Fringe: The S#it

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Can’t Stand Sitting from Toronto Canada presented The S#it at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. The show opened with writer-star Matti McLean seated on a stool half naked. The stool was meant to stand in for a toilet. This hard edged solo show was a perfect fit for the venue of Ten10Brewing. It was a small venue for a cramped bathroom setting.

A passionate romance had turned sour leading not only to  loss of passion but a deep resentment. The toilet was in a apartment with little to no privacy. This historic bowel movement was happening just feet from where his partner was seated.

Part comedy and part gut wrenching confession the audience was taken along for the ride as the honeymoon period flickered out between the seated protagonist and his partner in the next room. Although they were pulling apart there was still comfort in being close to someone who knew every quirk of personality. How can you let go of someone when you are both so close? Were they better off apart or could the rift be healed? All of this existential though occurred while seated on the royal porcelain throne.

I always root for the underdog and hope that love with find a way. But sometimes even when the love is still there, the passion flickers out as people move apart. Just like a long exhausting s#it there can be some relief and even bliss when it is all over and the bowl is flushed.

The explicit nudity in the show reinforced that we are all exposed when we are deep in a relationship. Sensuality isn’t always pretty but being truly understood and accepted is so rare that it is hard to let go once it is found.

Fringe: The Breakfast Reunion

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Grinning Cat Theater Company from Orlando Florida presented The Breakfast Reunion at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. The show revisits the cast of The Breakfast Club movie only now it is 25 years later and they meet the night before their High School reunion. One of the kids hit it big in the tech boom becoming a tech billionaire while others found local hometown jobs including becoming a teacher in the school where they were once held in detention.

Each character in turn unveiled their middle-aged angst. A marriage was on the rocks and jobs were not exactly gratifying. I kept trying to figure out who was Molly Ringwald all grown up. In general, I never married the older characters to who they were in high school. The show did keep me engaged. Like the movie, the characters were locked in the library for the duration. It is possible that the lock failing might have been intentional to force the former high school deviants to spend the time needed to rehash old times and show their new lives of normalcy.

Vulnerabilities from high school remained with each adult. The same fears and concerns just resurfaced in each new decade. Were friendships forged leading into the future? It seemed rather that these former students who exposed their weaknesses in detention 25 years prior were just ships passing in the night. When the doors locks were opened they each rushed out to the routines they had forged as adults.

I watched this show on my birthday which was a special treat. 1980s nostalgia drew me in. The years are passing for me so I felt it would be good to see how the high school princess, bad boy and weirdo had grown.

Fringe: Once Upon a Traitor: Faithfully Ever After

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Sista Steph Productions from Orlando Florida presented Once Upon a Traitor: Faithfully Ever After at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s a traitor after all? Co-written by Derick Taylor-White and Danielle Ziss, this show featured classic Disney animated heroes and villains who competed against one another for a grand prize of pressed pennies.

Alexander Mrazek as the Magic Mirror, hosted the chaotic proceedings. Teams of “faithfuls” and “traitors” were assembled at a green cartoon castle. The Disney characters had to call out each other in a cut throat bid to win the prize. This is similar to a TV show called Traitors hosted by Alan Cumming. I have never seen that show so any inside jokes were lost on me.

The sage was constantly full of 12 or more characters, so individual performances had to be caricatured to stand out in the crowd. At one pint dark hooded monks held a somber séance. Danelle Ziss performed as Alice in Wonderland and Teresa Levin Smith made for a very evil queen. I was a little confused about how and why the two camps of characters were pitted against one another, but that might be because I never say the TV show. I thought Disney World was supposed to be the happiest place on earth, but it seems more like the land of discontent where a turkey leg would cost an arm and a leg.

All in all it was campy fun and the show held a long run of sold-out shows. I can vouch for the fact that the show was hard to get into. In one show I tried to see, there was only 1 seat left in the theater and I didn’t sprint fast enough to get to it.

Alexander Mrazek as the Magic Mirror Host won a Fringe Award for Individual Performance in Comedy for his role in Once Upon a Traitor: Faithfully Ever After. The Orlando weekly noted that he was, “by far the best reason to see” this “pixie-dusted spoof of both theme parks and reality television.”

I sometimes forget that I live in a theme park town, but so many of the actors I love to sketch have worked at the theme parks which helped inspire this fun parody.

Fringe: We Got Got

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Kerry Ipema from Brooklyn New York presented We Got Got at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. Kerry Ipema and KK Apple with their black ties and red white and blue business attire opened the show with a peppy business pitch where they pushed every corporate buzz word in their   thirst to bring profit to their theatrical endeavors. With so much enthusiasm how could they go wrong? As a matter of fact they were well on their way to achieving their corporate goals but then their accountant stepped in and ripped them off.

Rather than accepting this injustice they began to plot a complex revenge heist. Police simply shrugged off their complaints so they needed to take matters into their own hands. There is an addictive chemistry between Ipema and Apple that convinced me that they could pull off even the most convoluted attempt at getting their money back.

I felt a certain pleasure in hoping that their revenge fantasy could possibly come true. Perhaps it is a fantasy to think that blue collar thieves might be held accountable for their blatant thefts. The present administration in office makes it seem like theft is the American dream.

The fast-paced banter and at times syncopated delivery is what makes the show tic. It is also inevitable that an audience would want to root for the underdog. These two struggling actresses had been wronged and ther must be some way for justice to prevail. The show itself is proof that being ripped off by (redacted) did not slow the roll of these two creative power houses.

In sketching the show, I could not decide in one pose for each of the actresses. I started to sketch them multiple times since they were all over the stage. The show was an absolute joy to watch, and I got to meet Ipema and Apple multiple times on the green lawn of Fabulousness. They are joyously curious and endlessly funny.

Fringe: In Their Footsteps

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Infinite Variety Productions from Brooklyn New York presented In Their Footsteps at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. When anyone asks me about my sketching project in Europe, I always say, that I was following in my father’s footsteps in WWII. With that said, I could not resist going to see In Their Footsteps. This show was about five woman who served as nurses, librarians or members of the Women’s Army Corps during the Vietnam was.

When I entered the theater I picked a front row sketching vantage point. On the seat next to me there was a bandana which I thought someone might have left when they got up to leave the previous show. I made a note to myself to bring it to lost and found when I left after this show. Then a woman sat in the seat and put the bandana around her neck. That was odd I thought. She arrived late. Was she steeling someone’s bandana?

When the play started, she walked on stage. She was one of the five female nurses. To start the nurses talked about being excited to travel to the exotic country of Vietnam. The dialogue in the show was built from many oral histories from the actual women who served near the front lines. The women were actually direct targets for enemy fire. The enemy felt that if they killed a woman, then the men would become demoralized. None of these women were killed in action.

The women were also warned not to fraternize with the men. One nurse offered a ride to a soldier back to base and when her supervising officer found out, she got reprimanded. The isolation lead to the women building friendships amongst themselves. The gritty reality of the war cut off all the early optimism. Each woman just hoped to get home away from the harassment and enemy fire.

Toward the end of the show each woman held up artwork of the woman they were portraying. It was a clear reminder that these were very real stories being told. Some of the art work was lost in shadows because the portraits were not held right to catch the light. I guess when you look to the past some people are clearly seen while others recede into the shadows. This show helped showcase the bravery of these woman. The emotional impact lingered.

Fringe: 1-Man No-Show

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Zeek Tech Productions from Toronto Canada presented 1-Man No-Show at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. In the lobby as people lined up to go in the theater, Isaac Kessler the performer was shouting to the crowd in a scratch battery powered microphone speaker system that he wore on his chest. I couldn’t understand a thing he said. At the time I didn’t realize her was the performer for the show I was about to see, I just thought, “That’s odd.”

It is rather hard to define what 1-Man No Show is. For the longest time I thought I was watching a pre-show where Isaac was warming up the crowd. Everything felt quite unscripted. Audience members were brought on stage for chaotic bits which were funny yet confusing.

The show was billed as a solo clown meltdown where high art meets high stupidity and that seems an accurate description. Another Fringe performer, Martin Dockery and his mom were in the audience and Issac fixated on them to comic effect. He seemed to want Martins’ approval while wanting to protect Martin’s mom from any of his raunchier unhinged bits. He invited the audience to heckle his show as it ran off the rails.

Issac wore a black beret and dark clothing seeming very formal for a clown. On bit involved absolute stillness with an excruciatingly long pause. After a while the audience began to laugh. Was this a comedic silence or was the audience just uncomfortable and looking for some form of expression.

I was laughing for the full length of the show, but I am not sure exactly why. I would go to watch the show again since I know there is no reproducing the chaos that transpired on that stage. If you are open to seeing a show that leaves you saying WFT did I just see, then this was the show for you.

 

Fringe: The Dress

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Ana Cuellar Productions from Davenport Florida presented The Dress at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. In the halls of the Shakespeare Theater someone explained to me that Anna saw this particular dress in a window, and she felt she had to have it. She was bound to that dress by destiny. The dress was her muse for years.

The dress was worn by Ana at performances around the world. The choreography in this show expressed love, lose, longing and gratitude. I was familiar with the dancer Dion Leonhard DiDonna, so it was exciting to see her dance through the range of expressive emotions. Dancer Elaine Hoxie was the one who got to wear the dress itself. She spoke about the emotional bond between the ballerina and her dress.

Video was projected on the backstage screen which showed the dress being designed. When worn while dancing the dress came alive like an undersea creature surrounding and enveloping the dancer. Sorrow turned to pure joy. The dress maker, Ricardo Zuccolini was in the audience only a few seats away from me for this performance. Someone had pointed him out to me in the lobby.

As I was leaving the theater I noticed another choreographer who was in the audience was wiping tears from her eyes, because she was so moved by the performance.  That was a true testament to how solidly the dance choreography landed. Dion in particular put everything she had into the performance which was at times super human. I loved that the dress was a major performer in the show.

There is magic in a dance performance being able to touch an audience so deeply. As an artist I hope someday to find a muse, animate or inanimate, that is as moving as the dress. The performance lay bare every artists daily struggle. The play was about the pure joy found in creation. Art isn’t easy, but well worth the effort when everything aligns, even if imperfectly.

The Dress won a Critic’s Choice Award as an Outstanding Dance Show.

Fringe: Unconditionally: The Ultimate Pop Diva Celebration Starring Kayla Fischl

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Kayla Fischl from Orlando Florida presented Unconditionally: The Ultimate Pop Diva Celebration Starring Kayla Fischl at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. I am a huge fan of how hard Kayla promoted this show. She was at just about every press preview performance I sketched. She was always holding a poster on foam core mounted on a log stick with flashing lights that promoted her show. Any time I sat in an audience the first thing I did was scan the audience to see the Unconditionally flashing lights.

With the help of arranger Chuck Curry, Kayla built her musical journey around three icons, Lady Gaga, Adele, and Katy Perry. She is building a repertoire which she hopes to pitch to a cruise ships. Kayla had costume changes when  she she switched to a different diva’s music. This was her first solo Fringe show, and she had not thought about what to do while she was backstage getting changed. The audience was left to talk amongst themselves until she came back out. You learn what works and what doesn’t work by taking big risks. She explained that the show is a work in progress and she is so thankful for the support of fellow Fringe artists who were helping her mold the performance. Fringe is a place to experiment and grow as an artist and I love that.

When Kayla came back out she was in a flowing white dress. She didn’t have time or the help to get the dress fully zipped up. When she turned several times, the zipper running up the back of the dress could be seen down at the small of her back. This kind of wardrobe malfunction I consider endearing and honestly I hope she leaves it in the show to remind us that we are watching a live performance where anything can happen.

Kayla’s enthusiastic family was in the audience, including a youngster who started crying very loudly. The caretaker eventually walked the child out of the theater since the crying was competing with Kayla’s singing. Beach balls were lobed out into the audience at one point and people tried to keep them airborne volleyball style, but they kept finding empty seats to settle in.

At one point she held a large fan which I tried drawing but then abandoned. I sketched the very first outfit she wore, with a black miniskirt and knee-high black boots. Black sleeves gave her a formal vibe with a 60’s look. Sticking with the diva lighting scheme she had on her marketing poster, she had a heart and star on the wings of the stage.

Kayla’s family was super supportive, whooting and hollering. I must say Kayla embraced the Fringe by seeing probably more shows than I had the opportunity to sketch. I get rather seasick on the high seas, but I wish Kayla the best in pitching her show to cruise lines. Cruise ships must want polish, but I prefer the diamond in the rough.

Fringe: Serving C*nt with Sarah Hester Ross

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SHR Entertainment LLC from Las Vegas Nevada presented Serving C*nt with Sarah Hester Ross at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. I had sketched Sarah at a past Fringe and since then her career has skyrocketed. During the pandemic the videos she was sharing online started going viral. She downplayed the long term splendor of internet fame but her incredible vocals cross my feed almost every day. Many are simply dressing room selfies shot in the mirror but the power of her voice stops me from my doom scrolling every time.

Considering her popularity, I feared that I might not get in to get a sketch. I was thankful when I got in.  The show featured bold confessional comedy and incredible cabaret numbers. Sarah was all over the stage and even circulating around the audience. I was hard pressed to pick a moment to try and get her on the sketch page. I ultimately decided to sketch her twice.

She had a huge black hand fan with white letters that spelled out CUNT. I saw these fans pop up all around the fringe to wick away the sweat between shows. Between several songs Sarah walked off stage while a video played of people ribbing her online popularity. The internet community is vicious and often comments wished her dead. There were videos of goats blissfully munching on grass as the comments ripped Sarah to shreds. We had already witnessed some of her vocal talents, so the absurd attacks became increasingly hilarious. You need to have thick skin to make it in showbiz that is open to the anonymous comments of armchair trolls.

One song in particular hit home which empowers woman. Many of Sarah’s songs are meant to empower woman to do whatever the F*ck they want despite the comments and push back from a patriarchal society. Thankfully Sarah will never lower her voice.

Fringe: The Lord of the Sword

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Jacob D’ Eustachio from New York, New York presented The Lord of the Sword at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. This show was a fun medieval circus romp. If Florida Governor Ron Deathsantis wants to see a Fringe show that is completely family friendly, then this is the show he should see.

The premise of this show is that the master juggling and sword swallowing expert was not available to perform. His apprentice played by Jacob had to fill in. He excused anything that would follow as the attempts of a newby.  There was a treasure chest full of things to be juggled. When he began juggling with absolute expert abandon the audience was amazed at his beginner’s luck. If a sword happened to fall, then it was easily excused.

Jacob called out to the audience to find someone to fill in for the missing master juggler. He picked Eric Pinder who is an opera producing powerhouse. Though uncertain what was expected of him, Eric played the part of the Master with aplomb. The show always felt like it was on the edge of collapse. I am certain this was intentional because the laughs obtained from witnessing absolute chaos very hardy.

There was one bit where Jacob asked a member to the audience to catch a loaf of bread. For some reason, he lobbed a loaf of bread at me. I had a brush in my right hand, so I tried to catch the loaf with my left hand and missed. My embarrassment was short lived, because he was soon lobbing loafs of bread to everyone in the audience. When people started biting into the bread, he shouted out that the bread was for juggling not eating.

This was a fun 50-minute show and I was laughing the whole time.