Phantasmagoria gets even better with age.

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Phantasmagoria Orlando and DiDonna Productions, present the first ever “Tour Version” of the Critically Acclaimed Victorian Horror Troupe, featuring the “BEST of” the Last Five Years of Phantasmagoria.

Phantasmagoria “Wicked Little Tales” will have a limited engagement
weekend of only 3 performances at the Mandell Theater of the John and
Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center, July 24th, 25th, and 26th before
leaving for its first ever Atlanta Performances. Performances are
Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 8:00pm.

I went to a dress rehearsal in the Mandell Theater. John told me that the theater had sat quiet for several months with only the ghost light illuminating center stage. A popular theater superstition, every theater has a ghost, and a ghost light is meant to appease the ghosts. The theater had been struck by lightning and the theater was black when Phantasmagoria arrived. At that first rehearsal, the speakers died for no apparent reason. As the actors warmed up on stage, one said, “That ghost is a jerk.” Another replied, “Yes, especially with the speakers.”

At this dress rehearsal the ghosts gave the performers free reign. During the pre-show the entire cast stood on stage frozen while video of past performances was projected behind them. Each character was introduced in turn in mysterious oozing credits. Two macabre clowns performed among the frozen cast until one was stabbed by accident which animated the troupe as they moved towards the blood.. The ring master standing on a box shouted out with glorious aplomb that the show had begun.  In the opening tale, the cast moved towards the audience menacingly, even climbing over chairs to get face to face. The fourth wall was broken and I was unnerved as the beautiful Aurora (Kim Hough) almost touched my neck as if she were ready to take my life.

Edger Allen Poe‘s “The Raven” started off the tales of horror. A beautiful animation of black wings in flight made a perfect back drop for an actress whose out stretched arms and bird like mannerisms complimented the motion. Another tale from a far continent had haunting hints of voodoo and impending death. “Captain Murderer” was told with a fiendish sense of humor. John DiDonna, playing the Captain played the part over the top which offered much needed laughter. This delightful humor saturated the entire show. The actors are so seasoned that they understand that there is a tongue in cheek humor in even the darkest tale. Other tales included “Varney the Vampire” and “The Feast of Blood”.

The young Pandora (Gina Markarova) naively asked to hear the tale of Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky”. One a tale is begun it must be finished. Alice (Sara Costello) had to be protected from the beast and then she defended herself with a shield and sword. As in Jumangi, the fierce Jabberwocky burst to life threatening the lives of everyone in the cast. Puppetry brought the creature to life and everyone defended themselves with knives and swords. At this rehearsal the fight was run at a quarter speed and still the sharp blades seemed to fly far too close to flesh. This touring edition of Phantasmagoria combines humor and horror in a steampunk, goth production that shines.

Ticket prices are $15.00 for
students and $20.00 for general admission with a $5.00 per ticket add on for VIP guests. Phantasmagoria “Wicked Little Tales” remaining shows are July 25-26 at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, Florida) it then goes to Atlanta Georgia on July 31 to August 2.

The Receptionist will Have It’s Central Florida Premiere at the Shakes This Weekend

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DiDonna Productions/ The Empty Spaces Theatre Co(llaboration) presents the Central Florida premier of
The Receptionist by Adam Bock directed by Kevin G. Becker. The show is a dark office comedy that raises questions about narcissism, willful ignorance, and blindly following the rules.

I arrived at a rehearsal a bit early. The Mandell Theater was empty but there were a few props left over from a magic show on stage. Since Empty Spaces, was presenting the show, I started by sketching the empty stage. As the sketch progressed, I wondered if I was in the wrong place.  Finally Kevin and Becky arrived. Office props were moved on stage. The office table was missing a leg and Kevin used carpenter’s glue to get it back in place. Comically it popped off as actors rehearsed their lines. Tissues were needed for one scene but for the rehearsal, toilet paper had to be substituted. Flowers were needed to liven up the office and magician’s tissue flowers had to stand in for the night.

Alea Figueroa and Rebekah Lane began going over a confrontational scene together. Martin Dart (Josh Geohagen), a charming rep from the Central Office had just left. Lorraine (Alea) ran in looking to see where he went. Beverly (Rebekah) shouted out, “He’s married!” “Well, he’s not happily married.” Lorraine replied. This sent Beverly off on a rant about how important trust and loyalty are. She was so worked up that you knew this came from personal experience. Beverly mentioned a friend who had started dating a man she met online. She off highhandedly mentioned that he was married, like it was no big deal, just another part of the equation. It was however a mistake, getting off on the wrong foot. Lorraine retreated to the office chairs and Beverly followed, relentless. “I was just flirting.” Lorraine replied her hands twitching nervously. Her eyes welled up. Then all the theater lights blacked out unexpectedly. “I’m lonely and I miss Glen.” she said in the darkness. It was a powerful heart felt performance heightened by the lights blacking out as part of tech. I had to wipe my eyes when the lights came back up.

Beverly is the receptionist and she is the life blood in a busy office. Her gossip with a friend on the phone is sporadically interrupted as she forwards calls to colleagues. She deals with Lorraine’s romantic troubles dating a narcissist by suggesting she read a book called, “Help, I’m Dating a Narcissist”. Beverly is good natured and believes the best in everyone around her. Exactly what business is handled in the office is slowly reveled. The boss, Mr. Raymond (Kevin Sigman) discusses a mysterious interaction with a client whom he believed might have been telling the truth. It seems office personnel get information and confessions by any means possible.

The appearance of Martin Dart from the Central Office upsets the office daily routine. Lorraine flirts with him playfully but when they get close, he grabs her hands in a vice like grip. She backs away in fear. It wasn’t until later, that I realized that her flirting might have been an attempt to find out why he was there. The Receptionist raises disquieting, provocative
questions about the consequences of complicity with evil. On the drive back home, I kept thinking about the show. The dark under currents are subtle and linger, raising many questions.


This show will be
presented as an immersive social theatrical experience taking the
audience through an interactive pre-show at the Shakes bar, discussing the process behind
performing and producing the show then moving into the theater to
watch The Receptionist followed by a lively Question and Answer back at the bar about the hidden meanings
and emotions that the show creates. Trust me you will have questions and you will love meeting the cast. This is a national trend where live theater is breaking away from the mold of being like a movie that you see and then immediately leave. By interacting with the cast , you get to experience the informal inspiring atmosphere that I love every time I sketch a rehearsal. It is great to meet the actors when they are playful, relaxed and can share their love of theater one on one.

Mark Your Calendar! 
The Receptionist by Adam Bock

TWO SHOWS ONLY
Fri July 18th – Sat July 19th @ 8pm
WHERE:
Mandell Theater
The John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center
Located in Loch Haven Park across from the Museum of Art
Parking available in Loch Haven lots, or in Science Center Parking Garage off of Princeton (Next to Mennello Museum of Art)
TICKETS:
$20.00 general / $15.00 student and senior available by reservation
Will call/cash at door
(Group rates available for groups of 10 or more)
For reservations please call 407.328.9005 – will call cash only at door

Love Out Loud

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I went to a tech rehearsal for “Love Out Loud” a DiDonna Productions new multi media dance performance choreographed by McClaine Timmerman. It  takes an intimate look into the world of dating, relationships, and love today. The multi-talented cast explores the struggles, opinions, feelings, hopes, fears, and doubts that we all experience at one point or another. McClaine uses an amalgam of modern dance, projection, and live music to express the topics under investigation.

Showing their commitment to original music, Timmerman and DiDonna utilize all original music throughout “Love Out Loud” including works by Scott Hall, Nigel John, a collaboration between Keifer Curtis, Aurelio Guimaraes and Jeremy Studinksi, and features original live music by Paige Keiner. Paige was at the rehearsal. She explored social media on her phone before the rehearsal started and then performed a solo acoustic piece on her guitar as the cast performed. I had never seen her perform before and I was impressed by her silky confident voice. One of her songs, “What Good is a Throne When You’re All Alone?“, featured an incredible dance performance with McClaine and a male dancer. McClaine was in a black night gown and the male dancer in PJ’s. They danced intimately before bed but their differences and inner turmoil erupted as they performed. This wasn’t a peaceful loving couple but a couple who never seemed to connect. Their bodies rippled in angst as they resigned themselves to the inevitability of being at war yet sharing the same bed. As the lights slowly faded, they lay down together and then their touching arms rose up and their fingers laced together.

McClaine accomplishes something I’ve never seen before. The show is part documentary, part drama and part modern dance. Interviews are projected during the performance that have people sharing their raw honest feelings about what it is like to love in a digital age.  Have the words “I love you” lost their meaning? Social media brings people together in a hive mentality and yet separates us behind computer and cell phone screens. Interpersonal, one on one conversation, is becoming a lost art form.  Is it possible to find a long term relationship while voyeristically following everyone else’s relationships? Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

One dance piece had a male and female dancer circling each other as they fingered their cell phones firing off texts. The flirtatious texts were projected on the back wall of the stage. Through the whole dance they only occasionally glanced at each other. It is easy to fall in love with an illusion through text. The next couple on stage fired off an accelerated angry barrage of bitter texts at each other. They bumped into each other like football players forcefully and immaturely jockeying for dominance.

A dance number about “selfies” had all the dancers lined against the wall as they shot iPhone photos of themselves alone and in small groups. The photos were projected above them in accelerating frequency. They all arched their backs raising the phone high above them in a graceful chorus line. They pouted and puckered their lips and smiled and over acted for each shot. Any individuality became lost in the sea of self absorption. McClaine brings humor and fun to each piece while exploring raw emotions. I found myself laughing often with delight. The show offers dance with a deep personal and insightful twist.

The cast includes choreographer McClaine Timmerman, along with her troupe including Andres Avila, Alina Gavrilov, Aurelio Guimaraes, Felipe Vasques, and Nagi Wakisaka. Dancer Dion Leonhard was at the rehearsal to offer notes to McClaine. As McClaine warmed up, stretching a leg above her head, Dion said, “I’d like to have a relationship with your extension McClaine.” “Whatever, you’ve got your own extension.” McClaine fired back. I could feel the love and respect these talented performers had for each other.

Mark your calendar! “Love Out Loud” will be presented for four performances only, at the Santos Dantin Theater in the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (Loch Haven Park, Corner of 1792 and Princeton Street Orlando FL.) Performances are 8pm on Thursday May 1st, Friday May 2nd, and Saturday May 3rd, with a 2pm matinee on Sunday May 4th. Tickets are $15.00 general admission, and $10.00 student admission, and are available at the door cash only, or by reservation (will call cash only at the door) by calling 407-721-3617.

Phantasmagoria Dressing Room

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I went to the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center,(812 E. Rollins St., Orlando, FL), to sketch a dress rehearsal for Phantasmagoria IV: Hell Hath Risen. DiDonna Productions and
The Empty Spaces Theatre Co(llaboration), is proud to present the fourth
installment of their Macabre Halloween Celebrations. John greeted me when I entered and gave me a quick run down of the evening’s timetable. Since it was over an hour till the start of the run through, I asked if I could sketch the actors getting into makeup. With a flourish, John opened the dressing room curtain and introduced me. I already knew dancer Dion Smith, so I felt at home. An actress even told me that the two chairs next to the costume rack were free so I quickly sat and got to work.

Make up can take well over an hour for a show like this since skin is supposed to have a sinister ghostly cast. Eye lashes were exceedingly long and multiple layers of eyeliner accentuated the eyes. Seth Kubersky, one of the co-directors, entered and joked saying, “Three years sketching the Orlando Arts scene has been just a cover so you could sketch in actresses dressing rooms.” He has a point, this is as good as it gets in terms of back stage access. This is a subject that can never get old.

A stage manager shouted “Five minutes till fight rehearsal!” Actors shouted back, “Thank you five!” Not every actress was in costume. They quickly got into their Victorian dresses and went out for the fight sequence rehearsal before the run through of the show. When they were done, they quickly returned to the dressing room to finish up. There is a chaos and energy to these final moments that is quite addictive. As the actors rushed to get ready, I rushed to finish the sketch.

John gathered the entire cast and had them hold hands in a circle. “It has been four amazing years. For 2000 years this has been going on. Make the audience think. Live each story to the fullest. See you on the other side!”

“PHANTASMAGORIA IV–“Hell Hath Risen”
WHEN:
Oct 11th – 31st 2013
Fri, Sat, Sun @ 8:30pm
Special shows Monday Oct 21st and 28th and Halloween show on the 31st! All shows at 8:30pm
(Halloween show includes a very special epilogue not seen on other nights!)
All evening performances at 8:30pm (Box opens at 7:50pm/Doors at 8:10pm)
WHERE:
Mandell Theatre, John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center
Loch Haven Park, Orlando, FL
TICKETS:
General Admission $20.00 / Student and Senior $15.00
Reserve (for will call cash at door) 407-328-9005
Credit card orders www.redchairproject.com
PARKING:

Parking available in lots directly in Loch Haven, or in Science Center
Parking Garage off of Princeton (Next to Mennello Museum of Art)