Generic Male: Just What We Need, Another Show About Men

Posted on by Thor

This two man show at the Orlando International Fringe Festival was quite hilarious. The show features Ashley Jones and Darren Stevenson using acrobatics, clowning, and physical theater to deconstruct and skewer outdated stereotypes of manhood. To start they asked all the men to stand in the audience. In one point in the play there was to be a call and response, and the men of the audience had to grunt out their response as loudly as they could. The second acrobat was pulled out of the audience making it seem like he was your average man.

One particularly funny routine had the two men pulling long johns high up over their shoulders and then their hands were held down near their crotch acting as sock puppets. The from inside the crotch. There were were many costume changes and some more racy numbers where clothing was just an afterthought. These acrobats were ripped.

One intriguing routine had one of the duo having an in-depth manly conversation as he used the other man as a chair. He then crawled over, around and upside down between the legs of the other man, using him in a delicate balancing act. I resisted sketching these more precarious moments since I knew it would be a problem to make them believable since they would only last qonly fraction of a moment.

I chose to sketch a rather still moment in the action where one actor stole a chair from the other. The heated discussion for the other actor to be permitted to sit dug much deeper into hidden resentments, where minor concessions would not appease a pattern if taking while offering little in return.

I find that describing the action is difficult since what the two would do often defied gravity. What is more important is that I was laughing out loud throughout. This was a wild fun show presented by Push Physical Theater of Rochester New York.

Fringe: Dolly F***king Madison

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This Orlando International Fringe Festival show was at Ten10 Brewing which was packed. I managed to find a spot at the back of the room at a picnic table. A full-length portrait of George Washington. An American flag stood at center stage. America’s first president was hung on stage. I started this sketch fascinated by a cowboy seated at the bar.

This Fringe show was about Dolly Madison, the wife of James Madison the fourth president of the United States. In the War of 1812, America was once again at war with Britain because American trade with France had been limited. In 1814, America lost a major battle and the British invaded Washington DC.

Dolly Madison was a highly regarded hostess who held parties at the White House that brought both parties of government together to discuss policy over food and drink. She helped to establish the idea that members of each party could amicably socialize, network, and negotiate with each other without violence. She essentially created and nurtured bipartisan politics.

Two British Soldiers entered the stage from the back of the theater. A private was played by Brandon Roberts who was glad to accept a cup of drink from Dolly Madison. What followed was an open discussion about what makes American politics work. Brandon’s superior officer was a misogynist who firmly believed women had no place in a male dominated society. Brandon started to understand and accept Dolly’s position, while his superior stood firm. When the first lady shouted out, “Do you have any idea who I am? I am Dolly F***king Madison!” The audience went wild.

Brandon, whose speech began to slur, started to talk about King Charles who was narcissistic and was showing signs of irrational dementia. It was clear that the king was acting very much like the 47th president of the United States. When Dolly explained the system of checks and balances in the American constitution that should keep such a madman from absolute power, the audience cheered.

The British wanted to burn the house down, but Dolly made sure that the portrait of Washington and important documents were saved. She talked the British soldiers into helping her get the portrait off the wall. By the end of the scene even the patriarchal British Lieutenant was sitting and started to accept Dolly’s hospitality and opinions. Reason was winning over force.

British troops led by Major General Robert Ross entered the city of Washington DC and set fire to the U.S. Capitol, the White House, and other public buildings. The burning of Washington, D.C. marked the only time since the Revolutionary War that a foreign power has captured and occupied the U.S. capital.

Though Dolly could not stop the rampage, she managed to talk reason to two soldiers. The world be a much better place if a woman could lead the country away from violence and towards rational thought.

I love a play that introduces some often ignored history and manages to make it feel very contemporary.

Brandon, if you are out there, get in touch with me at analogartistdigitalworld@gmail.com.I want to get this original sketch to you.I am drawing a blank trying to get in touch with you through Facebook.

Fringe: Private Parts: The Secrets We Keep

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The acclaimed one-woman show Private Parts: The Secrets We Keep, was written and performed by female actress and masterful storyteller Joanna Rannelli in Ten10 Brewing at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival. Her show was candid, raw  and often funny.

When she started reflecting on her youth, her story started to cause me to reach deep into my own memories which I had long swept into the recesses of my mind. She started talking about her mother being in the hospital. Relatives decided it would be best if the young Joanna did not see her mother when she was so close to the end of their life. I imagine they must have wanted to save the young Joanna from seeing her mother so sick. They were trying to shelter her from pain.

The Joanna’s reaction was anger. Who were they to keep her from seeing her mother? This triggered a deep anger that I had felt when I was not allowed at 10 years old, to visit my mother in a New York City Hospital. A candy stripper at the hospital had given me a small kit to make an art project which I had made to give my mother on Mother’s Day. Joanna’s mother had died around Mother’s Day as did my mother. I never got to give my mother the art project I had made. Joanna’s story caused me to feel that deep hidden anger and I had to stop sketching because the tears caused my vision to distort and blur. Mother’s Day has always been a painful day that I try to ignore.

The same people who wanted to save me from seeing my mother in the hospital then allowed me to go to my mother’s wake and funeral. A room full of people sat and looked at my mother’s open coffin. Someone whispered in my ear, “Doesn’t she look peaceful? It is as if she was sleeping.” I spent the next hour watching my mother’s chest waiting for her to take a breath. She never did.

Johanna’s show also went on to deal with long hidden memories of assault and difficult relationships. Her stories are her own to tell. There were also so many stories filled with joyous delight. In the end, she left me feeling hopeful and delighted to celebrate each day that we all have on this earth. This show was such an emotional roller coaster. She knew how to reach in and touch hidden memories. She was telling my life with her words.

There were only four opportunities to hear this consummate storyteller. I am so glad that I was in the right place at the right time to allow her stories to bring back hidden memories. This was my favorite solo show at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival.

Fringe: Awaken

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Cindy Heen is the Founder and Artistic Director of Emergence Dance based in Orlando Florida. Having sketched Emergence Dance rehearsals in the past, I knew that Awaken at this year’s Orlando International Fringe show could be an emotional roller coaster. Ed Anthony, one of DEM Guys, had given me a fountain pen to experiment with to do this sketch. The line work was fluid, and I was having a blast catching the dancers gestures while being inspired by the story line and choreography.

Awaken had a circus act ring leader, Mars Powers, with a top hat and formal attire. The ring leader performed the spoken word introductions with verve and aplomb. The dances followed the stages of grief. It is a story that has weaved it way through my life and every creative soul’s life. Early dance routine expressed loss and pain and over time that dark chaos was replaced with healing and acceptance.

The line sketch I was working on felt lively and fluid. I loved the fountain pen I was playing with. Then I started adding watercolor to the page. I placed a few flesh-colored splashed o the page. The lines exploded and every wash I put on the page turned dark black. I realized eventually that the ink in the fountain pen I had borrowed was not waterproof. If I were to put a large watercolor wash on the whole page every line would bleed turning the whole sketch black. The darkness of grief was winning the battle to dominate the sketch. Delicate details I had sketched were being washed away. I had to work hard to keep light and hope in the sketch. Working in the dark theater I was not sure what the final result would be.

The dancer who was overcome with grief was helped on her journey to recovery by other dancers who refused to let her waste away. It is a story of hope and being able to rise from the ashes. Eventually her fractured and distorted movements became fluid and joyfully graceful. Pain turned to sharing and pleasure.

As I was sketching, I was afraid that I would lose every line I had put down on the page, but then I accepted the chaos and started to enjoy the uncertainty. There was so much more beauty than darkness but fate insisted that darkness should dominate the sketch.

This captivating show had 5 performances at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival.

Fringe: Automatic Orchestra, Just Add Music

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At this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival, Automatic Orchestra: Just Add Music in the Blue Venue of the Orlando Shakes is an immersive improvisational orchestra where the actors are inspired by the music created by the audience. Entering the venue, there were various methods of making sound in every audience seat. I moved a rattle from my seat over to the next seat. There were kazoos, cooking pans, one of those metal barrels with metal beads wrapped around it, and so much more. I was hoping to play a trumpet while I sketched, but I didn’t see one. I would just be making the sound of a pen scratching on the page.

Actors entered from back stage and through magic portals. There were duels, fights, peaceful negotiations and so much action.  No actor ever spoke, they simply listened to what sounds came from the audience to decide what they should do next. The audience also fed off of the action. The fellow seated in front of me to my right banged a pot any time a gun was fired. It was as if the entire audience was hired to act as folly artists. Since my hands were busy sketching, I simply hummed and made other vocal noises.

If there was a story line, I missed it. Not knowing what was happening made sketching a challenge. I like to think of what the verb is before I start sketching someone. Chaos begets chaos. Kayla Fischl from her show Unconditionally, acted as the guest conductor. She had a music stand in front of her, but every member of the audience had their own agenda in terms of making sound. Conducting would be like trying to herd stray cats.

It was an hour of nonsensical experimentation. With a drink or two in you and a very open mind, you will likely have a blast. Just don’t go in expecting any three act play with  a well-defined character arc. Go in to laugh and make plenty of noise.

Here are the remaining show times for Automatic Orchestra, Just Add Music presented by Renie and Bob Productions of Altamonte Springs Florida. In the Blue Venue in the Shakes. Rated for all ages. Run time 60 minutes. Tickets are $13. Be sure to pick up a Fringe button for entry.

Saturday May 23, 5:24pm

Sunday May 24, 6:55pm

Fringe: The Black Jack Show

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The Scarlet venue at the Orlando International Fringe Festival seemed too large for The Black Jack Show. I suspect the puppeteer is used to performing for one or two people at a time. Jack and Black are two hand puppets that host a variety show that included torch songs, shadow puppets, a dog, a vampire comedian, a lion dance and two white gloves that performed between acts.

The white gloves were in my mind that stars of the show. They were entertaining and played off one another magnificently. After a puppy marionette pranced around the audience one of the white gloves popped up with puppy ears on. There was something magical about the simplicity of those two gloves. They had a humerus shtick that played off of every other act.

A COVID-19 puppet came out 3 separate times to sing cabaret numbers. Since I animated a film about COVID-19, I know that audiences are not that receptive to being reminded about how humanity, and America in particular, is ill equipped to handle an outbreak. As the COVID puppet performed her songs, I could see people in the front row begin to shut down. One person was literally nodding off. Since people during the height of the pandemic refused to accept reality by saying the virus was a hoax and vaccines carry microchips, they certainly don’t want to be reminded that COVID is now endemic and will always pose a threat to our immune systems. I was rooting for the singing COVID puppet, but her performance was accepted like a lead balloon. She left the stage saying, “I’ll be back.”

The little puppy marionette was cute, but it really didn’t have any performance potential other than sitting on its hind legs and panting. The puppeteer, who looked suspiciously like Rasputin paraded the puppy up and down the aisles of the audience. Very few people could see the puppet, so they sat wondering what was going on. It would have been nice if there was a much higher, eye level stage the puppy could have performed on.

There was a shadow box with white frosted Plexiglas on the front of it. A flashlight and shadow puppets were moved around behind the Plexiglas. The light from the shadow box illuminated about 5 people in the audience. From where I was sitting, I could not see what was being shown. From my vantage point, I was watching the puppeteer struggling to find the silhouette figures and juggling the flashlight. The flashlight kept falling as he searched for the next shadow puppet.

The lion dance puppet was much like the little puppy. Few people could see it since it was on the floor rather than up on a stage. The lion dance marionette just jumped up and down. I was just left wondering why?

Overall, this puppet variety show left me confused rather than entertained. A few drinks consumed at the beer tent before the performance could make the puppetry more palatable.

Remaining show times for The Black Jack Show by the St. Vetus Theater Company Orlando Florida. The show can be found in the Scarlet Theater in the Orlando Family Stage (1001 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803.) It is rated for 13 and up since there were some mature themes but no puppet sex. The show ran for an agonizing 60 minutes. Tickets are $12 and be sure you have a Fringe button.

Friday May 22, 7:15pm

Saturday May 23, 1:15pm

Fringe: Queer!

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Queer! Celebrates Latinx Queer resilience at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. The cast, each in turn, tells stories if growing up and feeling different that those around them. One female even conformed and lived the life of a mom. Deep down she knew she was stifling who she really was. Some stories were told through music, movement and projections. Some were spoken word which often resonates with me.

The stories were all tied together with a common thread of courage in being able to remain unique in a world that often the violently demands conformity. With some story tellers I would stop sketching, transfixed and wanting to quietly take in all I was being told. Some stories demand moments of quiet reflection.

Two big screens acted as bookends on either side of the stage. When the cast was speaking Spanish, the screens would project English translations. When the cast spoke English the screens projected Spanish. I loved that touch of inclusion.

America has turned dark by making war on our Latin neighbors with ICE raids. Florida leads the nation for ICE detentions and is home to Alligator Alcatraz, a concentration camp set up in the swamps southern Florida. This show is a reminder that Orlando remains a bubble of acceptance in a country that has gone mad.

The stories in the show, however, were not about politics or mistreating neighbors. The stories resonate with strength, determination and love. That is a message we need to hear in these times. No matter what your ethnicity or sexuality is, you will love this cast.

Remaining show times for Queer! Presented by Descolonizarte Tearo, Inc. Orlando Florida. Silver Venue. Rated for 13 and up. 70 Minutes. Tickets are $15.

Wednesday May 20,9:50pm

Thursday May 21, 6:30pm

Friday May 22, 6:30pm

Sunday May 24, 5:35pm

Intimi(dating): A Cabaret About Sex and Dating

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This post is sponsored by a very delicious mango flavored prosecco consumed on the Green Lawn of Fabulousness that left me floating in a wide zig zag pattern across the lawn not sure if my feet were touching the ground.

Katie Thayer is a powerhouse at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. She has become known as Bikini Katie for her unique advertising campaign where artists can advertise their shows on her bikini clad body with body paint. Placing an ad on her arm is cheaper than an ad on her shapely legs and an artist must pay top dollar to advertise on the the prime real estate of her chest.

Katie now has artists who help her by wearing bikinis to expand the advertising campaign. Katie purchased the award that Bobby Wesley had left unattended last year. He jokingly said he online that he owed Katie, and volunteered to wear a bikini at this year’s Fringe. Bikini Bobby honored that commitment, which I can verify since I saw him briefly at the beer tent. The ads were smeared and running because he had sprinted to a show at the Savoy, working up a sweat. The ads were legible but faint and dripping downward.

Back to Katie’s show Intimi(dating): A Cabaret About Sex and Dating which is at Savoy this year. Waiting in line to get into her venue in the Starlight Room there was a pre-show since we got to watch a male dancer in his thong gyrate on a platform near the bar. He kept nudging the thong down to his pubic arch as if about to reveal the not so hidden package.

Katie’s show was refreshingly honest and candid. I loved that two of Katie’s Bikini models were in the front row of her performance. Fringe is all about artists supporting artists. Katie held nothing back to reveal her sultriest scandals. When the sex was hot she was very honest about why. When she spoke about one relationship, the sex was no longer just about sexual pleasure, they became truly intimate.

Married men hid their secrets. She joked about how all women are master detectives when dealing with men. The trouble with her dating pool was that many of the men were international artists. She had less than stellar experiences dating Canadians.

Between stories Katie would play her ukulele and sing songs that helped musically define the bristling points of each story she related, followed by jokes about how she takes her men like she takes a cup of coffee. For the delicious punch lines you will need to see the show. Each sexual foray would lead to her questioning her choices.  But she lives fiercely and loves with absolute passion and abandon. Any failed relationships don’t knock her down; they make her stronger and more determined moving forward.

Experiencing this cabaret, you will leave feeling uplifted and hopeful that love and passion is always the right choice. As Katie says, “Life is more fun when you kiss and tell.” Hidden gems like this show are what makes Fringe great.

Remaining show times for Intimi(Dating): A Cabaret About Sex and Dating by Bikini Katie Productions, Orlando Florida. The Venue is the Starlight Room at Savoy (1913 North Orange Avenue Orlando Florida). Rating is 18 and up. The show lasts about 60 minutes. Tickets at $15. Be sure to get a Fringe button for entry. Happy Fringe!

Tuesday May 19, 7:00pm

Friday May 22, 8:30pm

Saturday May 23, 12:00pm

Sunday May 24, 7:30pm

Fringe: MacSchrek, The Comedy of Ogres

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The New Players Company of Oviedo Florida presents MacSchrek: The Comedy of Orgres. This  at this years Orlando International Fringe Festival. was a fun parody that mixes Shakespeare with the animated feature film Schrek. The combination is hilarious. If you are well versed in Shakespeare you will laugh at the comedic rewrites of his classic lines. If you have no clue who Shakespeare is you will laugh at the comedic timing and fast paced staging.

The stage was often crowded with players but I just felt the need to capture Schrek in his Shakespearian pantaloons. The actress playing Donkey was hilarious and the fair Gwendolyn was stunning even in green ogre horns. When drawing Pinocchio who was hiding behind a set piece, drew his nose sticking out after he told a lie. I thought it funny that the actor thought he was hidden like a manatee trying to hide behind a strand of sea grass.

I think everyone knows the story of how Schrek went on a quest to save his swamp land. Though self-serving, in the end it became an epic quest.  The actor who plays Farquaad the prince, played the roll bombastically and over the top which played well for comic relief. Somehow his narcissistic role seemed all the more suited for politics in America today.

Long story short, this is a really fun show to catch at the Fringe this year. It is a guaranteed good time.

Remaining show times…

MacSchreck: The Comedy of Ogres in the Yellow Venue. 60 minutes. Tickets are $15.

Monday May 18, 7:10pm

Tuesday May 19, 8:35pm

Saturday May 23, 12: 15pm

Sunday May 24, 3:45pm

Fringe: How to Play the Guitar (Poorly)

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The very first Orlando International Fringe Show I saw this year was with local Orlando legend Chase Padgett at the Renaissance Theater. The Renaissance has had a crazy year with the City of Orlando insisting it close while renovations were done to bring all aspects of the venue up to code. Over the course of renovations, the venue stayed afloat only through donations and a few shows staged at other venues. This was my first time returning to the venue and in my humble opinion the sound system is spectacular. The Phoenix has risen from the ashes of bureaucracy.

Chase was on stage as the audience filtered into the theater. He offered his own pre-show music as people settled in. The title of the play implies this might be an instructional show and it was, but it was not instructions on how to play Guitar, but rather on how to live while embracing your passions. In high school Chase had to choose between writing computer code or playing in the school band. The choice was obvious.

One Christmas Chases father, who loved Eric Clapton, bought Chase a guitar for Christmas. That guitar went abandoned and ignored while Chase played trumpet in the school band. Trumpet was his passion and he rose to first chair. It was only later in life that the guitar case was dusted off and the strings tuned. When Chase played, he could see how his father’s face would light up.

Chase took a course on how to build guitars, and he built the guitar he was using on stage by hand. He cut and sanded the wood, polished it and pieced it all together to be sure the acoustics were perfect. When his father learned this, he was in awe.

Separation, divorce, and substance abuse could have distanced Chase from his father, but he still sought to find ways to stay close. The approval of someone you love as an artist is something that some only dream about.

When Chase’s dad passed away there were tearful remembrances at the funeral and Chase decided to get up and play an Eric Clapton song on his guitar. As he played Tears in Heaven, my eyes welled up making it hard to sketch, so I stopped. The actress next to me was crying and I smiled as I fought back tears.

I am not sure why this show hit me so hard. Chase stressed that life as an artist was hard, but so rewarding. Had he decided to write computer code for a living he would have made so much more money. But life isn’t only about how much you earn. It is also about how much you can share.

After seeing several dozen Fringe shows so far, I can say without any hesitation that this show hit closest to home for me. You need to make your way several blocks over to the Renaissance and see this show.

Remaining Show times…

Chase Padgett: How to Play Guitar (Poorly), Peacock Farm Productions Orlando Florida United States. At the Renaissance Theater Company, 13 and up, 60 minutes. $15  and a Fringe button. Adult language.

Sunday May 17, 4:30pm

Tuesday May 19, 8:00pm

Thursday May 21, 7:00pm

Saturday May 23, 3:00PM

Sunday May 24, 6:00pm