Madama Butterfly

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There are just two performances of the Orlando Philharmonic‘s production of Giacomo Puccini‘s, Madama Butterfly. One performance is tonight (April 5th) at 8pm and the other performance is Sunday (April 7th) at 2PM. You can get tickets at orlandophil.org, or at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center box office two hours before each show.

I went to a dress rehearsal. I entered via the stage door at the same time as the set designer Lisa Buck. This was a semi-staged production, so the set was kept pretty simple. A really nice touch was that Lisa projected images on a large screen behind the orchestra. The images would change between each emotional shift in the opera.  Over 100 of the gorgeous images added much to the production.

Since I was sketching, I didn’t have time to look up at the closed caption translations above the stage. Since I was seated in the front rows I would have had to crane my neck. I’ve seen Madama Butterfly before however so I knew the story. If you have never seen an opera before, then I would encourage you to see butterfly. It could very well make you a convert.

Before the opera began, a gardener shuffled out and raked the gravel in the rock garden. He might not be a major character in the plot but I had to catch him. In the first act, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, played by Brian Jagde, fell in love with Cio-Cio San, Madam Butterfly played by Shu-Ying Li and there is a glorious marriage ceremony. Butterfly converts to Pinkerton’s christian faith to be closer to him and she is renounced by her uncle a Buddhist priest. Pinkerton leaves Japan and three years later Butterfly is penniless with his son who she named sorrow.

Butterfly hears the sound of a cannon from the harbor and she is sure that Pinkerton’s ship has returned. She stands vigil overnight, waiting and ever hopeful. Pinkerton does finally return, but with his American wife. Love lost leads to tragic consequences.

Paint the Town

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Orlando Magazine is partnered with Brad Biggs and Jason L. Lee of The Arts Hub Florida to host it’s eleventh annual Paint the Town Art Show at the Gallery at Avalon Island (39 South Magnolia Avenue Orlando, FL) from March 21 – April 11.  I didn’t submit any work for the show because Orlando Magazine said they would have the right to publish any art submitted for the show in the magazine without paying the artist for the reproduction rights.  Ironically the article in the magazine, which is about the sad state of the arts in Orlando, featured a photo of Terry Olson standing in front of the mural I did for the Mennello Museum. From looking at the photo, you would assume Terry was the artist responsible for painting the mural. The magazine didn’t give me any credit in the article, although the photographer got credit for the photo. This oversight is typical of the state of the arts in Orlando.

I got to the opening on March 21st a bit early to sketch. Brad was the only person in the gallery and he was happy to show me around. He gave me a quartz crystal which should with any luck channel good energy. Submissions to the show were not all your typical “City Beautiful” cityscapes. In the front window was a large portrait of a homeless person. A serial number was on the person’s forehead and the ramshackle frame had grocery bags stuffed full of possessions. From where I sat, the photos of Cindy Murray were most predominant. One photo was of the demolished Amway Arena and the other showed a crowd of bicyclists around City Hall.

Brad pointed out the paintings of Stephanie Kern Stanvey. She had two large juicy portraits on display. Brad said she is the daughter of a preacher and she only recently started painting. Shane Malesky was showing some of his Chronic Damage Art in the bar area. His wife Heather is a riot always making me laugh as I’m trying to focus on the sketch. Someone looking over my shoulder said, “You give a whole new meaning to Paint the Town. I suppose you will hang that sketch in next years show.” “Not likely” I thought.

Musical Mondays

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On March 11th Terry and I met at The Fifth (112 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, Florida) between 7Pm and 9PM for Kelly DeWayne Richards Musical Mondays. Kelly is playing all over town now. On Fridays he performs at Parliament House, Sunday Nights between 6PM and 9PM, he is at Hanson’s Shoe Repair (27 East Pine Street), and on Thursdays between 6PM and 9PM he is at Pilars on Plant street in Winter Garden right next to the Garden theater also between 6PM and 9PM. Hanson’s sounds intriguing since it is a speakeasy and you need to know the password to get in.

The great thing about Musical Mondays is that actors who love to sing musicals show up in droves. Actress Jessi Riese announced that she will be moving to NYC so this was one of the last chances to see her sing. Terry got up and Sang a Sondheim song. Kelly asked the manager to turn on the rooms pink lights since he knew it would look good for my sketch.The highlight of the evening was when the entire room sang along with a song from Rent. As one singer pointed out, “Hearing so many talented singers is like getting a $75 ticket show for free.”

Flash Fiction Slam

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On March 12th, There Will Be Words hosted its second annual Flash fiction Slam, in honor of March Madness.

How does a Flash Fiction Slam work? Well, competitors faced each other in a head-to-head format. Two authors read. The audience decides which story was better with applause One author moves on to the next round, the other cries in their drink.

There were three rounds, with eight authors competing. There were word limits for each round.

Round 1 – 250 words max

Round 2 – 500 words max

Final Round – 1000 words max

Flirt with the competitors at six, watch them beat each other to death at seven, take home the champion at eight. Seriously, these authors had been drinking so they might have needed a ride.

The first round featured Matt Pierce versus Trevor Frasier with Matt winning the audience roar. Raphael lost to Phil in the second round. Hannah Miller and Michael Pierre faced off with a fast paced “Rock, Paper, Scissors” match to see who would read first. It was at this point that I decided to add Hannah to my sketch. She was a strong contender and if she won, I would have two other chances to add detail to her in my sketch. I was pleased that she was indeed the evening’s champion, beating Matt Pierce in the final round by a narrow margin.

After the competition I joined Hannah and her entourage for a victory beer at The Falcon Bar. Multiple conversations crossed the outdoor table ranging from Stanley Kubrick films to art supplies. A high school friend of Hannah’s had just returned to Orlando and she was dipping her toe in the arts scene to try and rebuild her Orlando roots. I seldom hang out after an event so I was very happy to have lingered on this occasion.

PLAY it for ME! Cabaret To Benefit ME Dance

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On March 10th, Terry and I went to a fundraiser for ME Dance at The Sovereign Dance Academy (8060 Via Dellagio Way #210 Orlando, FL).  This was the first”PLAY it for ME” Fundraising Event.

This Live Cabaret was hosted by Jeremy Collins of J Productions and Jayne Trinette. It featured live music, singing, and plenty of dancing. I dressed up in a suit and tie, but the suit came off as I started sketching. I sketched what was essentially the performers “Green Room” where they rested prior to performing.

There was a short video where Marshal Ellis talked about the goals of his new dance company.  The performer in the African garb with the drums was Veryl Jones. He and many other performers came from the Lion King show down at Disney. He didn’t speak a word when he got on stage, instead he blew a whistle to communicate. His drumming was fast paced and primal. He started walking towards me and I was afraid he wanted me to join him on stage. He coaxed a woman seated behind me onto the stage. He would play an intricate beat and wait for her response. Several other audience members were called up to make an impromptu band.

My favorite dance performance was a piece called “Young Love”, which was a last minute write in on the program. The male and female dancers, from ME Dance,performed an intricate duet celebrating youth and love. She leaped into his arms and he caught her gracefully. ME Dance also presented a sneak peak to a World Premiere work that will be performed in upcoming production of Heroes (May 3-5, 2013)

Queen of Hearts Casino Night

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Jenny Coyle organized a Queen of Hearts Casino Night in the parking lot next to Maxine’s on Shine (337 north shine ave, Orlando, Florida). Jenny organized the event to help raise money for her independent film, “Perfect Love“. Terry wore all stripes looking like a zebra on steroids. I thought I would sketch her playing, but she wandered to the far table and I didn’t see her again.

Shelly Maxine introduced herself saying I had sketched her many years ago as she folded napkins in another restaurant. She was dressed up as the mad hatter and her wild red hair sprouted out from beneath a cougar skinned fur hat. She and her husband, Kirt, are the best possible proprietors at this amazing restaurant. A musician was performing inside and he had just released a CD. He was performing Beetles cover songs however so I didn’t get a taste of what his original music might be like. Jenny wore a bright pink queens dress. She said she felt like a five year old when she saw it.

As Jenny said, “Don’t lose your head, it’s only a party! 

There will be:

Blackjack, prizes, drinks, and live entertainment!

For just $10 you got your first drink and your first few thousand dollars in funny money for the casino. We’re making our money off of the buy in for the casino, and the silent auction items. Naturally this means we are trying to get as many people there as possible. 
Costumes aren’t required, but I might be inclined to give you some extra cash for the casino if you come out in an Alice in Wonderland themed getup.”

After Terry lost all her chips and I finished my sketch, we went into Maxine’s for an appetizer. I ordered some Calamari and it was great, being baked rather than fried with a sweet vinegar drizzle on top. I took the waiters advice on a beer although I don’t recall the band. Maxine invited me back to sketch the restaurant interior and I will most certainly go back. The place is a real gem.

Riff Raff

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Larry Lauria who I work with at Full Sail told me I had to hear Dan Rafkin play guitar. He let me know that Dan would be [laying in Winter Garden in the Plant Street Gazebo on the evening of March 8th. Dan apparently has very fast fingers and his writes his own songs.

Downtown Winter Garden is a model for how a downtown can be am ideal place to gather. A pack of girl scouts rushed past me as I walked towards the gazebo. So much of Central Florida had developed into tasteless over developed strip malls. Plant Street maintains an old town feel with historic old brick buildings and a newly built public gathering place in the street’s central median.

I arrived a bit early but Dan Rafkin and the band had already set up and were ready to start their first set. The band was called Riff Raff. They sang old country cover tunes from musicians like Merl Haggard. I never got to hear any of Dan’s original material. This wasn’t what I expected but the crow ate it up. Larry, His wife and daughter and her son showed up and they hunted for a restaurant to eat supper. There were lines and an hour wait wherever they went. Before they got back, I finished my sketch and headed home.

Natura Coffee and Tea

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When I work till 9PM at Full Sail I tend to go out and sketch Jazz which pops up all over town. Natura Coffee and Tea is a hole in the wall coffee shop right near UCF (12078 Collegiate Way Orlando, FL). The front window proclaims, “Self expression welcome.” The place offers music, art and film. All the clientele are young college aged kids. Students smoked hookahs on a couch to the left. An older woman got a whole cup of hot coffee spilled in her lap. There was quite a commotion to get her cleaned up.

The jazz was lively but I never caught any of the musicians names. The guitarist just told me that he and Reagan on the keyboard had gotten the group together for the night.  I desperately want to return to sketch the students smoking the intricate and ornate hookahs. I may have to work late next month so I might be back.

Jazz at Taste

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Taste Restaurant (717 W. Smith Street in College Park) is where I go to sketch on a slow Monday if nothing else if going on around town. Musicians gather at the bar and around 8PM the Jazz begins. Who ever gets to the stage first starts off the set. Frank Walter was on trombone, Miguel Alvarodo was on Tenor Sax, Tom was on drums. The place was so packed that I couldn’t find a table with a view. Instead, I sat in the entryway to the restaurant.

The music flowed and swelled. sporadic and spontaneous solos ignited and then  the other musicians joined in when the moment felt right. Sets can extend forever or be over in a flash, so I tend to sketch frenetically to catch the moment before it is gone. Monday night Jazz is always a good time so it is always on my calendar as a fall back option.

Maitland Art Center Mayan Courtyard

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This is the rare case of a sketch done in the quiet time between events. I had an hour to kill before the Art Critique and Conversation began at the Maitland Art Center, (231 West Packwood Ave. Maitland, FL). I wandered into the Mayan Courtyard. I’m sure that countless wedding vows have been exchanged in this outdoor garden paradise. I sketched the entry to the chapel. The Art Center was founded and designed by architect and artist J. Andre Smith in 1937. The intricate Aztec-Mayan sculpted motifs cover every surface. The Art Center is one of the few surviving examples of “Mayan Revival”
or fantasy architecture in the Southeast. The Center is recognized by
the State of Florida as an historic site and is entered on the National
Register of Historic Places as of 1987.

A plaque outside the entry read, ” I stood at the gate of life and said give me a light that I might go safely into the unknown. And a voice replied, go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God, that will be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.”