Black Cow Jumps at Fringe

Posted on by Thor

Banks Helfrich founded Black Cow Jumps which uses theater as an exploration of reality through life. Banks was alone walking around the stage area after the Fringe recorded announcements were finished. The rest of the cast must have been sitting in the audience. For instance Banks started talking to a woman behind me and it sounded like they had recently been in a relationship. He brought her on stage and they started to talk. They had clearly not been destined to be together for long. Banks wasn’t ready to settle into a long term relationship. he was all over the map. She had met someone new and things were working out. It was hard to tell if this was fact or fiction the line was blurred.

Another woman described her pregnancy with twins and the pain in loosing one child at birth. She didn’t abandon that life which had never stepped foot on earth but she honored how much the child had meant to her. She honored the life that might have been. The other twin lived and she raised him with the memory of his lost sister. It was an incredibly heart wrenching story. Later her son asked her what traits would make for a good president. In describing those traits to him, she realized that she was describing her ability to negotiate and reason with people. She decided that her voice was needed and she decided to run for president. With so many Democratic candidates running right now she may well be in the running. She has my vote.

Another woman talked about how she grew up wanting to have children. That was her childhood dream and she met the man of her dreams and made that dream a reality. She raised her son but soon realized she wanted to feel the rush of new life inside her again. Her family was large enough so she decided to be a surrogate mother for another couple who could not have children themselves. What she didn’t plan on was a miscarriage which left her and the couple devastated.

One volunteer from the audience was brought on stage and Banks sat across from her and developed a friendship, and rules for their relationship. I had the deepest respect for the volunteer since she had no idea what the boundaries were for this new relationship as it developed. Reality and theater were closely entwined. Banks defined Black Cow Jumps simply as “Life Soup.”

Upcoming performances are:

June 22, 2019 @ 7pm Jack Kerouac House (free event, bring something edible to share.

September 14, 2019 @ 7:15 Winter Park Public Library (free event, wine and cheese – must RSVP)

November 9, 2019 @ 7:15 Winter Park Public Library (free event, wine and cheese – must RSVP)
December 7, 2019 @ 7:15 Winter Park Public Library (free event, wine and cheese – must RSVP)

Black Cow Jumps – Immersive Theater of the Heart

Posted on by Thor

I went to The District Market At Mills 50, (1221 North Mills Ave, Orlando, Florida 32803) to sketch Black Cow Jumps. In association with KC Malhan, Banks Helfrich brought immersive theater of the heart to this eclectic fashion event. Black Cow Jumps is an immersive, reality-based theater which explores relationships, philosophy and absurdity through short vignettes.

The District Market at Mills 50 is a Local Artisan Market and Co-Op
Marketplace featuring a Vegan Bodega Gourmet Grocery, Coffee, Handmade Cards, Gifts and Artwork, Vintage / Soaps and Pop-Up
Dining. I was fascinated by the cat bag hanging on the wall, and the various African animals scattered around the room. It was a quaint place and I am glad I got to discover it with Pam.

 The show started off with a cello solo. Black Cow Jumps featured intimate on on one performances which often had the theme of connection. An upcoming show at the Winter Park Library on March 9, 2019 is sold out, so it is clear that this direct and intimate form of theater has a place in our fast paced digital lives. Theater that is accessible in the back rooms of community markets and libraries can attract a whole new audience of people who might not otherwise go to theater. This is theater that is simple real and raw. There are no sets and no scripts. The performances are about simple direct interactions and feelings.

Life Screenings: One Minute Film Festival

Posted on by Thor


Banks Helfrich organized the Life Screenings: One Minute Film Festival at the Orange County Library System (101 E Central Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32801). Life Screenings in association with the Orange County Main Public Library looked “Outside the Lines” at what happens when a film festival and library mash-up. The purpose was to create a library beyond a library and a film festival beyond a festival.

Preceded by donuts and coffee, one minute films were screened back to back; post exhibit, filmmakers were be on hand to participate in a lively talk back.

Films were chosen on the basis that they show a world we all would love to live in. Life Screenings is a festival that showcases inspiring, uplifting, and thought-provoking short films. It was a festival that showcased inspiring, uplifting, and thought-provoking short films.

The goal was for each of the films to be less than 60 seconds in length. One film showed a Nazi solder entering a home and conducting a search for Jews. His superior office was hard line, but he was just going through the motions. He actually found a young girl and put his finger to his lips as a universal signal to stay quiet. He shut the door to her hiding spot and told his commander downstairs that all was clear. Even some among the villains want to do the right thing.In this fat paced digital age this festival was short and sweet. Offering a wide variety of uplifting stories. Stories connect us, and we need that more then ever in this fast paced digital age.

Mark your Calendar, the next Life Screenings International Film Festival will be at the Winter Park Library (460 E New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) on Sunday, February 17, 2019 starting at 3:15pm.

Story Club at the Abbey.

Posted on by Thor

I went to The Abbey, (100 S Eola Dr #100, Orlando, FL 32801) to sketch Orlando Story Club which is an evening of stories based on the theme of “Can You Keep A Secret?” At this unique story telling series everyone can share their stories. Participants drop their names in a hat. The host pulls names from the hat to see who tells their story next. Three judges are picked from the audience. The only requirement to be a judge is that the person is new to Story Club.  The judges award prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.  A guest story teller headlines every show with its own theme, food, drinks and laughter are available in abundance.

Orlando Story Club was founded by storyteller and film maker Robin
Cowie (“The Blair Witch Project”).  After participating in the national
storytelling series The Moth, Central Florida based Cowie sought out to
produce the same event here and so Orlando Story Club was born.

 The most memorable story for me was told by Banks Helfrich, a local filmmaker. He told a story about meeting a woman and really connecting with her. He described the warmth of her hugs when they parted. Each encounter seemed more intimate. One day she explained that she needed to tell him something. It turned out that she had a long term boyfriend. This bit of news came as a complete shock.

The May charity partner was Victim Service Center of Central Florida.  Since 1999, the Victim Service of Central Florida has been aiding victims of sexual assault, violent crime and traumatic circumstances.  The center is designed to provide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support to victims.  They are the only certified rape crisis center for both Orange and Osceola County.  Their vision is to continue to transform victims’ lives and stop violence in the community.  Through their vision and mission, the Victim Service Center of Central Florida strives to keep assisting victims of these circumstances and provide a safe outlet for them to seek counseling and support.

Orlando Story Club will continue on the first Wednesday of every other
month this year (November 1, 2017 and “Best Of” December
13, 2017).

Screening of The Ah of Life.

Posted on by Thor

The Ah of Life. Written and directed by Banks Helfrich in 2010 is a feature film about theoretical mathematician, Nigel Kline who finds himself the subject of his
own vertical time study. Entering into Einstein’s relativity, three
versions of Nigel face off with each other, weaving time and space in a
world of fluid moments.

Banks himself plays Nigel at age 40 while Andrew Knight and John Archer Lundgren pay Nigel at the ages of 18 and 70. The co-producer, Dina Peterson introduced me to the locally produced feature film which was screened at Taste (717 East Smith Street College Park Fl) which has since shut down.

The three versions of Nigel all wake up with the same gestures and mannerisms. They start their day in overlapping moments in the same small home. The sound of a second hand ticking sets the cadence through the whole film. That incessant ticking became a bit maddening. Now is always. In a world where time is vertical, Nigel, stumbles upon his past and future. The weaving of time lays the
foundation for Nigel’s acceptance of his own mortality.

At this moment in my life, I am making a digital archive of all the sketches I have done since starting this blog in 2009. The sketches have become a point of contention in an equitable distribution of assets. They must be appraised and given a value in dollars and cents. Each sketch marks the tick of moments of my life. Unpublished moments like this one will surface from my past as I prepare to start life anew.

Living Room Screening – Short Film Program.

Posted on by Thor

Living Room Screenings showcased a handful of films (each under 20 minutes). The theater was Tisse Mallon‘s living room (736 Boardman St., Orlando, FL 32804). Banks Helfrich and Tisse Mallon presented independent local films in real, live living rooms. Living Room Screening events go beyond movie night and into an intimate shared experience which includes the films, a discussion with the the creators and the reflections and thoughts of the audience.

One short stop motion film featured a matchbox car that dreamed of flying and morphed into an airplane. Another film looked like black and white surveillance video from a factory at night. There was some activity in the background but I couldn’t make out what was happening. Another film had the characters interacting in a run down apartment, it was perhaps the truest representation of what life is like in Orlando. Darlyn Finch showcased a short film titled Sewing Holes which is based on one of her books. It had a mother sitting on her daughter’s bed, contemplating shooting herself as her daughter slept.

My own short film, Finger on the Pulse was shown at the Living Room Screening prior to this one. My sketchbook at the time was filled with Pulse related documentary sketches, so it was nice to take a night off, relax and soak in some thought provoking entertainment. These Living Room Theater screenings seem to have moved to the new Blue Bamboo Music Center for the Arts.  The Elar Institute, which branched off from Living Room Theater, has been offering more educational seminars as of late. Periodically, the Institute posts quotes on Facebook, “Our emotions are communication from that part of ourselves which is connected to the truth of the universe.”

On Saturday, September 16 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM, Banks Helfrich is hosting Life Screenings – One Minute Film Festival at the Orange County Library (101 E Central Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32801). The festival looks
“Outside the Lines” at what happens when a film festival and library
mash-up. The purpose is to create a library beyond a library and a film
festival beyond a festival. Preceded by donuts and coffee, one
minute films will screen back to back; post exhibit, filmmakers will be
on hand to participate in a lively talk back. Films are chosen on the basis that they show a world we love to live in.

Finger on the Pulse at the Livingroom Theater Shorts Program .

Posted on by Thor

Banks Helfrich and Tisse Mallon present independent local films in real, live living rooms. Living Room Screening events go beyond movie night and into a shared experience which includes the film, the creator and the reflections and thoughts of the audience.
This evening’s intimate experience consisted of a number of short films and a conversation with the creators.

Having just finished editing “Finger on the Pulse“, I sent Tisse and Banks a Facebook messages asking if the short was a good fit for then Living room Theater Shorts program. Amazingly my last minute submission squeaked into the lineup.

Filmmakers included.

Ariel Zengotita
Kevin O’Neill
Rokaya Mikhailenko
Logan Anderson
Ferio Dismo

  My film, “Finger on the Pulse” began and the room fell silent.
You could hear a pin drop. I thought something might be wrong. When the
credits rolled there was an unexpected thunderous applause. In the talk
back I described my experience showing the 49 portraits at the Orlando Science Center,
and once again I choked up when I described how one victim’s sister
reacted when she saw the exhibit. I was advised to Show the film at the Enzian Film Slam and the Global Peace Film Festival. I need to clean up the edit and burn it to DVD to make those submissions.

My favorite film was titled “Lean” by director Kevin O’Neill. In that film, actor Dennis Neil sat in a rocking chair on to porch of a weathered southern cabin. He held a tiny music box and the camera zoomed in o his face as he remembered his past. The flash back scene was saturated white in a southern school room. A pretty girl with blond curls pay full glances back at the boy as they both do their school work. She places the music box on his desk. Later, he is helping her with her homework and their fingers touch above the school book. A storm breaks out and they run outside to dance in the rain. I felt uncomfortable. with a black boy and white girl playing together in the south, things couldn’t end well. The boy sits down in the mud and the girl follows suit. His white shirt and her white dress are soon playfully covered in mud. He reaches out to hold her beautiful curls and then they hold hands. Just then the girls mom drives up and she drags her daughter away. We flash back to the present and Dennis goes inside the cabin and hands the music box to a woman in bed. She looks sick but has the same beautiful blond hair. The moral is that love sees no color. I loved the film.

Other films included a toy car that acted like a caterpillar and built a cocoon to become an airplane, by Ariel Zengotita. A poetic southern travelogue by Logan Anderson, A quirky film about science and perception by Ferio Dismo, and a hot Flamenco dance piece that followed the dancer’sromance, motherhood, and ultimately her husband’ death by Rokaya Mikhailenko.

JiggleMan at the Windermere Public Library

Posted on by Thor

I got to the Windermere Public Library just before 10am. A large white Colonial building was locked. I backed up and realized that I was trying to get into the Windermere Town Hall. The Library was actually behind the town hall. The tip off was a bronze sculpture of a child reading a book. There was a woman waiting at the front door. “Is it locked?” I asked. “They open at 10am, and not a minute earlier.” she replied. As we waited, parents and their children started to arrive. There were rocking chairs on the porch and tat young boys rocked excitedly. They had seen JiggleMan the year before. The mom explained that JiggleMan entertained the parents as well as the kids.

The door to the library opened and the kids rushed in like they were Black Friday shoppers. The event was going to take place in a separate meeting room but the glass doors were closed. I waited with parents and their kids in the hallway. Tisse MalIon arrived and then Banks Helfrich. He signaled me to come in a bit early to set up. Banks is JiggleMan. Tisse began blowing up large balloons with an electric blower. The kids in the hallway pressed their noses up against the glass doors and shouted with excitement each time That she started to fill a new balloon. One mom joked, “Who needs a show, just blowing up the balloons is enough.”

Banks put a line of masking tape on the floor to mark the leading edge of his stage. He quickly changed into a black jumpsuit with baggy black shorts in the bathroom. Tisse announced, “I’m going to let them in” “No, give me a minute.” Banks replied. He did a handstand and seemed to stay there forever. I sketched quickly. I could hearth kids in the hallway shooting the obvious. “He’s doing a handstand Mom, look!”

Tisse opened the doors and the kids sat on the floor behind the masking tape line. there was excitement and squirming as they all settled in. JiggleMan entered from the back of the room, walking a bit like a penguin in straight lines in all the open gaps in the audience. I was reminded of Charlie Chaplin. The kids were already enthralled. He ultimately found a front row seat, and waited along with the kids. Then he walked up to the boom box and adjusted the music, Shaking his bootie when he found a beat he liked. the kids loved his antics.

The show is a high energy romp with plenty of fun props. A pink balloon was bounced off the walls and balanced on JiggleMan’s head. He ran from the balloon as if in a slow motion chase scene.  The entire room of kids was shouting with delight. They were as fun to watch as the show itself. JiggleMan pulled out an electric blower and proceeded to clap at it and shake it, to turn it on. The kids shouted excitedly that he needed to “turn it on!’ When he did, the blast of air hit him in the face, contorting his features to comic effect. The blower was stood on end and small balloons were suspended in the air flow as if by magic.

The larger balloons were used to even larger comic effect. I don’t want to give too much away, you have to experience JiggleMan for yourself. I had a blast! Mark your Calendar,

Thursday, August 11

11:00amJiggleMan @ Southeast Branch Library

Friday, August 12

10:30amJiggleMan @ Herndon Branch Library

Saturday, September 17

2:00pmFree JiggleMan Show @ Hiawassee Branch Library (Orange)

Wednesday, October 12

10:00amJiggleMan @ Lakeland Square Mall

4:30pmFree JiggleMan Show @ South Trail Branch Library (Orange)

Friday, October 14

10:30amFree JiggleMan Show @ Southwest Branch Library (Orange)

Living room Theater takes the Fringe Festival by storm.

Posted on by Thor

Living room Theater has 13 performances at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival. As the title suggests, they happen in a living room at 1314 Chichester St, Orlando, FL, a few blocks north of all the main action at Lock Haven Park. When I arrived, there were a few people waiting on the porch. Matt Palm who writes for the Orlando Sentinel pointed out that the paper’s obit section is usually a couple of columns long, but for the past few weeks it has run on for several pages. He guessed that perhaps people just couldn’t face another hot Orlando summer. Another person joked that perhaps they just couldn’t face yet another Fringe festival.

The living room is large and spacious. It had once been used as a ballroom in the homes early days. Banks Helfrich walked back to the green room with a cup of water. His wife wondered why they weren’t out socializing with people like they usually do. Perhaps since this was Fringe, they wanted to maintain the theatrical fourth wall. I have sketched several Living room theater performances in people’s homes and every performance has always been different. Tisse Mallon, Banks Helfrich and Jack Graham have created an immersive theater experience that fosters community while focusing on fun, connection and authenticity. The show consists of a series of short vignettes that are both serious and absurd.

Banks came out holding an orange checkered shirt and he handed it to a woman seated in the front row. Matt Palm tapped me on my shoulder and whispered to me, that’s my shirt. Sure enough, he was wearing the exact same shirt. Was this theatrical magic, or just coincidence? Jack performed a solo on his acoustic guitar. After his performance, birds chirped to mark the transition to the next scene. This chirping gave the scenes a sense of being part of a timeless ongoing tapestry of human interaction. The next scene had Banks and Tisse both texting on their phones. They sat down beside each other, both focused on their phones and it gradually became apparent that they were texting each other. Tisse leaned against Banks and they intertwined while the text conversation grew tense. Tisse finally just decided to call, But, Banks couldn’t bring himself to pick up. This hilarious scene pointed out how we grow further apart as we embrace technology rather than each other. Since every performance is different, you r experience will be unique. I can say that you can expect surprise, wonder and honesty of emotions as the cast interests. Each scene is just a sentence written on a sheet of paper.  The scene then unfolds, being mostly improvised.

Tickets are $10

Remaining Living room theater performances:

May 22,  5pm – 6:10pm and 8pm to 9:10pm

May 26,  7:30pm – 8:40pm

May 27,  6:30pm – 7:40pm and 8:30pm – 9:40pm

May 28,  5pm – 6:10pm and 8pm – 9:10pm

Orlando Story Club – Resolution!

Posted on by Thor

The Downtown Arts District and The Abbey (100 S Eola Dr, Orlando, Florida) presented the first Orlando Story Club event of 2016: Resolution! Admission was $5 at the door.  Producer/Director Robin Cowie, produces the unique and fun series, in which anyone who wishes
to tell a personal story is invited to put their name in a hat, and
selected individuals are chosen at random to showcase their story
telling for the enrichment of the Orlando community.  Judges award
prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.  A guest story teller
headlines every show, which has its own theme, and food, drinks and
laughter are available in abundance.  The January Orlando Story Club theme was
“Resolution,” and the benefiting charity was the Boys and Girls Clubs of
Central Florida, which provide safe places to learn and grow for nearly
14,000 at-risk children in the local community every year.

The word resolution has two great meanings for stories:
1. a firm decision to do or not to do something.
2. the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter

Cowie formed Orlando Story Club and held the first event in March of 2014 after returning to Orlando from Los Angeles where he participated in a similar story telling group.  “It’s important to talk about the value of sharing your story,” says Cowie, alumni of the University of Central Florida.  “There is a reason why in a hectic, intense, media bombarded world the simple act of standing up and sharing your story is so enjoyable.  Anyone can put their name in a hat to tell a story.  This process is almost therapeutic for both the audience and the tellers.”  He continues, “I believe storytelling has more power to unite and build community than any other activity.  By sharing our raw life experiences with complete strangers we build incredibly strong bonds.  Besides, it’s always a truly hilarious and entertaining experience, and the proceeds benefit great local causes.”

 Banks Helfrich and Tisse Mallon from Living room Theater gave brief performances between storytellers based on audience prompts which were in a pink plastic storage container.  Robin acted as the MC, picking names from a hat and introducing the storytellers. My vote for the funniest Resolution story was told is Mike Calvo. He had a seeing eye dog who sat next to me to watch his masters story. Mike was assisted on the stage and stepped up to the microphone. He told a story a bout go, drinking with several buddies who ended up having to many drinks. There were smart enough to realize that they shouldn’t drive in their condition. Mike however was sober. The only problem was that Mike didn’t have a drivers license and he is blind. Where there is a will there is away, and his friends resolved to teach Mike how to drive. He got behind the wheel and slowly did loops around the parking lot with his friends shouting guidance. A policeman noticed the uncertain driving and he flashed his lights. He asked for Mikes license and registration which wasn’t available. Then he asked Mike to step out of the vehicle. Mike did so and unfurled his fold up tapping cane which snapped to attention. “You have got to be kidding me.” the officer responded. He called for back up just to share the experience because no one would believe him back at the station.

Mark tour Calendar! The next Orlando Story Club is March 2. Doors open at 6pm for food and drink. Show, laughter, and awe starts at 7pm. The March theme is “Body“. Like it or lump it we are all born with our bodies. It seems much of our life is spent just taking care of them. Join us as the Orlando Story Club explores our topsy turvey relationship with them. Every part will be explored! Anyone who wants to tell a story can put their name in the hat. Bring friends!