Blowin’ Broadway

Posted on by Thor

I decided to go the dinner cabaret show titled, “Blowin’ Broadway” that is put on every Monday at Mr. Sisters (5310 East Colonial Drive near 436). The place is right near where I work. I was a little intimidated by the bright pink modern building. It is right on Lake Barton and the setting sun was painting the horizon orange. There was a bright pink zebra rug at the entrance. I asked where the performance would take place and I was pointed towards the stage with a chain link fence behind it and a pink zebra named Higgins poised in the corner. The place was empty for now but I wanted to start the sketch getting the background in position. The best view was from a bar stool right next to the piano. The bar stool wobbled a bit and the foot support didn’t move. This was going to be like sketching while balancing on a pogo stick, but I ordered a Carona with lime and got to work. Where I sat turned out to be a major traffic area for the sexy waitresses who brought out drink and food orders. A pleasant distraction.

Andrea Canny walked in just as I started sketching. I recognized her from the half page ad in the Orlando Weekly which had caught my eye. I politely asked if she was performing. She organizes the weekly cabaret bringing in new talent each week while also singing a show tune or two herself. I was surprised that she knew of my work. I later found out she is an artist and photographer herself. Soon there was a group of performers gathered. They began to rehearse with John DeHaas on piano.

Brenda Hamilton who is in Broadway Across America’s “Wicked” was the first to rehearse. I sketched Brenda in position as she rehearsed then added color much later when she performed. She had her own pianist named Spencer Jones. John DeHaas was behind the piano for everyone else so he ended up in my sketch. After the rehearsal the place quickly filled up. I love a good show tune, so I enjoyed every performance. There are two performances between 7 and 10pm but with my sketch finished I decided to head home.

Spring Awakening

Posted on by Thor

Jeremy Seghers invited me to go to a rehearsal for “Spring Awakening” written by Frank Wedekind. The reading took place at the offices of Broadway Across America right near Lake Eola. When I walked into the conference room where the rehearsal was to take place, I was surprised at how many of the actors were high school aged. Everyone introduced themselves around the table and talked about what shows they had last been in. Many of the students were working on a production of “Rent” for the Fringe and many also all seemed to be putting on a high school production of “Moby Dick.”
As we all waited for the last of the actors to arrive, Sean, picked up his green water bottle and the cap flopped off spilling his water all over the table. He jumped up screaming and apologizing as he ran into the next room looking for paper towels. He had been nervously talking to Sarah who was wearing a loose low cut shirt that made her look like she had just come from a job as a bar maid. His comical timing and actions were worthy of Chaplin. Everyone burst into laughter. When the reading started the mood grew more serious. Spring Awakening deals with a group of German students who for the first time face their sexuality and passions. One scene between a daughter, Wendla, played by Sarah Villegas and her mom,Frau Bergmann, played by Nicki Darden was both humorous and sad. The daughter wanted her mom to explain how babies are born. Although the mom wanted to tell he daughter everything, she found herself unable to.
FRAU BERGMANN: Come here, child, come here, I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything–… In order to have a child — one must love — the man — to whom one is married — love him, I tell you — as one can only love a man! One must love him so much with one’s whole heart, so — so that one can’t describe it! One must love him, Wendla, as you at your age are still unable to love — Now you know it!
In the next act the daughter finds herself in a hay loft with a boy and then ultimately pregnant.
In another scene Sean Flinn contemplated a painting by Palma Veccio titled Venus. His impassioned plea to this goddess was so lascivious as to make any audience member blush. This play has often been banned for its sharp, pointed look at the hypocrisy of a society that felt that children should grow up ignorant of their sexuality. The play also deals with very serious issues of rape and suicide. The language in the original play is beautiful. Originally staged in 1906, the play is amazingly contemporary. In 2006 the play was bought brought to Broadway, this time as a musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater.
This reading of Spring Awakening is a joint venture between Heidi Dog Productions and Kangagirl Productions. This reading will be a continuation of a series of “Queer Quills” readings. You can see this staged reading on April 18th at 7:00 PM at the Breakthrough Theater (421 West Fairbanks Avenue Winter Park). A suggested $5 donation will benefit the Paul Wegman Scholarship for actors at Valencia Community College.

In The Heights – Opening Night Cast Party

Posted on by Thor

The Florida Theatrical Association the non-profit organization that presents Broadway shows here in town gave me a tip on where to find the cast party for “In the Heights”. I haven’t seen the show yet but I lived in Washington Heights for ten years when I lived in New York City. “In The Heights” therefor is already in my blood. The stage set photos I have seen look like it could be from a city block just north of where my apartment was. I could see the George Washington Bridge from where I lived. I can’t wait to see and sketch the show.
The cast party was held at Mucho’s Mexican Bar (101 East Eola Drive) in downtown Orlando. The bar is right across the street form two floors of office spaces that the Florida Theatrical Association just bought in the Sanctuary Building. There is over 20,000 square feet of space in the building. On the ground floor there is a theater which as of now still has dirt floors and on the second floor there is the huge empty space I sketched.
When I arrived at Mucho’s I was given an orange arm band and I immediately sat at a corner table and started sketching the room. Ron Leger came over and introduced himself. I was honored to find out he follows this blog and supports what I am trying to accomplish. Staff put out the salsa, sour cream and opened up the hot dishes. After 10:30 PM a large black Hummer drove up to the entrance of the bar and I knew the cast was starting to arrive. I got a beer and a plate of food before the room became packed. What followed was of course a feeding frenzy with many loud and fast paced conversations going on. The room was filled with excitement. Cast members were congratulating one another and discussing the finer points of the nights performances. Chris and Jennifer sat at the table next to me. He plays in the Orchestra for the show and I think she is his wife. We introduced ourselves but then I got lost in the sketch again and lost track of what they were talking about. A couple across the way started practicing some dance steps and then they both sat back down laughing. Much of the time as I tried to sketch I was faced with a wall of peoples backs, blocking my view. Rather than get frustrated I would glance off at some other section of room and draw that. Since I hadn’t seen the show, I didn’t know who any of the major players were. For tonight that wasn’t my concern. I just soaked up all the energy and excitement in the room and tried desperately to get it down on paper.
As I put the last washes down, people started leaving. The lights came back up and I closed my sketchbook and headed home.

In The Heights – Chat Back

Posted on by Thor

I went to a Chat Back at Barnes and Noble for “In the Heights”. Rayanne Gonzalez and DeWitte Cooper sat in front of a small audience on the second floor of the book store. I arrived a few minutes late and as I sat down DeWitte was explaining how he got the part of Benny in the show. He was working for Disney in the Finding Nemo Stage Show. He got a call from a friend saying that “In the Heights” was looking for actors of his general build and age. So he took a trip to New York City and auditioned. Of the 300 actors who auditioned the first day, only five remained and he was one of those five. The auditioning continued for another three days. When he realized that he was being considered for the lead part he poured his heart and soul into the audition. He said that the cast really gets along well and that it is like an extended family.
Reyanne has a young daughter that she is taking along with her on the tour. She makes sure her daughter visits every children’s museum and aquarium and zoo in every town they visit. She is hoping this education will stay with her daughter for a lifetime. When asked what she felt is unique about “In the Heights“, she said the show is about community and pride in the place you live. It is about discovering what it is that makes you feel like you belong. It is about home, family and hope, all universal themes not limited to the Washington Heights community.
I lived in Washington Heights for ten years. The block this play takes place on is just a few blocks away from my old apartment. I have sketched on the streets where this play is set many times. I am very familiar with this neighborhood with its corner bodegas and backgammon played on cardboard boxes. It is a shame that when I lived there I was always dreaming of getting out of the neighborhood, to make my mark somewhere else. This play reminds me that there was a vibrant community right under my nose if I had just taken the time to get out and discover it. So now I find myself in Orlando, and now I am reaching out and trying to discover the community that I call home.

Fairwinds Broadway Across America – Orlando 2010-2011 Season Announcement

Posted on by Thor

I was invited to attend the Broadway Across America unveiling of the upcoming shows in 2010 and 2011. This is the line up:
Phantom of the Opera: January 20 – February 14, 2010
In the Heights: March 9-14, 2010
Xanadu: April 27 – May 2, 2010
Spring Awakening: May 18-23, 2010
Young Frankenstein: November 30 – December 5, 2010
Rock of Ages: January 11-16, 2011
West Side Story: February 1-6, 2011
Wicked: February 23 – March 27, 2011
Shrek The Musical: May 17-22, 2011
Hair: June 21-26, 2011
The festivities were held at the Fairwinds Corporate Tower (135 West Central Boulevard). I decided to dress up a bit for the event, so I wore a suit and nice slacks. To get in, I was told I would have to get an wristband. Jeremy Seghers was handling the bands, so I felt at ease knowing I was among friends. Inside the bank there was no noticeable decorations except for the fact that a bar had been set up. I immediately walked towards this group of men pictured in the sketch; an a capella singing group called 4:2:Five. They were singing, “They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway. They say there’s always magic in the air. But when you,re walking down that street, and you ain’t had enough to eat, the glitter rubs right off and your nowhere…” I loved singing this song when I lived in Manhattan. The lyrics take on a magnified meaning once you have had to struggle to make ends meet in the Big Apple as an artist. I sang along happily sketching the performers. Amanda Norvell, who arranged for me to sketch, said hello and Terry Olson walked up to me and said, “I am sorry, we do not allow sketching in here”. He was kidding, and we both laughed. I seem to bump into him everywhere I go these days.
When it came time to add some color to the sketch, I realized that I had left my brushes at home. I had changed my pants, and the brushes were in my pants at home. I was frustrated, but had to finish the sketch regardless. I ended up finding a reject brush that functions more like a sponge than a brush. It sucks the color into the handle and then refuses to put down a decent wash. Well, regardless of the struggles, I managed to get something done.
After this group left the floor, the Mayor gave a quick speech. He joked around that he had been given a key to the banks’ safe last time he was here, but he hadn’t managed to get to the money yet. Singers then performed solos from the upcoming season shows.
Of the shows coming to Orlando this year, I am looking forward to sketching “Phantom” and “In the Heights” the most. When I lived in New York City, I lived in Washington Heights, so sketching “In the Heights” should feel like going home again. I hope to start sketching the load-ins for each of the shows when they get to town, as well as sketching from the wings. I also hope to start sketching the Broadway series cast parties and events. 2010 should be an exciting year, as I discover Broadway in Orlando through my sketches.