Beth Marshall presents The Glass Menagerie at the Garden Theater.

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The Glass Menagerie written by Tennessee Williams harkens back to memories of his youth when he worked in a warehouse to support his mother and sister. Tom, (Anthony Pyatt Jr.) restlessly dreamed of a life of adventure as a poet. The only way to find that adventure in his work a day life is to escape to the movies. His mother, Amanda Wingfield, (Cami Miller), is a faded southern belle who lives in poverty with Tom and her painfully shy daughter, Laura, (Anneliese Moon) in St. Louis during the late
1930s. Tom’s fragile sister seems unable to find her place. Believing that marriage will be the answer for Laura, Amanda pushes Tom
into finding a male suitor (Zack Lane) for her. What begins as a promising evening
soon unravels, and the fragile fantasy world the family had begun to
build is irreparably cracked. Tennessee Williams drew upon his own life
to create a poignant tale that has become an award-winning American
classic. The Glass Menagerie was first brought to the stage in 1945, the play was a 2014 Tony Award nominee for Best Revival of a Play.

 Laura is so frail and vulnerable that of course my heart went out to her. So many survivors of the Pulse shooting spoke of their life being on hold. My own life seems frozen, waiting for the next chapter to begin. Laura got flustered at business school and had to drop out. Her every memory of High School, is of being different, an outsider. The gentleman caller, Jim is the embodiment of the American ideal. He believes that a few courses in public speaking will catapult him towards certain success.  He wants a give his confidence to Laura and every time he touches her she calms down. My theater companion felt that Laura’s constant shaking was distracting, but I was so won over be her delicate beauty that it didn’t bother me. Animators stage a scene so that it plays to back of the theater. Perhaps that is the reason used for Laura’s mannerisms.

What mattered most was how the last act bowled me over. Tom had left to seek out his life of poetry and adventure. He however loved his sister and wished he had been able to do more for her. In walking down a city street at night he remembered seeing brightly lit colored glass in a drug store window. That beautiful glass reminded him of his sisters delicate Menagerie of glass animals.  His sister was the glass unicorn who only wanted to be like every other horse. She joined the herd by having her dream smashed and her heart broken. Tom’s memory of her caught me and made me well up. Was I crying for her, or all of us?

The Glass Menagerie runs through November 6th.

The Whale surfaces at the Winter Garden Theater.

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On June 22, 2015, I went to the Winter Garden Theater (160 W Plant St, Winter Garden, FL) to sketch auditions for “The Whale.” March 18th will be the Central Florida Regional Premiere of this play written by Samuel D. Hunter and staged by Beth Marshal Presents. I love sketching auditions, I get to witness so many talented actors that all bring their own creative take to the characters. This isn’t a story about a great white whale, but instead an intimate look at a father daughter relationship. 

On the outskirts of
Mormon Country, Idaho, a six-hundred-pound recluse hides away in his
apartment eating himself to death. Desperate to reconnect with his
long-estranged daughter, he reaches out to her, only to find a viciously
sharp-tongued and wildly unhappy teen. In this gripping and big-hearted
drama, The Whale tells the story of a man’s last chance at redemption,
and of finding beauty in the most unexpected places. This play was
nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New
Off-Broadway Play. It won a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play and won a
Drama Desk Special Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre.

Cast
Charlie – Michael Wanzie
Ellie – Rachel Comeau
Liz – Jamie Middleton
Elder Thomas – Anthony Pyatt Jr.
Mary – Beth Marshall

Production Team
Rob Winn Anderson – Director
Anastasia Kurtiak – Stage Manager
David Merchant – Assistant Stage Manager
Tom Mangeri – Set Design
Amy Hadley – Light Design
J.G. Lantiqua – Sound Design
Marcy Singhaus – Costume Design

Dates:  March 18 to April 3, 2016
Thursday 8pm, Friday 8pm, Saturday 2pm (April 2) & 8pm, Sunday 2pm
Industry Night: Monday, March 28 

Tickets: $21 – $28
Special pricing for opening night, Thursday performances, seniors and students.

This show contains adult language and scenes. Recommended for mature audiences.

Clockwork Orange being staged in a Vampire bar.

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Clockwork Orange, adapted for the stage by Anthony Burgess and directed by Jeremy Seghers is being staged at Drip’s Underground Vampire Bar, 8747 International Dr Suite 102 (Behind Denny’S and Senor Frogs), Orlando, Florida. The play, based on Burgess’ acclaimed 1962 novel of
the same title, tells the story of young Alex, played by Anthony Pyatt Jr., and his droogs as they
wreak havoc in the streets of London. When Alex is caught and subjected
to an experimental treatment to “cure” his violent tendencies, all hell
breaks loose, and questions are raised about human nature and the
freedom of choice. 

 The black light inside the Underground Vampire bar mad any white garment shine a bright blue. The performance space is intimate, so the action happens all around you. Just as in the Stanley Kubrick movie,  the violence is intense. Fight Director Jason Skinner, had combatants using  knives, chains and wrenches inches from the audience. During the fight rehearsal, one actor almost walked in the midst of the fight and a heavy chain missed him by inches.

During the experiment, the entire cast knotted them selves into a pyramidal mass to form the torture chair and restraints as Alex watched violent content with his eyelids forced open.  Alex was an anomaly, a cultured thug with a taste for classic a music. He also likes a bit of the old in and out which means rape. Being a smart bloke, he figure he could out whit his captors, but he volunteered for something that even he couldn’t handle.

Due to mature content of the show, all ticket holders must be over the age of 18.  

Show dates: October 15-19, 2015
Thursday and Monday 8:00 pm Industry Night 

Friday and Saturday  11:00 pm
Sunday 3:00 pm

For more info and to purchase tickets, visit ilovedrip.com

 

Mysterious Skin

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Mysterious Skin is a play by Prince Gomolvilas based on a novel by Scott Heim. This Fringe production was directed by Jeremy Seghers and produced by James Brendlinger. The show’s promotional materials left plenty to the imagination showing a black and white photo of a mans naked belly. When I ran into Jeremy, I shouted “I’m ready for some Skin!” He laughed and said “Calm down.”

The show follows Brian Lackey, (played by Anthony Pyatt Jr.) as he seeks the truth behind a childhood memory that forever haunts him.  In the opening scene, he sat center stage withdrawn and introverted. His mannerisms vividly reminded me of a nephew of mine who committed suicide. I was mesmerized. Avalyn Friesen (Marcie Schwalm) sat on her bed talking to him. She was a firm believer that aliens had abducted her when she was a child. Brian began to believe this might explain the memories of his past.

Neil McCormick,  (Michael Martin) New York City found himself draw to gay men and began to “turn tricks” which it turned out is a dangerous, and ego crushing way to make money. After seeing an old little league photo, Brian realizes that Michael played a part in the fractured memory of his child hood. Brian eventually finds Michael. Brian is awakened to the truth that he wasn’t abducted by aliens when Michael shows him their baseball coaches abandoned home. The image triggered a flood of memories. In a moving scene near the end of the play Avalyn wrote Brian to describe her abduction. Her intense recreation made it seem that she and Brian had experienced a similar fate. When Brian finally faces the truth, his legs give out.

There is no clean resolution or moral to the story. The characters and their plights lingered with me. The play was haunting and hard hitting. Anthony, Marcie and Neil gave amazing performances. This play certainly got under my skin.

Show times:

Friday 5/25 at 9:15PM

Saturday 5/26 at 3:15PM

Sunday 5/27 at 7:15PM

The show is in the Orange Venue and tickets are $10.

The Way of the Cards

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“The Way of the Cards” is a new play written and directed by Aradhana Tiwari. It will have its World Premiere tonight at 8:30PM in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Mandell Theatre (812 E. Rollins St, Orlando). I went to a tech rehearsal a few days before the opening. Aradhana welcomed me warmly and introduced me to Tom Mangieri, the set designer. This was the first time the cast saw the set, so stage manager, Brenna Nicely, gave them a walk through. Apparently the steps could be hazardous. The set wasn’t complete yet, but the sink had running water. Everything was a bit off kilter, giving the domestic scene an unsettled feeling

Aradhana said to the cast, “Don’t let
the largeness of the space take away from your power.” She pushed the
actors repeatedly to project to the back row. As the scenes were
rehearsed, she moved to different seats in the theater, getting a feel
for the scenes from all angles.  She handled the music cues from her iPhone.

The play is about the dysfunctional Arlington family. Tip, played by Anthony Pyatt, narrates the plays opening, structuring his narrative around a single
hand of Texas Hold ‘em. He teaches cards in order to
relay the most tragic hand of his life. He spends much of the play munching cereal trying to remain disconnected from the drama swirling around him. His mom, Sass, played by Kate Ingram,  may have been the “First Lady Of The
Vegas Strip” at one point in her poker career, but now she is simply a
tired hack who plays on a riverboat. Tips sister Tally, played by Olivia Richardson, tried to bring some order to the home but she never could fulfill her absent mothers expectations. The youngest member of the family, Lucky, played by Gabe Patrick, dreamed of someday being a “Mechanic” which is someone who knows how to cheat at cards.

Sass needed to convince Lucky that cheating at cards was disrespectful to the game. “In life there are players and there are dealers, you don’t want to look back and wish you had played a hand. The way of the cards is in the people that hold them. There is always some sucker hoping there is a special card that will save the day.” “Don’t worry mom, I’ll earn my wins.” Lucky replied.

This is a powerful heartfelt drama born right here in Orlando. Get out and experience this show for yourself. Be a player, not a dealer. We all have to work with the hand we have been dealt.

When:

April 27th through May 6th
Fri 4/27- 8:30PM
Sat 4/28- 8:30PM
Sun 4/29- 2:30PM
Mon 4/30- 8:30PM Industry Night
Thu 5/3- 8:30PM
Fri 5/4- 8:30PM
Sat 5/5- 2:30PM(Matinee, no night show)
Sun 5/6- 2:30PM

Cost:
General Admission: $15

Industry Night: $10 (Guaranteed seating with previous reservation, we
are also offering a walk-up admission of pay what you can, it’s not
guaranteed seating, but you can pay whatever you want!)

Time:
Fri/Sat/Mon- 8:30PM
Sun/Sat(5/5)- 2:30PM

For tickets and more info: Visit PlayTheMoment.Com.
(Tickets are now on sale )

Play in a Day – Tech

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Play in a Day at the Orlando Shakes, featured 20 actors, 7 writers and 7 directors. A lottery done the day before picked the creative teams for the seven plays. Each play was given a 20-30 minute tech. Tech is when the play is rehearsed in the theater so sound and lighting cues can be worked out. One of the plays referenced the set… “It looks like a children’s theater show gone horribly wrong!” I sketched as the play “Out On Top” written by Kenny Babel was being rehearsed. Kenny wrote the play between 2am and 4am the night before. Elizabeth Murff as the wife, Steven Johnson and Anthony Pyatt as the sons, played family members who just lost their father. The father had died in a freak accident at the opening of LEGO Land. He had climbed a LEGO Empire State Building and fell. A Bank of America skyscraper pierced his heart. In one scene the two boys stood with their hands at their wastes as if at a urinal as they spoke about their father.

Family Road Trip which I had been sketching all day entered the theater to polish their tech. John Connon slipped up on a line and then he shouted, “I f*cked it up ya’ll!” He followed with, “I wanna do art and I wanna get paid!” Both lines are classic Beth Marchall standards, delivered with her distinctive sharp southern drawl. Beth said, “I wanna be famous just so drag queens can play me. Also I wanna make tons of money so I can throw it at talented people.” She walks the walk. Posing for photos with the cast, she compared tattoos with John for Kristen Wheeler behind the camera which made me happy since I had painted the makeshift tattoos on John as a lark using my portable watercolor set.

Soon the theater filled with an audience. Beth stood, “Thank you for coming to Play in a Day and what a long day it has been.” Lindsay Cohen who had written “Welcome to Heaven” sat in my row. She seemed nervous since she had no idea how the audience would react, and she didn’t get to see the development process. When the audience responded with thunderous applause I glanced over and saw her relax.

Spring Awakening

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The Greater Orlando Actors Theater is presenting “Spring Awakening” at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater through September 4th. This is a musical based on a play written in the 1892 by Frank Wedekind in Germany. Having seen the play in its original form I thought I knew what I was to expect. Entering the Mandell Theater I was surprised to find it had been turned into a theater in the round. Seating bleachers lined all four walls creating an intimate square staging area in the center of the room. A single wooden chair with a young girl’s night gown draped over its back sat in the center of the stage as the audience filed in. The house went dark and then actress Melina Countryman stood on the chair and she was bathed in a spotlight wearing only her turn of the century undergarments. I was hooked from the moment she sang “Mama Who Bore Me.” She was soon joined by a chorus of girls who stomped to the lyrics in a sensual anger. The shows over riding theme was shouted to the rafters. These were women in full bloom who had to deny their sensuality.

I resisted the urge to sketch these young actresses and instead focused on the boys in their school uniforms who were being forced to learn using rote memorization. Adam McCabe as Moritz began to doze off. When the instructor prodded him awake he came alive as an electric live wire, frenetic and disheveled. He began to sing “The Bitch of Living” and all the boys joined him as they expressed their yearning and sexuality which was repressed and as of yet only a dream. I was surprised when audience members stood and started dancing. The choreography by Jessica Mariko was driven and sensual. During the course of the show several members of the audience changed into turn of the century garb becoming part of the cast. Simple effects like using a flashlight to illuminate a singers face were beautifully understated and intimate. Sarah Villegas as Ilse reacted against the sexual abuse of her father by running off to an artist commune where she posed for artists. She was attracted to the quirky Moritz but he was to blind to see her advances. When she sang “Blue Wind” it became clear she was to beautiful for such a cruel world.

Melchior played by Anthony Pyatt Jr. wrote a long scientifically accurate and occasionally illustrated description of the sexual act for his friend Moritz who was experiencing tortured sexual dreams. When this document was discovered by authorities he was accused of warping his friends mind and hastening his suicide. I’ve been told I avoid intimacy, yet when I write, I tend to express myself without inhibition and more than once what I wrote was unearthed and used as evidence against me. Yes, I wrote that. My soul is not my own. I am “Totally Fucked.” “Lets discuss what you meant in paragraph two, sentence five.” Blah, blah… blah, blah… blah, blah, blah.

The director Paul Castaneda and assistant director Jeremy Seghers did an amazing job of bringing this show alive in such an intimate setting. Simply stated, I was bowled over by this show and the young talented cast. There are only three performances left. Friday and Saturday’s shows (Sept. 2nd & 3rd) are at 8:30pm and Sunday’s show (Sept. 4th) is at 7:30pm. GoatGroup.org for tickets or call 407 872-8451 for information.