Auditions

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Beth Marshall Presents held auditions for the 2013-2014 season at the Garden Theater in Winter Garden on Saturday June 22nd. Productions she was holding audition for included…

The 2013 Play-in-a-Day 2013 Season kickoff in partnership with Lake Howell High School and Penguin Point Productions September 7th.

Alice Lost in Wonderland (a world premiere) written by Rob Winn Anderson and Beth Marshall, October 18-November 3 at the Garden Theater.

Beatnik, a multi-media art evening of poetry music and dance in collaboration with VarieTEASE. December 3rd at the Venue.

33 Variations by Moises Kaufman, directed by Aradhana Tiwari, March 13-30 at the Garden Theater.

Touring shows include,

Commencement written by Clay McCleod Chapman, directed by Brenna Nicely, Starring Beth Marshall at Fringe, or  The Venue.

The Books, written by Michael Edison Haydon, directed by Beth Marshall for Fringe or The Venue.

Actors gathered in the lobby of the theater and they entered the theater in groups of four or five. Actors read monologues and occasionally sang. I sketched actress Becky Lane since I knew her from some incredible performances in the past. Some actors read beat poetry but it just didn’t have the swaggering flow of 50’s beat angst.

That changed when writer, Tod Caviness and his new bride, dancer, Christin Caviness took to the stage. He recited a poem completely off book with the furious confidence of a generation reaching for a new understanding of what it is to live. Christin danced with sweaty abandon rising and receding with the tide of the poem. Garments were tossed aside as needless encumbrances to the need to move. I was swept along enthralled. I stood and applauded. This could be the corner stone for an amazing evening of Beat madness. What an incredible collaboration, a true marriage of two art forms.

A thunderstorm sent loud rain hammering down on the theater’s metal
roof. Beth considered it good since it would force actors to project. As
one actor was on stage giving a monologue, the lights of the theater
went black. The huge empty theater went silent. In the darkness he muttered, “Well I guess that’s a sign
that I didn’t get the part.”

Deja vu

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ME Dance Inc. presented their Season Finale, Deja vu at the Winter Garden Theater. This was the second to last stop on the Orlando SketchCrawl. Two other artists joined me to document the performance, Dana Boyd and Gabe Caroll-Dolci. I saw Marshall Ellis the dance company’s founder, and shook his hand before the show. He has built up this dance company from scratch over the last several years.

The first half of the show had dance routines with titles like, Love, The Passion, The Knowledge, Stand by Me and Lust.  The Passion performed by dancer Shannon MacLaren stood out in my mind. The dance began with Shannon seated on a stool, she arched her back and pointed her toes then spun into motion. Her dance began to remind me of Jessica Rabbit a cartoon that couldn’t help but be sultry. By the intermission, my sketch was done and I put the sketchbook away for the second half of the show.

Dance numbers combined video, and spoken word. The announcer sounded a bit too much like the announcer for the Disney Monorail and some people chuckled. One number had dancer, Alexandra Schudde, addressing the audience as if they were World War II soldiers. The spoken sentiment missed the mark, but the dance rang true. All of the dances were undeniably well choreographed  and executed. Journey had the dancers performing to Faithfully, and Don’t Stop Belevin’. Wearing loose 70’s era clothes the dancers rejoiced in the retro flavored routine. They threw everything they had into the dance, pushing the envelope of exhaustion.

The audience, that seemed full of young dancers, stood for a standing ovation. I stood and clapped loudly. As the audience exited the theater, someone tripped and fell back into an ME Dance promotional screen sending it toppling. Marshall rushed in to make sure the supports didn’t hit anyone. There is never a dull moment with live theater and dance.

Garden Theater

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The second to last stop on the Orlando World Wide SketchCrawl was the Winter Garden Theater where ME Dance Inc. was performing Deja Vu. I got a ticket for Terry and I did this quick sketch of the theater while I waited for her. I wish I had known about the Citizen Kane screening. I would have liked to see that on the large screen.Dana Boyd was at the first stop on the crawl and he stopped by the theater for the final legs.

Built in 1935 the movie theater was the first in Central Florida to show “talkies”. It was a gathering place for locals to see newsreels and films of the day. The theater underwent several renovations until it closed in 1963. lt then became a farm supply and tractor warehouse for Pounds Motor Company. The City of Winter Garden and the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation restored the theater and reopened it in 2008. Now the theater showcases dance, theater productions and concerts along with classic films.

Terry was running late, so I worked on this sketch right up until show time. A family with two young and curious boys stopped to watch me work. When I started packing up, one of the boys asked to look through the sketchbook, I said, “Sure” and handed it over. He flipped through the pages with his parents looking over his shoulder. He came to a sketch of a burlesque dancer wearing close to nothing. Doh! I had forgotten about that sketch. Luckily his parents weren’t phased.  The dad has worked for Disney Theme Park Entertainment Division perhaps the kids were used to women in tights. The theater was packed but Dana and I found seats in the second row house right. At 8pm the house lights began to fade…

Wednesday Night Pitcher Show: ANACONDA

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On Wednesday June 19th I went to the free weekly Wednesday Night Pitcher Show on the lawn Enzian Theater (1300 South Orlando Avenue, Maitland, Florida). The inflatable screen was on the grass lawn next to the Eden Bar. One of the cooks had his car parked in the wrong place and he had to move it before the movie started, or he wouldn’t be able to get out. The DVD was inserted into a laptop and a small projector transferred the computer image to the screen. Once the play button was pushed, the two projectionists sat in lawn chairs.

Before the screening of Anaconda, there was Jell-o shot movie trivia. A correct answer would get you and you a shot. The Eden Bar had a special evening happy hour from 7PM -11PM.  I was leaning against a tree next to the U-Haul truck that must be used to transport the screen. Behind me was the haunted swamp. Mosquitoes buzzing in my ears added a new dimension to the film. 0ne of the projectionists had bug spray and I almost begged him for some.

Jennifer Lopez played the part of a documentary National Geographic filmmaker seeking a lost tribe in the Amazon. Ice Cube played her cameraman and Jon Voight, who they save from a sunken ship leads them to the hiding place of the fearsome Anaconda, a gigantic snake that swallows a man whole, vomits him up, and eats him again. The snake is worth a fortune if captured, but will they survive? I didn’t stay to find out. The mosquitoes were making me crazy.

Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope

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The mission at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, is to fight hunger in the Central Florida community and change lives. One of the innovative ways of doing this is through the Darden Foundation Community Kitchen,  a 2,000-square-foot commercial kitchen space designed as an integral
part of Second Harvest’s holistic approach to fighting hunger and
poverty. In this dynamic space, the food bank offers:

  • A 12-week culinary program focused on food service-based technical, life and employ ability skills training for adults,
  • In-house full-service catering with affordable event space available for your next event, meeting or seminar,
  • Disaster relief food partnerships with the state and community organizations.

But, that’s not all. To engage the community throughout the year, Second Harvest
offer Chef’s Table Dinners, nutrition classes, and cooking lessons.
Also, working closely with local growers and farmers, the Community
Kitchen staff regularly gathers and transforms surplus produce. The
donated product is cooked, flash frozen, and ready to nourish those in
need.

Dawn Viola, Executive Chef and Kitchen Director, was kind enough to let me sketch the kitchen. I arrived in the afternoon and the staff was busy cleaning up. I had a hard time deciding where to sketch without getting in the way. Chef Carmen Ramiz began working with two interns, Judy Alexis and Jerusha Philippe. They began preparing the ingredients for what I believe would become biscuits. There was some eggs, an orange and plenty of butter and flour. Every ingredient had to be accurately measured. Chef Carmen checked and double checked the progress. She was patient and precise, a good teacher. My sketch was done before the mix went in the state of the art ovens.

The Second Harvest Culinary Training Program provides qualified, at-risk
and economically disadvantaged adults with the culinary and life skills
training needed to pursue a sustainable career in the food industry. The culinary students offer a well-rounded set of skills to any food
industry establishment. After completing the 12-week culinary program,
students are prepared for an entry-level culinary position, with the
necessary life skills to survive in this fast-paced industry.

Violin(ce)

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Empty Spaces Theater Company’s director John DiDonna has collaborated with fight choreographer Bill Warriner to bring an experimental show to the stage where “fighting is the story.” Any writer knows that a good story must have a conflict. In this show, the dozen or so actors and dancers are waged in an eternal battle. Some of the fights are staged as a lone violin player is projected on the screen at the back of the stage, thus the title, “Violin(ce)“.

The first scenes revolved around silent film era comic violence.  Then actors recounted school yard brawls. The violence grew personal as a loving couple had their first arguments that progressed to slammed doors and ultimately domestic violence. The line between the erotic and violent was blurred. Actors came at each other with knives, sabers maces and sticks. Blades missed by inches in the type of fights you might have seen in a swashbuckler starring Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone.

McClaine Timmerman performed an incredibly limber and tortured routine, stretching her limbs beyond what should be humanly possible. Dion Smith moved  with a ballerina’s grace around the stage like a hungry lioness as she spared with DiDonna. Of course Cory Violence was in the show. His amazing performance in “The Key of E” and his last name alone guaranteed him a role. In one incredible fight, the entire cast was on stage fighting with weapons. Blades flashes inches from fresh. It is amazing no one was injured. Truth be told, many actors were bruised and battered. Though safely was the rule, adrenalin kicked in. The bruises, abrasions and emotional scars are real.

Each scene in this show is a self contained vignette with each scene building on the last as a sort of history of violence. The action is constant and progressively more intense. The show runs through July 22nd at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street Orlando FL).
The Saturday, Sunday and Monday shows are at 7:30pm.
Additional Sat/Sun twilight shows are at 4:30pm. Tickets are $20. For reservations please call 407.328.9005 – cash only at door. For credit card pre-orders please use www.redchairproject.com

Weekend Top 6 Picks

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Weekend Top Six Picks.

Saturday July20, 2013

10am to 12pm Free to watch: Splash and Dash, Baldwin Park, New Broad Street and Jake Street. Runners face splash zones, water gun snipers, balloon attacks, slip and slides and more.

11am to 5pm Free: Fairy Festival. Avalon 1211 Hillcrest Street Orlando FL. Craft vendors best dressed Fairy prizes. 

4:30pm and 7:30pm Shows Saturday and Sunday. $20 “Violin(ce)“. Mandell Theater, The John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center. Located in Loch Haven Park across from the Museum of Art. A Violent Fusion of Combat/Dance/Movement/Spoken Word/Aerial. https://www.facebook.com/events/525430484160506/


Sunday July 21, 2013

11am to 1pm Show for a burger: Broadway Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s.  110 West Church Street Orlando, FL 32801 Ph (321) 319-0600.

5pm to 7pm Free: Orlando Bike Polo. Langford Park 1808 East Central Blvd. orlandobikepolo.com

9pm to 11pm Free: Comedy Open Mic.  Austin’s Coffee: 929 W Fairbanks Ave Winter Park, FL 32789. Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

“The Gun’shine State”

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Over 1200 peaceful protesters marched from Lake Eola to the Orange County Courthouse on Wednesday July 17th to honor Trayvon Martin the 17 year old who went to the store to get some skittles and was shot to death by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford. George Zimmerman had been found not guilty around 10pm this past Saturday by an all female jury in the shooting. Shock and outrage swept the nation.  Protests turned violent in Los Angeles and Oakland, California and across the nation this week. There were no reported problems at the Orlando march. Helicopters  grew louder as the protest approached the courthouse. It had been raining hard as I walked towards the courthouse but the storm clouds passed allowing me to sketch when I arrived.

As protesters filled the plaza in front of the courthouse, they chanted, “What do we want?” and everyone replied “Justice”. “When do we want it?!” “NOW!!” Protesters carried signs saying, “No Justice, No Peace” and “We are Trayvon.” Some protesters wore hoodies which is what Trayvon wore when he was profiled by Zimmerman as someone up to no good.

Natalie Jackson, an attorney for Trayvon’s parents urged protesters to “vote and raise your voices against Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law”. This law makes it possible for a vigilante to be innocent if they at anytime feel threatened. Travon tried to run, but Zimmerman followed. At some point the teen had to defend himself, but he had no weapon, Zimmerman did. The law needs to change.  Florida is once more a joke because of its warped and backwards justice system. Olumide Ajileye shouted out, from the courthouse steps, “Everyone needs to get involved, this does not end today!”

Someone told me that Zimmerman might even make money on this travesty by suing an NBC show that edited down the 911 call he made on the night of the shooting. The edited audio made it seem obvious that Zimmerman was profiling the black teenager. Zimmerman could become a multi millionaire in a civil case against the media. Reader, Abbe Wise Arenson , suggested a new state motto, which she picked up from a pundit, “gun’shine state” – we need reform!

Police officers kept walking over to see what I was up to. The first officer liked the sketch and each officer in turn came over to look as word spread.  I was just glad they didn’t tell me to get out of the bushes where I was sitting. When the hour long rally ended, protesters quietly drifted away. When I was two blocks away, I realized I forgot my umbrella  back where I had been sketching, When I returned it was still there. I had to get to a final dress rehearsal for “Violin(ce)” at the Shakespeare Theater.

Patterns in Life

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Mark your calendar, the Mennello Museum of American Art (900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, Fl) is  bringing back a series of one-time classes
for adults (and mature high school students). The classes are taught by
UCF art students and include coffee in the morning sessions and a glass
of wine in the evenings.

 
Wednesday, July 24 (6-7:30 p.m.)
Thursday, July 25 (9-10:30 a.m.)

Class Description:

Patterns in Life

Explore intriguing designs created by the Florida Seminoles. Their
native patterns are often inspired by plant motifs and other aspects of
the natural world. Try your hand at designing symbols of your world.

Cost: $20 per session, $15 for MMAA members
Reservations: 407-246-4278
Genevieve.Bernard@cityoforlando.net

3D Blitz

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At the Full Sail 3D Foundations course, Computer Animation and Game Art students get a crash course in the entire animation pipeline. Over four weeks, they learn how to do pre-production, model, rig, animate, light, and render a 3D scene. It’s a lot to do in a month, especially for students new to the Maya software. Some former students came up with the idea of doing a scene in just 24 hours to see just how far they had come.

That was the challenge of last month’s first-ever 3D Blitz event.

Computer Animation and Game Art students spent 24 hours creating a 3D character and bringing it to life in a six second animated 3D scene. Organized by Rigging Basics Lab Specialist Jennifer Conley, the event was created to get 3D Arts students working together and sharpening their skills.

“We all know as we move through the program that our skills get better, but very rarely do we take the time to really see how far we’ve come,” says Jennifer. “3D Blitz essentially takes the 3D Foundations class and turns it into a 24-hour sprint.” Steve Gold was assisting Jennifer and he gave me a run down on the event.

Minutes before the Blitz began, students were given an overall theme of prehistoric. They each then were randomly given a genre that they had to incorporate into their scene, anything from romance to action to mystery. I went in to sketch and see how many students were up to the challenge. The Auditorium was buzzing with activity. Storyboards were complete and many students were modeling characters and one student was already rigging a character to move. Alec Small, who had just taken my 2D Animation, the course, showed me his story boards. He had a caveman lifting a huge Terra dactyl egg. A baby Terra dactyl looks at him quizzically and he puts the egg down, feeling guilty. The egg then hatches. Matthew was modeling a human character basing it on Andrew Loomis, ideal proportions. He said he would add Cro-Magnon features after the ideal character was modeled.

The next 24 hours were a marathon of sketching, modeling, and animating. About half the students made it to the finish line. When the Blitz ended on Sunday afternoon, students had a pizza party and watched the 12 video projects that were submitted on the projection screen in the Entertainment Business Auditorium.