Sarah Purser Performed at the Fringe Outdoor Stage.

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Sarah Purser is an incredible singer. She has performed with the Opera and she also performs more modern tunes. She sang sultry and sad Joni Mitchell covers in the Fringe Outdoor Stage.   Sarah’s husband Marco Bojorquez played the electric bass.

The out door tent was constantly active the year. Orlando’s best singers and bands set up on stage about every hour. Jessica Pawli orchestrated the incredible line up of talent. She turned the sleepy outdoor stage into a major attraction in it’s second year. I could have been happy sketching in the outdoor tent everyday but of course the lure of the odd and obscene drew me inside to the ticketed Fringe shows as well.

Robotman performed at the outdoor stage at Fringe.

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Robotman is a local jazz band that really got the outdoor tent crowd excited at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival. I had just heard them perform a week ago in College Park, so I was excited to hear them again. I sat in the front row to soak it all in. The band has a driving beat that caused m to rock and sway as I sketched. The music felt experiments free flowing and spontaneous. Each piece was original, written by different members o the band.

The band members are: Matt McCarthy on Trumpet and Flugelhorn, 
Jeremy Fratti on Saxophone,
Marco Bojorquez on Acoustic Bass and Electric Bass,
Jeremy Katalenic on the Drum Kit,
and John Krasula on Guitars.

It was a great afternoon of great music. Nothing feels better this letting the music inspire the lines and washes to dance.

Salvador Live at the Outdoor Fringe Tent.

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The world’s most dynamic break dancing speed painter known as “Salvador Live!” brought his talents to Fringe making a special live performance during Hop Hip Night at the free outdoor stage. Salvador wowed Fringe goers with his compelling live painting experience with the added twist of dance and theatrical elements. Using his performance expertise and incorporating a variety of special characters and themes, Salvador Live engaged, inspired and impressed his spectators delivering a truly unique, unforgettable experience.

I had to work quick to catch him in action. Prince songs inspired his creation. Within minutes Prince‘s purple face began to appear on the five foot canvas. I wondered how he could get a likeness so quickly. After watching him work, I have my theories, but prefer to simply accept it as theatrical and artistic magic. Salvador would break dance and spin on his head between songs. He spent as much time dancing and voguing as he did painting. Amazed spectators took video and or photos on their cell phone. The performancebuild up to Prince’s “Purple Rain.” Before I knew it, he us done. I had to keep adding color washes after he left the stage. I was exhausted from just watching him. While walking on Park Avenue in Winter Park, I passed an angry youth sitting on a bench shouting into his phone. “You know they killed Prince don’t you?” As conspiracy theories build, Prince’ myth lives on.

The Space Pirate Puppy Musical, at Fringe.

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I sketched at a press preview for Space Pirate Puppy Musical in the Yellow Venue at the Fringe Festival. This show presented by Tasty Monster Productions from Welborne, UK was clearly intended for younger audiences. The premise as simple take a Star Trek crew and make them all puppies. Earth has gone to the dogs, literally. After the incident humans have
gone underground and into space leaving dogs to run the planet. The Space Pirates have decided that they need to pave over Earth to put
up a parking lot for their new nightclub on the moon. The Puppies have
to join forces with their arch enemies the Ninja Kittens and with the
assistance of the Great Oracle, must seek the power of the greatest
weapon they’ve never heard of. The action and staging was constantly on the move. The music was fun, but not very memorable.

At one point a porcupine puppet appeared on house right. That got me thinking that the whole show might have been more whimsical as a puppet show. A woman in the front row did laugh out loud once. Then she said “What? I though it was a funny name.” I kind of lost interest in the plot. It all felt a bit haphazard. At least the theater was air conditioned.

Logan’s Slut Like Me was Hilarious at Fringe.

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Slut Like Me, a one man show by Logan Donahoo at the year’s Fringe was hilarious. I went to the first performance. Blue Estrella, the shows stage manager, arranged to get me in a little early to star sketch. A screen had to be hung, and the projector set up. The show was packed neatly in a small pink plastic storage box. As it got closer to the time to open the theater, Blue and director Rob Ward started to panic. Logan hadn’t arrived yet. They sent messages an phone calls, but he wasn’t answering. All actors experience some form of stage fright, or was this something far more serious? The venue tech, finally had to play the pre-show music and let the audience in. There was the usual excited conversations as everyone settled into their seats.Finally, Michael Marinaccio, the Orlando Fringe Festival Producer, had to stand in front of the audience and announce that Logan had gone missing. Every one’s tickets would be refunded and they were encouraged to return. Me sketch was only half finished. I asked Blue to keep me informed since I was as concerned as anyone. She later texted that it was probably a case of food poisoning. 

Logan bounced back and Slut Like me, went on to take the Patron’s Pick award in the Brown Venue. As the Patron’s Pick, the show was awarded an extra performance which made up for the opening performance glitch. The show must go on. I returned to watch Logan perform, and I’m very happy I did. He offered modern day dating advice that had the audience laughing the whole time.  Four audience member were pulled up and blind folded for a game of, would I put it in me? The first contestant was given a large wine bottle. She felt it with her hands and poked a finger in the bottle opening. She guessed correctly and conceded the she wouldn’t put it in her. Logan then educated u all that all bottles h seams that can cut, a being hollow, the bottle could create suction becoming impossible to dislodge. The oddest object was a musical pickle. Again, don’t put it in you. 

He discussed the plethora of dating sites, and showed his slutty contributions to each.  A practical piece of advice was offered on what to pack in a slut sack which contains all the basics needed if you have a crazy sexual encounter and find yourself going home alone for the walk of shame. Simple items like shorts, a T-Shirt and handy wipes round out the necessities. One prop barely fit into the shows storage box. It was a huge floppy purple dong the size of a man’s forearm. Logan tossed it bad in the storage bin, and it would slam down so hard is was frightening.Would I put it in me? Logan said, that wit enough time and bob any thing is possible and he raised a fist in triumph. Most slot tips we r preceded be an audio clip of a woman’s moan. Sometimes it as hard to know weather to be shocked, grossed out or laugh. Laughter usually won the day. This was without a doubt the funniest show I saw at this year’s Fringe. 

Weekend Top 6 Picks for June 4th and 5th.

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Saturday June 4, 2016.

7pm to 10pm $50 Love, Always, in all ways! East End Market 3201 Corrine Dr, Orlando, Florida. Modern Widows Club Fundraising Event. So excited to make this event a celebration of living a life full of love, always, all ways! Chef Tonda at La Femme du Fromage‘.

8pm to 11pm Free, but get food and drink. Jazz Saturdays. Cork & Fork American Grill5180 S. Conway Road, Belle Isle, FL. Jazz Saturdays will feature live entertainment by Jazzanova musicians.

8:30pm to 10:30pm Free. Amy Watkins and Open Mic. The Geek Easy 114 S. Semoran Blvd Suite #6, Winter Park, Florida.  Open to all: Musicians-Lyricists-Artists-and Poets of all kinds

Bring out the cape and have some fun.

Sunday June 5, 2016. 

1:30 to 3:30pm Free. Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the NRA. First Unitarian Church of Orlando 1901 E Robinson St, Orlando, Florida. Join the League of Women Voters of Florida, Global Peace Film Festival and Peace & Justice Institute for the documentary, Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and The NRA. The film tells the stories of how guns, and the billions made off of them, affect the lives of everyday Americans. It features personal stories from people across the country who have been affected by gun violence, including survivors and victims’ families. The film exposes how the powerful gun companies and the NRA are resisting responsible legislation for the sake of profit – and thereby putting people in danger.

A panel discussion will follow the film. Panelists will include Kate Ranta, a survivor of domestic gun violence, Rev. Bryan Fulwider of WMFE’s “Three Wise Guys,” and Valencia State College Professor Aaron Powell.

Tickets are free.

2pm to 4pm. Free Yoga. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL near the red pagoda. Weekly.

10pm to Midnight. Free. Charades In The West Lobby with Andy Matchett and Friends. lil indies 1036 N. Mills Ave (Next door to Will’s Pub), Orlando, Florida.

The Lines at Fringe are the key to finding good shows.

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The Fringe Festival is a well oiled machine. Shows load in and load out in close to a dozen venues every hour or so. Inside the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center, lines form about a half hour before each show opens. Performers from other shows work the line, handing out flyers, and explaining why their show is a “must see”.

The people around you in line, often can tell you which shows ave worth seeing, and which shows are bombs. Standing in line is also a good time to check the Fringe program to see what might come next. With over 70 Shows, it is impossible to see every show.

I tend to limit my shows to the one’s that had good buzz in the lines or at the Beer Tent on the Lawn of Fabulousness. In this line, I bumped into Aradhana Tiwari who is directing at Mad Cow Theater now. When I first started this site, she allowed me to document every phase of a show she was co-directing. I haven’t had that here of access to a shows production since. A woman playing clarinet worked the line.  A mom tried to keep her energetic boys in line as they waited for the doors to open. Actors and actresses get to interact with theater patron one on one.

Joe’s NYC Bar Shakes up Mathew’s Tavern at this year’s Fringe.

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On The green lawn of fabulousness a friend and I bumped into actress Marty Stonerock ordering soft serve ice cream. She is one of the actors in Joe’s NYC Bar at Mathew’s Tavern. She let us know that the show was about to hit the 100th performance landmark. The show we were going to was the 99th. She said there was a good chance we all would be singing 99 Luft Balloons. We arrived a bit early and relaxed in the outdoor beer garden trying to avoid the insidious cigarette smoke. There was only one entrance and we didn’t know that a line was forming outside. A car alarm blasted the evening calm for a solid five minutes. Frank, from To be Frank was in line in front of us. I showed her the sketch I did of her performance earlier in in day. Someone who looked down on his luck worked the line offering free advice for $1. The bar owner (Christian Kelty) came out upset and they argued the merits of free advice versus panhandling. If he was panhandling then he should have been in a blue box.

The bar stools were all occupied but are found seats along the wall with a good view of the female guitarist who played acoustic for the pre- show. Three women dressed to the nines were near the guitarist. The bar tender offered the prettiest woman a Jack Daniels. It is impossible to separate the cast from the audience, and the audience joined in some serious heated debates about creative license with other peoples stories, and the right to privacy. A rich yuppie prick (John Connon) bragged about his riches and the number of women he had slept with. (he claimed to be approaching 600.) The guy offering free advice entered the bar. Arguments erupted and a bar stool crashed to the floor. The angry patron (Tim Williams) had to be bounced from the bar. Much later, this angry patron re-entered. The bar owner said he wasn’t welcome. The guy was right next to me as he apologized for disrespecting everyone. He spoke from the heart saying he doesn’t have a family. The patrons in the bar were his only family. He pointed to several regulars saying, “you are me family” to each. He pointed to me looked me in the eye and said the same. I noticed the woman who had been offered the free drink was choked up. Her eyes sparkled from the tears she tried to hold back. She finally had I wipe a tear a way with her pinkie.

The show seems largely improvised with certain story points being hit throughout.. The rehearsal I sketched a year ago had been completely different.  The heartbreak of love lost was discussed at some length. How do you separate from someone you love today? One of the women shouted, “Text message.”  The bar patrons argued about what matters in the hear and now, the play hit home with plenty of heart. It was an incredible night of theater. Absolute magic.

Decades Rewind played a musical review for Baby Boomers at Fringe.

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Decades Rewind performed the greatest music of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. It was described in the program as, a rocking extravaganza featuring a live 15 piece show-band performing medleys of your favorite hits, spanning 30 years! Take a ride through Decades of American culture, featuring a combination of sight, sound, and video! Over 50 songs in 6 medleys, with visual accompaniment on a huge video screen.

The show at tempted to be upbeat and high energy, but never quite delivered. Now this was a press preview and the huge orange venue was pretty deserted. Perhaps with a larger, livelier audience the show would be more fun. I kept hoping for some story line or structure but it never came. Some reviewers in the back of the theater left early. Since I was sketching I stayed behind to the bitter end.

Space explores the horrors of living in space at Fringe.

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Space, written and directed by Cory Volence  and produced by Hubris Theater Company and the Dark Side of Saturn is a hard hitting psycho drama set in the confines of a colony ship on a 15 year mission to establish biological life on a distant planet. In the pre-show, crew members described their feelings about the mission in a promotional video. Their accounts are idealized visions of a future of possibilities.

The show opens with Chief engineer Hightower (Trini Kirtsey) in a spacesuit unable to get back into the spacecraft. The heated debate about the risks of letting him back in, sets the stage for seeing Commander Copeland (Chaz Krivan) as a power hungry despot. The commander is married to Science officer Chesky (Ashleigh Ann Gardner). She is pregnant and the commander is pleased that his family name will live on.

Living together on a tiny tin can of a ship has the crew on edge and at each others throats. The commander treats his wife like he does the crew with authoritarian disrespect. When Chesky visits Medical officer Novak (Brenna Arden), the doctor shows concern and the women kiss, free of any male domineering. The doctor herself is troubled with dreams of suicide.

A video diary station allows crew members to express their true feelings although they often have to erase their entries from the ships official record. The videos are projected on the large screen at the back of the stage allowing the audience to see jumbo tron sized close ups of the crew members faces. Dark circles show the increasing stress of living in confined close quarters with crew members who all hate each other. The crew members were all trained to perform one specialized roll on the mission. There was no cross training. That makes every member of the crew indispensable. That makes if difficult, when crew members truly want to kill each other.

I loved the show. The dark vacuum of space is nothing compared to the darkness found in the heart of a human soul. A special shout out to Chaz Kriran and Ashleigh Ann Gardner, who gave particularly noteworthy performances.