Phantasmagoria: Hell Hath Risen

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Phantasmagoria began with two wayward travelers, the Brothers Grimm, in the woods searching for a band of storytellers. Projections throughout the show offered a macabre sense of place. The Mandell Theater in the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center, had it’s seating was arranged in the round, with bleachers on three sides. With a flash the cast began to appear. The Phantasmagoria cast had been telling their tales for centuries. The brothers had written down some of the tales but watered them down a bit so as not to terrify children. The brothers were despised for this treachery, for these stories, when told right, spring fully to life as horrifying as that might be. Children in these tales are the murderous ones as seen in Grimm story “How the Children Played at
Slaughtering.” The entire crew of well over a dozen players kept the energy high.

Poe, Dickens, and other literary masters

Poe, Dickens, and other literary masters

Stories are told at times in unison by members of the cast. The atmosphere was perpetually dark and sinister. My book light died half way through the show. I’ve seen enough “Ghost Hunters” to know that spirits will drain a battery in order to manipulate objects in the material world. I was left to guess at colors and values. Stories included  “Myth of Pandora”,  Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask Of Amontillado”  and Charles Dickens “A Mad Man’s
Manuscript” which did not star Don Draper. The stories remain true to the originals written at the turn of the century. There were skull lined catacombs and murderous husbands. Dead loved ones returned as skeletal remains. Blades were brandished. The cast lived these stories and once a story was started it had to be finished much like a game of Jumanji.

The silks were used between stories by Dion Smith and Mila Makarova while Gina Makarova worked her ring routine. Skeletons danced in a mysterious blue glow among silks but the final battle against a huge dragon puppet that took three puppeteers to operate was a climactic moment not to be missed. Few survived. John explained that the Halloween day performance would continue the last story resolving the cliff hanger ending. I look forward to seeing this show each year and this is definitely the best production so far. This is an October tradition that will chill your bones for the horrors to come. John DiDonna, the director, debated about weather he should have the cast come out for a bow. The ending is so shocking that it might make sense for the audience to leave in devastated silence. I however hope they allow for the chance to break the spell with thunderous applause.

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)

Violin(ce)

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Empty Spaces Theater Company’s director John DiDonna has collaborated with fight choreographer Bill Warriner to bring an experimental show to the stage where “fighting is the story.” Any writer knows that a good story must have a conflict. In this show, the dozen or so actors and dancers are waged in an eternal battle. Some of the fights are staged as a lone violin player is projected on the screen at the back of the stage, thus the title, “Violin(ce)“.

The first scenes revolved around silent film era comic violence.  Then actors recounted school yard brawls. The violence grew personal as a loving couple had their first arguments that progressed to slammed doors and ultimately domestic violence. The line between the erotic and violent was blurred. Actors came at each other with knives, sabers maces and sticks. Blades missed by inches in the type of fights you might have seen in a swashbuckler starring Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone.

McClaine Timmerman performed an incredibly limber and tortured routine, stretching her limbs beyond what should be humanly possible. Dion Smith moved  with a ballerina’s grace around the stage like a hungry lioness as she spared with DiDonna. Of course Cory Violence was in the show. His amazing performance in “The Key of E” and his last name alone guaranteed him a role. In one incredible fight, the entire cast was on stage fighting with weapons. Blades flashes inches from fresh. It is amazing no one was injured. Truth be told, many actors were bruised and battered. Though safely was the rule, adrenalin kicked in. The bruises, abrasions and emotional scars are real.

Each scene in this show is a self contained vignette with each scene building on the last as a sort of history of violence. The action is constant and progressively more intense. The show runs through July 22nd at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street Orlando FL).
The Saturday, Sunday and Monday shows are at 7:30pm.
Additional Sat/Sun twilight shows are at 4:30pm. Tickets are $20. For reservations please call 407.328.9005 – cash only at door. For credit card pre-orders please use www.redchairproject.com

Phantasmagoria

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It would be a fiendish, horrific tragedy if you didn’t get to see Phantasmagoria. Tonight is the final show starting at 8:30pm at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s, Mandell Theater. I arrived early and started blocking in my sketch before the audience arrived. I love these final moments as the actors stretch, warm up and joke to break the tension. The actors gathered in a circle and held hands. Director, John DiDonna said, “Lets build a bridge to next year. Make these final performances fiendishly dangerous. See you on the other side guys.” Brittany Wine shouted out, “Love you all!”

All the actors layed down on the floor and they were covered with black blankets. John warned, “We have a full house tonight with 98 people. Check your extremities, don’t leave anything sticking out.” A female voice boomed over the sound system, “Five minutes to house open.” Members of the cast shot back, “Thank you five.” The room grew deadly quiet and then the audience walked in to find their seats. One actor rose quietly, the blanket still covering him to strike a ringmasters theatrical pose. As the blankets were lifted off, the actors came to life in their costumes of blood red and black. The costumes designed by Jennifer Bonner were lavish and stunning. A scrim behind the actors often acted as a screen for projections of animations and titles.

Each of the acts were built around horrific folklore and poetry. Edgar Allen Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” resulted in the whole cast dancing, celebrating and then succumbing to the pestilence of the red death. No one was spared. Phantasmagoria was a whimsical and horrific poem by Lewis Carol.

“Allow me to remark
That ghosts have just as good a right,
In every way to fear the light,
As men to fear the dark.”

I enjoyed “The Picture of Dorian Grey“. In this act a painter created a stunning portrait of Dorian Grey. When Dorian viewed the painting, he saw it morph, revealing his inner dark self. The picture took on a horrific visage because Dorian was morally bankrupt. In the end Dorian died taking on the horrible appearance in the portrait and the painting returned to its former splendor. A life sized skeletal puppet was used to portray his inner self to great effect.

Music of Eric Satie played during an elegant and beautiful aerial act. Tiny Gina Makarova performed on a suspended hoop while Mila Makarova and Dion Smith performed suspended in silks. Satie’s music expressed the melancholy inner yearning of the creative spirit and the women floated weightless in its ethereal embrace.

The most stunning puppet was the Jabberwocky from Alice in Wonderland. An actor on stilts acted as the hind legs of the creature and a long silver spine snaked down from head to tail. The head was immense being controlled by a strong puppeteer. A small army was needed to control the beast. I wish I had been fast enough to get a sketch. This show is the perfect Halloween treat.

Emotions Dance Rehearsal

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When the dancers got into the main dance hall they started by using ballet dance bars. I was pleased to see several men involved in the class. Apparently in Orlando male dancers are in short supply. The dancers were then split into groups and each group moved across the room showing off the dance moves they had just learned. It was hard enough to get the mechanics down, but Larissa stressed that the dancers had to follow through, with expressive emotion being the most important goal. Music was turned up high and I tapped my foot as they all danced to “Evacuate the Dance Floor!” The class was also an ongoing audition so dancers gave their all hoping that they could make the cut. When a particularly difficult combination was being worked out, Larissa asked Dion Smith to do the piece solo. Her performance was stunning and expressive. Larissa didn’t need to explain what Dion did right, the point was obvious and clear.

When the class was over, the core group of Emotions Dancers stayed behind to do a full run through of a piece they will be performing at the Bob Carr for the Red Chair Affair. When the performance was over, the dancers were all exhausted, sweaty and spent. I had stopped sketching and enjoyed the dance uninterrupted. Amazing.