Weekend Top 6 Picks for September 8 and 9, 2018

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Saturday September 8, 2018

7:30pm to 9:30pm Free, but bring a dish or wine. Eleanor Matthews Welcome Potluck Dinner. Kerouac House 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida 32804. You are invited to join us in welcoming Kerouac House Fall resident
Eleanor Matthews. This event is a potluck dinner, so please bring
something to eat and/or drink and share.

Eleanor Matthews is a
fiction writer based in Bristol (UK). Her short stories have appeared in
print and online, in magazines such as Popshot, Litro, Unsung, Prole,
Haverthorn and Elbow Room. In 2017, she was selected for a Penguin
Write Now insight day. She also featured on BBC Radio 4’s Tweet of the
Day program, talking about magpies and the writing process. To support
her creative projects, Eleanor has worked as a professional editor for
various universities and charities.

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

4pm to 6pm Free. Young Voices. JB Callaman Center 102 North Parramore Ave Orlando FL. Teen Open Mic Every second Saturday of the Month.

Sunday September 9, 2018

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola Farmer’s Market. South East corner of Lake Eola.

Noon to 3pm Donation based. Music at the Casa. Beautiful Music “Paint it Black” Quartet with Shannon Caine.  Members of the public are invited to visit the historic home museum to listen to live music and take a tour
of our historic home museum and the James Gamble Rogers II Studio by
trained docents.

1pm to 5:30pm Free. Family Day on the Second Sunday. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803. 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.

It’s Improvised at the 129: The Musical Edition!

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Pam Schwartz and I went to Dragonfly Studio and Productions (Dragonfly Studio 129, 129 W McKey St, Ocoee, FL 34761).  To see It’s Improvised at the 129 hosted by Richard Paul, Chris Barry (Four First Names) and Elaine Pechacek behind the piano. Dragonfly Studio 129 is a charming,
intimate performance venue that is fully convertible to fit the needs of
any given production or event. The venue’s will feature a full season of events,
including additional residencies, concerts, cabarets, theatrical
productions, readings, workshops, and more.

Four First Names’ Richard Paul and Chris Barry will put Sheryl Remekie
Carbonell, John DiDonna, Tracy Frenkel, Beth Marshall, and Rob Ward
through their improv paces. Each of the acclaimed Orlando directors will
be tasked with directing an impromptu scene made up entirely on the
spot with Dragonfly Studio and Production’s owner and executive producer
Elaine Pechacek on the piano providing an original, improvised
soundtrack.

The hosts Richard Paul and Chris Barry kicked the night off by taking suggestions from the audience. What resulted was a Rocky Horror Picture Show wedding. Elaine behind the piano provided just the right musical accompaniment for they as they turned the moment into an inspiring musical number.

All the actors and directors that were invited to this improv got on stage and each in turn described their experiences. John DiDonna’s story stood out because he used improv as a training tool for law enforcement. He described a scenario in which an armed gunman was on lock down with hostages. The goal was for police to get the gunman out without harming hostages.

Beth Marshall is a renowned local producer and she uses  improv to get a new cast familiar with one another. Simple exercised like tossing an object between actors can build trust and camaraderie. Rob Ward used improv among actors at the theme parks. These actors are usually hired because they look like a character rather than based on there acting prowess. Improv allows the actors to get off script for a bit and have fun with their lines. Actors in a theme park just as in animation, must play to the rafters. Whatever they are trying to convey must read as if seen from the bloody nose section of a football stadium. When actors played a scene over the top in the small Dragonfly studio they became very funny. Tracy Frankel had the actors create a scene at a barbecue. They were auditioning for a commercial and Tracy acted as the director trying to get them to play to the camera.  The goal was to be having so much fun, that people would want to buy the condiment.

The next It’s Improvised at the 129 is Friday, September 14 at 8 PM at Dragonfly Studio and Productions 133 W Mckey St., Ocoee, Florida 34761. The show will celebrate musical improv
with an amazing slate of guests including Robyn Pedretti Kelly
(Universal Studios), Summer Aiello (Universal Studios), Emily Fontano
(SAK Comedy Lab) and T. Robert Pigott (Walt Disney World).

Join Musical
Director Elaine Pechacek, Chris Barry, Richard Paul at Dragonfly Studios
for Its next Improvised at the 129: The Musical Edition! This place is a rare gem located out in Ocoee.

$10 Online $12 At Door

Beer and Wine – Free Snacks!

The Whaling Museum on Nantucket

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I went to the Nantucket Historical Association‘s Whaling Museum (13 Broad Street Nantucket Massachusetts). Whaling was the island’s primary industry back in the 1800s. There was no photography allowed but no mention of no sketching. The museum took several hour to wander through and the rooftop patio has amazing views over the historic downtown district.

The crew of the Essex were hunting in 1820 and 20 crew members set out in 3 small life rafts to chase an enraged sperm whale. In return the whale destroyed their ship and the men spent 96 day sailing thousands of miles across the ocean to safety with limited water and supplies. This harrowing tale of survival was apparently the basis for such classic tales as Herman Melville‘s Moby Dick and the Ron Howard film, In the Heart of the Sea.

The museum houses a large collection of whaling artifacts and memorabilia, including longboats, harpoons, and scrimshaw, but the centerpiece is the complete skeleton of a 46-foot (14 meter) bull Sperm whale
suspended from the ceiling. True to its original use as a candle
factory, the museum also has exhibits regarding that trade as well. The
exhibited beam press (used to extract oil from the spermaceti to make candles) is the only one in the world still in its original location.

Hanuman Chalisa

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I went to the Hindu Society of Central Florida (1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry, Florida 32707) with Hannah Miller and a friend. The building itself is absolutely beautiful made of white marble and looking like it came from the heart of India. I have to get back as soon as the heat dies down and get a sketch.

We went to experience the Hanuman Chalissa which  is a devotional song based on Lord Hanuman as the model
devotee. It is a poem written by Tulsidas in the Awadhi language. The
word Chalisa is derived from Chalis in Hindi, which means 40, as the
Hanuman Chalisa has 40 verses. Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, is one of the most celebrated and worshiped figures in Indian religion. He aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshiped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance, and devotion.

The
“Maha Kshetra” meaning, one of the most sought after regions to be born in for all sentient beings, was opened on June 19, 2005 in the presence of thousands
of devotees, fulfilling the dream of the entire Hindu community of
Central Florida. Hindus believe in universal acceptance and tolerance. The Scriptures
reveal that God is everywhere, the pure, formless, almighty and all
merciful. They teach that the Soul is divine but held in bondage of
worldly affairs. This bondage can only be removed by his mercy. He has
to be worshiped as one beloved, dearer than anything else.

The Hindu Society of Central Florida dedicated this temple to all
sects of Hindus with the principal objective of not only, making it a
place of worship but, also to be a learning center and a platform for
exposition of Indian arts and culture. Inside the temple were many of these ornate and beautifully carved  shrines filled with statues covered in colorful flowers, fabrics and and partially gilded. I didn’t sing the 40 verses but the sound soothed me as I finished the sketch.

Technology Classes at Melrose Center

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The Orlando Public Library asked me to sketch one of their Technology Classes held in the Melrose Center. Since opening in February 2014, the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for
technology, Innovation and Creativity has allowed the Orange County
Library System to expand its role as a provider of technology education.
Occupying 26,000 square feet on the second floor of the Orlando Public
Library, it allows users to gain the understanding
required to be a contributor to and consumer of emerging technologies.  They offer state of the art audio, video and photo studios, fabrication
and simulation labs, an interactive media wall, editing bays, sound
booths, collaborative work spaces and the means to pursue virtual
reality and video game development.

The brochure described the classes which incorporated hands-on projects in photography, graphic design, audio
production and video production in this 4-day camp. The camp runs 2:30
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday. Age requirements: 9-12.
Capacity: 8. Required Skills: None., Materials Fee:, $25, Out of
District Fee:, $65 (includes classes and materials fee)

Day 1: Create a
soundtrack for a short animated film.

Day 2: Find out how to operate
professional studio video cameras, recording a short film of yourself,
and showcase your movie on television screen.

Day 3: Work as a team to
create photo studio images.

Day 4: Use Adobe Photoshop and Wacom Pen
Tablets to design coloring pages.

The kids, acting as news anchors were dressed in adult sized suits and  posed in front of a green screen. They were reporting about a theme park and when the footage was composited together it looked like the kids were on a roller coaster delivering their lines. It was fun for the kids to see the final results. They would switch rolls giving another summer camper the chance to operate the camera. The camera was mounted on a tripod, and one student loosened the clamp sending the camera toppling forward. One of the staff jumped in to avert tragedy. This was an adventurous two hour workshop fr the kids familiarizing them with the inner workings of a video production studio.

Comedy Open Mic at The Other Bar

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Each Monday starting around 9pm there is a Comedy Open Mic at The Other Bar, (18 Wall St, Orlando, FL 32801). Pam Schwartz and I arrived a bit early and I started the sketch before anyone got on stage. A great feature of The Other Bar is that there is free popcorn when you order a beer. I had a Blue Moon. Unfortunately the bar didn’t have orange slices. The bartender offered to pout in some orange juice but I skipped that option thinking it could be a tragedy. Karen Tschida was the artist who painted the busty woman on the wall behind the stage. I found it fascinating that the woman’s eyes were cut off by a ceiling joist.

Ken Miller was the first comic up ion the stage. He was the most narrative comic of the evening, chatting with the audience in a friendly familiar way. He was a comic in his element comfortable in a crowd of his colleagues. I thought he was the host, so I sketched him fast. At the end of his set however he introduced Akim who was the actual host for the night. Akim was a bit more brash and confrontational with the audience. I didn’t consider the notion that sitting at the front table with a sketch pad might draw attention to myself. Akim wanted to see what I was sketching so I handed him the sketchbook. “Damn, That’s dope!” He said. “I was going to rag on you, but that is amazing.” Of course the audience couldn’t see what he was looking at, so it didn’t work visually on stage. He asked me to draw him on a stallion with long flowing hair.

Hennessy Williams  had a great routine about how Donald Trump will not allow hurricanes to be named after Mexicans. I hadn’t realized that such an idiotic policy was being considered. Hennessy proposed that hurricanes should have black names instead. His premise was that a black names hurricane would take its time getting to where it was going giving everyone time to get to shelter.

The theme of racism rippled throughout the evening. Whites now buy Koren children since they cant buy slaves. Since The Other Bar is a small venue, the comics would often latch on to someone in the audience or new material. Several comics announced form the stage that they are looking for work. Being in that same boat, I can identify.

Pam and I slipped out before the night was over. It is kind of hard to slip away unnoticed when seated front and center. As we walked out Akim shouted out, “I am going to be pissed if I don’t see that sketch I asked for!” Outside Ken Miller wanted to see the sketch I had done of him at the mic. He seemed pleased.

Sunburst Convention Kick Off Party

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Pam Schwartz, who looks a bit like Julia Roberts, and I went to Lafayette’s at Point Orlando (9101 International Dr Suite 2220 Orlando, Florida) for the 16th Annual Sunburst Celebrity Impersonator Convention kick off party. The room was filled with impersonators! The host and convention producer, Greg Thompson, was introducing each celebrity impersonator in turn and then giving them just a few lines to lay out their shtick. There were two Marilyn Monroes, yet surprisingly one Donald Trump whose introduction I decided to sketch in the minute or so available. Trump kept his bottom lip protruded and spoke with his didactic simplicity.

Dr. Evil took the stage after Trump. His views seemed tame considering today’s political climate. But he loves to dance as does Austin Powers. The troika of Evil, Trump and Powers were dancing throughout the night occasionally joined by pop stars and pirates. Paula Deen offered up meals drenched in butter and the Queen of England offered the crowd a feeble wave.

Huey Lewis with his pencil thin black tie, took to the stage and started a set. All of the celebrities dances in the aisles. Some folks in the venue had probably just wanted to go to Lafayette’s for some fried Chicken Tenders, beef sliders or Voodoo Chicken Wings, but they got so much more than expected.It was great to see the celebrity impersonators relax dance and just enjoy each others company.

The public is welcome to attend the remaining Celebrity Impersonator Showcase tonight Saturday September 1, 2018 at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center (located in the Florida Mall 1500 Sand Lake Rd, Orlando, FL 32809). The Showcase is from 1pm-4:30pm where
impersonators will perform, delight and entertain the masses, including a
special Sunburst edition of “The Tonight Show”.  Plus, guests can get
their picture taken with their favorite “celebrity” during intermission
and following the showcases.  Showcase tickets are $25 per person at the
door and $20 online. 

Each
year, over 100 of the world’s best professional celebrity
impersonators, lookalikes and tribute artists fly, drive and cruise into
Orlando for Sunburst to gather, mingle, network, educate themselves and
have an unforgettable time.  They are joined by numerous talent buyers,
talent agents, producers and meeting planners from all over the country
who are invited to watch the imitators perform live and make a lasting
impression.  Sunburst features performance showcases, themed parties, an
awards banquet, promotional room and tons of photo opportunities.  The
general public is invited to attend the talent showcases and rub elbows
with the “Just About Famous” stars, and with this special public access
again this year, now even more spectators can enjoy the unique, fun and
one-of-a-kind entertainment Sunburst has to offer.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for September 1 and 2, 2018

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Saturday September 1, 2018

1pm to 4:30pm $20 16th
Annual Sunburst Showcase of Celebrity Impersonators  The Showcases are TODAY (Friday) and Saturday! The Florida Hotel and Conference
Center located at The Florida Mall 1500 Sand Lake Road, Orlando,
32809.  impersonators
will perform, delight and entertain the masses, including a special
Sunburst edition of “The Tonight Show”.  Plus, guests can get their
picture taken with their favorite “celebrity” during intermission and
following the showcases. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.SunburstShowcase.com.

3pm to 1am Free. 7th Annual ‘Great Irish Hooley’. Raglan Road Orlando Disney Springs™ The Landing, 1640 East Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista Florida. Raglan Road Orlando will host its 7th Annual ‘Great Irish Hooley’

celebrating
Irish song, dance, food and drink and kicks off with performances
beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, August 31 and continues each day and night
through late Monday, Sept. 3 until 1 a.m.

A traditional Irish
social celebration, the “Hooley” combines music ranging from trad to
rock tunes with entertainment and fun for the whole family with no cover
charge. The Hooley also will feature Celtic face-painting Saturday
through Monday.

8:30pm to 10pm Free. Shuffleboard at Orlando’s Beardall Courts. 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. Free fun!

Sunday September 2, 2018

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 3pm Donation based. Music at the Casa. Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, 656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter Rev. Shawn Garvey. Members of the public are invited to visit our historic home museum on a
Sunday afternoon from 12 to 3 pm, listen to live music and take a tour
of our historic home museum and the James Gamble Rogers II Studio by
trained docents.

10pm to Midnight Free but get 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.

Charity Benefit for Pulse

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I went to Gods and Monsters (5250 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819) to sketch a charity benefit for Pulse. The tragic attack on Pulse on June 12th  deeply affected our city and our lives. The families of the victims need help, the survivors need help and the staff of Pulse need help as well. We are holding a charity event to raise funds to be donated directly to the GLBT Center of Orlando who in turn will pass these funds on to anyone affected by this tragedy who is in need of assistance.

100% of proceeds from the art auction and raffles goes to the fundraising efforts for the Pulse victims and their families being organized by Hope and Help Center  and the GLBT Center of Orlando. Donations were accepted for water and dry goods and toiletries to donate to the blood donation centers and various counseling sites. Donations were also currently being accepted.

Gods and Monsters also accepted donated items and art for the auction benefit for the victims and their families. Donations could be dropped off at Gods and Monsters anytime during normal hours. There would be raffles, auctions, music and entertainment held throughout the day, starting at 4pm. After 9pm the lounge became 18+ as some entertainment may be more mature in content. Also, 25% of sales all day from both the store and bar are going to be split between the funds for the victims and their families through Hope and Help, the GLBT Center of Orlando, and the Pulse Employee Recovery Fund.

I didn’t notice any signs of the benefit happening while I sketched. I imagine any charitable work happened quietly behind the scenes. A few people sat at the Off World Barhaving drinks. At least 25% of liquor sales went to the  causes. A reporter was also supposed to meet me at the venue to do an interview, but they never showed up. It was a small town response to a monstrous event the reach of which was still rippling around the world.

Tiffany Chapel

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The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, (445 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) Was open to the public for free on Christmas Eve. Guards in the museum seemed more relaxed. The guard in the Tiffany Chapel expressed how mush she liked seeing me work on the sketch.

In 1893 Louis Comfort Tiffany exhibited the chapel interior at the World’s
Colombian Exposition in Chicago that brought him international acclaim
few American artists enjoyed at the time. The chapel demonstrated the firm’s artistry and craftsmanship in
producing ecclesiastical goods ranging from clerical vestments and
furnishings to mosaics and leaded-glass windows. It so moved visitors at the time, that men removed their hats in
response. The woman seated in front of me kept her bonnet on for the duration.

The ornate chapel is Byzantine in design, built up from simple
classical forms, columns, and arches, which are huge in size relative to
the chapel’s intimate space (1,082 square feet). When the World’s Fair was over, the chapel was brought to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in NYC. It was kept  is a squat basement crypt and was then ignored when the choir was completed upstairs. Unchecked water damage took it’s toll, and in 1916 Tiffany offered to remove the chapel at his own expense. It was reinstalled and restored at Tiffany’s own Lauriston Hall Estate.

Tiffany died on January 17, 1933. In 1957, Tiffany’s abandoned estate was ravaged by fire. Hugh and Jeannette McKean of Winter Park, Florida, were notified by a
Tiffany daughter that some of his most important leaded-glass windows
were still intact. They visited the devastated Laurelton Hall site, and Jeannette
decided they should buy all of the mansion’s then-unwanted windows and
architectural fragments. Two years later the McKeans purchased the
components of the chapel that remained at Laurelton Hall.

A team of architecture, art, and conservation experts were assembled to begin
the more than two-year project of reassembling the chapel. The chapel
opened to the public in April 1999, the first time since it was open at
the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago. It is a rare gem in the heart of Winter Park.

Catherine Hineman wrote: This year, because Christmas Eve falls on a Monday, we will have a
holiday weekend open house just prior to Christmas Eve. That’s two days
of free admission
to the one and there will be live music on Sunday. This only happens
every seven years or so, but it is always confusing to a few who have
made the December 24 open house a tradition.