Back in April, a bunch of local theatre folks got together to have dinner and meet up. Tonight was the second installment in what seems to be a 3-or-4-times-a-year event, held in local theatre spaces. The April 6th pot-luck was hosted by Mad Cow Theatre downtown, and today’s was held in the lobby of the Orlando REP.
Folk etymology has derived the term “potluck” from the Native American custom of potlatch; the word “potluck”, however, is actually of English origin. It is a portmanteau word formed from (cooking) pot and lucke. The earliest written citation is from 1592: “That that pure sanguine complexion of yours may never be famisht with pot lucke,” Thomas Nashe. As this shows, the original meaning was “food given away to guests”, probably derived from “whatever food one is lucky enough to find in the pot”, i.e. whatever food happens to be available, especially when offered to a guest. By extension, a more general meaning is “whatever is available in a particular circumstance or at a particular time.”
Potlatch is actually a good custom from which to derive this kind of dinner - the potlatch is often celebrated at special events, like births, celebrations of the harvest, and weddings. It is a show of wealth and prosperity, where the person holding the potlatch holds a feast, and trades some prized commodity for things they might need.
The tech community’s BarCamp and the PR and Media community’s BlogOrlando could be seen as a kind of potlatch - we’re trading ideas and experience.
The idea for the Theatre Pot-Luck was originally spawned by local actor John Baker via Elizabeth Maupin’s Orlando Sentinel theatre blog, which is also the best place see announcements for other upcoming events. The Orlando Arts Blog is another good place to check. Apparently, the Orlando Shakes has volunteered to hold the next one in a few months. Right now there is no organizer, it just sort of happens as someone steps up to offer space - which is, in my opinion, as it should be.
With Florida Creatives and BarCamp, the geeks are really fixated on a single person having all the ideas, and I think this is stifling the creativity and experimentation that could be happening if the organizations were more headless. One way we can do that with Florida Creatives is having chapters in other cities, which we are getting going in Melbourne/Brevard now, and hopefully more successfully in Jacksonville some day - the only stopping other cities is an initial organizer.
Yes, someone does have to take the reins, but only until it gains critical mass. Even when I tried to move the Happy Hour to the Fringe Beer tent some of the downtown folks still went to Crooked Bayou looking for their regular 3rd Monday beer-and-tots… funny.
I really meant to take some pictures, but when I was there, I just didn’t see an opportunity.
What goes on at a theatre potluck? Well I talked to Arwen Lowbridge from Fractured Atlas in New York - she’s down here visiting so she could check out Beth Marshall and Tod Kimbro’s My Illustrious Wasteland - they were both also there, along with Betsy Maupin, of course - I ate dinner with them and (for a few minutes) John DiDonna, but he had to run.
Arwen and I waxed delicious about non-GMO, CSA farms, picking your own fruit, and having fresh food delivered to your house. I also had my first face-to-face meeting with Maupin, who said something to the effect of “You look bigger than on the Internet”.
I later moved over to a table with David Almeida , Marcie and Stephen J Miller from Here Be Dragons. There were some interesting threads there too, like one about experimenting with different roles while you’re in school, because once you’re out, you get cast as yourself for the rest of your life. The other hot topic was nudity, since David had done a play at Fringe with an extended nude scene.
I also got to hear about the history of this event, which is really important to me. The more I get into this, I see myself leaning more towards the role of documentarian and historian. I’m actually thinking about shooting a 20-25 minute documentary in a few weeks if I get the logistics figured out - I also hope that I will be able to get the help with editing that I’m hoping for… more on this later.
Looking forward expectantly to the next Pot-Luck - next time I promise to bring something. Betsy’s chicken and David’s brownies were great, and I heard good things about some lo mein and Stephen’s apple pie too.
Only 3 more days! (plus Patron’s Pick Day) Looks like When Pigs Fly and Alice in Wonderland have already been announced as Patron’s Picks for their venues, which sort of makes sense. If you’re interested in supporting the Fringe AND seeing TJ Dawe, check out Monday morning at 11:30, when TJ will be performing the Slip Knot.
As we rolled into the weekend last night with some light rain and lots of folks crowding the Shakespeare Center, I noticed three college-looking kids soliciting people for photographs. I walked up to tell them about Blogging Fringe, and it turned out they were the Orlando Metromix “SHOCK SQUAD”! Is Metromix the Sentinel one, that’s going to be changing their name? It’s not CityBeat, is it? It’s one of those. I went to see what coverage they had of the festival, and it was exactly one article - recommendations based on watching the preview. Also, no comments allowed. They asked me to link to them, and in hopes that they link back, here we go.
Last night, I lost my festival program. Normally no big deal, but this was different - I had written all sorts of notes in my program, marked down page numbers of shows, kept my tickets inside, and started to feel like my program was a treasured item - sort of like a stuffed animal or something, now lost. I checked the Brown Venue, the Blue Venue, the Ticket Booth, and the Garbage Can too, but my program was gone. I went to the box office to get some tickets re-printed ( handy reason for using credit card or the internet to buy your tickets), and proceeded to go through the tickets I did have with the volunteer to make sure I wasn’t missing any others.
Apparently, I’ve seen a lot of shows:
A Brief History of Petty Crime
American Squatter
Boom
*Flamenco con Fusion 08
Galapagos: The Directors Cut
*Mark Baratelli
Move!
MR. FOX
*Mr. Marmalade
On Second Thought
*once upon a time: The End
Oral
Parlour Games
perfectly broken
Power To Pleasing: The Sex Lives of Teenage Girls
*Red, White, and Ignorant: An American Love Story
Shadows In Bloom
Skip Peril and the Players of the Lost Trunk
*Swell
The Boy’s Own Jedi Handbook
*The Bric-a-Brac Vagabond Vintage Variety Show
The Cody Rivers Show presents: Stick to Glue
The Greg Barris Heart of Darkness Rock and Roll Circus
*The Screw You Revue: Déjà vu
*The Slipknot: A Benefit for the Orlando Fringe
Totem Figures
TV iMature
*Wet
When Pigs Fly
* Indicates shows I have not seen, but I have a ticket for.
All of these shows (that I have seen) are awesome. Go see them all. If I could only tell you three, I would include The Cody Rivers Show, On Second Thought and Boom (not in that order). I would say Power to Pleasing, but it’s sold out. I continue to tell folks that if they haven’t seen any dance, they MUST go - we always have great dance at this festival, and I’m seeing all of the 5 dance shows this year. Lastly, (not leastly) if you’ve never seen TJ Dawe, Barry Smith, Jimmy Hogg, Greg Landucci, Gemma Wilcox or any of the other out-of-town monologists (like Paul Hutcheson from On Second Thought, mentioned earlier), they are all worth your time and money. This is also not counting Patron’s Pick day, where I plan to see some shows that have floated to the top, but I managed to miss. It should be a fun experience.
What was also a fun experience was getting a random contact from some folks from Rake Theatre down in Boynton Beach - they’re putting on Fluency this week at the Fringe. Apparently, they are wanting to start an all-Florida arts blog - a very ambitious project. I have about 3 such very ambitious projects in my head, in the works with locals, or I at least own the domain name for them.
The South Florida folks’ project is called, of all things, Florida Arts Blog, which is a Wordpress.com site right now, but for some reason the posts about Fringe have disappeared… ::shrug:: Something and someone to watch in the coming weeks and months. I am trying to sell them on Florida Creatives myself, blogging can come later. They’ve also got a link to Mark’s Orlando Arts Blog up there… I wonder if they’ve been emailing him too…?
Why is May such a great month for holding events? Sure, for our Northern friends, it means the end of bad weather, the opening of roller coaster parks, and a change in the scenery as the trees and flowers start to show their summer colors, but here in Florida, it’s more like the start of the summer’s hot, humid, rainy monotony, the arrival of the tourists, time-share owners, kids on summer vacation, religious zealots protesting Gay Days, and of course, bad drivers in rental cars.
The main reason I look forward to May every year is the arrival of the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival (Thursday the 15th through Monday the 26th). Every year, theatre companies, dancers, comedians, clowns, musicians, improv actors, writer/directors, solo acts and large ensembles, exuberant teenagers and road-hardened veterans alike grace Loch Haven Park with their creativity and energy, and Orlando gives every ounce of it (and more) back to them as many of the national and international acts begin their Canadian Fringe circuit, which brings them to a new city every two weeks. Show prices range from free (as in free software) to $10, and all shows require the one-time purchase of a $6 festival button - 100% of your ticket money goes to the artist. This is one of the only unjuried, uncensored events I know of in Orlando outside of a few open-mic nights, and even some of those are passing judgment on the performers (the other best example here is BarCamp).
18 months ago, I started gathering a group of my friends together every third Monday of the month for an event called Florida Creatives Happy Hour (Monday the 19th, 6PM @ Loch Haven Park). Now, those original 8 friends are hardly in the same room, but the group has grown to something resembling a small political party representing the creative professionals and hobbyists here in Central Florida (with a group getting started in Jacksonville as I write this). This month’s Florida Creatives falls during the Fringe Festival, so at 6PM on the 19th we will be descending upon their “Green Lawn of Fabulousness” to have a beer and some soul food and socialize. At 7:45, we will be attending American Squatter, starring Barry Smith, the creator of last year’s sell-out hit Jesus in Montana. Tickets are $10 plus your $6 Fringe button.
Despite the fact that Fringe starts on the same day every year, another festival seems to think they are better than the Fringe, by starting on the exact same day. Yes, the Florida Music Festival runs Thursday the 15th through Sunday the 18th this year, at pretty much every available venue downtown. In past years, you’ve been able to buy a one-time pass that gets you in to all the shows for the whole weekend, as well as nightly passes - buying a ticket to just one show will hardly do such an event justice. The festival also has a short film as well as an art contest, check these out too if you can find the time in between all of the other events happening at the exact same time.
What other events? How about that bizarre craft bazaar held semi-bi-anually at Stardust Video & Coffee, Grandma Party? (Saturday the 17th, 10AM to Sunset) For some reason they opted out of celebrating Earth Day in favor of overlapping with FMF and Fringe this year - the reason why is left as homework for the reader. Actually, if you find out, please try to explain this one to me too. At G-ma Party, you’ll not only find loads of handmade goods, like the cereal-and-eggs inspired work of the Breakfast Bunch, but trendy t-shirts, buckets of buttons, live music by some of Orlando’s best local bands (at least those who are friends with the festival organizers), a bal-looney community pool, and of course rummage piles and raffles.
Not as culturally significant, but still worth a mention, the second ever Florida Drupal User Group meeting will be held at the offices of MindComet in Maitland this Saturday (May 17th, 1PM). Check out the event and any follow-up at groups.drupal.org/florida.
Still more to come in this round-up of events, because I couldn’t write such a blog post without mentioning the Corazon Art and Music Festival being held at the Orlando Brewing Company (Sunday the 18th, starts 1PM, All Day). As I’m writing this I don’t have access to any listings, but I know tickets are $5, and I can give a serious recommendation, as this event is being thrown by Robert and Jonathan from Gamble Records, the folks who brought us the ELLA Music Festival in October. I expect you will see lots of singer-songwriter type acts, and you can trust Robert Johnson’s rolodex to bring you some great music (and art?).
There must be more happening during the next two weeks, but isn’t that enough? Of course, we can’t forget about this Friday (May 16th, 8AM-11AM) and the Likemind Orlando coffee meetup at the Lake Eola Panera Bread. This month there will be free coffee and hopefully a few free copies of a book called Murketing - I don’t have a lot of details about it, but I know the publishers of the book are sponsoring the coffee and snacks all over the US, so they get serious props.
If I’m missing anything here, please leave a shout-out, and I’ll try to include it in the next bulletin. Until next time, have a great May!
I have a choice: do I take the first three days of Fringe Week off, the middle three, or the last three? I know opening weekend, the last weekend and Memorial Day will be action-packed, but I also don’t want to lose too much money from work.
Blogging Fringe (or this year, my personal blog and OrlandoScene.TV) will be taking up some time, but I also don’t want to take ALL week off so I can save my pennies. Any thoughts, comments, suggestions?
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 vote for Jamesson so he can be the Universe’s Prettiest&Smartest Model~
Vote for Raven to be on- How To Look good Naked~
Join me at GLO tomorrow nite [Monday the 15th] for the VIP preview (and presentation of my iPHONE) at The Wayburn Sassy’s SCREW YOU REVIEW on I-DRIVE~ let me know if you want to come!!! Show is at 6:30pm.
Go to PLAYFEST begining Feb. 8th at Orlando Shakes!
(I highly recommend OPUS)
Come see Play-In-A-Day produced by me at PLAYFEST on Feb. 11th at 7pm.
Come to my Fringe Yapinars at PLAYFEST- How to Produce a Fringe Show 101 and How To Tour the Fringe Circuit 102 on Sunday the 10th and Sunday the 17th at 2pm.
SAVE THE DATE FOR FAB FRINGE- MONDAY MARCH 3rd at Orlando Shakes!~
Now back to packing and if I am lucky- I will sneak out and see JUNO tonite [Sunday].
Ps- If you want to buy and ad in The Fringe program-now is the time!
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. Look for some more updates from Blogging Fringe as the event draws closer.
Here’s a copy of the event info from http://feeds.orlandosentinel.com/~r/entertainment/stage/theaterblog/~3/190728002/the-girls-women.html:
Last August a group of pretty swell women got together at Mad Cow Theatre to raise money to send Mark Baratelli and his show to the New York Fringe.
Now they’re back, and this time Laura Hodos, Luerne Herrera, Meghan Moroney and pianist Steve McKinnon are raising money for the Coalition for the Homeless.
Here’s the info:
Cast:
Laura Hodos
Luerne Herrera
Meghan Moroney
Pianist Steve McKinnon
Event Title:
A Night With the Girls 2
Date:
December 12, 2007
Time:
8pm
Show Length:
one hour and thirty minutes
Venue:
The Goldman Theater at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (http://www.orlandoshakes.org/)
Tickets:
$20 suggested donation to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida
Reservations: email@markbaratelli.com
Available at the door
Cash only
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.
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 Blossom Trail Orlando, FL 32805
Costume Contest and Raffles nightly!
For reservations, call (407) 648- 0077 (MC and Visa)
Cash only on the day of the event. Box office opens at 5:30 pm
Your hosts for the evening will be Wanzie and Beth!
ACT 1
BOO-ZO THE CLOWN’S HALLOWEEN PARTY
Written by: David Lee
Directed by: Kenny Howard
Starring: DOUG
SWEET DREAMS
Written and directed by: Tammy Kopko
Audio Engineer: Fred Mullen
Videographer: Ryan Gates
Starring: Tammy Kopko as Evelyn Carter
Jared Sharrar as Timothy Carter
Dudley Cylatt as Older Timothy Carter
Jerrod Fox as Radio Disc Jockey
THE TOD KIMBRO HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR
Written/Directed/Starring:
Tod Kimbro
SEUSS-O-WEEN
A dramatic reading
Written by: Michael Wanzie
Directed by: Kenny Howard
Starring: Michael Wanzie
THE SCREW YOU REVUE: CANDY CORNS FOR WHIMSICALS
Company: Dewey Chaffee Comedy Enterprises, LLC
Written by: Dewey Chaffee and Douglas McGeoch
Directed by: Douglas McGeoch
Starring:
Wayburn Sassy
John de Orderly
Twinky Tim
ACT 2
SCAR-E-OKE
Halloween Fabulousness by Miss Sammy and Friends
WITHIN, MOVEMENT I
Company: CineDance Jazz Dance
Choreographer: Mary Clymene Wilkins
Dancer: Tymisha ‘Tush’ Harris
SCORNED: Because well behaved women rarely make history
Written by: Lindsay Cohen
Directed by: David Lee
Starring:
Madison Stratton as Polaris
George Milton as Little Orphan Annie
Chris McIntyre as Sylvia Plath
Lindsay Cohen as Lizzie Borden
Desiree Bacala as Bloody Mary
TRUTH OR SCARE
Written and Directed by Rob Ward
Starring: Lanie and Tymisha
With special guest interview: Michael Myers
PART US DO DEATH TILL
Company: DRIP: paint in motion
Choreographers: William Marchante and Jessica Mariko
Directed by: William Marchante
Song: November Rain by Guns N’Roses
Starring: William Marchante and Jessica Mariko
Don’t Miss this Fabulous Event! Tickets are selling quickly! Reserve NOW! (407) 648-0077
The week before the Orlando Puppet Festival’s third run, veteran Broadway performer and Tony nominee John Tartaglia, AKA Princeton and Rod from Avenue Q.
Press release for you:
AN EVENING WITH JOHN TARTAGLIA AND FRIENDS!
Don’t miss this Orlando Puppet Festival exclusive! Spend An Evening With John Tartaglia And Friends as this exuberant performer discusses his career and this “meet the artist” session becomes an evening of performance. Highlighting songs from his Broadway and television career, this performance features special guest (and former Central Floridian) Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, puppeteer of Sesame Street’s “Abby Cadabby” and Ginger from Johnny and the Sprites. The evening is loaded with surprises in an intimate setting and tickets are sure to go fast.
John Tartaglia is best known to adults as a Tony Award-nominee from the original cast of Avenue Q, and with families as Johnny and the executive producer of the Disney Channel’s Johnny and the Sprites. He recently finished a run on Broadway as Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and is a 10-year veteran of Sesame Street. Tartaglia started at Sesame Street at the age of 16 and was one of the youngest puppeteers ever to perform on the show. His television puppetry credits also include Sesame English, Play with me Sesame, Bear in the Big Blue House, Jo Jo’s Circus, Animal Jam and many more!
An Evening With John Tartaglia and Friends will be held October 18, 2007 at 8:15pm and 10:15pm at the Mad Cow Theatre, 105 South Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando.
Opflogo_2 WHO: The Orlando Puppet Festival
Presented by IBEX and Mad Cow Theatre
WHAT: An Evening With John Tartaglia And Friends
WHEN: October 18, 2007
8:15 pm and 10:15pm, approx 90 min
WHERE: Mad Cow Theatre
105 South Magnolia Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
TICKETS: All tickets, $20
Tickets may be purchased here or by calling the Mad Cow Theatre box office at 407.297.8788.
Reservations recommended, there is limited seating.
Contains adult themes. Must be 8 or older to be admitted.
Can’t wait until October 26th?
Quench your puppetry thirst now, with these upcoming events as we Countdown to OPF 2007!
POTPOURRI OF PUPPETRY CABARET
WHERE THE AUDIENCE BECOMES THE PERFORMERS!
Join everyone’s favorite puppet host, Chupacabra and human host Tony Giordano as they kick off a hilarious evening of puppetry entertainment in a Potpourri of Puppetry Cabaret!
In the tradition of puppetry festivals throughout the nation, The Orlando Puppet Festival provides a stage for those performers experimenting in the art of puppetry. Whether nurturing a piece that has been developed over time, or spontaneously taking the stage with a fresh idea, the Potpourri of Puppetry Cabaret welcomes one and all.
Premiering in Central Florida in 2002, this evening of adult puppetry has featured a myriad of artists, experimenting with pieces before an eager audience. From laughter to tears, to sheer amazement, the audience is taken on a journey into each artist’s mind, as they present their short pieces in an open-mic format. Kick back, sip a complimentary beverage and enjoy an anything goes evening of puppetry entertainment: some planned, some inspired by the moment!
Potpourri of Puppetry Cabaret will be held at 7:30 pm on September 15, 2007 at Mad Cow Theatre, 105 South Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando.
Want to be part of the act? Sign up ahead of time by contacting Jamie Donmoyer at 407.760.9290 or info@orlandopuppetfestival.com or just show up! Puppets will be provided for improvised acts!
WHO: The Orlando Puppet Festival Presented by IBEX and Mad Cow Theatre
WHAT: Potpourri of Puppetry Cabaret
WHEN: September 15, 2007 7:30 pm, Approx. 120 min
WHERE: Mad Cow Theatre 105 South Magnolia (between Pine St. and Church St.) Orlando, FL 32801
TICKETS: $8 per person, includes a complimentary beverage!
Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 407.297.8788 or visiting www.madcowtheatre.com.
Reservations are recommended, must be 17 or older to be admitted.
Lotsa lotsa things going on lately - changes going on at the Liberatr.net / Blogging Fringe / OrlandoScene.TV / Florida Creatives offices (my desk). Still, I can’t NOT announce this.
Theatre downtown is giving some of the best Fringe shows a chance to do an encore - not all of them, not all the patron’s picks, just whoever they asked or whoever agreed to do it - plenty of shows have other performances, like VarieTEASE at Parliament House. Anyway, lots of our Fringe favorites will be playing in early August, just a scant block away from Loch Haven Park.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday Aug. 3:
7 p.m. Screw You Revue
8:30 p.m. Zombie Girlfriend
10:30 p.m. Stupid Kids
Midnight Midnight Snack
Saturday Aug. 4
6 p.m. Midnight Snack
7:30 p.m. Stupid Kids
9:30 p.m. Screw You Revue
10:30 p.m. Zombie Girlfriend
Sunday Aug. 5
5:30 p.m. Screw You Revue
7 p.m. Midnight Snack
Thursday Aug. 9
8 p.m. Screw You Revue
Friday Aug. 10
7:30 p.m. Screw You Revue
9 p.m. Stupid Kids
10:30 p.m. Zombie Girlfriend
Saturday Aug. 11
6 p.m. Zombie Girlfriend
7:30 p.m. Stupid Kids
9 p.m. Midnight Snack
10:30 p.m. Screw You Revue
Tickets are $10 apiece. Call Theatre Downtown at 407-841-0083 for further info.
As I write this, Muapin is out of town… ha ha! the whole town to myself!!!
I must say that I’ve never had a face-to-face conversation with anyone involved with Hate Mail… What does this mean? Well, I think it means an un-biased attitude. OK, I have had a little interaction with the Technical Director, but I’m not sure that counts for a review.
I think the ‘gimmick’ and also one of the least important parts about this play is that every single line that is spoken is in fact part of a letter or a note… I didn’t know this going in, and it didn’t affect my perception one bit. The story is strong enough to carry the narrative along no matter what happens.
Second, you will notice the performance from the actors… I must say Act II is better and Act I, I guess because more memorization is needed? In act I, I heard David noting that he used so many adjectives that he couldn’t help but use his crib notes / props to help him remember his lines… I also talked to a performer in attendance about memorizing SO many lines without having anyone to bounce them off of… he thought it would be a boon as opposed to a challenge.
Really, I thought both performers were exceptional, especially in the context of opening night. I’m an “A for Effort” guy, but no grading curve is needed for Hate Mail - absolutely worth the $15 ($12 for students), even if parking makes it a hassle.
The set design, especially for a minimalist space like the Studio Theatre, was EXACTLY what it needed to be, not an iota more or less. I totally understood the major changes of scenery with no coaching whatsoever from the lines (although such help was available). This being my first Jester Theatre production, I’m glad Jay moved away from improv (SAK) to pursue “real theatre”.
This brings me to another point… in February the Jester Theatre Company will host its first show (the repeatedly popular Musical of Musicals: The Musical) at the new Garden Theatre in historic downtown Winter Garden… a sight to look forward to… with NO PAID PARKING.
You have no choice. Unless your Grandma is on her death bed and can’t wait another 90 minutes, you are going to see Heronymus. If you don’t think you want to go, I’ll buy you the damn tickets. HeronymusReturns.com RickshawBoy.com Buy Tickets
The 16th Annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival kicked off on May 17th with a series of parties, performances and a parade by the festival artists. Ryan Price from Blogging Fringe was there to meet some artists and watch things go down.
We should have continuing coverage throughout the week. Subscribe to our audio and video posts via iTunes, and keep checking Blogging Fringe for reviews, patron voicemails (321-441-3964) and more.
P.S. Clicking on the ad at the end of the video or making buttons and badges this week helps pay for our tent out on the green! We appreciate the support.
Yesterday I went to Stardust Video & Coffee for the Grandma Party Craft Bazaar / Outdoor Concert / Charity Fundraiser. I had a blast! My table involved making original buttons out of whatever materials you brought - most people used the provided paper and markers, but I also had people bring photos, magazine clippings and compositing several pieces together.
The purpose of the table was to promote my networking group, the Florida Creatives Happy Hour. Lots of people were interested, including someone readers of this blog should be familiar with… Genevieve Bernard.
Genevieve is the Artistic Director for Voci Dance, as well as the Associate Producer for the Orlando Fringe. While I managed to grab lots of photos at the booth yesterday, I didn’t actually get one with Genevieve, but here’s one I found on the Fringe Blog.
As artistic director for a dance troupe, Genevieve had her “Dance Cards” in her bag, and when she pulled them out was when I recognized who she was. I told her how much I liked this campaign becuase it was “Very Voci”. The reason why is because Genevieve made them. Here are some samples from the photoshoot for “Waiting”.
I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about Genevieve and Voci as the festival draws closer. I had a great time talking to her, and she’s going to be a great candidate for a future interview.
notco and babyBlueStar are having a fundraising/promotional event for their upcoming 2007 Fringe productions. I hear you can sign up to participate in JAWZ the Musical as an extra during one scene - sounds like lots of fun. I will be visiting the UK, so I can’t make it? Do I have any vouknteers to attend and blog about this event? If you own a digital camera, +100 points. Video: +1,000 points. Keyboard and typing skills required.
3 minute previews from 30 Fringe groups in the 2007 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival
WHEN Monday, April 30th, 7pm SHARP
WHERE: The Orlando Rep (Silver Venue)
TICKETS: -$10 -For reservations call 407-648-0077 ext. 2 or email ryan@orlandofringe.org -Reservations are STRONGLY suggested as this event sells out fast
REFRESHMENTS: -Concessions, Beer & Wine for sale
YOUR HOSTS FOR THE EVENING: -Michael Wanzie & Beth Marshall
Tickets go on sale today, Jan. 10th for The 7th Annual FAB FRINGE FUNDRAISER to benefit the 2007 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival.
What: FAB FRINGE FUNDRAISER
When: Monday, Feb. 19th, 2007
Where: The REP 101 E. Princeton St. Orlando, Fl. (lobby& Edyth Bush Theatre/ Premire of our new SILVER VENUE)
Time-6-10pm
The FAB FRINGE FUNDRASIER is a General Audience event approriate for all ages.
Cost- $35 per person/ $50 per couple/ $20 for 2007 Fringe Artists (all proceeds benefit the 2007 Orlando Fringe)
* price includes: Food, Entertainment, Non-Alcoholic Drinks*
Raffle tixs- $5 each or 5 for $20.
Prizes include: Spa Packages, Hotel Stays, Theatre Tix, Resturants, Fringe Superpasses and MORE!
Tickets can be reserved by calling The Fringe Box Office at 407-648-0077 or by e-mailing ryan [AT] orlandofringe DOT org
Entertainment-
Host: Fringe Vet and Fav- Mr. DAVID LEE will grace us with his charm and wit in between one of his many directing or acting gigs or being a professor at UCF or Associate PlayFest Director at OSF or overall local celeb!
6-6:45pm- Fringe Veteran and Rock Star- Tod Kimbro will grace the Lobby stage taking requests from the audience and singing their favorite songs. Various Fringe artists will also be performing cabaret style songs. Who knows, maybe even you will be on stage singing!
7:15- SoundStage: Florida’s Premier Percussive Dance Company makes their Orlando Fringe debut in 2007.
Piece: “Racket No. 2 in A tapshoe”
Performers: Director/Choreographer Andy Howard and Company
Founded in 2001 (at the University of Florida), SoundStage specializes in the art of American percussive dance styles including clogging and taptraditional and contemporary. The group has presented their high-energy interpretation of American culture as artistic ambassadors in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Costa Rica.They have been seen performing at the Florida Dance Festival, Florida Folk Festival, American Clogging Hall of Fame, SeaWorld Orlando, the Seminole Hard Rock Casino and have opened for artists such as Bill Cosby, Dane Cook, and Sugar Ray. Now located in Orlando, SoundStage continues its commitment to entertainment excellence and sharing the living, moving, and often noisy traditions which enrich our American culture. www.floridaclogging.com
8 pm-Rhythm of Life was conceived and directed by Rod Savickis(director of Tick Tick Boom! at the 2006 Fringe) from Melbourne High School and inspired by Stomp, Largely New York and Def Poetry Jam. The students created the percussion,dance and dialogue in this piece with the exception of the opening poem from Def Poetry Jam, I have a dream speech from Dr. Martin Luther King and J. F. Kennedy’s inguartion address. This 34 member cast performs there hopes dreams and fears for the future. Rythm of Life was won Best of Show and many individual awards for the Florida State Thespian Compettition.
” I was judging the District 11 thesbian compettition when I discovered- Rythm of Life. I could not believe that high schoolers produced and performed such amazing material as this. I truly was blown away. Original. Innovative and RAW! This show is going big places and The Orlando Fringe is their 1st professional stop.”
~Beth Marshall-
Producing Artistic Director
Orlando International Fringe
Vice President
Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals
DON’T MISS FAB FRINGE 2007!! UNLIKE NO OTHER YOU HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!
That’s right folks, it’s time for another Florida Creatives Happy Hour! This one is taking place on Monday January 15th from 6PM to 8:30 at the Crooked Bayou downtown. If you don’t know, Crooked Bayou is a popular local bar on Central Ave near Magnolia, across from the History Center and the Library.
The purpose of this event is to get Creative types out and talking to each other: Artists, Musicians, Thespians, Filmmakers, Podcasters, Bloggers, Designers, Architects, Writers and anyone who would like to get to know some people from these disciplines locally.
We request that you RSVP to this event by logging in to the event page at Upcoming.org and telling us how many guests you’re bringing. Also right there from the event you can click on “Invite Friends” and put in the email addresses of some like-minded individuals.
Our website lives at FloridaCreatives.com, and aside from updated information on the various events you can also find podcast interviews from other local creatives.
We look forward to your attendance at the next event!
In the tradition of puppetry festivals throughout the nation, The Orlando Puppet Festival provides a stage for those performers experimenting in the art of puppetry. Whether nurturing a piece that has been developed over time, or spontaneously taking the stage with a fresh idea, the Potpourri of Puppetry Cabaret welcomes one and all. 
