Disney Security Kiosk

Posted on by Thor

Before leaving Orlando, performance artist, Brian Feldman wanted to produce a second performance of Thor sketches the Audience for the United Arts, Arts Fest in February . He had the idea of using the theater at Disney University as the venue. I drove down to Disney to meet him and Tommy Wingo. Tommy handled all the tech details the first time around with the projectors and screens. I changed into my nice pants since I figured I needed to fit the Disney look as we met the theater promotions folks.

When I got to the Disney Institute the security guard at the entrance asked me for my driver’s license. I searched my pants and wouldn’t you know, my wallet wasn’t there. I had left it in the old pair of pants. Fay, the security guard couldn’t let me onto the Disney property. I sat with her in her little security kiosk as I called Brian and the Disney folks to try and get in. I think one of the promotions people went out to the wrong kiosk to get me. Security has been this tight ever since 9/11 and I just might be a terrorist. I know I’m an anarchist.

The theater is absolutely gorgeous with plush theater seats
and an old school look, reminding me of the Ford Theater where Lincoln was
shot. We discussed lighting and the position of screens. The Disney folks were
a pleasure to talk to. The first time, I rented the theater space at the Shakespeare
Theater for about $300. In the parking lot near the Disney Theater, Tommy, Brian
and I joked about how expensive it would be to rent the Disney Theater for the
night. We placed bets and I believe I had the high bet at $5000. Much later, we
found out it would cost $30,000 to rent the space. That included renting
several Disney Buses to transport audience members from a distant lot. The
invoice did say that they world throw in a folding table for the evening at no
extra cost. Needless to say, we didn’t rent from Disney.

Brian Feldman Reads the Fringe Program in its Entirety

Posted on by Thor

Brian Feldman read the Fringe program in its entirety. A small makeshift stage was set up outside the Shakespeare Theater and his signature marquee sign sat at the foot of the stage. Two LED theatrical spot lights were on the ground but their purple light was hardly needed in the bright Florida sunshine. There were two rows of folding chairs set up in front of the stage and Beth Marshall was in the skeletal audience. There were several video cameras set up recording every minute of the reading. Tommy Wingo operated one camera and Tisse Mallon operated the other.

Beth was enjoying the performance. Periodically she would shout out, “I wrote that!” A few curious people stopped to try and figure out what was going on but they seldom sat and lingered. Brian read, “No alcoholic beverages are allowed outside the lawn of fabulousness. Beth laughed loudly and took a sip from her cup. A giant penguin sat in the front row holding a program in its flippers so it could follow along. After perhaps ten minutes the penguin got up to leave. But then it realized there were video cameras running and it did a silly dance in front of the stage. Brian laughed as he tried to continue to read. What does it all mean?