Sing Along with The Muppet Movie at the Abbey.

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I now live downtown near The Abbey. Each day, I like to watch the marquee sign being changes. I stepped out for the night to do a sketch, and couldn’t resist sketching the Abbey. Purple light glowed inside And the stark white marquee announced the Sing Along with the Muppet Movie . I sketched as the sun set and people gathered near the theater entrance. I had never seem the movie before but have seen the Muppets many times over the years on TV.

Sing Along with The Muppet Movie provided a family-friendly, interactive experience allowing the audience to renew their rainbow connection with the classic Jim Henson film. Heather Henson, Jim’s daughter, and her Sing Along crew brought elements of the film to life for the audience via puppetry and more. One of her crew recognized me and asked me to go inside to see the show. Children and adults were urged to participate in a variety of fun ways.

This relaxed performance had lights up, modified sound, a quiet room and the ability to get out of your seat to dance and play.

Butterfly kites fluttered and fish leaped above the audience as the Rainbow Connection opened the film. Kids played tab, Chasing each other around the theater. I think the adults were the only ones to see the film all the way through, but it was a fun chaotic experience.

AADW Weekend Top 6 Picks

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AADW Weekend Top 6 Picks

 Saturday July 27, 2013

10am to 3pm Free National Dance Day Orlando. Main Hall of Orlando Ballet Dance Exhibition Parking: Lake Highland Prep’s student parking lot on Alden Rd. by the softball field. Free dance classes will be held in the Main Hall of Orlando Ballet on July 27. Instructors and performers of professional Orlando-based dance companies will share different styles of dance with the attending dance community throughout the morning and afternoon.

Free Community Dance Classes

10am-11am: Barre and Stretch with Charlotte Stewart

11am-Noon: Contact Improvisation with Rokaya Mikhailenko

Noon- 1pm: Contemporary with Mary Love Ward

1pm-2pm: African Jazz with Samuel Andrade

2pm-3pm: Hip Hop with Clarissa Crox Turner

7pm to 10pm National Dance Day Orlando Exhibition (pay-what-you-wish / $10 suggested donation). Dance Exhibition Parking: Lake Highland Prep’s student parking lot on Alden Rd. by the softball field.

Performing Companies:

Canvas Creative Movement Coalition

Coby Project

DRIP

Emotions Dance Company

Mary Love Dance Projects

ME Dance

Orlando Ballet

Orlando Chapter of USA Dance

Studio K

Valencia Dance Theatre

Voci Dance

3pm to 5pm $10 Sing Along with The Muppet Movie. Heather Henson’s IBEX Puppetry presents Sing Along with The Muppet Movie! Children and adults alike are urged to yell out famous lines, blow bubbles, play with along with a goodie bag full of props, dance in the aisles, and of course sing along with this classic movie from Heather’s father, Jim Henson. Two shows available on Saturday, June 27th only!

3:00pm Hosted by David Schweizer & Sunny Raskin.

7:00pm Hosted by Heather Henson.

Sunday July 28th, 2013

10am to Noonish Super Joy Riders. Eastern entrance of the Lake Eola Farmers’ Market. Participants dress as superheroes and ride en masse around the city as they check off their scavenger hunt-like list of Do Gooder Duties; collecting litter, helping senior citizens cross the road, returning shopping carts, basically performing small acts of kindness for an hour and a half of hilarity and love.

The Super Joy Riders: Do Gooder Bike Ride is an exercise in community organizing and active engagement. We hope to use the ride as an opportunity to show how helping people can be simple, fun, and easy, especially while wearing a cape.

You + Superhero Costume + Bike = Best Sunday Ever.

We are inviting Orlando to come with us on a fun filled bike ride of awesomeness on the last Sunday of the month. Dress like a superhero, hop on a bike, and follow our scavenger hunt list of Good Deeds as we all try to save the world with small acts of kindness. http://www.superjoyriders.com/

Noon to 3pm Donation. Music at the Casa. Casa Feliz, (656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789). Classical Guitarist Christopher Belt.

9pm to 10pm Solo Acoustic Spoken Word. Natura Coffee (12078 Collegiate Way Orlando FL). 407 482-5000

Pink Hair

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Denna Beena and Travis Fillmen had Denna’s sister and her husband over to meet folks before the wedding for an evening barbecue, and screening at their place. When Travis started up the grill, the flames leaped up and then the thick billowing smoke followed guests.

After eating, my wife Terry, decided she wanted a pink streak in her hair. Denna always has a supply of pink die, so they went up to the kitchen for the procedure. It only took five minutes so I didn’t catch Terry. Another girl decided she wanted streaks in her long blond hair and I managed to catch her. Terry’s hair is a dark brown now and the pink was barely detectable.  That was actually good since she works in a fairly conservative business.

 Denna and Travis have two cats and they set up an aerial boardwalk for the cats up in the rafters. The boardwalk was designed like one of the zip line aerial obstacles at ZOOm Air Adventures at the Sanford Zoo. Their black cat watched the hair dye operation from on top of the cabinets.

A large TV was rolled out of the garage onto the side lawn for the outdoor matinee screening of The Muppet Movie. Once it was dark a second darker film was put in, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Terry had no interest in that movie so she drove home and I stayed to watch. It was a very strange, sick film about two hicks on vacation who find themselves in situations where college kids die in violent bloody ways by accident. Tucker and Dale though innocent, always end up looking like psycho killers. It was shocking and funny. Everyone sat in their lawn chairs screaming and laughing.