Rock of Ages at the Dr. Phillips Center of the Performing Arts.

Posted on by Thor

Scott A. Cook invited me to sketch a tech, dress rehearsal for Rock of Ages at the Dr. Phillips Center of the Performing Arts, (445 South Magnolia Avenue Orlando FL). The sound check took quite some time to balance the levels between the casts head mics and the band. Regina’s mic was not working. The battery had to be replaced but it still didn’t work. She had round glasses, rosy cheeks and long dreads tied neatly behind her. She wore a flowing rainbow striped dress and a long orange crocheted vest. Because she was such a highlight of the sound check, I assumed she must be the heroine of the story. I empathized with her plight of not being heard. The rehearsal covered just part of act two, so I’m not sure how important her story arch is to the overall show. In my mind there should always be more Regina. She reminds me of the 60s movement towards positive change.

Rock of Ages is a rock musical, with a book by Chris D’Arienzo, built around classic rock songs from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of that decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Europe among other well-known rock bands. Mixed into this is the story of an aspiring actress who joins a strip club to make ends meet. She wants to develop a back a story for her character and understand her motivation. Her first over acted attempts at being sensual are quite hilarious. The other bored dancers give the costumers exactly what they want (Any Way You Want It) without any effort. Despite her awkward beginnings, the new girl is a natural and she catches the eyes of several sleazy record producers.

A construction foreman plays an important roll in praising the ceaseless construction. In a German accent he shouts, “Isn’t it beautiful?” Two scaffolds are wheeled out and dancers perform scaffholdography, by spinning and then dancing a round the scaffolds. Protesters arrive with signs and there is a squirmish with riot police. Regina is front and center in the protest. So she is the heroine I imagined. She and the entire cast sang a rousing rendition of We’re not Gonna take It and I was humming the song on the long walk back to my car.

Rock of Ages runs from September 28th to October 9th at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  

Show Dates/Times
WED SEPT 28 – 8PM
THURS SEPT 29 – 8PM
FRI SEPT 30 – 8PM
SAT OCT 1 – 2PM & 8PM
SUN OCT 2 – 2PM & 7PM
TUES OCT 4 – 8PM
WED OCT 5 – 8PM
THURS OCT 6 – 8PM
FRI OCT 7- 8PM
SAT OCT 8 – 2PM & 8PM
SUN OCT 9 – 2PM & 7PM

Rock Of Ages – Ticket Prices:
Tue/Wed/Thu performances: $26.75, $29.75, $32.75
Fri/Sat/Sun performances: $32.75, $35.75, $38.75
There is a 12% DPC handling fee for all online/phone orders.
The 12% DPC handing fee can be avoided by purchasing tickets in person at the DPC Box Office.

Online Tickets: http://bit.ly/2bbTnaU
Box Office: 844.513.2014
Group Sales (8 or more): 407.455.5550 or groups@drphillipscenter.org
Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sat 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

GET READY TO ROCK, ORLANDO!
#iwannarock #roatwf2016 #roapartytrain #orlandosbiggestpartyever

The Dawn Branch Works “Journey” has been posponed.

Posted on by Thor

I went to a Dawn Branch Works dance rehearsal for “Journey“. The show is describe as a walk through faith. One section of new choreography was being worked out. Dawn sat leaning against the mirrored wall. Dancers gathered as a group and then one was asked to volunteer to fall backwards. When the dancers stood became their spot in the new gelled scene. Cindy Michelle Heen was the dancer who offered the most support when the dancer fell back. This move was rehearsed many times giving me a chance to capture every dancers gesture while studying the staging as a whole. I’m amazed by the trust and faith the dancers have in each other. It was fascinating to watch as chance encounters fell into place as the final choreography. Dancers and the choreographer added their creative input. Another dance felt like laborers working in the field who dreamed of freedom expressed in dance.

Dawn Branch Works was formed after The Center for Contemporary dance
brought choreographer Dawn Branch together with local professional
dancers for a project for the 2012 Olympics. The experience of dancing
together was so rewarding that the group decided to work together after
the project’s conclusion and form a professional company. “A creative
bond was formed among the artists,” says Branch, “Sometimes things just
fall into place, and this was one of those divine moments.” Inaugural
member Lindsey Salfran agrees: “Collaboration between the dancers of DBW
and Dawn Branch is an exciting experience. We are constantly pushed
beyond our perceived imitations–you dance in ways you never thought you
could dance before, and you feel the difference at every rehearsal.”

I was sad to find out that “Journey” the show has been postponed . The new dates will be in the spring to summer season. Previously purchased tickets to the January show will be honored at the upcoming dates.

Violectric Debut Revolutionary LED Instrument Lighting “Violuminescence” at Bite.

Posted on by Thor

Bite Night, hosted by the Orlando Weekly was held at The Orchid Garden and Ballroom at Church Street in Downtown Orlando from 7pm-10pm on June 29th.   I went to the event specifically to sketch the premiere performance of Violuminence. 

Michelle Jones the founder of Violectric asked her husband, Jerry Jones, the groups technical director to design the diodes along the rims of the instruments which made them glow like souped up Harley Davidson motorcycles. Violuminescence produces unique, lighted string instruments that can be remote controlled to enhance any performance in an unrivaled manner.

When I arrived, the event was just getting started but there were already long lines for food. I immediately started hunting for my sketch opportunity. I ran into Ilene Lieber the groups pleasant and hard working PR representative and she let me know that the Violuminence performance would start at 9pm in front of the DJs table on the main floor. That gave me several hours to sketch in the Orchid Room’s magical turn of the century decor. When Violumenence began, I added color starting with the blue glow of the instruments. The instruments glowed in every color of the rainbow as if celebrating the recent Supreme Court decision allowing everyone to share the rights of marriage.

“We are beyond excited to finally unveil Violuminescence to the public later the month,” said founder of Violectric and Fretless Rock, Michelle Jones.  “This will be the first opportunity for public audiences to experience Violuminescence and revel in this truly spectacular and awe-inspiring musical innovation.  We are known for getting audiences up out of their seats and dancing along with us as we play, and we look forward to blowing away all our loyal fans with Violuminescence and hopefully gaining many more new ones worldwide.”

When the violins performed Journey‘s Don’t Stop Believing, everyone in the room started singing along. “Shadows searching in the night”. It was really a magical moment. The crowd was hooked and I sang along as I sketched. The violinists weren’t passive. They began moving around the room finding their way through the crowd.  By the time my sketch was done, the crowd was starting to thin out. All the food vendors had packed up. Darn it. I hadn’t tasted a bite so I can’t report on how good the food was. Genevieve Bernard and Seth Kubersky told me that the food directly across the room from me was absolutely delicious. I am pleased by the rich warm and cool colors that I could catch with my digital sketch.  For more information on Violectric contact 407-434-1261 and for more information on Fretless Rock by Strings Etc visit their web page.