Wicked After Dark at the Abbey.

Posted on by Thor

The Broadway National Tour cast of Wicked came to The Abbey,  (100 S Eola Dr #100, Orlando, FL 32801) for a one-night only charitable cabaret concert benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity fights AIDS and the GLBT Center of Central Florida. Net proceeds (ticket sales included) from the benefit
will specifically help fund counseling for the community, survivors,
and family members affected by the Pulse tragedy. Counseling services
will be needed for at least the next five years, and The Center Orlando
has pledged that it will make these services available to the community
on walk-in basis, free of charge, for as long as it is needed.

The opening act was by Wicked Alumna, Broadway veteran, X-Factor star, Nashville recording artist and Florida native Rachel Potter with her band, Steel Union. Rachel had a new born and she said that the baby had slept through the night for the first time ever on the evening before the performance. She had worked at Disney World as The Little Mermaid for five years after college. After a full set with Steel Union she offered to sing as Ariel. The audience joined in as she sang, “I want mooore.” Her Disney roots won the audience. She played down her X-Factor experience saying that at least s gained a few twitter followers. Rachel went on to perform a solo from Wicked that got a standing ovation.

Song and dance performances by the cast members of Wicked followed. The Abbey house lights went black, and I had to stop sketching for fear that my tablet glow might ruin the experience for other audience members. The opening number featured wicked actresses in sexy black lace and garters dancing to the sexy and risque Cabaret. “We have no troubles here. Here life is beautiful!” Rosy, Lulu, Frenchy, and Texas gyrated with abandon.All our troubles were left outside.

Wicked After Dark was produced by the company members of Wicked themselves. This post-Wicked performance cabaret was an opportunity for cast members to step out of their roles in the musical and kick up their heels performing some of their favorite non-Ozian material. On actor who is the understudy for OZ took to the stag with a guitar and cowboy hat. His microphone had to be adjusted endlessly. As a tech struggled, he said, “Well this had better be worth it. No pressure.” The audience laughed. He then sang an original balled about love lost. The gentle lyrics bemoaned his confusion and pain. Then be paused. The next line was something like. “What I wish for you is… Herpes.” The audience went crazy. Michael Wanzie shouted out, “It was so worth it!

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. It offers an ongoing, committed response from the American theater community to an urgent worldwide health crisis. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of this community, The organization raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States. Since its founding in 1988,  more than $150 million has been raised for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV and other serious illnesses. For more information, visit www.broadwaycares.org.
 

The Center was the first agency on the scene of the Pulse Orlando tragedy on the morning of June 12, 2016; within two hours had more than 600 volunteers and community members inside its doors, had rallied more than 600 crisis counselors to the area, and had coordinated the distribution of supplies to first responders, hospitals, families, blood banks and more. Since that day, as well as its regular operations, The Center now also staffs the Orlando United Assistance Center which is the mail portal for the survivors and the families of the deceased; The Center was described as “Ground Zero for victim and family recovery” by President Obama. For more information, visit www.thecenterorlando.org.

#Hangaheart Kids Give Back.

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Neema Bahrami who was the event organizer at Pulse, survived the horrific night of June 12th. The next day, he found a colorful felt heart taped to his apartment door. It said, “Love is free, hugs are free, we all love you.” The heart was created by there children in his building, Gavin, Victoria, and Jacquelyn. Because of this sign of hope Neema decided to create the Hang a Heart Foundation, which promotes love regardless of religion, race or gender. He feels that, if any good came from that horrible night, it is that people are learning to accept the gay community. It has opened peoples hearts.

Hang-A- Heart, Inc. is in the last stages of becoming a 501c3 charity, and will be working to provide an outlet for children and adults alike to talk about love and acceptance, while creating the same felt hearts that started the movement. The Venue (511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL 32803) hosted an evening fundraiser with a night of children sharing their talents on stage. Every seat in the theater had a free felt heart on it. Everyone was asked to hang it where they will be reminded, and others encouraged by hope and kindness when they see it. The tag on mine said, “Be Awesome!”

The evening featured 18 fun and inspired performances. My favorite performance was a lovely duet by Maddie Mayer and Maddy Montz. They sang “For Good” from Wicked. Some people enter your life and inspire you for the better. Yet, people grow apart, and some friendships go unmended. The song hit me hard. The start of a New Year brings regrets. Neema was with a friend at the table next to mine. His friend was in tears and then laughed fanning himself. He was delighted with the emotions that flooded the Venue. I wasn’t alone in shedding a tear.

Another notable performance was “Hard to be a Bard” by Anthony Morehead. There was something so endearing about a young teen concerned about the difficulties of being a creative genius. Anthony’s comic timing was spot on.  On a darker note, Lauren Luteran danced a choreographed piece titled “Void“.  The room turned dark blue and the spotlight illuminated her a flaming orange. Her movements were staccato and hard edged. She exhaled violently striking poses that reached for the unattainable. The striking performance best expressed the incredibly hard and emotional days following the Pulse shooting. Sydney Burtis countered with a rhythmic and fun tap dance routine set to, “Just Forget the World.” Her feet kept the beat and then tapped with counter beats so fast it became a blur of motion. She beamed as she pushed herself to give her best.

Talents varied, but is so refreshing seeing young performers take to the stage and give their all. “Where there’s children there’s light. Where there’s light, there’s hope.” 

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!

Once Upon a Wonderland

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Terry and I bumped into Tod Caviness outside the Silver Venue in the Rep Theater at Fringe. He was going to see his wife, Christin Caviness, dance in Once Upon a Wonderland by Yow Dance. She performed as Little Red Riding Hood. Yow dance had a similar Fairytale themed show last year. From talking to Christin at an open mic Speakeasy event at Will’s Pub, I learned that some magic had been thrown into the mix.

A large canvas map was propped up on stage right. It resembled a large curtain map that had been used in the traveling Broadway hit “Wicked” at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center. A golden egg in a nest was fixed in the center of the kingdom. The Queen of Hearts walked down the theater isles towards the stage in drag. She sat down and messed with a few audience members before taking to the stage.

It was hard to decipher any story line that might pull the production together. The dancing was graceful and  it was interesting to see someone sawed in half, but there didn’t seem to be any underlying motivation behind anything that happened. Micro phoned singers sang Wickedesque show tunes with thin watery lyrics. I had hoped this production would build on last year’s “Classically Demented” show but none of the elements seemed to fit together. There was plenty of flash but little heart.

Later speaking with Christin, I made a blunder by thinking  she had performed as Snow White, when she had performed as Little Red Riding Hood. It was sad proof that my attention had wandered.