Artlando in Lock Haven Park.

Posted on by Thor

In 2016 I was asked to participate in Artlando at Loch Haven Park (900 E Princeton St, Orlando, Florida). Over 80 artists cover the lawn with their displays, selling and creating art. Art created on-site was to be entered into a competition with thousands of dollars offered as awards. 100% of revenue from art sales went directly to the artists. I set up my tent the night before. The next day I had to teach classes all day, so I asked Bonnie Sprung to help man the tent for the duration of the event. She did a great job selling quite a few t-shirts. She offered her own art as well which gave some variety to the work offered. I am starting to realize that small ticket items are the only things that move at an outdoor festival like this.

There was a Toyota ‘paint by numbers’ exhibit which asked the community to paint in a mural by local artists, which covered an entire Toyota with art. Local artists also painted Juice Bike racks to be used at Juice Bike locations, which is a way to display art year-round in Orlando. I haven’t seen these painted bike racks yet, if you spot one, please let me know.

The outdoor performing arts stage featured
Orlando’s most prominent performing arts organizations showcased throughout the day and into the night. From Orlando Ballet to Orlando Fringe, programming transitions from kid-friendly in the morning, to general audience in the afternoon, and acts for mature audiences in the evening at Artlando After Dark.

As the host sponsor, the Orlando Museum of Art is an integral part of Artlando. The museum provided an air conditioned environment and housed exhibits from participating galleries.When I got to the park late in the afternoon, it immediately started to rain. Loud speakers announced that a strong storm was heading to Central Florida and that there would be high winds and tons of lightning. We were all warned to get off the lawn. When there was a lull in the downpour, I packed up my tent early. Just as I loaded it into the car, it started to pour again. I returned to Loch Haven Park later that night to pick up my empty tent. Many tents had been mangled in the high winds and looked like umbrellas that had been turned inside out and put in a blender. Oddly my old tent sat serenely alone among the carnage as if a cyclone had decided to stop and spin around it, hitting everything else in its path.

Mark your calendar, Artlando will return to Loch Haven Park on September 30, 2017 from 11 AM to 11 PM.

The Flick presents hopes and aspirations in a tiny movie theater.

Posted on by Thor

Gen Y Productions presents The Flickwritten by Annie
Baker and was the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 2013 Obie Award for Play writing. The Flick Premiered
Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2013 and will run at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL) starting today through July 12.

Bonnie Sprung designed the set for The Flick. She confided that the theater seats were rented from the recently closed Theater Downtown. The sconces on set are actually the bases to lava lamps. She was busy cutting and building the set right up until the rehearsal started. This was the first run through in the new space. Producer Aaron Safer arranged to get me in for the sketch.

The play is set in a single screen movie theater in Central Massachusetts that has the last remaining 35mm film projector. Sam (Daniel Cooksley) shows Avery (Marcellis Cutler) the ropes of the job on Avery’s first day at the job. The job simply involves cleaning up the wrappers and refuge people left behind after leaving the movie theater. Rose (Jessie Grossman) with her bright green hair is the projectionist and Sam feels he should have been promoted to that coveted position. He shouts up to her and she either can’t hear him or ignored him. “She hates me” Sam confides to Avery. When Rose came down from the booth, she asks Sam if he told Avery about the employee “dinner money” tradition. The “dinner money” was skimmed from ticket sales without the owners knowledge. Avery agonized in the front row with his head in his hands but ultimately gave in, not wanting to upset his co-workers.

Scene after scene plays out in the empty theater. Sam told a story about how a huge chunk of the ceiling once fell down landing just inches from an old lady. Sam and Avery play a game of six degrees of separation as they clean and it turns out that Avery in an encyclopedia of film knowledge. A love triangle develops as Rose comes on strong to Avery. The flirting escalates to an embarrassing moment when they watch a film together after hours. Each of the characters is a misfit. Avery once tried to kill himself, Rose is unable to have a relationship for more than four months, and Sam rides along as if the theater job was his only aspiration in life. Rose was appealing with her brash accent and bold entrances. She later turned on Avery and it became clear that every character was strictly looking after their own interests. Friendships aren’t as strong as the need for a minimum wage paycheck. One of my favorite scenes is when Avery recites Ezekiel 25:17 from Pulp Fiction. The drama among the employees turned out to be bigger than the dramas that played out on the big screen. I cared deeply for each character hoping they might find happiness but in this fast changing world, that hope seems mercurial. The digital age made the 35mm projector obsolete. Avery in particular yearned to keep the analog tradition of projected film alive. It turned out that if you don’t need a projector. You don’t need a projectionist. Everyone wants more for less and quality isn’t necessarily the ideal.

Kenny Howard directed the Orlando cast and I liked that there were long moments where characters had time to think and reflect. Action on a movie screen happens at a break neck pace with maybe 2 seconds before cutting to a new shot. But the action after the film ended felt more real, imperfect and more heart felt.  These characters weren’t playing their parts, they were simply living in the moment. At three hours, this is a long show. Turn off those cellphones and unwrap those wrappers and don’t leave a mess because someone has to clean up after you.

Show dates: June 17-July12, 2015

Show times vary

Tickets start at $35.00

Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater

Lobby Doors open 60 minutes prior to show time.

Theater Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time.

Madly in Love with Me Celebration

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Around Valentines Day, I went to Dandelion Communitea Cafe to sketch the Madly in Love with me Celebration. Apparently this Celebration was happening in 22 countries and over 500 cities. In the parking lot there were some artists tents set up. Bonnie Sprung had some paintings and delicate scarfs with intricate patterns. Lauren E. Lee was just putting out some hula hoops when I arrived. I knew there might be a drum circle but the event was much smaller than I expected. The woman in charge of the Love Celebration sat alone lightly tapping her drum.

Four lanterns were placed around the fire pit. She took each lantern and walked it out to the edge of the small lawn where she said said a prayer. Her husband helped start up the fire pit. Someone took a container from a Tiki Torch and poured the liquid on the struggling embers. The liquid wasn’t kerosine, it was water. After much struggle, the flame eventually burned bright. Since I was the only other person seated near the fire, I was coached in a drum beat prayer that had me imagine going back to the time when I first heard my mothers heart beat while I was in her womb. At first I thought I might have to fold my hands in in prayer, but I kept sketching. Incense was lit and someone moved it in arcs around my feet and body as I worked. This must be some sort of cleansing exercise. The woman acting as the master of ceremonies announced that at midnight, she and her husband would be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. They kissed.

Lauren joined us at the fire and she played saxophone while a little girl twirled, improvising her dance to Lauren’s song. More people joined in for the final incantations, bowing their heads. It was a crisp, cool evening and before the sketch was done, I smelled of fire and incense. There were a few jokes about what self love might mean, but this gathering lifted that notion to a higher plane. I was given a white cut out heart with intricate silver patters swirling on it’s surface. It will make a fine Christmas ornament next year. A large group photo was taken in front of Dandelion and after some coaxing, I joined in.