Lil Indies

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Lil Indies (1036 Mills Ave N, Orlando, FL 32803) is right next to Wills Pub. I hosted an Orlando Drink and Draw event (ODD) there and when I arrived, Indies was not open yet. I decided to take the time to do a sketch outside and meet any artists as they arrived. Storm clouds loomed a steely blue grey on the horizon. Mills has a constant flow of traffic, and as I did this sketch, a van pulled up to Wills and a band started unloading their instruments and equipment. The sign outside the club says, “no colors and no weapons” which is a good policy in this day and age. I don’t think they actually check for weapons.

The storm clouds blew my way, and it started to rain just before I was finished. I decided the sketch was done when the first big drops hit the page. Greg Bryla arrived just before the deluge and we went inside together.Lil Indies is decorated like I imagine my grandmothers basement would look like. Kitschy paintings adorn the walls, and vintage couches and chairs are scattered around the entry rooms.

The bar itself is built from various colors of hand stained boards and feels hand made. The signature cocktails can be delicious. I found a table in the corner for the artists and set about drawing the stage area. I believe four of us were drawing that night.

On this evening Tod Caviness was hosting a literary event called Loose Lips. Five writers reflect on the news
with their own words, their own frightening words, and the drinks flowed (some of the best cocktails in town are made at Lil’ Indies), and
the world shall continue on as though uninterrupted. It was a good night of drinking, drawing, listening, laughing and reflecting on where we are headed as a nation.


The next loose Lips will be July 3, 2018 at 8 p.m.again at Lil Indies. The event is 21 and over and will return under the terrifying regime of the Functionally Literate crew.

Loose Lips at Lil Indies.

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I stated the new yer off with a trip to Lil Indies (1036 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803) to sketch Loose Lips. Hosted by Tod Caviness, Loose Lips has Local writers read works inspired by current events. Authors all read their text in their digital devises before taking to the stage. The humble typewriter or pen and paper seems to have fallen to the wayside. For most of the time I spent sketching, people struggled to get the microphone system working. The lighting situation at Lil Indies is less then perfect anyone at the mic is lit from behind making them appear as a black silhouette.

Lil Indies reminds me of my parents basement in their small post WWII home. My older brothers artistic endeavors consisted of paint by number clown portraits. These same creepy clowns adorn the walls of Lil Indies along with a classy nude behind the stage. I don’t think she was paint by numbers, but I didn’t get close enough to tell. This sketch was a digital experiment to use different colored pencils to start the sketch. It came about after seeing the work of Howard Brody. He used just three colored pencils to do his sketches and he achieved so much with so little.

With Trump in office, it seems there is endless material for lampooning the news. As frightening as the news might be, there is plenty of room for laughter.  I don’t understand how people can lock themselves at home staring at insipid stories with laugh tracks on their TVs when there are such amazing stories being related at our local dive bars.

Loose Lips at lil indies.

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I hosted a Drink and Draw at lil indies (1036 N. Mills Ave,, Orlando, Florida 32803). As an added bonus, Tod Caviness was hosting a literary reading event called Loose Lips which began later in the evening. Three landscape architects showed up, along with Colin Boyer. We sat at corner table to get a good view of the room which felt like a grand parent’s basement. The room slowly filled with authors. I sketched Tod at the microphone as he introduced the first author. Karen Price read a fiction pie set in Paris France. It was a story about an artist who had to deal with a flooding of the Seine River. Today, no artist could afford to live right on the Seine. When visiting Paris, I sketched the art studio of one of my favorite artists, Daumier. His studio had a gorgeous view over the Seine.

Just yesterday, I moved into a two bedroom apartment in Thornton Park. My lease had been terminated by a snow bird that returned to Winter Park two months early. With my lease terminated, I had to find an apartment fast. I posted my predicament on Facebook and amazingly a friend offered an apartment that is right downtown and the first evening after the move, I walked to the venue I was going to sketch. I think this is the first time in 22 years where I didn’t have to drive to where I wanted. to sketch. I walked through the beautiful downtown neighborhood full of quaint 1940’s restored bungalows with a friend. It was an ideal evening.

The Last Speakeasy.

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July 25th was the last Speakeasy at Will’s Pub. Tod Caviness has hosted this monthly drunken literary event for years. At this final edition, someone had created cardboard cut out photos of Tod’s face on Popsicle sticks to be used as masks.

A documentary was made about the speakeasy when it went the way of the Dodo when Will’s Pub closed down years ago.The speakeasy rose from the ashes like a phoenix when Will’s re-opened in it’s present location (1042 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL).  

The Speakeasy is usually about poetry and spoken word but Tod introduced Drew who has performed his original acoustic guitar songs on the Speakeasy stage throughout the years. A Tod mask was shoved into the speaker. 

Drinks flowed and the poetry got edgier. I’ve sketched at a number of these events and sometimes the line between art and anarchy has been crossed. Some history need no be repeated. 

The Speak ease was form when there was a dis time vacuum in the Orlando Literary scene. Over the years however, spoken word events have popped up like mushrooms all over town. If only the visual arts community had a similar event to get artists out to meet and share ideas. There is a monthly artist critique, and an Artist’s Social but p true longstanding event hasn’t yet taken form.

The Last Speakeasy.

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The Speakeasy was an Orlando institution for decades. Tod Caviness organized the monthly showcase of poets, authors and storytellers who would converge on Will’s Pub (1042 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL3) once a month.A documentary was shot about the speakeasy when the first Will’s Pub shot down. The documentary covered the history of this spoken word event in Orlando. When Will’s Pub re-opened at a new location, the Speakeasy was also resurrected.

July 21st however marked the final evening for The Speakeasy’ The literary scene in Orlando has grown by leaps and bounds. Todd is now a married man with a young son. Whatever the reason might be, The Speakeasy has faded into history. Cardboard Tod Caviness masks were scattered on all the tables. On the all was a sign from the now demolished Coach Dining Room which was part of The Red Fox Lounge where Mark Wayne and Lorna Lamby used to perform their over the top camp and fun lounge act. The Red Fox Lounge was a beloved Winter Park watering hole for 50 years. Mark and Lorna entertained crowds for 23 years but sadly Mark passed away. Their act is rumored to have inspired a Saturday Night Live skit, “The Culp Family Musical Performances,” starring Will Ferrell and Ana
Gasteyer.

Michael Pierre read the most memorable piece on this historic evening. He walked among the tables rather than stand on the stage. His poem described the speakeasy history while lampooning many of the writers who had shared drinks and read over the years. I have sketched at The Speakeasy quite a few times over the years, and I’ve seen creative types drink and do things that are best left to the blurry reaches of unrecorded history. Michael couldn’t see his handwriting in the dark, so Frankie Messina illuminated the pages by following Michael with his his cell phone. Then Frankie covered his face with a Tod mask to add an extra touch of humorous magic to the moment. It was a somewhat sad evening but the best way to face that sadness is with a laugh and more than a few drinks.  

The curtain falls and time marches on but I’m thankful I got to witness just some of the magic and mayhem that each Speakeasy generated. 

Fairvilla Megastore presented 5 Senses of Sexy: A Valentine’s Party.

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I followed the 104.1 talk radio station truck into the parking lot of Fairvilla Megastore (1740 North Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Florida). Two lovely ladies at the entrance gave me a pink wrist band, two drink tickets, and a card that listed all the vendors I should visit during the course of the night. I’ve never been inside the adult store before, so I was a bit nervous and excited. I explored the store before deciding what to sketch. There were two floors of every imaginable sex toy, lotion, lingerie and leather. Several employees knew about AADW and soon I was being given a  tour.

The senses included:

Taste: Complimentary cocktails, sweets and treats.

Touch: Pug Kissing Booth, Presented by Pug Rescue of Florida.

Sight: A performance by Big Bang Boom! Cabaret
Hear, and The Poetry Vending Machine

Smell: Pheremone perfumes and massage candles.

Nikki Meir showed me a vibrator from the Rabbit Company. The company had black T-Shirts with what looked like a pink human nose on it. It turned out the nose was actually the company logo which features Rabbit ears. The vibrator I was shown was small, fitting neatly in the palm of my hand. It comes apart and resembles a thumb drive for a computer. This small USB plug is how the device is quickly recharged. It was purple and had the shape of a goats hoof, or as I later realized, small rabbit ears. Those vibrating ears could be slipped like two fingers around any sensitive spots. I immediately saw its appeal.

Upstairs there was a bed set up with restraints. Couples could try out the restraint system to see if it suited their needs. There was a game called “Pin the cock on the jock” which featured a bold bulls eye right where you would expect it. I decided to sketch the more refined and subtle Poetry Vending Machine. The vending machine is featured at the International Fringe Festival each year. Tod Caviness explained that the poems written at Fringe get most interesting late at night when patrons have been drinking too many beers at the beer tent. They give the poets several words to act as inspiration and late at night all those words become deprived and filthy. That is why the Poetry Vending Machine fit right in at Fairvilla. Some of Orlando’s best poets came out for the event. Actually, perhaps all of Orlando’s male poets came out for the night. A Haiku was just $2 and a custom poem was $5. At the end of the evening, Todd, who is now a dad, walked away with multiple red whips and eye masks. They were some mighty fine spoils for an evening of writing poetry.  

Wonderland – The Gift of Creativity.

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Anytime you walk into True Serenity (1100 Montana St, Orlando, Florida), you feel the love. Tod Caviness was playing with his son in the front parlor. I had arrived a bit early, so people were still setting up. Tara Chiavetta who owns True Serenity gave me a warm welcome. This quaint bungalow offers gentle yoga, Chakra healing workshops, energy readings, and Reiki Circles. Today however it us a Magical Wonderland. Members of Orlando’s creative local community offered unique arts, crafts and holistic gifts for the holidays. 

I went outside where vendors were lined up in the driveway. Tisse Mallon and Banks Helfrich had a Listening Booth set up. The concept is simple and elegant you sit down and Tisse or Banks will listen intently to what you have to say. Tisse explained that some people get quite emotional since having someone truly listen is becoming a rare commodity today. It reminded me of Marina Abramovie‘s “The Artist is Present” that was staged at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. At that performance you would sit opposite Marina and look into her eyes for as long as you wanted to. Some people would be moved to tears because people seldom take the time to honestly look at one another. I was surprised to find out that Tisse and Bank first met at a party at my house on New Year’s Day. Perhaps that was the birthplace of their Living room Theater concept.

It had gotten cold outside and I didn’t bring a sweatshirt or sweater, so after joking with Tisse and Banks, I went inside hoping to find a cozy and warm spot to sketch. I decided to sketch Maricardia Avila who was offering Astrology readings. Her business is called Odyssey of Light. The paintings in the room all seemed to have planetary themes. The calming shape of a circle could be seen everywhere. Lights danced on the ceiling further heightening the celestial display. Business was slow for the first hour, so I focused on the setting. Cheryl, the owner of the Crystal Healing Spa had her beautiful healing crystals for sale right behind me.


In the living room, Fresh Coffee from Vita Luna Craft Coffee Bar was being ground and brewed. In the back courtyard there was  Live Music with a great track selection played throughout the night by DJ Anthony Bonilla. There are wonderful oriental flavored murals in the hallways of the bungalow. Illuminated by black lights the blossoms glow a vibrant purple and orange. I’ve always wanted to capture that mysterious light and there is just a hint in the doorway. 

Maricardia’s daughter went to the Poetry Vending Machine to have a custom poem created. Her mom read it out loud and it was of course magical. Finally, a couple settled in for their Astrology Reading. The reading was surprisingly high tech. The laptop displayed a circle cutup into slices like a pie and in the center, red lines darted from slice to slice divining the future. I know nothing about the science of Astrology, but the advice Maricardia offered was sound and sincere. The couple have world travel in their future but certain pragmatic financial concerns need to be resolved. One of the patrons is writing a children’s book, and that might be the reason for the travel. One year from now all of the things discussed would find a resolution. The couple is in a period of deep discussion and everything will be put out in the open and shared. When the reading was over, so was my sketch. 

The nurturing conversation sparked by the reading continued as she walked with the couple to the front entry. I saved my sketch and closed the computer. I felt bad that I didn’t have a chance to share the sketch since I had to dart off to a show were I would be meeting Terry. I was also  curious to have my own reading done, but I was out of time.  I showed the sketch to Maricardia’s daughter instead, thinking she could explain the sketch to her mom verbally.

Beatnik brings flower power to the Venue.

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This is the third year that Beth Marshall Productions has brought Beatnik to The Venue, 511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, Florida. This year the title was, Beatnik Cubed: A 60’s Flashback. This was the 3rd and final installment of the unique, audience
interactive speak-easy 60’s theme one-night only event. Whether attending
for the first time or returning, all audience members will get into the
groove of enjoying a flashback of the 60’s. Many of the regular beats,
poets, freaks, geeks and gypsy artisans of every kind will be returning
along with some new acts and surprises. Fully immersive and interactive
theatrical experience. The pre-show was full of both entertainment, and
information about past installments.

 The premise of the show is that the cast is celebrating the birthday of  the fictional proprietor of the Venue, Adrian LePeltier. In the pre-show, the black clad Beatnik chicks stood on the stairway where they read a poem. A Varie Tease dancer,  Michelina Wingerter, performed an improvised interpretive dance to the poem. In this small living room area the cast mingles with the audience. There was also a performance in front of the Venue, but I returned to the theater to finish up the sketch I had started. 

 This sweeping variety show has everything. The Beat King Host, Samuel Butcher, was a cynical but rather funny drunk whose dark insights speak to artistic integrity above all else. The cast is divided into the colorful and carefree hippies and the dark brooding beats. All of Them have a love for the Venue and what it represents. 

One of my favorite performances in the show came from the husband and wife team of Tod and Christen Caviness as the Poet Guru and his Muse. Tod recited a poem about Jack Kerouac and the striving of his generation in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Christen performed a sensual dance that perfectly expressed the longing of a generation. Since this was a rehearsal and they didn’t have a baby sitter, their young son Carlin was part of the  performance. Tod held his grinning son in his arms as he belted out the epic poem. Carlin watched his mom dance in amazement. When she danced to the far side of the stage however, she was too far away. His face crinkled and he began to cry, softly at first, and then all out. In a pause in her dance Christen’s face reflected her heart felt concern. Tod lost track the poem in 1961 but then got right back in the groove, shouting over his sons tears. later in the show, as the whole cast danced on stage to “Let the Sun Shine”, Carlin was on Christen’s hip and smiled with joy as the cast danced around him. Unfortunately Carlin will not par for in the actual show, but his moments on stage were pure unrehearsed magic. 

Brett Carson performed the Bongo Beat. Dramatic moments were often accompanied by a bongo beat followed by the snapping of fingers rather than clapping. The audience becomes part of the action when note cards are handed out. Each member of the audience with a card was asked to shout out their word when the host pointed to them. Scrawled on my card was a word that rhymes with truck. “Should I really shout this out?” I thought. Perhaps I should just make up my own word.  The host pointed to me and I shouted “F*ck!” “Oh come on!” he shouted. “F*ck me like you mean it.” “F*ck!” I yelled. Other words included Woman, War, hate, and many others. Shouted in sequence they almost made sense.  That’s beat. Or is it? Snap, sap, snap.

  

Andy Haynes read a story about breaking up with cynicism and choosing vulnerability instead. When he got off stage, he kissed Julie Snyder. The spontaneous evening came to a screeching halt when everyone learns that their beloved Venue has been sold to an Ivanhoe Development company. Julie somehow managed to secure herself a job in the new venue which features an exercise gym. She was hilarious as she struggled do push ups and do jumping jacks. In a break, she asked me to give her big muscles in the sketch, but I sadly missed that sketch opportunity. It was hard to separate the affection felt for the real cast as opposed to the drama of the fictional cast. Billy Manes as Andy Warhol entered the Venue snapping photos of the audience in the final scene. Billy is famous for reporting on the twisted inner workings of local government. Perhaps this however was his 15 minutes of fame.

Orlando Folk Festival

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On Sunday February 9th, I went to the 12th Annual Orlando Folk Festival at The Mennello Museum of American Art 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, Fl. The had rained the previous day so everyone was happy for the sunshine. After talking with Tod Caviness and his wife Christin for a moment, I immediately focused on the kids painting a fence Tom Sawyer style. Of course Tom Sawyer only had white paint while these kids had their pick of the rainbow. Some kids would focus on a small area with laser beam attention to fine detail while others used the brush with bold bravado. I believe this fence is re-used every year and the paint is growing as thick as the continental crust. A volunteer would fill plastic cups with paint and put an artist’s smock on each child. Don’t mock the smock. Parents stood guard to be sure that the paint went on the wall rather than on other children.

The two stages for folk singers were behind me, so I got to relax to their gentle harmonies. People set up blankets and lawn chairs in the shade to listen. A family on a blanket near me had a bunch of kids who were getting antsy. I boy threw a stick that hit me in the back. The mom said, “Say your sorry Bobby.” He remained silent. “He really is sorry” she said. The kids started playing tag and I began to feel I was in the middle of a war zone. One little girl tripped over my art bag. They really weren’t looking where they were going. With the sketch done, I retreated to a quieter neutral zone.

I spotted Emily Empel and her friends and I sat to chat with them for the last set. Emily had been a presenter at Pecha Kucha on the same evening I had presented. It was interesting to hear her take about how the evening went. From my perspective Emily’s presentation had been flawless. But she confided that she had been very nervous that night. I think I had been to committed to what I had written and Emily felt the same. Other presenters memorized their talks while others just knew key points that they wanted to cover. Becky Lane, a speech coach at Full Sail had encouraged me to just have key points but I was already too committed to the exact words I had written. Regardless, looking back at the video, the presentation went pretty well. I’m glad I stepped outside my comfort zone. I need to do that more often.

When the band finished playing I headed home. l bumped into Carl Knickerbocker who had his “Art Car” at the festival. He used large magnetic sheets to cover a car with his bold Suburban folk images. He has a short film in this year’s Florida Film Festival titled “The Last Orange Grove in Middle Florida.” I can’t wait to see it.

Alice Lost in Wonderland Dress Rehearsal

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Alice Lost in Wonderland written and directed by Rob Winn Anderson had its original world premiere at the Garden Theatre (160 West Plant Street, Winter Garden FL.). The show marks Beth Marshall Presents’ 9th production in partnership with The Garden Theatre. The first thing that struck me was the wonderful Steam punk mental asylum set by Tom Mangieri. It was vaguely reminiscent of the set for Wicked.

Actors gathered for a group photo and then ran through a fight sequence choreographed by Bill Warriner. Becky Eck, who played Jane stood on stage alone as other actors got into place.  I assumed from the title that I should look to sketch Alice, but it became quite clear that Jane was the lead character. I had sketched auditions and heard several dozen actresses read for the part of Jane. When I saw the monologue performed by Becky in the context of the play, I was floored, astonished at the meaning and implied emotion in her performance.

  Alice Lost in Wonderland, uses Lewis Carroll’s classic book to inspire
the story of Jane’s frantic search for what she has lost. Years
of falling in and out of mental institutions have broken her and now she
finds herself in a terrifying situation where chances are final and
journeys into dark places are both wonderful and haunting. This
whimsical psychological thriller steps out of reality and into a
shattered mind to create a classically creepy and intriguingly creative
journey through wonderland.

In one compelling moment Jane is stripped of her cheerful childhood clothes by grey institution patients. She stands bare for a moment in her bra and panties and then the patients slip the dingy grey institution uniform over her head. It becomes clear that her Wonderland quest makes her one of them. I was delighted to see Tod Caviness as the Caterpillar. He gave the character a hip 60’s flair that only a poet could perform.

Jane’s search for Alice in Wonderland is actually a way for her to avoid horrible memories from her past. As these memories surface, the play takes a dark sinister turn to face the worst in human nature. This is NOT a kids show. Issues and horrors faced are all too real. The show is quick witted and light when in the Wonderland fantasy then grey and sinister when facing the realities of doctors who consider electroshock therapy an enlightened practical approach to mental health. This show is a perfect addition to the Halloween season.

Mark Your Calendar! This show runs through November 3rd. Show times are Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $25 for adults ($21 for seniors/students). There will also be an Industry Night on Monday, October 28 at 8pm. This show is open to the public with $15 tickets for those in the theatre industry. Pilars Bar next door will be open and offering drink specials for patrons on Industry Nite Monday Oct. 28th.

Get your tickets now at BethMarshallPresents.com or GardenTheatre.org!