ThanksKilling the Musical at Fringe.

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ThanksKilling the Musical is based on the motion picture, “ThanksKilling” written by Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart. The musical features music and lyrics by Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann. With songs like “Boobies”, “The Jock and the Hick and the Nerd and the Slut” and Gobble Gobble Mother Fucker”, you know you are in for a fun ride. A stereo typical group of teens take a jeep on a road trip. It breaks down leaving them stranded. They make the best of the situation and build a campfire. The teens are terrorized by a killer turkey that began his killing spree because of some totem pole desecration.

One by one the students and then their parents are picked off by the killer turkey. One particularly memorable number featured Ali (Kayla Alvarez) having sex with her boyfriend the Hick (Johnnie Maier) . Greg is taking Ali from behind. Te turkey sneaks up behind Greg and slits his throat and then rapes Ali who is singing a song about Jon Benet Ramsey. She didn’t seem to notice the turkey as being any different than her boyfriend, until the turkey snaps her neck.

The remaining students do research and discover that they must remove a talisman from around the turkeys neck before they can murder the beast in a fiery blaze. All the music was campy and over the top. As one boy dies in the nerd’s arms they remember the amazing times they had together and sing a song of man love. Both are killed by the turkey and find themselves dressed in white singing a reprise to man love. If you like gore, sex and plenty of campy weird horror, then this is the musical for you.

Show Up at Fringe.

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Pete Michael Marino from New York City, grew tired of seeing solo Fringe shows about a person’s life. He decided to instead create a show built around the lives of members of his audience. He pointed out a quote by Woody Allen that said “Showing up is 80 percent of life. Sometimes it’s easier to hide home in bed. I’ve done both.” Since we had shown up for his show, he felt we were all 80% of the way towards an amazing and entertaining show.

Pete picked out a cute young woman from the audience and he dubbed her his stage manager. Her job became to reorganize the chairs and table for each scene. On the back wall of the theater there were large post it notes that were used to define the basic structure for the stories to follow. The audience was asked questions that then became the underlying structure for each scene.

Pete confided that he had been diagnosed with an early case of Alzheimer’s…. by his friends. He therefor was fine with staying “on Book” referring to loose notes he had scribbled on a sheet of paper. Much of each scene however was pure long form improvisation and he flew by the seat of his pants. According to him, he had no idea what he was doing which added to the allure that the show could potentially self destruct at any moment. He managed to keep the show light and entertaining despite the challenges.

After the last scene he divided up the audience into sections and invited us all to mingle on the stage for a party. I was assigned to serve imaginary drinks which I did with gusto. Once everyone had imaginary drinks in hand they felt comfortable to mingle and mix on the stage. A string of Christmas lights was unfurled among the party goers. It was certainly a fun and unexpected way to end the show.

Beau and Arrow: Crash Landing at Fringe.

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A Little Bit Off, from Portland, Oregon presented Beau and Aero: Crash Landing, a show featuring a whirlwind of acrobatic and slapstick antics. Pilot Beau and his sidekick Aero,two bumbling aviators,have crash landed, and will try anything to get back in the air. These foolish pilots live in a world where balloons are bountiful, laughs are abundant, and hardly a word is spoken.

After hearing a plane crash in the darkness of the theater, Beau stumbled out wrapped inside a parachute. A rag doll version of Arrow was thrust up and over a black backstage curtain. The house went black Beau tried to revive his side kick. she was fine, but playfully slid back to a reclined position any time Beau turned his back.

Much of the involved playful uses for balloons. Beau offered a balloon to a young girl in the audience and right before she grabbed it, he let go ad the balloon spit out air and flew away in s spiraling trajectory. A woman picked from the audience held a fool wide hoop which Beau shoot a sputtering balloon through. The balloons always flew off course. Somehow a ping pong ball was thrust inside arrow’s balloon. She squeezed the balloon and it shot the ping pong ball right into Beau’s chest. He then went into slow sequence in which he acted out his horror ad shock about being shot. He stumbled over to the woman from the audience, and she held him much like the Pieta as he faded away. The sweat on Beau’s brow reminded me that all the antics aren’t easy.

As a giant 5 foot high red balloon was inflated, the audience was covered with the parachute. Amazingly both Beau and arrow crawled inside the balloon. The audience was warned that there would be a loud noise, and the balloon popped To show that Beau and Aero had both changed into brightly colored acrobat’s jump suits. It is rare for a show to make me feel a child like wonder, but Beau and Arrow accomplished that.

Remaining show times,

Sunday May 28, 2017 at 4:30pm in the Green Venue 1001 East Princeton Street Orlando FL.

There aint No More; Death of a Folksinger, at Fringe.

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Death of a Folksinger is a one man show based on the legends of American Folk Music and the early vaudeville stage. Willie Carlisle took the audience on a high energy romp through the history of the music genera. The scene opened with Willie wearing an old man mask as he sang a lonesome tune. Different characters played banjo, violin, and a squeeze box.

He did a quick series of snippets as if performing with the USO for troops over seas. He would hold the banjo suggestively to his hips and thrust if forward announcing his presence at hill 69. Of course the hill had another number instead. A scroll behind him was turned to show a series of black and white shadow illustrations that visualized the characters in a song.

Described as a haunting and heartfelt hootenanny, the multi layered show had Willie exhausted and sweating as he danced and performed his heart out. The mask he wore had a skull painted on the inside surface and when he saw that he performed with even more gusto to try and save off death. I had fun documenting this very American musical performance.

Martin Dockery’s Delirium at Fringe.

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Delirium is a one man show starring Martin Dockery from Brooklyn New York at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. He is an amazing story teller. His high energy delivery is unrelenting. He has the most expressive hand gestures of any storyteller I have ever seen. His gestures are as expressive as the story being told.

He told a story about his desire to set up a restaurant at Burning man that only served strawberries. The irony was that he wanted the restaurant to have a huge staff of waiters, maitred’ and sous chefs. He had a year to plan but when burning Man fast approached, he realized he hadn’t done a thing to make his dream a reality. He finally decided to do it himself with a few throw pillows and a cooler. Embarrassed, he set up shop one night as everyone else was partying. He decided to call out to a hulk of a man in a black trench coat and dark hat. He though he had made a mistake as the man approached. however the man sat down and ordered a strawberry dish. Martin realized as he served up the dish that he should make small talk since he was sort of like a bartender. The conversation turned serious as the man related a story about that last time he was at burning man.it involved a relationship with a tragic ending. Just the act of listening helped the man in his healing process. A simple and silly concept served just one costumer, but the interaction changed both men.

Another vivid story revolved around the loss of Martin’s dog. His description of why dog ownership is so enticing had me wanting to get a dog for myself. There is something about walking down a street with a dog that is so excited about everything he encounters. As Marti  sat at his computer doing human things, he could look across the room at the dog and there was a realization that they were is that space and time together. Martin was there when the dog had to be put down because of a cancerous growth. The loss was devastating.

So many of his stories were about love and loss. With the loss still fresh in Orlando after the Pulse shooting that took 49 lives we all need to be reminded that love is possible despite the darkness of the infinite universe. It is the one thing that makes sense when facing an indifferent world. The frantic delivery of each tale makes the telling of the stories seem imperative and desperately needed. This is theater at its best with a storyteller relating stories that can touch and perhaps change and inspire anyone who listens.

Tickets:

Wednesday, May 24, 2017, 10:45 pm EST at the Pink Venue $12 plus a Fringe button.

La Reina Yolanda at Fringe.

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Leesa Castaneda, a a playwright, director and actress veteran of the Orlando theatre scene, is bringing her one woman show entitled La Reina Yolanda to the Orlando International Fringe Festival.

Written and performed by Leesa Castaneda and directed by Paul Castaneda, the play is about one woman’s life from childhood adventures to her battle with Alzheimer’s. The affection between the actress and director was evident as they talked during the tech. Sometimes the greatest journeys are the ones in our own mind.

Yolanda, is a fierce Latina who we follow from childhood to old age. Beset by tragedy, she leans on her sharp mind and family to land on her feet. An advocate for her family and the less fortunate, her mind becomes ravaged by Alzheimer’s. She’s faced with the fight for her mind, sense of self and the family she has fought hard to protect. When who we are begins to disappear piece by piece, how do we hold on to the essence of what defines us?

Two painting on stage were done by La Reina herself. one showed a priest walking past a gorgeous woman in a red dress and high heels. it was as if the priest were considering abandoning his robes to turn and follow the woman. the other painting was probably a self portrait of La Reina. She looked stoic and strong. This was a tech rehearsal, which involved lots of lighting adjustments prior to a complete run through of the show. We had forgotten to bring tissues from the Shakespeare Theater bathrooms. It wasn’t until the last scenes when sleeves had to be used. To see such an inspired and active woman loose her sense of identity was painful to watch.

La Reina Yolanda will have performances in the WHITE Venue

Remaining show times:

Monday, May 22nd 5:30 PM

Wednesday, May 24th 5:30 PM

Friday, May 26th 7:00 PM

Saturday, May 27th 4:00 PM

Sunday, May 28th 6:00 PM

The Orlando Fringe runs through May 29, 2017 in Loch Haven Park. Go to the Orlando Fringe website at orlandofringe.org for tickets and the Festival Dates and location.

Phantasmagoria’s Wickedest Tales of All at Fringe.

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Phantasmagoria: Wickedest Tales of All will hit the Orlando International Fringe Festival with a vengeance. I sat in on a  tech rehearsal in the Orange Venue (Margeson Theater) inside the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. I sat in the top row of the theater. The huge cast was rehearsing a waltz. With so many actors on stage, the challenge was to keep couples from bumping into each other.  Once the dance was worked out, the actors were released to go back stage, and get into make up and finish their elaborate costuming. John DiDonna came up to the back row to say hi and offer me a chance to sketch the back stage chaos. However, I had to run in order to get to another show.

Stage hands started sweeping the stage and then someone discovered a quarter sized hole in the stage floor. It was fun to watch actors, stage hands, the tech and director all standing around the hole to figure out how to patch it up. should a performer’s heel get stuck it could be a tragic moment. The fight choreographer stuck his finger in and said, “This will seal it up, I’m sort of like the Dutch boy.” Someone else suggested that they should get an actor to stick their finger in and then rip it off leaving it behind in the hole. Corks were considered and of course Duct Tape fixes anything. I didn’t stick around to find out how the mysterious hole was eventually patched.

The driving premise behind the show is that any story that is old must be told until it is complete. Some stories are so horrific that the cast can find themselves in mortal danger. There was a drone perched on on of the boxes, so I am left wondering how it might come into play.

Corsets and Cuties – A Burlesque Cabaret – #flawless

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Corsets and Cuties has a Fringe show this year titled Flawless in the black venue which is in “The Venue”, (511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL 32803). When I arrived for the dress rehearsal, everyone was working their way through the final dance number. With that worked out they then started to get into their outfits. Corsets had to be laced. Barbie Rhinestone leaned forward as another dancer pulled the laces tight. “Can you breath?” she was asked. When she said “Yes”, the laces got pulled tighter. Each corset had a different letter on the front, like an O, and a T. The letters finally made sense when all the dancers lines up on stage and spelled Strong.

Some numbers were outright hilarious. This is burlesque with a comic twist and it will shock and amaze you. The group numbers celebrated all that is good about Orlando. You kind of expect delays and some glitches in a rehearsal and there was a problem back stage between numbers. A workman in a black hoodie came out tightening screws with a drill. Well the worker turned out to be a performer, and a sexy one at that. In one dance, a guy sat in a chair and a female performer did a handstand and leg split right in front of him. He was supposed to grab her hips but he grabbed her legs. They had to do the move over again, and then one more time during the performance. 

If you want a lighthearted and fun Fringe evening, then I would suggest  stopping out to the Black Venue for Flawless.

Show Times:

Price: $12

Thursday May 18, 2017 at 11:59pm

Sunday May 21, 2017 at 10:30pm

Wednesday May 24, 2017 at 9:00pm

Thursday May 25, 2017 at 11:59pm

Sunday May 28, 2017 at 9pm

O-Town: Voices from Orlando

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I was still reporting about the Orlando International Fringe Festival last year when the horrific shooting at the Pulse nightclub happened on June 12, 2016. Fringe is once again going to burst onto the Lock Haven Park complex bringing drama, and comedy for a solid week on unrelenting theater and fun. Last year after the shooting I asked Orlando artists to go to the Falcon Bar to create 49 portraits of the innocent lives lost at Pulse. Those 49 portraits were then exhibited at the Orlando Science Center and on that evening I was interviewed about the project. That interview then became the source of inspiration for a monologue in O-Town.

Prints of the 49 portraits hung behind the stage giving the somber impression of prison bars. The play is based on a series of interviews conducted mostly by David Lee, of people who have been affected by the tragedy. It opens with a monologue inspired by Our Town written by Thornton Wilder. The opening described Orlando on the eve of the shooting. People and places would be very different the next day. A homeless man would be lighting candles at the Dr Phillips memorial site each night, a costume shop owner would soon be creating thousands of rainbow ribbons…

I spoke with Christopher Hanson multiple times about how he survived that night at Pulse. The actor playing Christopher told the story of survival and personal responsibility with humor and lots of heart. Then the actor playing me took to the stage. I was surprised to find myself tearing up based on things I had said a year ago. It seems like a lifetime ago. People in the audience were also getting choked up. One woman cried through the whole show. I had just one paper towel I had decided to bring in from the men’s room.

Other monologues described fighting hate with love using Angel Action Wings made of PVC and and white fabric. People who planned to protest the funerals of Pulse victims were blocked by these angels who would sing to drown out their hate. A first responders wife described how her husband was changed by his evening in the aftermath of Pulse. He would experience PTSD from that night onward and there was no disability for the mental anguish. Had be broken his leg then there would be help.

These stories are all part of the larger picture of an entire community trying to recover from a horrible act of violence. A year later and the scars are still there, but Orlando had answered with love and acceptance. Hateful people still thrive, feeling invulnerable in a country in which politics encourage hate and accusations.  They try to cause senseless harm, but love is stronger that hate. It was an emotional night. After the show. I was hugged by several people who recognized me. I shut my eyes and felt the warmth. Tears streamed down my face.

All the monologues in O-Town: Voices from Orlando will be presented together on the Eve of the one year mark of the attack on Pulse Nightclub on Sunday June 11, 2017 at 7pm at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in the Margeson Theater. Profits will benefit the onePulse Foundation.org.

I can’t recommend this show enough. The monologues focus the audiences attention on aspects of the tragedy that never made their way to mainstream media outlets. It is a human and multi layered fabric. I met the actor, Daniel Cooksley, who played my part on stage. He said he had never performed a part with the subject sitting in the audience.

Fringe Show Times:

May 17, 2017 at 6PM

May 20, 2017 at 7PM

May 22, 2017 at 7PM

May 26, 2017 at 8:15PM

May 27, 2017 at 12:15PM

May 28, 2017 at 11:15AM

Frank to be Frank at Fringe.

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World-renowned! The Rat Pack’s 17th member! America’s most entertaining entertainer invites you to partake in his interactive live life retrospective. This riveting glimpse into a very special leading man is brought to you by Australian comic Emily June Newton and director Deanna Fleysher (aka Butt Kapinski). FRANK will grab you by your shoulders and make you feel nostalgia for a star you never knew!

As we entered the round patron’s room, Frank welcomed each audience member. Some were given mini flashlights. Frank is a woman dressed as a man, pretending to be a woman dressed like a man. Gender and the theatrical five o’clock shadow were all quite confusing. I had been advised to see this show thanks to one of the critics at the press preview.  Several bolts of fabric were at the front of the sage, and Frank showed them to the audience saying in a sing son voice, “beautiful fabrics!” The audience when coached sang along. Frank regaled us with his many successes and the audience was puddy in his hands.

He held a popularity contest with one member of audience and was shocked as the tide gradually turned in favor of the audience member. The theater went black an Frank hid back stage and tried to sneak out of the theater but intrepid audience members caught him in the beams of their flash lights. Frank shouted “No! Don’t shine that light on me!” Which meant, please keep me in the limelight.

Later that evening, after the show, we stood in line for Joe’s NYC Bar and there was a beautiful actress in front of us. Perhaps because I had been sketching, I recognized her as Frank. She said that our audience had been the best audience she had experienced at fringe. The whole “Beautiful fabrics” routine had been improvised and built upon because the audience was so willing to play along. There is a certain magic that happens when a performer meets just the right audience. I was glad to be a witness to some of that magic thanks to Frank.