FRINGE: Exposed (F*%k De$antis)

Posted on by Thor

Exposed (F*%k De$antis) was created by visionary Josie Nixon who hosted as her alter ego Juice the Trauma Clown. In Colorado, Juice met Orlando powerhouse Beth Marshall and together they are taking Exposed on the road. Juice acts as the hostess for the show.

The show explores what DeSantis deplores. At each of the seven performances a rotating opening storyteller will perform. I chose to go the night Michael Marinaccio opened for Exposed.

Michael presented a brief family history that outlined the Marinaccio family relationship with religion. He outlined that many ways in which religious groups break and ignore the 10 commandments. One member of his family is actually a priest for an Episcopalian congregation, but Michael’s family saw through the falsehoods often presented.

Michael took his 2 boys to The Holy Land Experience where they could get there picture taken with a cardboard cut out of Christ on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. There was a bean bag toss game and one of the targets was the devil himself. Michael’s son ran behind the devil and stuck his head through the hole. What resulted was one of the funniest pictures I have ever seen of a young innocent boy’s face poking out from the devils chest.

In one story Ella Hadley did somersaults to enter the stage. She was all high spirits and energy. In her story she fell hard for the football quarterback, who was black. They dreamed of building a life together after they escaped from the backwards town in Kansas. Her father purchased a video camera and he took it to one of the high school football games to shoot video of his daughter as a cheerleader. Towards the end of the game the hometown team scored a glorious touchdown. The energetic cheerleader leaped into the arms of her quarterback boyfriend and kissed him. Her father didn’t know of the relationship and he stormed down the bleachers and dragged her home where she was beaten viciously. Her father’s racism crushed her. Beth Marshall acted as the narrator throughout the story while Ella ignited scenes with her energetic performance.

Before the show as the audience waited to enter the theater, we were all asked to fill out a card that confesses something that no one knew about us. Juice read these cards between acts in the show. After writing my confession and handing it in, I kind of wished I hadn’t written what I did. I was thankful when my card was not read in the first set. In the second set my card was read aloud on stage. There was laughter from the women seated in front of me and several expressions of shock. It was over before I could process how I felt about it. There were confessions of being sexually assaulted and childhood accounts of horrendous situations. I was seated in an audience with people who had experienced so much trauma. My little confession felt insignificant in comparison.

Exposed is a powerhouse of a show which will leave you thinking long after you leave the theater. Tickets are $15 with a FRINGE button. The final show is on Sunday May 25 at 6:05pm in the Pink venue. Bobby Wesley will be the opening storyteller for that performance. I loved the show.

FRINGE: Cat Lam, An American Darling

Posted on by Thor

Cat Lam: An American Darling is a one hour stand up routine solo show in the Scarlett Venue. Cat was given a seasoned introduction as America’ Darling by a salty live announcer. Cat entered the stage wearing a daisy shaped headpiece. I was hoping to sketch her wearing it but the headpiece came off rather fast.

The show covered everything from women bosses to anxiety disorders. I liked when she branched off to discuss the intimacies of marriage. There is some adult language, mature themes and sexual content.

This was a show that allowed for a hilarious view of Cat’s life. I like shows like this with plenty of laughter and insights into life.

I would highly reccomment the show. I was fully engaged the whole lime, though distracted a bit with sketching.

Tickets are $10 with a Fringe button. The final show time is Sunday May 25, 7:55pm.

FRINGE: Cult Classic, A New Musical

Posted on by Thor

Cult Classic: A New Musical is in the Pink Venue at the FRINGE. A young daughter took over a struggling video store after her father died. The store carries classic films but can not keep up with the demand for recent block buster releases.

When one of her staff is tasked with restocking recent releases he instead brings in obscure independent films he feels the people should be watching.

When an enthusiastic Jehovah’s witness enters the store looking for a christian film, the idea is hatched to turn the video store into a place of movie worship thus evading having to pay taxes.

Staff start wearing black hooded robes and skulls appear on the shelves along with candles.

A representative from Blockbuster Superstore hears of the small video store’s financial troubles and he swoops in to buy up the struggling store. He finds himself a potential sacrifice to the new cult.

The music in this production has promise and the premise is reminiscent of one of my favorite musicals, Little Shop of Horrors. I would actually love to see this idea fleshed out further to make a full length play. It has so much potential. The quite neighborhood Video store spirals into chaos.

Tickets are $15 with a FRINGE button. Remaining show times are May 23, 6:45pm, and Sunday May 25, 3:55pm.

FRINGE: A Harlivy Honeymoon Whodunnit

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The Harlevy Honeymoon Whodunnit is in the Green venue. Harlevy was just married but she immediately found herself in the center of a murder mystery.

Each character or suspect had a musical or burlesque number. Clues to the identity of the murderer were scattered throughout the theater. Members of the audience could find a clue and shout it out for the detective to consider.

There is a large cast and therefor a large cast of possible culprits. The singer I sketched was quite talented. Things moved quickly making getting a sketch a challenge.

One of the better burlesque numbers cane from a male member of the cast who stripped down to pasties.

Tickets are $15 plus a FRINGE button. Remaining show times are: Friday May 23, 5:40pm, and Saturday May 24, 9:20pm.

FRINGE: Snoring Mangos

Posted on by Thor

Snoring Mangos is an Improve Sitcom in the Brown Venue. Claudia from Cuba and Ian, a fantasy writer tried desperately to repair a broken door. Ian is not much of a do it yourself-er but her tries the repair himself but someone always walks through the door before the repair is done. A third character thrown into the mix was a postman. The show was just 30 minutes, so I had to work fast on the sketch.

At times the scenes gelled seamlessly at other times there were awkward paused as the actors regrouped allowing the story to take an unexpected turn.

Maybe because I was sketching and my attention was fractured, I didn’t find myself laughing out loud.

At the start of the show the audience was asked to name a famous comedy routine which the actor could incorporate into the show. A Carol Burnett scene was mentioned in which she sashayed down the step of her mansion wearing large drapes. With such a visual prompt from the audience I wondered what the improv actors might come up with. If the scene was mentioned or referenced, I managed to miss it. In terms of wardrobe malfunctions, Claudia had some issues with her high heels.

Tickets are $10 with a Fringe button. The remaining show times are: Tuesday May 20, 7:45pm, Friday May 23, 10:15pm, Saturday May 24, 6:40pm.

FRINGE: Giselle’s Florence Silver Foster Jenkins Schuberlade Review

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Giselle’s Florence Silver Foster Jenkins Schuberlade Review was a strange tribute to the infamous soprano Florence Foster Jenkins. The young singer Giselle Bellas had a really good voice but she expressed her doubts while getting encouragement from the disembodied spirit of Florence Silver Foster Jenkins. The spirit of Florence would be projected on the screen as an undulating light form.

Various acts such as dance and other solo singers would perform and I became confused as to how it all was meant to tie together. Perhaps the chaos was the point.

This was the very first FRINGE show I saw and it was very fringe.

The show centered around a single recorded performance by Florence in which she was absolutely tone deaf. Critics of the time thought the performance was a prank. She was described as having great difficulty with such basic vocal skills as pitch, rhythm, and sustaining notes and phrases. Her performance was so bad that it added up to quite a good evening of theater. The young singer laughed at the recording and then Florence scolded the young singer for her callousness. Despite the tiff, the spirit of Florence was always encouraging the the talent of the aspiring Opera singer. There was so much talent on the stage, but the overall impression was scattershot.

Tickets to Giselle’s Florence Silver Foster Jenkins Schuberlade Review in the Pink Venue are $15 with a FRINGE button.

Remaining show times are: Wednesday May 21, 8pm, and Saturday May 24, 5:10pm.

FRINGE: Breakup Variety Hour

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The Breakup Variety Hour was a solo show themed around a six point recovery program after a hard breakup. Ariana and the rose had some rather hilarious accounts of her experiences dating followed by some incredible singing. She reminded me of Lady Gaga, just with bad audio.

The lyrics to the songs she sang however I could not make out. The volume was up so high in the venue that the speakers buzzed and vibrated making the acoustics garbled.

Ariana with a red rode pinned to her right breast, had a great singing voice but it got lost in some horrible volume levels. Hopefully tech will resolve this issue before the full run of the show.

Tickets are $10 with a Fringe button. Show times: Sunday, May 18, 3:35pm, Wednesday May 21, 9:50pm, Friday May 23, 7:45pm, Saturday May 24, 11:05pm, Sunday, May 24, 4:05pm.

FRINGE: Corsets and Cuties: Fin

Posted on by Thor

Corsets and Cuties has been an Orlando institution for 10 years. This year they take to the huge Orange venue for a grand finale. The final show on May 26 at 9:40pm is to be their last.

I have been sketching Corsets and Cuties performances for years and always fall in love with the humor that they bring to burlesque.

At this press preview show the funniest performance came from a dancer who whipped a giant 7 foot wiener out of a bun. It had a boa of yellow mustard spiraling along it’s surface. She held the wiener over head and spin enthusiastically. Her costume which came off with enthusiasm had a retro 1920s feel. By the end she lay on the ground and hugged the wiener between her legs. It was a hilarious routine.

Barbie Rhindstone performed as a demonic bride which was also hilarious. Two aerialists performed on an exotic synchronized routine on the suspended ring.

There were cabaret tables on the floor for the more daring audience members and Ed Anthony was the only person to be daring enough to sit up front. He was rewarded with an up close and personal attention from dancers.

Show dates:

Saturday May 17, 8:30pm, Monday May 18, 7:25pm, Saturday May 24, 5:50pm, Sunday May 25, 9:40pm.

Tickets are $15 but just $6 on Sunday May 25the when they plan to full the venue and go out with a bang. It is a grand finale you do not want to miss.

Fringe: Liquid Sunshine

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My favorite FRINGE show so far has been Liquid Sunshine featuring Internationally known local singer-songwriter Zelda Grey.

She was quietly strumming her guitar and singing as the audience made it’s way into the Brown Venue. Zelda has a way of acknowledging every person in the room so that you feel like she is singing just for you.

Her song, “I’m not playing by Your Rules” felt like an anthem for living life with absolute honesty on your own terms.

After finishing the sketch, I decided to put the sketchbook aside and lean forward and listen intently. I hung on every word. She music spoke to me in a way I didn’t expect, mesmerizing me. Her acoustic music has a way of seeping deep into your soul.

This small little venue is the perfect space to experience her music since the intimate room allows for a chance to escape the noise of life and focus on her words. Her final song, “10,000 Tiny Birds” was written while she was alone in the woods. She allows herself to feel deeply and that shines through in every song she sings. This humble folk singer is my FRINGE Crush for 2025.

Fringe: Get a Clue, A Murder Mystery Who Dunnit Stage Combat Extravaganza

Posted on by Thor

At the Orlando International Fringe Festival some venues are not inside a theater. This show put on by Live Action Novelty Combat Entertainment (LANCE) takes place between the Orlando Science Center and Princeton Street.

Most of the audience was seated to my left. One man shouted out to me, “Are you doing a courtroom sketch of the performance?” I shouted back, “Yes, You all are the jury.”

In the show, a corrupt businessman is murdered along with two others. The narrator set the scene for the audience. As she spoke, 3 members of the cast dropped to the ground. Then she said, would you kindly move to where you actually died? All three got up and moved to a new spot.

The premise of the show is that the murders are recreated using objects that are set about the stage. There is plenty of staged fighting and murder. Once the scene was complete and the three actors lay in their spots, one would lean up and point out that the murder as described was completely wrong.

The whole scene would be reset and the scene would be replayed with a new villainous soul committing the murders. At times the stage fighting was quite unnerving with loud hits and narrow misses. The emotional impacts were helped by cast gasping and reacting in horror.

But the end of the show it had started to drizzle. I put away my unfinished sketch and popped my umbrella. If afternoon rains persist, the number of shows might be impacted.

Show times are:

Saturday May 17, 6pm, May 17, 8:30pm, Sunday May 18, 6pm, May 18, 8:30pm, Saturday May 24, 6pm, May 24, 8:30pm, Sunday May 25, 8:30pm.

The show is 45 minutes and tickets are $8 along with a FRINGE button. You need to be prepared to witness plenty of violence.