Orlando Director’s Forum

Posted on by Thor

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.

Robyn Da Hood was hilarious at Fringe.

Posted on by Thor

SAK Theater Company of Orlando presented Robyn Da Hood – A Rap Musical at this years Orlando International Fringe Festival. I made the mistake of sitting in one of the balcony boxes. It turned out that the box would be used by several of the actors during the show. My student and I had to scramble to find new seats. The show is a mash up of the classic story told through hip hop beats. Set pieces were elegantly created out of corrugated cardboard.

The show swaps gender roles with Robyn Hood being played by Chelsea Hilend. Her merry band are also all women. Sheriff of Nottingham (Mike Carr) is a villainous sexist pig who thinks he can defeat Robyn by seducing her and keeping her bare foot in his kitchen. Lil’ John (DeMarlon Vega) is the only person in the show who is dressed as a Rap singer. His only line in the show is “YAY-ah!” “Oh-KAY!” This caused a loud laugh from the audience every time but I’m just not hip enough to get the reference. Every song had witty, hilarious lyrics and the show galloped forward at a break neck pace.

One member of the audience got to play the part of the King. He was given a paper crown and a corrugated cardboard frame that came complete with a mustache and beard. One of the Merry Maids took a seat right in front of me for the archery tournament. Prince John, (Chris Dinger) was hilarious as an inept childish prince.

The show managed to entertain on every level. The cheap set pieces actually helped sell the campy and fun flavor of the show. For instance as Robyn escapes from the castle, a photo of her is clothes pinned to a line between cardboard buttresses and she cranked across to safety, all while the sheriff gloats in his success. I have always associated Sak with improv comedy but now I see it as a place where great theater is incubated and born. Robyn Da Hood won the Critics Choice Award for Best Book Musical at the Fringe and it is well deserved.

Denna and Travis Update their Relationship Status

Posted on by Thor

Denna Beena and Travis Fillmen were married Saturday August 4th in the Winter Garden Theatre. It was pouring rain as I drove straight from work. Terry let me know that she saved me a seat. The Winter Garden Theater has been the home to some amazing theatrical productions such as “The Diviners“, and “Driving Miss Daisy“. This wedding had a flair of the theatrical and plenty of Pink. Denna’s hair has always had a shock of pink, orange and purple. Her brides maids each had a pink dress of their choosing and long streaks of pink in their hair. Groomsmen and the ring bearer, manikin Hans Hausboi, all had pink bow ties and flowers. Groomsman, Mark Baratelli had a crazy, day filled with drama leading up to the ceremony. But that is a story for another day. Bridesmaid, Amanda Chadwick, with a bright pink coil of hair on her forehead, had flown from Seattle to be in the ceremony.

Before the actual ceremony, the theater curtains opened and friendly trivia was projected on the movie screen. Denna and Travis’s first date lasted ten hours. They met thanks to OKCupid.com. Denna kept getting Travis’s bio and she ignored it five times. She finally decided that the guys she usually dated were all wrong for her, so she took a chance. They might be bipolar opposites politically but deep down the found happiness and creative unconditional love. There was a small canvas center stage and as part of the ceremony, the couple painted a heart together. Young Chloe and Naomi Borchers recited the lyrics to “Personal Penguin.” Mike Carr explained, “Why Love is Like Owning a Dog.”

It was a ceremony in which laughter was a fine compliment love. The officiant, Mike Carr, earned his ability to unite this couple from the internet. When the knot was tied, Denna and Travis took out their cell phones on stage and updated their Facebook status to “Married“. The audience cheered. As everyone filed upstairs for the reception, I rushed to throw color on the sketch. A black and White film flickered onto the movie screen as the projectionist got ready for that evenings showing. As the colors dried on the page, I went upstairs for plenty of awkward yet enthusiastic dancing.