Voci Dance Paint Chips at Fringe Winter Mini-Fest.

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I went to a Voci Dance dress rehearsal at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center
(812 E Rollins St, Orlando, Florida 32803). Much time was spent getting the projector situated while the dancers stretched.

Fringe favorite Voci Dance is back and for the Orlando Fringe Winter Mini Fest, bringing the word jazz master Ken Nordine’s 1960s COLORS album to life through a quirky supersonic multimedia dance performance that brings to visual expression, the eccentric hues of the artists’ palette through Voci’s signature blend of creative movement, humor, wit, and grace. Treat yourself to an experience where the unexpected becomes the norm.

This show is playful and fun. Each dancer added their own quirky personality to the colors they portrayed. When layered with the music, colorful projected visuals and the beat generation near to the beat generation narration the playful irony was contagious. Blue and yellow were dear friends, but nasty green stepped in between and separated the pair.  Yellow wallowed in sorrow until blue realized that together they could make their own shade of green. Purple us proud and white split the dark as she aimed a small flashlight at herself. Mud slithered on the dance floor. Though each color was unique in personality, the magic happened as they collaborated.

Friday, January 6th @ 5:45pm and Sunday, January 8th@ 2pm in the Mandell Theatre at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center.

Tickets.

More info.

Dancers: Lisa Mie, Katherine Fabian, Larissa Humiston, Leah Marke, Sarah Lockard, Tymisha Harris, Dede Ramos, David Gabriel.

Slut Like Me

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The AWARD-WINNING raunchy hit comedy, Slut Like Me, RETURNS at The Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest:

Thursday, January 5 — 10:00pm

Saturday, January 7 — 10:30pm

Award-winning actor Logan Donahoo brings his all-new, tell-all, multimedia comedy romp!
Learn ALL the sexy secrets and skills you need to release YOUR inner slut! Learn to flirt like a pro! Get the most out of your CraigsList ad! Find out what to do when the health department calls!

Take notes, because class is in SESSION!

I had sketched this show at the last Fringe Festive and I know it is hilarious. It offers a crash course on how to survive dating in the Internet age. A this boudoir sketch session Logan read from Joy of Gay Sex as he lounged in his Hollywood style apartment. The book contains explicit pencil rendering of every conceivable sex act. I have to wonder if the illustrator embellished some of the anatomical details. Logan has a fun way of celebrating the joy and pleasure of sex with laughter. I kind of drew the aqua green dildo like a pickle, but it has a more appealing shape with it’s head tilted to the side quizzically.

John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center

812 E Rollins St, Orlando, Florida 32803

Tickets are available now.

Grimmly Ever After at the Shakespeare Theater.

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I went to the final dress rehearsal for Grimmly Ever After at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803).  Theresa Leigh Smith-Levin, had invited me to sketch. She greeted me warmly when she arrived. There was a hectic energy as the actors got changed on costumes in the green room. On stage, a large swath of fabric was cut in half and then used to cover two music stands at stage left and right. It is from these stands that the brothers Grimm would introduce the various tales. 

The actors rehearseda dance number, before a full run through of the show. The female dancers had to do a move that involved reaching behind their dance partner’s neck and lifting the is right foot elegantly back. The male dancer would the n lift her and spin clockwise making her seem to float and slowly spin. It took quite a few takes to get the more down. Music came for a piano, played live. The piano player would have to be stopped periodically to redo the dancing sequence. This was the first to the choreographer got a good feel for the live music’s timing.

Rumpelstiltskin was a miller who was poor, but who had a
beautiful daughter. Now it happened that he had to go and speak to the
king, and in order to make himself appear important he said to him, “I
have a daughter who can spin straw into gold.” His daughter sang a long song about the impossible task of spinning straw in to gold.  With each tale, the brothers would turn to the audience and offer two possible scenarios that the tale could follow. The voting among the production staff in the audience was done to hilarious effect. 

At one point, a prosthetic amputated arm was thrown on stage, and a princes tried to hide it in her apron pocket. The fingers kept getting caught in the pocket which caused her to struggle which was hilarious, weather it was planned or not. Theresa was laughing in front of me and her laughter was contagious. I had a blast watching the first half of the show. Unfortunately I had to sprint off during the intermission 1 see a McRae Art Studios group show at Maxine’s on Shine (337 Shine Ave, Orlando, FL 32803). I’m glad I went, there were friends, a bit of wine tasting, and plenty of good art. 

Grimmly Ever After runs

November 11 – November 20

Nov 11 at 7:30 PM to Nov 20 at 5 PM

at the John & Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center

812 E Rollins St, Orlando, Florida 32803

Tickets are available online.

After Orlando at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center.

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I went to a rehearsal for After Orlando which is part of Play Fest at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center. The stage floor in the Margeson Theater had beautiful postcard painted images of fall foliage from New York and New England. After Orlando consists of a series of short one a c) plays that are about recovery and loss after the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. A table was set up with scripts and other materials. Each rehearsal had to be short and succinct. There was a small green
hat made out of paper that had green triangular leaves as a brim. The
theater tech explained the she was going to be a strawberry for
Halloween and the hat completed her costume.

The first play, O-Town written by David Lee is a simple narration that describes Orlando in such a way that any tourist could identify with. It was reminiscent of Our Town. Landmarks and people are identified as they are on a typical day, and then how they will be changed after the shooting. A homeless man takes is upon himself to relight all the candles at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts make shift memorial. A merchant creates thousands of rainbow ribbons that are distributed around the world. The Center is faced with an incredible challenge after the shooting and they rise like a phoenix to meet the needs. 

In another play two men chat playfully. One is a professional boxer and he doesn’t want to be seen being affectionate in public because it would make him seem weak. His partner, found on Tinder, is playful and flamboyant. He wants to go to the club, but the boxer is resolute and wants to stay in. They share a connection that goes beyond sexuality. Music fills the room and the playful partner danced with abandon trying to encourage his stoic partner to join in. When he leaves to go alone to the club, his partner begins to sway to the beat, alone. It becomes clear that one of them might not live to see the next day. 

In another play, three men interact inside the club. They are celebrating life and poking fun at American culture that ignores their Latina culture. the in playful banter is endearing. As they dance, one of them freezes looking out into the audience. Then the other two freeze to see what sees. Each in turn falls backwards, as if hit in the chest, while letting out a loud staccato beat box vocal. They turn away from the audience. After a long pause, they each say their name and age. It was a sobering moment.

There were more plays that needed to be rehearsed, but I slipped out and drove to a friends. On the drive, I saw children dressed as skeleton’s and zombies as they pillaged a neighborhood for candy.  Orlando has faced a very real horror. Seeing the children wandering in the dark was strangely reassuring.


PayFest, runs from November 3rd to the 6th.

PlayFest offers you the rare opportunity to participate in the
development of new plays. Converse with playwrights, directors, and
actors while absorbing groundbreaking new works. This four-day event
tears down the barrier between artist and audience, putting YOU at the
heart of the process.

Your input is vital to the extended life of new plays. Many audience favorites from PlayFest have been developed into full productions in Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s Signature Series!

This season we’re dedicating PlayFest to six new plays plus a special reading of The Laramie Project. All selected plays explore issues surrounding the Pulse tragedy that occurred in Orlando in the early morning of June 12, 2016.  In selecting plays for the weekend, we’re concentrating on plays that explore the following issues:

  • LGBTQ struggles and responses to violence and hate
  • Discrimination against Hispanics/Latinos and efforts for acceptance and inclusion
  • Terrorism acts
  • Mental health and gun violence
  • Individual and community responses to mass violence

  • Individual Reading Tickets: $10

  • Click here to book individual tickets for PlayFest Readings. General Admission Seating.

Save now with a PlayFest Package!

  • PlayFest Pass – $49 per person (Value: $70)

    See all 7 Readings and save with a PlayFest Pass! Click here to book a PlayFest Pass.

  • PlayFest VIP – $100 per person

    Want to make sure you get one of the best seats in the
    house?  We’re offering the opportunity to upgrade your PlayFest Pass to
    VIP status to ensure a reserved seat for all six new plays and The Laramie Project.  Become a PlayFest VIP to reserve your seat up front in one of the first four rows of the Margeson Theater. Click here to become a PlayFest VIP.

  • PlayFest Patron – $250 per individual

    Reserved seating in the front rows of the Margeson Theater,
    complimentary drink tickets, special recognition in the program, and a
    private event with the PlayFest playwrights. Make your experience a
    memorable one! Please email development@orlandoshakes.org for more information.

Make a commitment to new plays! Call the Box Office at 407-447-1700 ext. 1 for more information. All Passes Expire November 12, 2016.

Phantasmagoria VII, “The Cards They are Dealt”

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The brand new PHANTASMAGORIA VII “The Cards They Are Dealt” thunders on to the Mandell Stage at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center with all new stories of terror! Live performers, “Phantastical” dance, explosive stage combat, large scale puppetry, aerial performance and haunting storytelling combine to create a tapestry of macabre and whimsical horror!

Phantasmagoria’s evocative troupe of steam punk storytellers, dancers, and chorus  embark on their newest journeys through literary tales of terror, horrific folk stories, legends, and myths from around the world. They present  dark tales from the likes of Poe, Lovecraft, Oscar Wilde, Ambrose Bierce, and M.R. James, as well as Arabic folklore, whimsically macabre German fairy tales, and so much more – all to set the tone for a truly Phantasmagorical Halloween season!

I arrived early to watch the fight call. The swords looked threateningly red and even at quarter speed, the swashbuckling action seemed all too real. Dancers stretched and limbered up on the suspended hoop. Right before the house opened John Di Donna had all the N circle up on the stage. He reminded everyone to breath and since it was a smaller house, he let everyone know the still needed to maintain the is momentum. “Throw your energy out there!” “We get to collapse after wards” he said. Regarding the fight sequence, ever one was advised to keep their focus. “lets sling some steel!”  the actors shouted.

An unexpected twist to this evenings presentation was that John’s character managed to bring a mortal, namely Alice, out through the looking glass to join his story telling troupe. The Phantasmagoria storytellers are eternal an they resented a mortal in their midst. Alice however was a very good storyteller. At the height of a brawl she screamed and the specs on volume knocked everyone down. It turns out she had powers beyond everyone’s expectations.

Once a story is begun, it must be completed. These storytellers live the tales often to a menacing effect.  They take a fiendish delight in each tales macabre humor and drama. In Some ways they are like a circus Sideshow troupe, but each Story fully consumes them. the re was d wonderfully choreographed waltz dance that had all the actors paired up and dancing with delight. Each year new stories weave their way into the tapestry, making Phantasmagoria a show that can be revisited each Halloween season. One member of the troupe wanted to explore the darker side of the sinister tales. to do that he would ha to splinter away from his family roots and forge his own path.

Remaining Performances are
October  30 and 31 (The 100th show!)
Box office will open each night at 7:15 / doors 7:50 / Curtain at 8:00pm – VIP After show follows immediately after in courtyard

Regular Student/Senior/Military – $15.00 / VIP Student/Senior/Military – $25.00
Regular General Admission – $25.00 / VIP General Admission – $35.00
(VIP includes Pre-Seating, VIP post show performance, photo op, souvenir, and a glass of wine or soft drink post show)

TO PURCHASE TICKETS:
WILL CALL/CASH ONLY AT DOOR reserve by calling our hot line at 407-476-5121 (Leave name/number/date of performance and number in party – you will be called back only if there is a problem with your reservation)
CREDIT CARD PREPURCHASE – For further information contact our box office email: phantasorlando@gmail.com

The Lines at Fringe are the key to finding good shows.

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The Fringe Festival is a well oiled machine. Shows load in and load out in close to a dozen venues every hour or so. Inside the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center, lines form about a half hour before each show opens. Performers from other shows work the line, handing out flyers, and explaining why their show is a “must see”.

The people around you in line, often can tell you which shows ave worth seeing, and which shows are bombs. Standing in line is also a good time to check the Fringe program to see what might come next. With over 70 Shows, it is impossible to see every show.

I tend to limit my shows to the one’s that had good buzz in the lines or at the Beer Tent on the Lawn of Fabulousness. In this line, I bumped into Aradhana Tiwari who is directing at Mad Cow Theater now. When I first started this site, she allowed me to document every phase of a show she was co-directing. I haven’t had that here of access to a shows production since. A woman playing clarinet worked the line.  A mom tried to keep her energetic boys in line as they waited for the doors to open. Actors and actresses get to interact with theater patron one on one.

21 Chump Street at the Fringe.

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Located in the round patrons room (Purple venue) in the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (810 Rollins Street Orlando FL), 21 Chump Street written by Lin-Manuel Miranda creator of
‘Hamilton’ and ‘In The Heights’, turned out to be a high energy musical about being entrapped by love.  The show is based on a new report on NPR’s This American Life. A male high schooler falls desperately in love with an undercover cop. He would do anything to win her affection and a though he doesn’t use drugs, when she asks him to get her a fix, he asks everyone how to get the drugs she wants.  He doesn’t want her money he wants her love. She can’t convict him unless he takes the money. She sealed the deal with a kiss and slipped the money in his hand. Frozen and elated he couldn’t refuse.

Was the undercover agent just doing her job or did she arrest and convict an otherwise good kid? The music was edgy and hip. Short and sweet, this could be fleshed out to become an amazing show. It was well worth the admission price.

Venue: Purple | Length: 15 Min

Price: $7 (Disc: FA)

Rating: 13 & Up – Language

Weekend Top 6 Fringe Picks for May 28th and 29th.

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Saturday May 28, 2016 

5:45pm to 6:45pm A Long Time Ago: The Eighties Strike Back. Orange Venue. John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803. The show is a retelling of the Original
Star Wars Trilogy blended with the Neon-nougat center of the 1980’s.
Classic characters are skewered by 80’s archetypes and all the moments
are captured in 80’s song parodies. Relive the only three Star Wars
movies in a whole new way.

6:15pm to 6:30pm $10. 21 Chump Street: The Musical. Purple Venue. John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803. A high schooler falls in love with an undercover cop. 21 Chump St. An
action packed, 15 minute musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Creator of
‘Hamilton’ and ‘In The Heights’ and from NPR’s This American Life.

10pm to 11:30pm $11. Joe’s NYC Bar. St. Matthew’s Tavern at the Orlando Beer Garden

1300 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803. Joe’s NYC Bar is thrilled to return for the 25th Anniversary of the
festival and our 6th year of being a part of the Orlando Fringe. This
year we will clear 40 performances during Fringe (2001-04, 15-16) and
our 100th performance of the show over all. During our run, over 150 of
Orlando’s finest musicians, painters and actors have made Joe’s their
home.

Sunday May 29, 2016

7pm to 7:15pm Donation. Assassinations and Other Macabre Tales. Jamie Mikens theater (a closet) John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803.  Creepy true stories of the American Presidency told to you by puppets.
Held in an dark intimate theater filled with the macabre. It’s the
stories you wish they would have taught you in school.

7pm to 8pm $10. Douchbags. Yellow Theater in the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803. Step inside the cringe-worthy lives of three American males as we
explore the inner-workings of the 21st century douchebag in their native
habitat. A shocking commentary on modern relationships, “Douchebags” is
sure to raise eyebrows and bring the laughs.

9:30pm to 10:30pm $11. Phantasmagoria: Wickeder Little Tales. Orange Venue. John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803. This show thunders into the Fringe  with
its evocative, haunting and whimsical tales of horror, “Phantastical”
dance, music, explosive stage combat, large scale puppetry and
enthralling storytelling. 

Triassic Paraq features singing Dinosaurs.

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Triassic Parq roars into the Brown venue inside the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center. This is a music or about Dinosaurs. There are two dinosaur musicals at Fringe the year, so don’t mistake Triassic Parq for Dino World. All of the dinosaurs in Triassic Parq are female to avoid breeding. One dinosaur however grows a large limb between her legs. Prior to the rehearsal, [ was

with the cast in the parking lot and overheard y actress say, ” Does this deck be make my as look big?” This is a question you you might only hear at Fringe. It was hilarious watching y actress trying to navigate h way around the stage. If you sit in the front row you are very likely going to get slapped be it. To get close to another actress, she had to sling it over her shoulder.

This musical has plenty of energy and in the intimate venue, the actors did it need to wear mics. During the rehearsal they went over the choreography of severe numbers with Crysta Marie, before doing a full run through of the show. The dinosaurs live an insular life that sanctions new going beyond the fence. The lead dinosaur character wears your pie striped pants while his parents wear blue and red stripped pants. Mix blue and red and you get purple, get it?   A funny musical meditation on faith, science, and love. This show is well worth seeing.

Venue: Brown | Length: 90 Min

Price: $10 (Disc: FA)

Rating: 18 and up – Language, Strong Sexual Content

Remaining shows: 

May 28, 1pm to 2:30 pm

May 29, 11am to 2:30pm

Assassinations and Other Macabre Tales at Fringe.

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Jeff Ferree presents Assassinations and Other Macabre Tales at the Orlando Fringe Festival. This 15 minute show is located in the most intimate venue at the Fringe. It is located in closet near the volunteer staging area in the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center. Hanging from the ceiling are tortured presidential heads shot through wit arrows. The blue curtains lining the space along with a presidential seal, are reminiscent of a White House press conference.

The program describes the show as, “Creepy true stories of the American Presidency told to you by puppets.
Held in a dark intimate theater filled with the macabre. It’s the
stories you wish they would have taught you in school.”

The two primary puppets are male and female Native American corpses. They are incredibly believable as decomposed mummies. The story centers around Curse of Tippecanoe an Indian Curse that has caused an American President elected or re-elected in the last 100 years, Every U.S. President elected in 20-Year Intervals Has Died In Office. Among those affected were from William Henry Harrison (elected in 1840), Abraham Lincoln (elected in 1860),  James Garfield (elected in 1880), William McKinley (elected in 1900), Warren G. Harding (elected in 1920), Franklin D. Roosevelt (elected in 1940), through John F. Kennedy (1960). Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980, was wounded by gunshot but survived and George W. Bush (2000) survived an attempt on his life unharmed.

When a hanging was mentioned a tiny rag doll with a tiny penis fell over the stage and hung in the glow of a red Christmas light. there were other multi media effects that shocked the packed in audience (up to 13 people can cram into the closet). This was the first Fringe show for one volunteer crammed into the venue along with me. Be sure to find the closet and, experience the horror for yourself.