On December 2nd the Fringe Lottery was held in the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E. Rollins St, Orlando, Fl). This was an opportunity to see which shows would be selected for Fringe 23. Michael Mariaccio and George “Fringe” Wallace hosted the lottery. Lottery tickets were picked from green buckets. The Fringe is a completely non-juried week of theater and any show could be selected. The theater was packed full of producers and directors who hoped their shows would be picked.
- Participants were selected on a
non-juried basis, through a first-come, first served process, a lottery,
or other method approved by the Association. - The audience must have the option to
pay a ticket price, 100% of which goes directly to the artists
(government taxes notwithstanding.) - Fringe Festival producers have no
control over the artistic content of each performance. The artistic
freedom of the participants is unrestrained. - Festivals must provide an easily accessible opportunity for all audiences and all artists to participate in Fringe Festivals.
Orlando city commissioner Robert Stuart did the actual picking from the bucket.When he selected “Boylesque” from the bucket he had to hesitate before pronouncing the title. Michael Wanzie shouted out from the audience, “Your going to have to learn how to pronounce “Boylesque” if you want the gay vote!” He got quite a good laugh. Later the politician assured his votes by shaking Michael’s hand and kissing him on the cheek. The audience erupted. So, take a glance and anticipate this year’s line up.
- – ORANGE –
- The All New Nashville Hurricane [Chase Padgett – Burbank, CA]
- Ennui [Circus Arts – Polk City, FL]
- Boylesque [Sensuality N Motion / Visual EFX Productions – Orlando, FL]
- Bless Me Father, For I have Danced [Yow Dance – Orlando, FL]
- BARE: A Pop Opera [Penguin Point Productions – Winter Park, FL]
- FLIGHT: A Crane’s Story [IBEX Puppetry – Orlando, FL]
- Something’s Weird in Weeki Wachee [John Ryanand Diva Productions – Orlando, FL]
- – SILVER –
- Money Shot! [RUSH Theatrical Productions – New York, NY]
- Grim and Fischer [Wonderheads – Portland, OR]
- Oyster Boy [Haste Theatre Company – London, UK]
- Under the Rainbow [Alan Gerber – Orlando, FL]
- There’s No Place Like Home [Wanzie Presents / D-Squared Productions – Orlando, FL]
- Smooch [PB and J Theatre Factory – Winter Park, FL]
- TBD [The Downtowners – Orlando, FL]
- Fifty Shades of Gay [Homicidal Orphan Productions – Orlando, FL]
- – YELLOW –
- Marathon [TJ Dawe – Vancouver, BC]
- God Is a Scottish Drag Queen II: An All New Testament [Mike Delamont – Victoria, BC]
- The Surprise [Martin Dockery – Brooklyn, NY]
- Killer Quack [James Judd Entertainment – New York, NY]
- Conversations with My Divorce Attorney [John Montgomery Theatre Co. – New York, NY]
- Tappin and Yappin [J&J Pickle Productions: Ocoee, FL]
- Pasion Flamenca [Flamenco del Sol Dance Company – Sanford, FL]
- Frankenchrist! The Musical [Acting Passionate Productions – Lakeland, FL]
- Professor Soap’s Musical Machine [Cadence Creative – Loughman, FL]
- – PINK –
- Ruby Rocket, Private Eye [Stacey Hallal – Portland, OR]
- Chaotica [Christel Bartelse – Toronto, Ontario ]
- House [Ribbitre Public Theatre: Edmonton, Alberta]
- Black Stockings [Dangerous Theatre: Denver, CO]
- Immortals [Wind Whistle Theatre – Nevada City, CA]
- Donating Sperm to My Sisters Wife [Stewart Huff – Winterville, GA]
- And Baby Makes Four [Utmost Productions – Orlando, FL]
- The British Invasion [My Dream Tree Productions – Casselberry, FL]
- – BROWN –
- Jem Rolls [Big Word Performance Poetry – Surrey, UK]
- TBD [Keith Brown – London, Ontario]
- Train Your Man [Kirchmann Productions – Alberton, South Africa]
- Taking Out the White Trash [Peemypants Productions – Savannah, GA]
- Baba Yaga [It Ain’t Shakespeare – Dallas, TX]
- Radio Free Fringe [RFF – Orlando, FL]
- Hungry! The Musical [Madmymn Payne Prod – Kissimmee, FL]
- All Shook Up: A Rockabilly Revival [Bare Ass Productions – Winter Park, FL]
- – GREEN –
- Roller Derby Saved My Soul [Broken Turtle Productions – Ottawa, Ontario]
- The Death of Brian [A Zombie Odyssey: Theater Simple – Seattle, WA]
- 40 Something Still Single [Cougar Comedy Productions – Orlando, FL]
- Alice Rocks Wonderland [Atlantic Coast Theatre for Youth – Champions Gate, FL]
- Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson [BTW Productions / Ashley Willsey – Lake Mary, FL]
- Escape from Baldwin Park [Carpenter Aunt Productions – Orlando, FL]
- Liquid Courage [Tobo Productions – Orlando, FL]
- 20 Nothing [Last Minute Panic Productions – Winter Springs, FL]
- – BLUE –
- Papa Squats Store of Sorts [Ain’t True and Uncle False’s Hood – Indianapolis, IN]
- My Brooklyn Hamlet: A Meshugenah True Story [Brenda Adelman – Spring Valley, CA]
- Punk Grandpa [Cosmic Jello / Laura Force Scruggs – Chicago, IL]
- Sperm Wars [Random Samples Collective – Toronto, ON]
- Fire in the Meth Lab [2 Hoots Productions – Melbourne, Australia]
- Shakespeare’s Histories: Ten Epic Plays at a Breakneck Pace [Timothy Mooney Repertory – Prospect Heights, IL]
- Tuesday Mourning [Clandestine ARTS – Altamonte Springs, FL]
- The Queer Diaries [Royal Entertainment – Orlando, FL]
- TBD [Playwrights Round Table – Orlando, FL]
- TBD [Kia Ora Productions – Kissimmee, FL]
- – PURPLE –
- VGL 5’4″ Top [Lucas Brooks – Brooklyn, NY]
- Desperately Seeking the Exit [Peter Michael Marino – New York, NY]
- Superhero’s Can’t Fly [botwot productions – Aspen, CO]
- Us vs. The World [Improv Off the Grid – Orlando, FL]
- The Float Boat [Comedy First CLC – Longwood, FL]
- The Four Great Books of China (Condensed) [Emerson Productions – Casselberry, FL]
- Battle of the Sexes: Male Surrender [John Chapman – Orlando, FL]
- Tim and Spencer’s Yet Unnamed Magic Project [Corrupting the Kids – Orlando, FL]
- Paisley the Clown [Paisley Productions – Orlando, FL]
- TBD [JAR Productions – Orlando, FL]
- – RED –
- Mark Twain’s is Shakespeare Dead [Doctor Keir Co. – Montreal, Quebec ]
- The Chronic Single’s Handbook [Randy Ross – Somerville, MA]
- Tap Me on the Shoulder [Pack of Others – Northampton, MA]
- Going On: A Inspiring True Story about Loss and Finding the Love Inside Yourself [White Rabbit – Portland, OR]
- An Iliad [John Remke – West New York, NY]
- Rendezvous La Petite Morte [Chloe J. Roberts – Tampa, FL]
- The All-New Review [Portals Theatre – Orlando, FL]
- Reincarnation Soup [Viet Nguyen – Orlando, FL]
- Paranormal Stupidity [Brian Flaherty – Maitland, FL]
- Helix by Tangent [Spur of the Moment – Winter Park, FL]
- – BLACK –
- A Brief History of Beer [Wish Experience – London, UK]
- Ocean Fox [Castlereigh Theatre Project – Victoria, BC]
- babyBlueStar Presents: VarieTEASE [babyBlueStar – Orlando, FL]
- Exploring Her Kinkdom [Penguin Productions – Orlando, FL]
- Tod Kimbro Does Everything [Tod Kimbro – Orlando, FL]
- Seasons [Squeaky Wheel Theatre Project – Orlando, FL]
- Home Free by Lanford Wilson [Gagne Productions – Orlando, FL]
- TBD [Logan Donahoo – Orlando, FL]
- Truth of Dare with Pepe [Pepe Productions – Orlando, FL]
Afterwards, some performers lamented not being picked. They are on a waiting list and sometimes shows drop out offering an opportunity for that slot to be filled. I recall laughing out loud when “Sharknado the Musical” was picked. Unfortunately I don’t see it in the listings so it must have been dropped. Thankfully “Sperm Wars” made the cut. Mark Your Calendar, there are many Fringe happenings leading up to the big event. Check the Fringe website for more details. Hey, if any local producers or directors are reading this, keep me in mind to sketch read throughs, or rehearsals.
- February 07 – Loon
- February 08 (2 shows) – Loon
- February 09 – Loon
- March 03 – Fringe at the Hard Rock
- April 14 -Local Preview
- May 14 – National / International Preview
- Second half of May – FRINGE!