance I sketched was Eva who worked so hard she flushed red. Dawn stood at the front of the dance studio watching ever line the dancers created.

Cindy confided in me that once I saw Celinah dance, I would see why she was cast as Eve. Indeed, as she stretched at  the barre, I was amazed by her flexibility and the fluid lines she produced with every movement. She would arch her back, and lift a leg straight up over her head while entwining arm for support. I tried to sketch the stretch several times, but it was such an extreme pose, that it didn’t look humanly possible in a sketch. She never danced full out but even her warm up routine was incredibly graceful and fluid. Her grey hoodie and ponytail overlapped and added a flourish to every move. In the corner of the dance studio, dancers listened to the music for the show and I assume watched video tapes from a prior rehearsal. As the choreography is nailed down, it becomes important to see how every dancer helps to fill the canvas of the stage.

Branch explained, “I love the idea of having an empty canvas of space and
utilizing the dancers to fill it up with color and shapes and theme. The
dancers are so open to trying different styles.” Branch goes on to
explain that her choreographic style is a fusion of ballet and modern
dance along with elements of hip hop. “It’s a beautiful and creatively
challenging combination of movement that demands enormous technical
strength; dancers execute rapid and innovative choreographic transitions
that appear as effortless as breathing,” says Branch.I love that her description of empty space sounds just like my process as I find a way to fill a page when I sketch.

Mark your calendar! Eden will be on Sunday, March 6, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Orlando Repertory Theater (1001 East Princeton Street Orlando, FL). Tickets are $22.09–$32.64.

A quite New Year’s Eve.

On New Year’s Eve, I ventured out right at sunset to do one last sketch of holiday decorations. I drive past this house every day and the lawn is covered with flaccid piles of plastic. The plan was to go to Drip for New Year’s Eve, so I wanted to get the sketch done early so that I could just be social a the party. Rudolf’s head rotated left and right surveying the scene. There was an inflatable manger as well, but it was partially inflated, y it was hard to figure out who was who. The helicopter rotor kept turning, but sadly the minions didn’t slide down the slide that looked like a high healed shoe.

A woman, whom I had startled on a previous sketch outing walked by with her dog, Shadow, and l presume her daughter and possibly her mother. She asked if I was an artist and when l responded, “yes I am”, she replied, “Well isn’t that nice. ” It was nice to see a family going out for an evening stroll together. A dad and his daughter walked by and he made some remark, suggesting his daughter should fly the helicopter. Fireworks burst in the distance, possibly from Sea World or Disney. Smaller fireworks were also being shot out over the lakes in the neighborhood.  I was actually sweating the entire time I sketched. Winter seems to have forgotten Orlando this year.

Instead of going out, I took a long hot bath to relax. Zorro our pet cockatoo sat on a wicker basket on the bathroom sink counter. When I slipped into the tub, he got curious and marched over. The counter overlooked the tub,and he stood at the edge and bowed his head down looking like he wanted to jump in. Now, a cockatoo isn’t like a duck, they don’t have webbed feet and they can’t swim. He changed his mind, and instead grabbed my eye glasses and threw them in the tub to spite me. I splashed water on him, and he didn’t like that one bit. He backed up, but a portable mirror on the counter got in his way. Trying to back up around it, he slipped and fell off the counter. He flapped his wings to cushion the fall, and ended up flying directly into the tub. I scooped him up before he went under water, but he got soaked. I put him back on the counter, and he marched back to the safety of his basket. When he perched on the wicker handle, he lifted a soaking wet claw and looked at it in confusion as water dripped from his talon. He certainly helped make the final moments of the year unexpectedly entertaining.

Culture Pop! Not Your Typical Art Opening.

I went to the Maitland Art Center (231 E Packwood Ave, Maitland, Florida) to sketch at Culture Pop. The evening featured the opening of “Contemporary and Historic Landscapes,” with works by Bruce Marsh, Dawn Roe and pieces on loan from the Cornell Fine Arts Museum. In addition to being among the first to see new exhibitions, guests also enjoy live music, poetry readings, complimentary food & cash bar with fine wines, craft beer and more.

Activities on the campus grounds included open artist studios and a pop-up exhibit by one of the A&H’s Artists-in-Action, Martha Lent. I decided to sketch The Actomatics, who had set up their band equipment on what used to be an abandoned shuffleboard court. They had a string of white Christmas Light strung across the top of all the instruments and it made for a magical display. Shadow, who was on the keyboards, introduced herself. There was unfortunately very few people in the audience. Besides myself there were only three other people seated in the folding chairs. That didn’t hinder the spirits of Shadow, Rick an of Shadow, John and Rick however. They performed a magnificent set of all original tunes. As a true artist, you don’t always need an audience. Some birds sing for the pure joy of singing. I sketch and write, not knowing if a word is heard, or a sketch seen.

Several times, I was offered complimentary appetizers from Creations Catering and Events. The server was a young woman who is an artist herself. She was very curious about the Wacom tablet I was using to sketch. She is excited about the new Apple iPad Pro that came out and she is hoping it might find its way under her tree this Christmas.

In the Mayan Courtyard, there were literary readings by the DIY MFA Readers: Danielle Kessinger, Misty Watkins and Karen Price. I didn’t make it over that way to sketch. As I left, I did get a chance to see Martha Lent’s large colorful paintings, as she took the art off the walls and loaded it into her car. I admire her large bold works which make me wish that I was working so large.

Drip’s Local Art Night ignites International Drive.

On the 4th Thursday of every month, Drip hosts a Local Art Night. Located on International Drive behind  Denny’s and Senior Frogs, (8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, FL). You literally enter the venue via the loading dock, Drip offers an industrial, grunge , speakeasy flair. The usual Drip show combines a dance love and loss story line with flying sand and paint. Every where in the venue is a splash zone. Although the usual performances don’t happen on Drip Art Night, there is often burlesque belly dancers, and other forms of experimental dance that pop up. 

The evening mostly showcases Visual Artists, Performance Artists, Art Installations, and Body Painters. Spaces are available for $10 and artists keep 100% of all sales. Janae Corrado is a local artist who sets up regularly at the Art Night. She sets up early and starts painting as other artists are rushing to set up. Her work is mystical and surreal using age old master painting techniques to build up the polished final work. Word is starting to get out that this is a fun evening and so the entire venue is now packed full of artists.

I love sketching the chaos. When a performance breaks out, the crowd surrounds them like school kids pressing in to see a fight. I have to accept that I only catch a passing glimpse of the performers through the crowd. At a future art nigh I hope to Sketch from the stage, which is often only used by the DJ. This would give me an elevated view over the crowd so I could see the performers. This is why I usually sketch rehearsals, there is no audience to get in the way.

Mark your calendar! The next Drip local Art Night is January 28, 2016. The doors open to the public at 8pm. There is a $5 cover charge. Escape the Orlando’s white bread theme park quaintness and experience some Orlando craziness.