Romeo Y Julieta: Flamenco Smolders in Verona

Posted on by Thor

Flamenco del Sol presents Romeo Y Julieta at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801). A little girl in the row in front of us was dressed with a rose in her hair and a flowing flamenco dress. Later a woman who might have been her aunt also showed up in a customary flamenco gown. The show tells the story of Romeo and Juliet through dance. No words were spoken every story point and emotion was strictly delivered through dance. 

The star crossed couple met at an energetic dance party with everyone dancing as well as the children. Romeo spotted Juliet from across the crowded dance floor. They were instantly attracted not knowing at the time that they were from two families who were sworn enemies, the Montagues and the Capulets. In the next scene two gangs faced off, much like the gangs in West Side Story which is also based on the Romeo and Juliet saga. Instead of snapping fingers as they faced off they clapped and stomped threateningly. it was a highly effective was to show the animosity between the families.

Friar Lawrence (Carlos Rodriguez Gonzalez) offers to heal the rift between the families secretly married the couple. However tensions remained high and a push turned to a shove and Juliet’s cousin killed romeo’s friend. Romeo is beyond grief and instantly turns on Juliets cousin stabbing him. Romeo was banished. 

Nothing ends well in this sad tale, but the passionate flamenco dancing moved the action with amazing and ruthless sincerity. The story of Romeo and Juliet is well known by most theater goers so it was reassuring to rediscover this story just through dance and mime. The strong lighting and amazing dance numbers made very moment thrilling. The part of Julieta was performed by Tammy Weber De Millar who is the passionate director of Flamenco Del Sol. Gabriel Garcia the company drama coach clued me in about this amazing production.

Tonight February 9, 2020 at 7pm is the final performance. If you have never experienced Flamenco de Sol before you should get out and see this show. It is amazing. Tickets are $47.63. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Shadow Tales for a Darkened Theater at Fringe

Posted on by Thor

Written and Directed by Gabriel Garcia, Shadow Tales for a Darkened Theater was presented by Blank Slate Productions. The show was a ghost story anthology told in six parts using shadow puppetry, pantomime, dance movement and ensemble story telling. The shadow puppetry occurred in three frames at house right which were back lit. The dark silhouettes of birds, branches and a chandelier didn’t really help progress the plot of the stories told but the added to the mysterious mood. My job of completing a sketch of course was exacerbated by the fact that the theater was indeed black for the full duration of the show. I used the faint glow of my iPhone to illuminate the page.

In one tale a woman sold her soul to the devil so that she could become the worlds best Flamenco dancer. She danced with absolute passion and abandon until she feet bleed. She only discovered too late that she already had this talent and if she believed in herself she would not have needed to sell her soul. A young couple deeply in love were torn apart when the wife died, leaving her partner destitute. In one story a mysterious man had his face obscured by a hood.

One man who was hyper sensitive became overwhelmed by everyday life. People he passes in the street he believed were talking about him. He was convinced everyone was conspiring against him. It seemed his greatest fears were true because he so firmly believed in them. The Man in Gray (Kyle Meehan) acted as the host and narrator who dared the audience to look into the recesses of their own life to see if they could find any hope in these tales of loss and madness. Try not to hold on to your fantasies especially when they prove to be harmful.