Dear Fringe Freaks:

If you didn't know, my Blogging Fringe site also has a presence on the chat / SMS / microblog thing that is Twitter:

www.twitter.com/bloggingfringe

What's Twitter? The service asks the question: What are you doing right now? You answer the question by using your phone via SMS, or a website, or an instant message client (which might also be on your phone). Once you get the updates in, other people can choose to "follow" you.

Orlando Sentinel - Talk to us. Please. - by Elizabeth Maupin

Arts journalism is being cut back at newspapers all over the country, including the Sentinel, because somebody higher up the chain of command thinks it's not important.

Now you know and I know that that's not the case. If arts journalism were to go away, the arts would have a hard time getting their message out.

Heard this from a post on Maupin's blog, why am I not on the Voci press release list?

Voci Dance, celebrating its 8th season as Central Florida’s premier modern dance company announces their move to Winter Garden, Florida. Beginning in February 2008, the company will make The Centre for Dance & the Performing Arts their new rehearsal space.

In Beth's latest MySpace blog, she leaves a review for the play currently at the Parliament House's Lightfoot Theater The Little Dog Laughed (directed by David Lee).

Beth praises the Parliament House, saying "No other bar in town has been anywhere near as successful in doing so to showcase theatre."

She also gives us a great run-down of what to expect from the community in the next month.

Upcoming Things to do, audition for, see, participate in etc...

On a daily basis- please

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Download the podcast

Julie hosts new locals only show on WPRK 91.5 | Dandelion Communitea Cafe

Front Porch is a weekly radio show hosted by Julie Norris, Proprietor of Dandelion Communitea Cafe, and focuses on all things local. Each week features a different guest making a difference locally with eclectic blends of local music and various ramblings about what is happening in OurLando.

Tune your dial to WPRK 91.5 or listen online at wprkdj.org every Wednesday at noon.

Front Porch Radio is now a podcast as well.

...and buttons, and inspire the rest of the visuals for the 2008 festival. Last year's protest signs started out sucking, but ended up getting close to a viral user-generated fun thing, so PUSH did one thing right last year.

Here's the announcement from the Orlando Fringe Blog:

Submissions of artwork are being accepted that will be on our 2008 Fringe poster, program cover, special limited edition T-shirts and limited edition buttons.

Our good friend and the website producer for the Orlando Fringe, Mark Baratelli, has returned from his tour of I Love a Piano, and he's organizing another night of cabaret to benefit a local charity. I'm so sorry I missed the last event, because I love the female voice, but I won't be missing this one for sure.

Show: Screwged!
Company: Wayburn Sassy & Co. - Orlando, FL
Venue: Theatre Downtown
Times:

Downloadable PDF

This weekend, for the third year in a row now, I will say to my fellow Fringe Fanatics "You MUST check out the Orlando Puppet Festival". This event is not for kids (there are some family-friendly shows), but intends to expose Orlando to high-art, cutting-edge expressive puppetry. I've seen dozens of different types of acts, some including human actors, others with minimalist puppets, and even puppets singing cabaret.

Headlining this year's festival are Pennsylvania's Cashore Marionettes with "Life in Motion” and “Simple Gifts”, and Vermont's Sandglass Theatre with “Autumn Portraits” and “Isidor’s Cheek”. If you didn't know this, New England has a thriving puppetry community, including a school in Connecticut with great puppetry programs. We have some of our own here in the South, most notably Atlanta, which is home to the Center for Puppetry Arts.

Another highlight of the festival is Friday night's "late night" show, "Puppets from the Edge", NOT to be missed. This is a bit of an open-mic night for puppets, with everyone from local artists to far-off visitors showing off shorter and more experimental pieces. I have some great video of last year's event if I can ever get some time to edit it down.

A similar type of show is the screening of "Handmade Puppet Dreams" a shorts program of puppet films collected by Heather Henson, which has toured all over the world, from India to California and everywhere in between. Don't miss the current show at the Gallery of Avalon Island (DMAC), which features puppets from the HMPD films.

Just two more events to plug: check out a live outdoor performance of Heather's original piece, "Panther and Crane", inspired by her life in Florida, 8PM Sunday at Hertiage Park in front of the History Center. This play also features our sweethearts Voci Dance. Finally, there will be an OPF wrap party at the Harp and Celt, the downtown bar and restaurant just two doors down from the Mad Cow.

Props to Jamie Donmoyer and Heather for making this great festival even better this year. Multiple venues, family-friendly events (check out the Cupcake Shows), outdoors, films, parties, and of course, some of the most amazing puppetry you will ever see in this town. Order your tickets in advance and get more information by visiting OrlandoPuppetFestival.com, and I hope to see you all there!

October 26, 27, 28 @ Mad Cow Theatre and 3 other venues closeby.

Copied from MySpace:

ALL HALLOWS 10 For-the-Fringe is this weekend!
Did you get your tickets yet?

ALL HALLOWS 10 For-the-Fringe
10, 10 Minute, Original, Halloween Themed Plays- 10 Dollars!

Two Nights:
Friday, October 19th 6pm Reception/7pm Showtime
Sunday, October 21st 6pm Showtime/Post Show Dinner

The Footlight Theater at The Parliament House 410 N Orange Blo