Fringe: Love Crumbs

Posted on by Thor

The Orlando Fringe show, Love Crumbs is being performed at the upstairs theater in City Arts in Downtown Orlando. Due to some technical issues the press preview for the show was canceled, so the performance I sketched was the first time the show was being performed with all lighting and sound cues in place.

This show has heart, showcasing love in all its forms. Several members of the cast had to deal with people not being able to pronounce their name correctly. Ha’ani Hogan was often mistaken for being Hawaiian but she offered the audience a lesson in geography to note that her families home island of Guam is actually closer to Australia that Hawaii.

On monologue which hit me the hardest was a man reading from his diary about the isolation he felt after becoming divorced. Over time he began to accept the isolation. His life began to turn around when he started going to a coffee shop regularly. Like Norm from Cheers people greeted him as he entered. He felt he belonged. He met a woman but that relationship didn’t last either. This time the isolation didn’t hit as hard, he wanted the best for her. Projected on the screen during his performance was a tiny sapling of a plant held up by spindly planter legs. It reminded me of the air plants I have started to use to camouflage the broken fence posts in the yard of my recent rental. New life softens the darkness.

Danielle Ziss gave a moving angst filled performance that took place in a pristine colonial kitchen. I know Danielle for hosting amazing story tellers, but this was a story that plumbed the depths of despair using movement and raw emotion as her medium. Another moving scene had two men literally bump into one another and fall in love. In the panic of the moment they forgot to ask each other’s names, but social media brought them together.

Other acts celebrated pets and friendships. The idea of finding the perfect mate can be the cause of so much stress. It is better to just enjoy each moment that we have together on this earth. The show celebrates supporting one another and honoring our differences. You will laugh, you will cry and you will feel the love. I give the show 5 hearts.

Love Crumbs is rated 13 and up. The run time is 60 minutes. Tickets are $15.

The remaining show times…

  • Tuesday May 21, 6:00pm
  • Wednesday May 22, 9:00pm
  • Saturday May 25, 1:30pm
  • Sunday May 26, 7:30pm

Story Club: What a Mess

Posted on by Thor

Orlando Story Club is a live storytelling competition which takes place at The Abbey in downtown Orlando. Anyone can enter by putting their name in the story hat, where 10 names are randomly selected to compete. Each storyteller is given five minutes to impress the audience and the top three tellers take home prizes.
All proceeds benefit local charities. It’s a night of laughter, fun, and
connection!

Judges are randomly selected from the audience and special story prizes
are awarded at the end of the evening. Other audience participation
opportunities abound.

I enjoy sketching knowing I will have only five minutes to catch one of the competitors. Despite that challenge I enjoy pushing the sketch to a finish as best as possible. These are everyday stories from peoples lives and you never know how strange, surreal or common a story might be. Most tug at my heart strings since we all are making it through this game of life together, despite the challenges and setbacks.

At specific events around town, Danielle Ziss and Bobby Wesley set up a story wall. Event attendees fill out note cards with “one-liners” – short
stories that fit with the story themes. One-liners can be as short as a
word or as long as the note card allows. It is a fun way for audiences
to participate in Orlando Story Club, even if they haven’t attended a
show!

One-liners are a huge part of Orlando Story Club live
shows. Between each randomly selected storyteller, our hosts read the
one-liners to the audience. They are completely anonymous and fit with
the selected theme of the evening, allowing all storytellers and story
listeners a chance to participate.

Example one-liner:

Theme: What a Mess!

I woke up to find my toddler holding a pair of scissors and a handful of hair. It was my hair. Who knew I could pull off bangs?

The next Orlando Story Club: Best of 2019, Homecoming, will be on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at 7 PM – 9:30 PM
at The Abbey
(100 S Eola Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, Florida 32801). Tickets are $5.

Story Club at the Abbey

Posted on by Thor

Orlando Story Club is held at The Abbey, (100 South Eola Drive, Orlando, FL 32801) and offers an evening of entertainment where the audience creates the show!

Everyone is invited to throw their name in a hat for a chance to tell a story. Ten participants are chosen from the hat. Stories must be no longer than 5 minutes in length, told without notes, and must connect with the theme. The results can be unpredictable, sometimes outrageous, sometimes poignant, but always a lot of fun!

Judges are randomly selected from the audience and special story prizes are awarded at the end of the evening. Other audience participation opportunities abound.

Best of all, this evening of fun raises money for a different local charity every month! Story club champion, Danielle Ziss was a host despite having to favor a twisted ankle.

Orlando Story Club was founded by storyteller and filmmaker Robin Cowie (producer of “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 first event, held at Orlando’s East End Market in March 2014, was a standing room only smash hit.  Two years later, Cowie’s popular series caught the attention of Downtown Orlando’s dynamic  Downtown Arts District who teamed up to put on monthly events at The Abbey in Downtown Orlando, furthering the growth of Story Club and the arts.  

The April charity partner was Summer of Dreams.  Since 2011, Summer of Dreams has helped inspire hope and opportunity in those who need it most – homeless students in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.  The program is designed to provide students with access to food, supervision and engaging activities, as well as financial counseling for parents.  Since 2011, Summer of Dreams has served 5,573 children and is proud of the impact they have had on homeless students and parents.  Their mission is to inspire and offer opportunities to all homeless students and provide a safe, encouraging environment for students to play, dream, and achieve. 

The theme for the next story Club is Smitten Kitten. It will be held on February 6, 2019 at the Abbey. Tickets are $5. Doors open at 7pm.

Ever had a CRUSH? On The Orlando Story Club stage tell us a time when
you got tongue-tied at the mere sight of a certain somebody. Was it
love or just an infatuation? You make eye contact and it’s pure giggles
or you’re full on enraptured. We know the, “I can’t think, I can’t
sleep” routine, but when you do sleep they just invade your dreams,
which is kinda nice actually.

From your brother’s friend who followed you around like a puppy in
that unrequited love story, to the neighbors who’ve been married for 67
years, to your art teacher who made “the colors, like, come alive.” Love
comes in many shades. By the way, pet stories are adorable.

Whatever it was, spin some silk from the cocoons the butterflies left
in your tummy and put those moments on display. What did they do that
set you off, or turned you on? Tell us who (or what) stole your heart.

All proceeds support the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando

Admission: $5 (additional donations encouraged)

Doors open @ 6:30pm. Show starts @ 7pm.