Phoenix Tears Productions from Haines City Florida presented Letters in Need at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. In a corner of the Family Theater lobby near the Silver Venue, a small post office box station with a barred teller window was set up. This was an ongoing 1 on 1 performance which allowed individual audience members to request and give help on a small community-based scale. The goal was for the audience member to sort the need and deliver the help. Since this was a one-on-one interactive performance, I wouldn’t be able to sketch and also sort letters. I had to watch from afar.
I happened to go when Orlando Weekly theater reviewer Seth Kubersky attended the performance. I was sketching from a crowded theater lobby and could only catch snippets of what was going on behind the post office boxes. I had just rented a post office box for the first time in Downtown Orlando since I was bouncing around between Air B&B’s while Fringe was happening. Since my life was upended, I really identified with the premise of this installation.
Mary Hosford designed the antique looking postmaster station on casters. Hillary Shurtleff acted as the United Support Processing Service postmaster. She showed Seth letters from lonely members of the community that were in need. He worked with her to find someone local who could fill that need. That makes it sound like this was a dating service, but it was rather about finding nuts and bolts practical help like lawn service of fixing a faucet.
I could only see Seth’s ear and a bit of Hillary head and shoulders through the bars, so I cannot vouch for what exactly was accomplished. Based on Seth’s review, I should say the experience must have been uplifting and worked in a way we all wish a well governed community should work.
With his signature handlebar mustache, Matti McLean, the writer and performer of The S#it was handing out cards to his show as Letters in Need wrapped up.