Florida Film Festival Filmmaker’s Revel Awards Party

Posted on by Thor

On April 12th, The Florida Film Festival held its awards ceremony at Rick’s Speakeasy (1114 Solana Avenue, Winter Park FL). Starting at 8:30 there was a complimentary buffet dinner and cash bar.

This place was hidden away on an isolated back road full of warehouses.  This was an unexpected new discovery. This place smelled of gas and vintage cars were hoisted up for display. The bar and lounge area seemed pretty permanent but this “Speakeasy” must also function as a working garage.

The place was packed full of producers, directors and revelers. Carl Knickerbocker had one of his stop motion, puppetry animated films in the festival. The film is called “The Last Orange Grove in Middle Florida.” I kind of like the Tolkenesque title and from now on I will tell people that I sketch Middle Florida.

And the winners were…

SHORTS

Special Jury Award for Outstanding Storytelling was presented to THE BRAVEST, THE BOLDEST directed by Moon Molson

Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short was presented to AFTERMATH directed by Jeremy Robbins

Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short was presented to YEARBOOK directed by Bernardo Britto

Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short was presented to NOT ANYMORE: A STORY OF REVOLUTION directed by Matthew Vandyke

Audience Award for Best Short Film was presented to FOOL’S DAY directed by Cody Blue Snider

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Special Jury Award for Demonstrating the Connection Between Art, Humanity, and Cinema was presented to LEVITATED MASS directed by Doug Pray

Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature was presented to SLINGSHOT directed by Paul Lazarus

Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature was presented to SLINGSHOT directed by Paul Lazarus

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast was presented to CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY directed by Jerzy Rose

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was presented to DRUID PEAK directed by Marni Zelnick

Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature was presented to COPENHAGEN directed by Mark Raso

INTERNATIONAL

Audience Award for Best International Feature was presented to LE CHEF (France/Spain), directed by Daniel Cohen

Audience Award for Best International Short was presented to B-CLASS CULTURAL HERITAGE (Japan), directed by Yuji Hariu

After the sketch was done, Terry and I went to the neighboring Celluloid Circus. This is his private animatronic amusement park and club which was set up as a haunted house. Terry clutched my hand till it hurt. I was unfazed by most of the animatronic horrors, but one room cause me to completely short circuit. A narrow gang plank extended out inside a spinning tube. The spiraling motion made me think I was going to fall. I leaned hard to my left, let go of Terry’s hand and grabbed the handrail. Terry screamed when I let go. This must be what it would feel like to ride inside a spinning dryer. Somehow, we made it across the void. Later, one of the cast members told me I should have closed my eyes to stop the vertigo.

On the whole drive home on I4, the road seamed to be banking hard left and right. The spinning roadway kept swinging like a rickety rope bridge. I dug my fingers into the steering wheel leather and tried to stay in control. When we got home, I couldn’t find my car keys. The valet might not have handed them to me. My car is one of those push button starters so the keys don’t need to be in the ignition. In a panic I emptied every item out of my art bag. Terry remained calm and she found the keys in the cup holder in my center console.

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Hits the Orlando Fringe Hard

Posted on by Thor

By The Way Productions presented Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at the Orlando Fringe Festival. Based on a book by Alex Timbers and with music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman the show was a pop rock musical that showed the bloody history often overlooked by whitewashed history book in high school. The show was produced by Ashley Willsey and directed by Adam Graham. I went to the show because I bumped into Christie Miga on the lawn of fabulousness and discovered that she created the large flag that hangs on the set. This show got an award for the most aggressive and visual marketing campaign which was designed by Ashley. Live music was provided by Hey Angeline.

This was a huge show staged in the tiny Rep black box theater. I sat in the front row and several times had to pull back my crossed legged drawing stance to keep from tripping dancers. This was an edgy high energy production that portrayed Jackson (Ross Neil) as a rock star hungry for the adoration of the American public. The female cast worshiped Jackson’s populism like crazed Beatles fans. In contrast, the narrator was a nerdy woman in a wheelchair (Anitra Pritchard) with cat eyed glasses and a stuffed pug in her lap. She reminded me of the Dr. Scott from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

While Jackson ordered the slaughter of the Indians, his popularity grew. It is possible that this Indian purge resulted in more deaths than the Nazi concentration camps. Jackson’s wife (Jacqueline Torgas) didn’t want him to go into politics and yet he couldn’t resist the adoration of the American public. The campaign ripped his wife’s reputation to shreds and she died of a heart attack before he took office. She was married to another man when she met Jackson and that fact was used by his opponents in the presidential campaign. Ambition left him loveless yet popular. Two thumbs up for such an ambitious Fringe production.

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Posted on by Thor

Saturday June 21, 2014

9am to 3pm Free.  Sanford Farmers Market. At First and Magnolia in Sanford. A small farmer’s market in the heart of historic downtown Sanford.

2pm to 4pm Free Snap!Attacks! Artist Talk. Snap! Space 1013 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, Fl. In conjunction with the Snap! Attacks! opening, Snap! Space hosts an artist’s panel with headlining guests Mark Gmehling, Stacey Ransom of Ransom & Mitchell and Rebecca Rose, discussing “Art Business.” Moderated by Art Attacks online curator, The-ArtGeek Donia.

RSVP to the ‘Artist Talk’ (Saturday, June 21st from 2-4pm) ► http://www.eventbrite.com/e/snap-attacks-artist-talk-tickets-11980408725

Opening Reception for Snap! Attacks! (Friday, June 20th from 6-10pm) ► https://www.facebook.com/events/539576549484890/

7pm to 9pm Free. Suggested d. onation $15 at door. Modern Widow’s Club “Get to Know Us”. Credo Coffee House College Park 900 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland, Fl. Celebrate Empowering Widows for 2014 International Widows Day. Wine, dine, break bread and a few plates!! We ask if you cannot attend, please GIVE a donation on JUNE 21st. Together we’ll console, support and provide mentoring to empower widows. http://modernwidowsclub.com/donate

Sunday June 22, 2014

 1pm to 3pm Free but get a coffee. Irish Music. Olivia’s Coffee House, 108 North Bay Street, Eustis, FL. http://www.oliviascoffeehouse.com/

2pm to 1am Free. SUMMER JAM milk edition – House – Bass – Experimental. The Milk District East Robinson Street, Orlando, Fl. three areas of amazing unique sounds. Good company, drinks, and… no cover. Sandwich Bar will have disco/house/funk/tek/minimal/progressive. Space Bar will have experimental/trip-hop/glitch/experimental bass. Outside there will be Drum and bass/breaks. Oldschool to Youngblood just for the Music Heads! Come and soak in the sounds. Don’t complain you cant find culture, create it!

2pm to 6pm Free. Open House! KHphotographics 115 Maitland Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Fl. Come see our new products, get special deals on photo shoots and product orders and learn a thing or two! We will have a free “how to take better pictures” workshop and some fun surprises! Sugar Harlot will be selling her delicious petite scones too!

Snap! Attacks! to Open at Snap Space!

Posted on by Thor

On June 16th I went to Snap! Space,  to sketch German Muralist Mark Gmehling as he worked on a huge five story high mural. I had also visited on Friday the 13th, but he had just painted the whole area grey using a roller on that day. The mural depicts Mickey Mouse gloved hands clutching oozing gooey brain matter.

As I did this sketch, an angry line of fire ants marched in line into a crack in a blue grey wall. Patrick Kahn, Snaps founder offered me an umbrella to block the sun. I felt a little guilty being pampered because Mark was five stories up in the lift wearing a black TShirt in the 90s plus humid Florida heat. He didn’t need any shade. Since I have had skin cancer before, I accepted the offer and helped him tape the umbrella to the telephone pole I was leaning against.

Several people stopped to look and take pictures. Two time lapse cameras were set up to record every stage of the mural’s creation. When Mark came down for a break, we spoke for a while. He is a teacher and he does most of the painting using spray paint. He likes the greys that are in the Montana Gold spray paint being used for this mural. The forms combine hard edges and soft edges as he builds up the form. He works quick. The mural will be complete in less than a weeks time and he worked entirely alone. Local artist Chris Tobar did help paint some of the grey base coat paint lower to the ground floor. A tattoo shop is opening up right behind Snap! Space. I imagine one of the first requests will be to tattoo Marks melting brain image onto someones arm.

Mark Your Calendar! The mural will be completed before the “Snap! Attacks!” opening on Friday June 20th from 6pm to 10pm at Snap! Space, in the historic Cameo Theater, 1013 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, Fl. The show will be a cutting edge contemporary and figurative art show from the combined curatorial forces of Snap! Orlando and Art Attacks featuring photography, painting, illustration, mixed media, sculpture and video installation with internationally renowned artists in attendance. Guest curators Art
Attacks is an online art resource for contemporary arts,
providing a curated digital gallery, in depth interviews, and art event
coverage. After four years of showcasing the best in contemporary art
and creative inspiration, Art Attacks Online is pleased to announce its
very first gallery show!

On Saturday June 21st from 2pm to 4pm there will be a free artist panel discussion at Snap! Space so you can meet the artists and learn more about their work.

Oyster Boy Blamed for Problems in Bed

Posted on by Thor

Haste Theatre from London invited the Orlando Fringe audiences to their darkly comic world where everything may not be as sweet as it seems. The show, Oyster Boy, is based on a story idea from Tim Burton while taking liberties. It followed the tale of Jim and Alice as their lives are turned upside down by the arrival of their first son, born with an oyster for a head. The production mixed puppetry, clowning, and a very naughty barbershop quartet.

Jim was Italian and Alice was an American Tourist.  They fell in love at first sight and Jim’s Italian and broken English instants wins Alice’s heart. The seaside romance was accompanied by the romance of breaking waves recreated simply with a blue sheet. Their son’s huge oyster shell head offended everyone but the adoring parents. The one thing oyster boy was good at was swimming. Two little girls befriended him and went for a swim, but when the girl’s parents found out, they were forbidden to ever see the boy again.

 This was a light hearted production that harkened back to silent film acting. It used a very simple puppet to bring oyster boy to life. The entire cast were women, even the pot bellied Italian husband. This was used to comic effect as they played male characters using pasted on handlebar mustaches that often fell off. The tale doesn’t end happily for Oyster Boy, but love prevails.

Waiting in the Fringe Line

Posted on by Thor

The John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center has an odd tower that is two stories high and the room is about eight foot square. A compass is incorporated into the floor tiles and a large banner is usually suspended from the ceiling.

Between shows during the Fringe festival there was an art installation consisting of hula hoops and cardboard tubes covered in strips of fabric. Everything was suspended on strings to create a mobile. I made my way inside so that I could sketch a Fringe line as it formed. The line was for, Bless Me Father For I Have Danced and it snaked from the theater entrance out the door with half the people having to wait outside. It is fun to see friends as they meet and hug. Half the fun of the Fringe is meeting people in line and comparing notes about what amazing shows HAVE to be seen. I decided what shows I should sketch based on tips from strangers I met in line. All the reviews in town couldn’t beat good word of mouth.

This is a rare case of a sketch I didn’t have time to finish. My wife Terry texted from another line suggesting I join her to see the show she was waiting for. Often we saw shows together but sometimes we went our own ways. I could only go to the Fringe every other day because of work commitments and on those days Terry was on her own and she would let me know what she had seen that I had to sketch. It was like having a field corespondent scouting out the talent. I don’t know who created this kinetic art, and once the Fringe was over, it was replaced by a table and chairs.

Taking Out the White Trash

Posted on by Thor

The Fringe show, Taking Out the White Trash  presented by Peemypants Productions featured Sherri D. Sutton, as she spilled the south’s dark secrets in the intimate brown venue. This was a hilarious show that had me laughing the whole time. When asked to describe a Waffle House, Sherri said, “Imagine a truck stop restroom, but with waffles.” Now, anytime I drive by a Waffle House, I laugh. She said being accepted as a lesbian comic has been hard since there is a stereotype that lesbians are always angry. She then performed a joke as an angry lesbian with expletives to hilarious effect. She said, “The thing about stereotypes is that they are often true.”

Much of the show then was built around the southern stereotype. From Walmart, the KKK, to convalescent care, no topic was sacred. Having been raised in the south, much of her material came from first hand experience. Growing up lesbian in a conservative southern town can’t be easy. She joked about southern names and that certain names guaranteed an infants trials or success in life. This show was a pleasant surprise and it was good to see lesbian couples cuddling in the audience. It made me hopeful that love can be cherished in all it’s forms someday.

Seasons The Musical

Posted on by Thor

Seasons the Musical was without a doubt the most dramatic and moving show at this years Fringe Festival. I sat right beside Elaine Pechacek the shows co-writer, Music Director,  and accompanist. She co wrote the show with Katie Hammond. It was staged in the Venue (511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL). I went to the show with no preconceptions other than knowing that a friend, Deena Beena, was the Marketing and Production Manager. The show was moving and heartfelt on every level.

It followed two separate stories, one of Mrs, Jones (Beki Herrback) who has just been told that she has cancer and she has to share the news with Hope, her daughter (Katheryn Fabbroni). The other story follows Helen (Tiana Akers) who was dating Peter (Erin Robere) and they find out that she has accidentally become pregnant. Peter is madly in love with Helen and he asked her to marry him. She consents given the situation but she isn’t sure she is actually in love. As she folded her clothes, she sang a song questioning love and it’s pains and struggles. Peter enters just as she wonders aloud weather he is the one for her. Peter gave all he had to try and win her heart but still she remained reticent.

As the couple ironed out their troubles the mom sang a beautiful song to her daughter expressing her love and hope that her daughter would never take life for granted. This lullaby was the final song in the show and I could hear people in the audience openly weeping. They just weren’t wiping away a stray tear, they were overwhelmed. I did wipe aside some tears but had to finish the sketch so I kept myself in check. All the actors sang beautifully with emotion. I hope this show gets funding and is expanded to become a runaway hit. It explored love openly and it deserves all the  love it gets in return. A show this beautiful will find its way to getting produced just as a seed always struggles to find light before it reaches full bloom.

AIDA

Posted on by Thor

Years ago I saw the opera “AIDA” at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center. It was an excruciating experience with a Nubian princess singing endlessly about her impending death. She would pause for a long moment and I would think, “Finally.” But then she would start singing again and I would be thinking “Die already!” I dug my fingernails into my palms to stay awake. This new Clandestine ARTS production with music by Elton John and Tim Rice, is a refreshing new take on the story.

 On the banks of the
Nile, unfolds the triumphant tale of love that transcends warring
nations and brings a country together. A contemporary musical take on
the classic tale of timeless love. An enslaved Nubian princess, Aida (LaDawn Taylor), finds her heart
entangled with Radames (Tony Flaherty), an Egyptian soldier who is betrothed to the
Pharaoh’s daughter, Amneris (Emily Grainger). As their forbidden love blossoms, Aida is
forced to weigh her heart against the responsibility she faces as leader
of her people. Aida and Radames’s love for one another proves
transcendent of cultural differences and ushers in a time of
unprecedented peace between the warring nations.

Before the run through of the show, Emily had to rehearse several frantic costume changes. She was the first actor to arrive at The Venue and she was singing and dancing as she entered. Two seamstresses were at there sewing machines completing costumes during the rehearsal. In the scene, Emily sang a song about her strongest suit which happened to be her looks and fashion sense. In the final moments of the scene, she ripped off her red dress with the help of two slaves and then she was showered with golden pedals. The dress was held on with Velcro and it was a challenge to fling the garment behind her fast enough. The scene had to be rehearsed again and again which gave me extra time to sketch. The song is hip and seems to perfectly apply to today’s selfie generation. 

The music kept reminding me of the Disney Animated Features I worked on in the 1990s. The princess singing about he lack of freedom reminded me of Jasmin from Aladdin. LaDawn’s strong African American chiseled features made her a perfect fit as AIDA and she sang beautifully. Tony as Radames had some strong chemistry in his love scenes with AIDA. As in the Opera, the two lovers were destined to die yet their love softened the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter. Produced and directed by Derek Critzer, this is a huge extravagant production with projections offering exotic settings. Derek keeps the production hip and playful, like a scene in which a male dancer comes out in a costume covered in plastic bubbles. A runway was built up the center isle allowing the cast to walk out into the audience. At times, the chorus sang from the back of the theater giving a full surround sound experience. This is a huge, fresh, yet intimate production with strong singing and dancing, who could ask for more!


Mark your calendar! Show times…
June 14,16,19,20,21,22,26,28 @ 8:00 PM
June 27 @ 7:00 PM
June 29 @ 3:00 PM

Performances are held at “The Venue” located at 511 Virginia Drive, Orlando FL.
Tickets are $20.00 and may be purchased at www.clandestineorlando.com
Industry Night Special Offer Monday June 16th @ 8:00 PM
Tickets will be $15.00 Each!

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Posted on by Thor

Saturday June 14, 2014

Noon to 2pm. Free. Artist Talks for Reality for Beginners Show. The Gallery at Avalon Island 39 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, Fl. Sarah Bender, Victor Bokas, Ed Wilcox, Donna Dowless and Monte Olinger will be discussing their art and process. This is also the last day to see the show.

8pm to 10pm $20 at the door, $15 for Students-Seniors. Art Evolution. Emotions Dance Company is proud to announce the premiere of Art Evolution, a collaborative arts experience. This contemporary dance, visual art, and spoken word collaboration will be performed at The Lowndes Shakespeare Center’s Mandell Theatre (812 E. Rollins St. Orlando).

Art Evolution is inspired by the famous works of well-known artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and more. Audiences will experience live contemporary dance by Emotions Dance Company, including a piece created by special guest choreographer, Genevieve Bernard of Voci, visual art by Orlando’s celebrated sketch artist, Thomas Thorspecken, and spoken word poetry by J. Bradley.

9pm to midnight Free. Monochromic Body Paint Jam. House Of Beer!! 13526 Village Park Drive #208-210, Orlando, Fl. An evening of body art.

Sunday June 15, 2014

 11am to 1pm Free Yoga. Lake Eola Park, North Rosalind Avenue, Orlando, FL. Every week.

5pm to 9pm. Free to attend but get some grub. Orlando Food Truck Bazaar. Orlando Fashion Square, 3201 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL. http://www.thedailycity.com/2011/05/thedailycitycom-food-truck-bazaar.html

5:30pm to ? $7. Southern Fried Sunday with Paleface, Mercer and Johnson, Beartoe, Wheeler Newman and The Cosmic Roots Collective. Will’s Pub 1042 N. Mill’s Ave., Orlando, Fl. Southern Fried Sunday will be laid back and folk’d out with 4 uniquely different folk derived acts: Ramseur Records recording artist, North Carolina based high-energy folk rock duo PALEFACE, The self proclaimed “DIY Hillbilly Pop” of New Mexico’s Mercer and Johnson, The spaced out folk rock of Orlando’s Wheeler Newman and The Cosmic Roots Collective and the blues driven experimental folk, roots rock of DeLand’s Beartoe.

Doors open at 5:30pm with the show at 6:30pm. Free BBQ Dinner will be served to everyone in attendance. Will’s Pub will have specials on Cigar City Brewing’s Florida Cracker White Ale and Miller High Life.