#txtsmall challenged the audience to think and create as one.

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Fringe tech rehearsals were in full swing when performance artist Brian Feldman returned to Orlando from Washington, D.C. to do a performance of “#txtsmall” a new variation of his “txt” show. The performance took place in the home of Carl F. Gauze. Carl has written and produced many Fringe productions, so he understands the need for a good set and production values. He set an antique desk on top of a wooden stage he made for the performance. Tiki gods and lava lamps set the scene while a disco ball was the cherry on the ice cream sundae.

“txt” was first performed in 2009 at the Kerouac House. The premise is simple: Everyone in the audience logs in to an anonymous account on Twitter. invited to an account on twitter. The audience tweets and Brian reads them all aloud. This has become Brian’s signature performance and shows continue in DC. At one show in DC, every Sunday night. At one show the audience began to work together -unprompted-constructing a storyline. It was a magical, unexpected collaborative effort and Brian hoped that the Orlando show might duplicate that magic.

“#txtsmall” had an audience of six gathered in Carl’s living room. There were isolated instances when a storyline began to form involving monkeys, but like most “txt” performances, chaos and mad improvised thoughts took over. Genevieve Bernard tweeted stage directions asking Brian to dance like a lava lamp. He got up, stood at the front of the stage and moved with a liquid oozing flow.

After the show, Brian told us about a new performance he will premiere at Capital Fringe in Washington, D.C. called Dishwasher. At a mutually agreed upon time, he will go to the ticket buyer’s home, wash the dirty dishes in their sink and,
once completed, cold read any monologue he is assigned. As the show description states, “Is he a better
actor or dishwasher? You decide.” Brian’s first job was as a child actor in a production with Orlando Shakespeare Theater, his second job was as a dishwasher. This production should decide once and for all which career path he is destined to follow. If you happen to be in D.C. right now, I would have suggested you get a ticket. However the 18 show run is completely sold out.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for July 18th and 19th.

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Saturday July 18, 2015

3pm to 7pm Free.  Cruisin’ Downtown DeLand Car Show! East Indiana Ave Downtown DeLand, FL.  Classic cars & rods.  Live DJ, giveaways, shopping & dining. Fun for the family! Every 3rd Saturday night!

INFO: & for showing your car 386-738-0649 http://mainstreetdeland.org

5pm to 11pm Free. Apartment E Frankie Presents: LEFTOVERS. The Current Galleries 116 E.1st Street Historic Downtown Sanford FL. Assembled junk art finished forgotten projects poems songs & other stuff Fine Artist Applications upon requests @ apartmentefrankie@gmail.com or private message on FB. Seeking sponsors (low rates) for program books,and all promo materials,great exposure for all. Excellent networking event for you, your friends, and your business.Good people in a great space creating magic, moving forward. Diverse crowd,edgy installations,intimate performances,and quality times.Real as real can get. All styles and disciplines are welcome. Direct all questions to Apartment E. Hope to see all there. Spread the word, and we can not wait to see your “Leftovers” completed and presented with pride!

6pm to 9pm Free. Art Reception – Imaginarium: The Circus of Whimsy. Chapman Leonard Studios LIVE 9460 Delegates Dr Suite 100, Orlando, Florida. The event is free, open to the public, and there will be light refreshments. The artists on display are Jaime Torraco (Kittens of Industry), Eric Frost, Megan Steward, Kelly Berry, Unladylike, Shelley Overton, Erika Suzannah Avery, Margie Forestier, Adrienne Nicole, and Franklin Reyes.

For this installment of Imaginarium we celebrate the imagination of the creative mind in its most purest form with nine very talented local artists displaying their vibrant and creative artwork at the Chapman Leonard Studios located in Orlando Central Park. This group of artists is a mixture of established and emerging individuals that are a vital part of the Central Florida arts community. Their debut at Chapman/Leonard Studios brings them to a fresh set of eyes.

“Put your top hats on and take a ride with us through this whimsical romp of playful, psychedelic, and thought provoking creations by some of your favorite local artists. Awe and wonder will abound as you observe this collection of eclectic specimens of uninhibited imagination. Keep your hands and legs flailing wildly at all times, feed the animals rainbow gummy bears, and enjoy the trip.” – The Ringmaster

Chapman/ Leonard Studios are an award winning manufacturer of camera support equipment for motion picture and television productions worldwide. The equipment manufacturer is based out of their state of the art sound stages and production facilities. The local artists’ work may be viewed during normal business hours by appointment with an Arts Hub Org Representative.

For more information, please contact Jason L Lee of the Arts Hub Organization, LLC. The Arts Hub Organization strives to enrich communities by providing curatorial services for commercial & residential spaces; event organization & production; and promotion of artists, events, & venues. You may contact Jason L Lee at 321-695-8266 or via email at artshuborg@gmail.com



Sunday July 19, 2015

1pm to 3pm Free. Yoga. Bring your own mat. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL. 0n the east end of the park near the Red Pagoda. Every Week.

5pm to 9pm Free but get some food. Orlando Food Truck Bazaar. Orlando Fashion Square, 3201 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL.

9pm to 11pm Free but get a coffee. Solo Acoustic Spoken Word. Natura Coffee & Tea, 12078 Collegiate Way, Orlando, FL. 407 482-5000.

Aida splashes onto the Dr. Phillips Center stage.

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Encore! Cast Performing Arts presents Elton John and Tim Rice‘s Aida at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts  (155 East Anderson Street Orlando FL). Alice Ramadan from the Dr. Phillips center had invited me to sketch the dress rehearsal on July 14th. More than 160 cast, chorus and orchestra appear on stage. Juan Torres the shows production manager welcomed me when I got to the Disney Theater. Tech was still in full swing with stage hands checking lights and sound. At the security check some core cast were taking a break since they had been rehearsing all day. I realized that the actresses who signed out were slave girls in the show.

The chorus entered the theater and entered the theater filling up the front rows. They looked around in amazement at the new theater and took selfies to prove they were there. This was the first time everyone had a chance to experience the space and perform on the set. Alice got on stage and welcomed everyone. which caused enthusiastic whoop from the huge chorus! She thanked everyone for believing in the arts center and she got choked up as she told us it was our theater now. Her love for the place could soften any heart.

There were a few sound problems that stopped the rehearsal at several points. All the core cast had microphone headsets and they didn’t always work but that is why there are rehearsals, to work out the kinks. When Aida’s mic needed to be adjusted, she had to lean forward while a stage hand adjusted the electronics at her hips. Some of the chorus laughed since her pose was rather provocative. She heard this and coyly rotated her hips and arched her back which heightened the irony and soon everyone was laughing.

At the Nile’s edge, the enslaved Nubian princess, Aida (Jerusha Cavazos) becomes
romantically entangled with the Egyptian captain, Radames (Natale Pirrotta), who is
betrothed to the Pharaoh’s
daughter, Amneris (Hannah Berry Matthews). As their forbidden love grows deeper, Aida is forced
to find balance between her heart’s
yearning for Radames, and
her responsibility to lead her people.  Aida and Radames’s love for one
another becomes a shining
example of true devotion
that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their
warring nations, heralding a time of
unprecedented peace and
prosperity. Elton John and Tim Rice‘s Aida is a timeless love story,
featuring an award-winning pop/rock score
from the seasoned pop duo
who brought musical life to Disney’s The Lion King. Rousing rock numbers
and heart-wrenching ballads bring
the ill-fated lovers into a
new era.

I’ve seen one other production of Aida, so I knew the music and story. I love many of the musical numbers in this show so I was swaying to the beats while I sketched. Having this many voices singing gives the show a power I hadn’t experienced before. Amneris’s song “My Strongest Suit” is a hilarious take on living a life of fashion and splendor. It is clearly an ironic look at spoiled Hollywood brats of today and the digital age’s superficial fixation on youth and fashion. It is the shows “Sex in the City” fashion runway moment. Despite having it all there is a yearning for connection that fashion doesn’t provide. The show is entertaining and often inspired.

Mark Your Calendar!

The final performance of Aida is tonight, Thursday, July 16, 2015.

Show time is 7:30 PM.

Tickets start at $33.75

Good Soldier explores the disturbing memories of a war veteran.

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I contacted director Carol Jacqueline Palumbo to sketch a rehearsal of Good Soldier, written by Tony Pelham. Jonathan Raffoul plays the part of the good soldier as he relates the memories and horrors of war. Carol confided, that at the audition, she knew Jonathan was perfect for the part after his first reading. He has a palpable intensity that stays true to the part. Suffering from the horrors of war, he tries to make sense of it all.

Carol’s plan was to workshop a couple areas and then  let him run through the show a few times without any interruptions. The rehearsal was in Carol’s apartment which is packed up since she plans to move soon. The clutter of her belongings seemed appropriate for the clutter in the soldier’s mind. Clearly this soldier suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. When he related the memories of his fellow soldiers raping and killing a young beautiful female civilian, I empathized with his anger and guilt. Perhaps had he stayed in the room he could have stopped what was about to happen. He would have to live with the guilt his whole life. The rapist, killed in battle was considered a war hero.

Much of this incredible twenty minute monologue is addressed to an imagined therapist in the audience. The soldier responds to the therapist’s imagined questions with distaste and anger. It becomes clear that no therapist can explain away the horrors that play out again and again in his mind. When he mistakes the therapist for the rapist, he becomes menacing in his anger. Although a fuse has shorted, I empathized with the notion that he wanted justice even in war. Perhaps there is no such thing. The victors write history. Perhaps he wasn’t even fighting for a just cause. After the second read through Carol said to Jonathan, “That’s the performance to beat!” It really was a superb performance. You don’t want to miss this show.

Mark your calendar! The play is one of seven original short plays that is part of
Playwrights Roundtable‘s Summer Series that will debut at theOrlando Shakespeare Theater, 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL. Performances will be held at 8pm in the Santos Dantin Studio Theatre, July 17th through August 2nd on the
weekends with Sunday 3pm matinee only shows.

The other shows in the Summer Shorts line up are:

  • “Train Stop” by Mark Cornell

    Serio-comic, A Man and a Woman meet at a
    stop and consider the possibilities of their maybe-future relationship.

  • “Dating, Sex, and the Space-Time Continuum” by David Strauss

    Do you ever wish your future and
    present selves could talk to each other and maybe warn you away from
    that one relationship you may or may not end up regretting?

  • “Speaking of Mars” by Jonathan Cook

    A man and a woman are paired up for the
    historic first mission to Mars. But one of them has a secret…

  • “Soles” by Katie Thayer

    It’s the end of the world as we know it, but is it too much to ask to go out with a pair of comfortable shoes?

  • “Binged There, Done That” by Ken Preuss

    Sitcom is life. Especially when
    taken all in one sitting.

  • “In Me” by William Newkirk

    Comedy, 1m, 1w – 20s – A couple discover some important truths about
    themselves while searching for a rather important part of their
    lovemaking.

 If you have any questions, please call (407) 761-2683 or email Playwrights Roundtable at
info@theprt.com.

Pecha Kucha presenters talk about movies.

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PechaKucha v15 celebrated Motion Pictures on February 6th 2015. The talks were by several members of Florida’s thriving film and video community as well as lovers of the medium. I had sketched a rehearsal which allowed me to promote the event. On the evening of the performances, I decided to focus my attention on the speakers as they were waiting for their turn behind the microphone. Having given a PechaKucha talk myself, I know how nerve wracking that wait can be. I’m just glad to have survived.

PechaKucha, means chit chat in Japanese, and it has become a global phenomenon.  Presenters can show 2O Power Point slides but they can only speak for 20 seconds for each slide. There is no stopping, no going back, the slides run automatically and you need to keep up. The result is concise fast paced and entertaining presentations that are never boring.

While doing this sketch, I bumped into Mackensey Moor and her mom Carolyn. Carolyn had been a presenter the evening I gave my talk at PechaKucha. She presented a heart felt moving story of love found and then tragically lost. She found strength in helping others. It was a hard talk to follow since every time I heard the story I would get choked up. It is so easy to get distracted when you first stand in front of a sea of faces. I spotted Mack and froze that evening, because I recognized her from Carolyn’s slides. It took me a moment to slip back into presentation mode. Anyway Mack is an artist herself so I’m always happy to talk about art with her. They had seats front and center and as I was finishing my sketch, Mackenzey told me she had to leave and she offered me her seat.

I squeezed down the isle, sat down and had a blast since Carolyn whooped and hollered with a childish joy during a very funny PechaKuche presentation. An arbitrary series of Power Point slides had been assembled and people were pulled from the audience to improvise a presentation based on the 20 Movie scenes. I’ve never laughed so hard. I don’t know if it was the presentation, or Carolyn’s magnificently outrageous reactions that made me laugh. Regardless it was fun to finally experience PechaKucha from the audience rather from the sidelines.

Sketching an Olympia Baseball practice.

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Elite Animation (8933 Conroy Windermere Rd, Orlando, FL), now has an Urban Sketching Course that I teach. I am always searching for interesting events and businesses to sketch in this little corner of Orlando. If I hear a crowd, I walk toward it. That happened on this sunny afternoon as I heard whoops and hollers coming from the baseball field. I walked my five or so intrepid Urban Sketchers over to watch the baseball practice from the grand stands.

This wasn’t a game, but a practice for the Olympia Baseball team. Although we were sketching from behind a chain link fence, I encouraged all the students to leave the fence out. In the outfield, players were doing sprints. There were a few batters, but mostly the pitcher and catcher worked solo.There were tarps over home plate, but they were later rolled up and removed. This wasn’t quite an event in my mind, but it was a great sketch opportunity for my students.

Sam Flax keeps my art addiction supplied.

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I must stop into Sam Flax, 1800 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL, at least once a week for pens, pencils, watercolors or sketchbooks. Doing a sketch every day means I burn through art supplies. I also now use the print department when people order limited edition prints of my work. Murals by local artists decorate the wall next to the entrance. Some of the staff recognize me since I’m in so often. It would be reassuring if they shouted “Norm!” when I walked in. However, since that isn’t my name, I guess that makes no sense.

On Thursdays there are artist workshops which I keep hoping to sketch. On July 16th there is a Metal Tree Art Demonstration by Jessica King.  On July 23rd there is a watercolor pencils demonstration by Tahnee Jane. On July 30th there is painting to music by Leslie Adams. The free classes are from 5-6pm so Mark Your Calendar!

Terry’s Time Trials.

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Terry bought a very sporty Porsche. There is little reason to have such a fast car unless you want to drive super fast. Since getting the car she has been taking it to time trials to test her limits. The track was way out on the west side of town up near Mount Dora. The “track” was actually a large open parking lot next to a shooting range. As we approached we could hear the constant sound of fire arms being discharged. It added to the sense of reckless danger.

Cones were set up in the lot to outline the many turns on the test track. Everyone walked the track to get a feel for the layout. Since Terry didn’t have a number for her car, she put a single strip of Blue Duck Tape on the door for the number 1. A sophisticated timing system was set up to keep track of each drivers drive time. Only one driver was on the track at a time. Since this was Terry’s first taste of a time trial, an experienced driver went with her to coach her on how to attack the track. Beginning drivers were first on the track.

When Terry got on the track, the announcer joked that she was certainly having a leisurely Sunday drive. Each time she got on the track however, she improved her time. Her best time 54.031 seconds was less than half the time of her first attempt. She made slow and steady progress. One guy lost control and spun off the track. She smartly pushed herself without going past the breaking point. Driving helmets were required. Her car is in my sketch. It is the silver Porsche with the black soft top convertible roof. Apparently if the car were to roll over, there are support braces that would instantly rise up behind the bucket seats to protect the roof from crushing the drivers head.

After the time trials all the drivers gathered for a Subway‘s catered lunch on the picnic tables by the gun range. There were some very serious drivers who clocked some amazing times that day. Between rounds the drivers would have to wait an eternity for their next turn at the track. For that reason Terry isn’t a great fan of the time trial process. She is still looking to improve her time and push her car to it’s limit. For me it was a relaxing weekend sketch opportunity.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for July 11th and 12th.

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Saturday July 11, 2015

8am to 2pm Free. Second Seconds. Monthly antique flea market.

2pm to 4pm $5 with a dish. $10 without. 16th annual Independence for the Animals Picnic/AND Help rescued greyhounds. Mead Gardens 1300 S Denning Dr, Winter Park, FL.join ARFF at our old fashion summertime picnic at beautiful Mead Gardens in Winter Park!

Summertime means FUN! And what better way to spend a summer afternoon than with fellow vegetarians and activists! Join ARFF for an afternoon of fun and games, entertainment and delicious vegan food!

So bring your friends and family, your favorite vegan dish

(with ingredients card) and join us for this summertime tradition.

*A portion of the proceeds will benefit greyhound adoption*

6pm to 9pm Free. Bastille Day Bike Decorating Contest.  1603 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL.  Ride your decorated bike to #APGD’s 7th Annual Bastille Day Festival and be automatically entered in our Bastille Bash Bike contest! Show us your finest French decorating ideas and you might win some of our fun, cheap prizes! The Bastille Bash Bike contest will take place at our Bastille Day Street Celebration (6 to 9 pm), outside Emmanuel Episcopal Church Orlando, FL. Ride up anytime you want – judging and prizes will be handed out at around 8 pm-ish!

Sunday July 12, 2015

1pm to 3pm $5 Film Slam. Enzian Theater, South Orlando Avenue, Maitland, FL. Originally a project of University of Central Florida’s Downtown Media Arts Center, Enzian became the home of FilmSlam when DMAC closed in 2006. Now in its fifth year at Enzian, FilmSlam continues to be a popular outlet for indie and student filmmakers throughout the State of Florida.

FilmSlam will usually be held on the second Sunday of each month at 1PM at Enzian.

COME CELEBRATE INDEPENDENTS DAY!!!

It’s so hot outside our brains just melted! So, this month we’ve booked the craziest FilmSlam line up of the year.

Experimental Films, Puppet Films, Art Films, Bartenders throwing bottles, Gangsters, a Music Video….this has to be the most amazingly eclectic line we’ve had for all of 2012.

Program starts at 1pm sharp. Q&A with the filmmakers to follow screening.

1pm to 3pm Free. Script Reading Workshop. Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show, 8267 International Drive, Orlando, FL. Read and workshop plays.

9pm to 11pm Free but grab a coffee. Comedy Open Mic. Austin’s Coffee, 929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL. Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

Nerd Nite moved from Stardust to the Geek Easy.

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Stardust Video and Coffee,
(1842 E Winter Park Rd, Orlando, Florida) hosted the 23rd consecutive and first Nerd Nite Orlando event!

The evening consisted of entertaining yet thought-provoking talks across many disciplines, all while the audience drinks along in a casual bar atmosphere. Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject of their choice, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation is a brief Question and Answer with the audience.

Quench your curiosity! Come meet up, drink, and learn something new!

The first presentation was “DNA Nanotechnology: A Breakthrough For Us All” by Felix Sosa.

The talk is about the history, development, and possible future of the great breakthrough known as DNA nanotechnology. Felix is an undergraduate researcher at UCF working towards a Bachelor’s degree in both chemistry and computer science. He currently is a part of a large-scale research effort between the Chemistry Department, NanoScience Technology Center and Physics Department at UCF designing, simulating and synthesizing DNA architectures that have vast applications from medicines to computational machines. His talk opened our eyes to the incredible possibilities right around the corner.

My favorite talk of the evening was “Trash to Treasure: Hoarding Demystified” by Heather Grove.  If you are a hoarder, have friends or family who hoard, or just know about it from the Discovery channel, you know it is a serious, life-threatening disease. With 1 in 30 Americans afflicted by the not so uncommon disorder, Heather hopes to shed some light on the science behind collecting shit.

Since she was one, Heather has found value in what most might consider valueless. From rocks to wine cork collections, Heather has been an avid acquirer of things, but with an extreme hoarder in the family, she has fought the genetic proclivity to collect stuff by understanding the science and specifics of the disease…she hopes to help others transform their habits from hoarding to helping re purpose waste and keep it from landfills. By day, Heather turns wasteful lawns into food-growing gardens and she is co-creator of East End Market. Her talk hit home because she had family that were hoarders. This made her talk more personal as she tried to explain her own hording tendencies. I myself seem to be a hoarder. I collected rocks and minerals as a child, coins, stamps and now I collect shelves full of sketchbooks. My studio is a riot of materials and books making it hard to even enter the room. Yet, since I still create every day, I don’t seek a cure.

The final talk, “The Cosmetology Cosmologist” by Derek Demeter. Derek has been Planetarium Director at Seminole State College of Florida since 2007. He writes and produces new shows that explore the astronomy and history of numerous cultures from around the world. He serves as Vice President of the Central Florida Astronomical Society and sets up telescopes at local shopping centers to give the public a truly “out-of-this world” experience.

After this evening, Ricardo Williams took the helm to lead Nerd Nite into the future. Now the events are being held monthly at the Geek Easy ( 114 S Semoran Blvd Suite 6, Winter Park, Florida). Mark your calendar! The next Nerd Nite is Ladies Nite and it will be tonight, July 9th from 7pm to 9pm.