The Mikado: A Concert Version

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On opening night of the Mikado, The Orlando Taiko Dojo demonstrated the traditional art of Japanese drums known as “Taiko.” Taiko
drums were used in battlefields and have been used in religious
ceremonies and festivals for over 2,000 years in Japan. Besides learning
the techniques of playing the drums, students learn about other
essential values in life like respect, manners, concentration, tenacity,
and teamwork. I had sketched them before. So I saved my sketching for the Mikado performance. Producer Theresa Smith-Levin and Nicole Dupre did an incredible job making this a cross-collaborative experience, with a historical exhibition by the Orange County Regional History Center, as well as art adorning the lobby.

The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan is a fun, lighthearted opera about romance in ancient Japan. Nanki-Poo (Bryan Hayes) arrived in Titipu disguised as a peasant and looking for Yum-Yum (Tamir Hernandez Rosa), a young girl he fell in love with several months earlier. However, she was already set to marry Ko-Ko (Stephen Cauley). Naki-Poo, in his despair, contemplates suicide. Ko-Ko persuades Nanki Poo to let him behead him instead. To clinch the
deal, Ko-Ko even agrees to let Nanki-Poo marry Yum-Yum, providing he
agrees to be executed in one month. However, Ko-Ko can’t kill anything, not even a fly.

This
production had some modern twists with references to Facebook and
Puba, first lord of the treasury, lord chief justice,
commander-in-chief, etc (John Segers) references his grand
ancestry discovered with some help from 23 and Me. Through
collaboration with the Asian American community in Orlando, Central
Florida Vocal Arts in partnership with Space Coast Symphony Orchestra
used this work as an opportunity to celebrate Japanese art and culture
via this satirical work.

Directed by Asian American director, Kit Cleto, with support from veteran opera director Eric Pinder, this production teambrought creative comedy to the stage through an outstanding cast. Nicole Dupre had hand painted many of the costumes. The lavish amount of work was astonishing. I got to see her handiwork up close on her own dress, as well as one on  Theresa Smith-Levin, afterwords in the lobby reception. Nicole’s grandmother was in the audience seeing one of her productions for the first time.

My favorite funny moment in the show came when an exuberant dancer (Geoff) leaped with balletic grace while waving a red ribbon, and an old man (Ian Campbell)
followed him waving the same type of red ribbon like it was a soggy wet
noodle, reflecting his dour disposition. There was humor and joy in the
performance, and despite the difficulties and conflicts, life seemed worth
the joy of living before our final bow. 

Art Tour at Fringe

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Cindy Murry Productions from Orlando Florida presented Art Tour at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. Art Tour was a part of the Visual Fringe. Patrons could purchase ticket to the show hosted by a comedic actor who would give them a tour of the art on display in the Orlando Shakespeare theater. IT offered an entertaining walk about of the work on display. The show was directed by Eric Pinder who is known for directing Opera. What could be more operatic than an uncurated showcase of the Orlando visual arts scene.

I caught this group being given a tour between press previews in the Shakes. I don’t know why it was necessary for art patrons to wear dunce caps. I am sure that by the end of the tour they had gained many insights about the local arts scene. I was working the Fringe lines selling my Fringe Sketchbook this year. One copy of the book I saved to get signatures of Fringe Artists. I approached Eric Pindar twice by mistake to get his signature in the book.

Fisher Fiesta

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Fisher Miga was the little Pomeranian pup who brought joy to so many in his recurring role as the dog behind Dog Powered Robot. I was back stage for the very first performance of that epic show and still remember the wild and boisterous laughter from the crowd. Every artist was given the same 3 minute song to act as the inspiration for their performance and Dog Powered Robot blew the concept wide open. I peeked out from behind the back stage curtains to catch a glimpse of the wild reception.

The Fisher Fiesta was a low key party to celebrate the dog who made so many people smile.

Fisher was diagnosed with cancer, on top of the other health issues he was dealing with, and his humans, Evan and Christie Miga wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to pet his little head before his ailments got worse. He was doing great given his circumstances, Christie and Evan described the last months as bonus time. Every day that Fisher was happy and comfortable was a gift.

He definitely seemed on his game, begging for treats and greeting people as they arrived.  The whose who of the Orlando Theater Community showed up to pet the little guy. I of course struggled with one last sketch. By the end of the party, Fisher retired to Christie’s back room studio where he had a comfy spot under her art table. City Commissioner Patty Sheehan was there discussing big green eggs and smoking meat in the kitchen with Pam. Photo albums were out showing the vast collection of magazine articles and clippings about the famous Pomeranian and Dog Powered Robot. I was proud to see some of my framed prints among the archives.

When Pam and I finally left, people were still arriving. Opera director Eric Pinder was parking as we pulled away. That little puppy lived an operatic life. Evan announced on Facebook on March 31, 2019 that they had to let Fisher go on Saturday morning.
He passed peacefully in a small park in Christie’s arms, looking into Evan’s
eyes, and surrounded by love. The cancer got the best of him over that last week. Fisher was a world traveler, a performer, a therapy dog, and a friend to so many. He is, and forever will be, deeply missed. I am publishing a book about the past 10 years of Orlando Fringe and he appeared so many times in my sketches, being one of Fringe’s biggest stars.

Orlando Director’s Forum

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I went to the Orlando Director’s Forum at Valencia College East Campus (701 N Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, Florida 32825). The forum featured a group of Orlando’s most stylistically diverse stage. This was a great opportunity to hear unique perspectives on inspiration, casting, rehearsal process, trouble-shooting, and overall creative process of directing. Seth Kubersky hosted a moderated discussion followed by a questions and answers with attendees.

The event featured (in alphabetical order)…

Rob Winn Anderson: Consulting Artistic Director – Garden Theatre

Mike Carr: Artistic Director – SAK Comedy Lab

John DiDonna: Program Chair of Theater – Valencia College, Director/Creator – Phantasmagoria

Pam Harbaugh: Director – Theater on the Edge

Beth Marshall: Producing Artistic Director/Theatre Artist – Beth Marshall Presents

Eric Pinder: Director in Residence – Opera Orlando

Donald Rupe: Director of Theatre – Central Florida Community Arts

Jeremy Seghers: Independent Producer and Director

I love these kinds of events because listening to these directors talk about the creative process reminds me that all the arts share the same creative challenges. It offered inspiration to keep sketching and painting despite any setbacks. I have seen and admired the work of each of these directors in turn as I sketch the arts scene around Orlando. Orlando has such a vibrant theater community since so man actors come to Orlando to work for the theme parks. Those rolls offer limited artistic challenges, so they are always looking for more edgy options to test their chops.

The Companion and Safe Word at Fringe

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These two short one act operas came from the Opera, Three Way. Music was by Robert Paterson and lyrics by David Cote in an arrangement with Bill Holab Music. The music Director was Deniz Uz and the stage director was Eric Pinder.

The Companion was set in the near future in a comfortably appointed apartment. A single smartly dresses business woman, Maya (Samantha Barnes Daniel) returned home to a perfectly prepared dinner and wine served by her perfect boyfriend, Joe (Johnathan Lee Iverson). it became clear that he was perfect because he was a carefully programed robot. His programing also included hundreds of sexual positions, but he did have a tendency to slip into mechanical speech patterns.

The woman decided she wanted a programing upgrade. The live tech support guy, Dax (Jacob Pence) flirted a bit and was a reminder that perhaps she should consider the real deal. When the sex robot was fully upgraded, he began to  ignore the heroine playing video games constantly. When she called the company to complain, she was told that every aspect of the programing was designed to make him seem like a true to life boyfriend. It was a fun premise and the music carried the show beautifully.

The second one act opera, Safe Word, was about a dominatrix, Mistress Salome (Sarah Purser). I have seen Sarah perform in many other operas and I didn’t realize she was performing in this opera until she took her wig off to take a bow after the show. You have to admire an opera singer who can transform so completely. I hope to get to see her in leading roles more often.

Salome was waiting on a client (Jacob Pence) and when he did knock at the door, she let him wait. She insisted that anticipation is needed before pain and pleasure.

The client was a businessman who wanted to dress in pantaloons and act like a child needing punishment. I resisted sketching but had to jump in when she tied him to a restraining cross. Of course, a safe word is agreed upon in case anything gets out of hand. Things do indeed get out of hand with more pain than pleasure involved. In the end however, we realize that the dominatrix is actually the client and she has had the most empowering experience of her life.

I love that Opera Orlando is bringing such edgy modern productions to the Fringe and Orlando in general. A  month after Fringe they presented Star Trek Abduction which is based on Mozart‘s The Abduction from the Seraglio. They are going where no opera has gone before. Who doesn’t want to hear an aria sung in Klingon?

The Merry Widow at the Rep.

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I went to a dress rehearsal of The Merry Widow, directed and re-conceptualized by Eric Pinder, and conducted by Aaron Collins. Pam Schwartz and I searched for and found an open stage door. The cast could be heard warming up their voices in the distance. A life-sized model of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sat tireless back stage. It was a challenge to find a way into the theater without walking onto the stage. I could see that the cast was dressed to the nines from the wings. This production features the best vocal talent in the area with members of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra in the pit. I was excited to sketch the pit in action. Not many productions feature a live orchestra so predominantly. The steam punk themed set must have been left over from the previous show. Perhaps it was intended to indicate the complicated gears of love.

Leading lady, Hanna, (Claire Tendl) inherits a fortune from her late husband. The year is 2005, and she is so wealthy that everyone who is anyone in Silicon Valley is vying to get into her inner circle in order to gain access to a piece of her wealth, in the range of $300 million. Believing that a new marriage is the best way to secure her inheritance, business mogul friend, Baron, (John Segers) springs into action with the help of his own wife, (Eliza Healy Dopira) to find Hanna the right husband. It proves to not be as easy as it seems. The clever widow has her sights set on the charming and reckless Daniel, (Kevin Romero) a former college flame. There is only one problem, he has no intention of sacrificing his bachelor lifestyle for the comfort of marriage. He has a “wealth” of ladies to keep him entertained, and not even the promise of Hanna’s fortune can pull him away from his drunken escapades. Rendezvous are rampant. Complications abound.

The cast of about 20 often filled the stage with a party atmosphere. Claire Tendl’s singing was amazing. Kevin Romero acted with a drunken vaudevillian bravado, his body often struck in an arching curved gesture. The modernization of the show was most obvious in the third act which took place in a strip club called Maxim’s, complete with a stripper’s pole, on which Dawn Humphries gave an athletic performance. I wouldn’t mind this being an Olympic event. Money was thrown everywhere, as the other dancers gyrated on several chairs. Then the club abruptly emptied leaving the lead couple, Hannah and Dan, playfully holding onto the pole and spinning around it together.

The Merry Widow will be presented in the Edyth Bush Theatre at the Orlando Repertory Theatre (1001 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803). Tickets are on sale now with local Orlando shows August 10th through the 13th. There will be two satellite shows in Melbourne and Vero Beach August 19th.

The remaining Orlando Performance dates are:

Saturday, August 12 2017

7:00 PM
—
10:00 PM



Sunday, August 13 2017

2:00 PM
—
5:00 PM


Uncertainty at Fringe.

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Eric Pinder wrote and stars in Uncertainty, in which he goes back in time to give advice to his younger self, Blake (Clark Levi). Clark has an uncanny similarity in appearance to Eric and he manages to mimic Erics every Mannerism. Blake’s demanding mother (Jessica Hoehn) is determined to see her son go to Princeton to become a lawyer but he has more artistic ambitions. The house lights flashed as Pinder returned to his past to confront his younger self in his 1960s tie die shirt. His first advice to himself was to moisturize his skin. Of course Blake doesn’t believe he is speaking to himself so Pinder had to convince him by remembering very specific  events form his past.

In a very convincing scene, Blake confides in a boy friend that he is attracted to him. The feeling is mutual and there is nothing quite like seeing young love bloom. When his mom finds out he is gay, she is confused. It doesn’t fit into her grand plan for her son. There is a lovely scene in which her husband comforts her and the love between the married couple feels tangible. That level of affection used to seem unreal but I’m starting to appreciate it. The mom as the antagonist was on stage for only brief moments, yet she must have been a huge influence on young Blake. Why did she project so many ambitions on her son?

At on half hour, the show flew by leaving me wanting more. I barely had time to get my tiny sketch on the page. I imagine that going into your past could be useful, but the only tangible message seemed to be to stay true to yourself. The visit from the future must have prompted the ability to come out to his parents. Hiding who you are must have lasting future repercussions, but they were never discussed in the play. Friends and family accepted him for who he was. Most already knew.

The 7 Year Itch.

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The 7 Year Itch written by George Axelrod is being directed by Eric Pinder at Valencia Theater‘s black box theater on the Valencia East Campus (701 North Econlockhatchee Trail Orlando FL 32825). This production celebrates Valencia’s 50th anniversary. The same play was staged at Valencia’s 25th anniversary. The play is a 1950’s era rom-com in which a husband over active imagination gets the better of him. His wife and young so n go off to Maine to escape the New York Ci heat leaving him home alone to work his publishing job. He listened innocently enough to a ball game on his apartment patio, when a large potted tomato plant crashed to the ground behind him. H missed him by inches. Shock, surprise and then anger flashed through him.

A new young and beautiful neighbor had moved into the building. He shouted up to her in anger which quickly faded when he saw how beautiful and apologetic she was. The 1955 Billy Wilder film version of this play, featured the iconic Marilyn Monroe standing above a subway grate. The actress playing the neighbor clearly was inspired by Marilyn’s affectations and breathy voice. The husband invited down his new neighbor and then second guessed his decision once she accepted. In a dream sequence she arrived in o gorgeous black gown and he regaled her with confidence playing an incredible (be can concerto which left her breathless. In real life she asked him to play piano and he banged out chop sticks. She knew how to play as well so she sat beside him and joined in. 

The actor playing the husband did an amazing job. He had a wiry way of moving and he was in constant whirling action as he chased his own guilty thoughts. He stepped all over himself hoping to impress his beautiful neighbor and she made matters worse by sharing her nude photo shoot that We has done on a deserted beach. He stood open mouthed and shocked when she showed the photo in one of his magazines. The audience could only imagine. She felt safe with him since he was married which meant he couldn’t in good conscious fall in love with her. I respected her new found independence. She was living on her own for the first time in years having escaped from a controlling and stifling relationship. 

The play really was laugh out loud funny. It was a nonstop comedy that doesn’t skip a beat. 

The Remaining Show Times are: 

February 20, 24, and 25th, 2017 at 7:30pm

February 19 and 26th, 2017 at 2:00pm. 

Pricing : 

$12 General Admission. 

$10 Valencia Students, employees, alumni and seniors. 

You pick packages, $36 for four, or $60 for eight.

Opera Orlando at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

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Spring time marked the boisterous rebirth of Opera in Orlando. Opera Orlando presented The Impresario, which is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart‘s “comedy with music”, followed by Les Mamelles de Tiresias, Poulenc‘s “fertile farce.” A small orchestra was set up in the lower balcony. I went to the final dress rehearsal which had a small audience with friends and family.

Mozart’s comedy was quite fun and director Eric Pinder did a fabulous job of modernizing the story so that it referenced Orlando. Two producers contemplated a small low budget opera. They admired the theater and even shot a selfie in the opulent theater. I liked that the ghost lamp remained on stage. A ghost light is put on stage when the theater is unoccupied. Superstition states that it allows ghosts which occupy the theater the opportunity to perform on t empty stage. This appeases the ghosts so they do not sabotage a production. To keep costs down, t he producers decide to stage a production with no set pieces. A diva entered from house left and walked up to the stage. She was an older well established performer who faced rumors that she could no longer hit the high notes. She performed a solo that was comically flamboyant and over the top. She demanded $5000 a performance and stormed off stage.

A theater patron, Deep Pockets, entered and offered a sizable donation if the producers would hire a female singer he had discovered. She turned out to be a bawdy burlesque performer who also demanded $5000 a performance. What followed us a hilarious battle of wills as the two female divas tried to out sing each other. This was a hilarious production that was sung and perform in English, so there us no need for subtitles.

The only hint of the second production, Les Mamelle de Tresias in my sketch, is the large balloon creature in the upper balcony. It had many appendage like an octopus and a snout that looks like a large inflated rubber. This creature would hoover over the audience at the end of Poulenc’s farce about fertility. I plan to go back to do another sketch.

Mark your Calendar! There are two performances left. One is tonight, Saturday April 23rd at 7:30pm. The other is Sunday April 24 at 2 pm. Tickets cost between $10 to $66. You can call the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 South Magnolia Avenue Orlando FL) box office Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm. Saturday from noon to 4pm.

The Explorer’s Club sweeps into the Mad Cow with hilarity.

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While walking downtown to go to The Explorer’s Club dress rehearsal at the Mad Cow Theatre, I saw a fun run poster that announced, “We bring the hilarity to charity.” This predicted the tone for the entire evening. Perhaps a dozen people sat in the audience for the dress rehearsal. Written by Nell Benjamin the show runs from January 22 through February 22.  The comedic farce debuted in NYC’s off-Broadway in 2013.

It’s a crisis in 1879 London when the members of the prestigious Explorers Club are threatened by the potential membership of…a woman! Eric Pinder as botanist Lucius Fertway is responsible for nominating the woman, who is the accomplished explorer, prim and proper Phyllida Spotte-Hume played by Heather Leonardi . She’s made an in-depth study, “NaKong Tribe of the Lost City of Pahatlabong,”.  “They have hunted nearly all the animals to extinction,” she reports,
“and are forced to subsist on a jerky made of toad. The toad is
poisonous. But most of the poison boils off when the toad is poached in
urine.”she explained. The club members are all quite impressed, but Professor Sloane (Glenn Gover), a religious fanatic, sticks his nose in the air proclaiming her discoveries are fine but she is a woman and there has never been a woman in the Explorer’s Club. When the men retire for cigars and sherry she is told she would have to wait outside.

Glen Glover, Simon Needham and Eric Pinder were all members of the cast at Walt Disney World’s Adventurers Club. This was one of my favorite spots to visit when I used to work for Disney Feature Animation. The club was crowded with objects that were found from around the world. One huge mask on the wall used to make comments about patrons at the bar. Unfortunately, the Club was closed in 2008, along with all the other nightclubs in favor of retail stores
and restaurants. When I saw the set in the Mad Cow by William Elliott, memories flooded back. The gazelles and masks in this club however remained sadly mute.

It turns out that Lucius has nominated the petite Phyllida because he has a crush on her. He went so far as to name an exotic flower after her. That attraction is mutual, but Club President Harry Percy (Simon Needham) decides that he is the brainless hulk of a man that Phyllida deserves. Although Phyllida confides in Lucius, Harry is sure that his swagger will win her over. She has brought back a member of the lost tribe who she has named Luigi (Ryan Gigliotti). He is covered in blue paint and has the annoying habit of slapping people in the face as a form of introduction. When he is brought before the queen of England, all hell breaks loose when he slaps her as well. Hilarity ensues as the intrepid explorers try to return God and country to normalcy. In their eyes, science will always win.

The director David Russell was seated a few rows behind me with his laptop. After the show he encouraged the cast to push the envelope in exploring the quirky lunacy of their parts. He seemed a bit disappointed that there wasn’t more laughter from the audience. Since there were only a few people in the test audience, the sparse laughter was understandable. When there is a full house the story could be quite different. As a disguise, Luigi posed as the club’s bartender. He mixed drinks using liquored of every imaginable color with no regard to a recipe. To serve the drink, he would shout, “Your drink sah!” and slide it quickly off the bar top. Club members had to dive to keep the drinks from crashing to the floor. David encouraged the players to avoid playing it safe. It a drink crashed to the floor it wouldn’t be the end of the world. I was seated in the front row and there were moments when I thought I might be in the splash zone.

“The Explorers Club”

• What: A comedy by Nell Benjamin

• Where: Mad Cow Theatre, 54 W. Church St., Orlando

• When: Opens Friday, Jan. 23; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and two Mondays, Feb. 2 and 9; 2:30 p.m. Sundays; through Feb. 22

• Cost: $24.25-$36.75; $17 on Mondays

• Call: 407-297-8788

• Online: madcowtheatre.com