Far Away at the Venue.

Far Away written by Caryl Churchill brings a nightmarish vision to The Venue (511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL 32803). The play began with a young girl (Brenna Arden) in a nightgown crawling on stage. She couldn’t sleep. The older woman (Amanda Hudson Giese) in the rocking chair was an aunt that the girl was visiting. The girl had heard screams and crawled out her bedroom window to investigate. Her uncle was beating someone and there was blood everywhere. Others were held captive and were also bloodied. The aunt twisted each aspect of the story to paint the uncle in a better light. Everything she said was a lie. She made the girl swear an oath of silence. Ultimately I feared for the girls life. She was too innocent, to caring to witness what she did. A truly deviant criminal will eliminate all witnesses.

 The next act featured hat makers. It was the woman’s first day on the job. The male hat maker (Charlie Wright) took her under his wing, letting her know the best place to get lunch. A series of scenes showed them creating hats and becoming more playful together. He ultimately informed her that the way that the business was run, was corrupt. She lamented the fact that 211 their beautiful work would ultimately be cremated along with the bodies. “You make beauty, and it disappears.” he replied. That sent me thinking. If a body is lying in a casket then how can a hat be worn? The brim would get in the way or be crushed, ruining the shape of the creation. Perhaps in this futuristic society, bodies are suspended Christ like at a wake, minus the cross of course. The male hat maker vowed to speak to the boss about his concerns about corruption. He might loose his job by speaking up. “If I loose my job, I’d miss you.” He said to his work companion. “All ready?” was her response. In one last seen their romance blossomed as they shared some beads. They found themselves holding hands. 

A final scene was the strangest of all. Characters spoke of a war with animals and people. I’m assuming the categorizing of animals and nationalities made a point the it makes no sense to separate people based on their skin color, or nationality. A couple hugged for an eternity. She took off a poncho she was wearing and she had on a latex black jumpsuit underneath with gun holsters on he legs. She was a rebel. I lost track of which animals we allies and which were enemies. I believe the elephants switched sides. Wasps were poisoned. The older woman had a phobia about butterflies. She said that in Roman times, people commit suicide by plain a sheet of gold leaf in their throat to asphyxiate themselves.   She imagined that inhaling a butterfly would have the same effect. All these scenes seemed to play up to peoples need to categorize each other, thus limiting our view of all the subtle layers that make us each unique. 

Far Away presented by Unseen Images Theater runs through November 6.

Tickets are $18.

Phantasmagoria VII, “The Cards They are Dealt”

The brand new PHANTASMAGORIA VII “The Cards They Are Dealt” thunders on to the Mandell Stage at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center with all new stories of terror! Live performers, “Phantastical” dance, explosive stage combat, large scale puppetry, aerial performance and haunting storytelling combine to create a tapestry of macabre and whimsical horror!

Phantasmagoria’s evocative troupe of steam punk storytellers, dancers, and chorus  embark on their newest journeys through literary tales of terror, horrific folk stories, legends, and myths from around the world. They present  dark tales from the likes of Poe, Lovecraft, Oscar Wilde, Ambrose Bierce, and M.R. James, as well as Arabic folklore, whimsically macabre German fairy tales, and so much more – all to set the tone for a truly Phantasmagorical Halloween season!

I arrived early to watch the fight call. The swords looked threateningly red and even at quarter speed, the swashbuckling action seemed all too real. Dancers stretched and limbered up on the suspended hoop. Right before the house opened John Di Donna had all the N circle up on the stage. He reminded everyone to breath and since it was a smaller house, he let everyone know the still needed to maintain the is momentum. “Throw your energy out there!” “We get to collapse after wards” he said. Regarding the fight sequence, ever one was advised to keep their focus. “lets sling some steel!”  the actors shouted.

An unexpected twist to this evenings presentation was that John’s character managed to bring a mortal, namely Alice, out through the looking glass to join his story telling troupe. The Phantasmagoria storytellers are eternal an they resented a mortal in their midst. Alice however was a very good storyteller. At the height of a brawl she screamed and the specs on volume knocked everyone down. It turns out she had powers beyond everyone’s expectations.

Once a story is begun, it must be completed. These storytellers live the tales often to a menacing effect.  They take a fiendish delight in each tales macabre humor and drama. In Some ways they are like a circus Sideshow troupe, but each Story fully consumes them. the re was d wonderfully choreographed waltz dance that had all the actors paired up and dancing with delight. Each year new stories weave their way into the tapestry, making Phantasmagoria a show that can be revisited each Halloween season. One member of the troupe wanted to explore the darker side of the sinister tales. to do that he would ha to splinter away from his family roots and forge his own path.

Remaining Performances are
October  30 and 31 (The 100th show!)
Box office will open each night at 7:15 / doors 7:50 / Curtain at 8:00pm – VIP After show follows immediately after in courtyard

Regular Student/Senior/Military – $15.00 / VIP Student/Senior/Military – $25.00
Regular General Admission – $25.00 / VIP General Admission – $35.00
(VIP includes Pre-Seating, VIP post show performance, photo op, souvenir, and a glass of wine or soft drink post show)

TO PURCHASE TICKETS:
WILL CALL/CASH ONLY AT DOOR reserve by calling our hot line at 407-476-5121 (Leave name/number/date of performance and number in party – you will be called back only if there is a problem with your reservation)
CREDIT CARD PREPURCHASE – For further information contact our box office email: phantasorlando@gmail.com

Beth Marshall presents The Glass Menagerie at the Garden Theater.

The Glass Menagerie written by Tennessee Williams harkens back to memories of his youth when he worked in a warehouse to support his mother and sister. Tom, (Anthony Pyatt Jr.) restlessly dreamed of a life of adventure as a poet. The only way to find that adventure in his work a day life is to escape to the movies. His mother, Amanda Wingfield, (Cami Miller), is a faded southern belle who lives in poverty with Tom and her painfully shy daughter, Laura, (Anneliese Moon) in St. Louis during the late
1930s. Tom’s fragile sister seems unable to find her place. Believing that marriage will be the answer for Laura, Amanda pushes Tom
into finding a male suitor (Zack Lane) for her. What begins as a promising evening
soon unravels, and the fragile fantasy world the family had begun to
build is irreparably cracked. Tennessee Williams drew upon his own life
to create a poignant tale that has become an award-winning American
classic. The Glass Menagerie was first brought to the stage in 1945, the play was a 2014 Tony Award nominee for Best Revival of a Play.

 Laura is so frail and vulnerable that of course my heart went out to her. So many survivors of the Pulse shooting spoke of their life being on hold. My own life seems frozen, waiting for the next chapter to begin. Laura got flustered at business school and had to drop out. Her every memory of High School, is of being different, an outsider. The gentleman caller, Jim is the embodiment of the American ideal. He believes that a few courses in public speaking will catapult him towards certain success.  He wants a give his confidence to Laura and every time he touches her she calms down. My theater companion felt that Laura’s constant shaking was distracting, but I was so won over be her delicate beauty that it didn’t bother me. Animators stage a scene so that it plays to back of the theater. Perhaps that is the reason used for Laura’s mannerisms.

What mattered most was how the last act bowled me over. Tom had left to seek out his life of poetry and adventure. He however loved his sister and wished he had been able to do more for her. In walking down a city street at night he remembered seeing brightly lit colored glass in a drug store window. That beautiful glass reminded him of his sisters delicate Menagerie of glass animals.  His sister was the glass unicorn who only wanted to be like every other horse. She joined the herd by having her dream smashed and her heart broken. Tom’s memory of her caught me and made me well up. Was I crying for her, or all of us?

The Glass Menagerie runs through November 6th.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for October 29th and 30th.

Saturday October 29, 2016

2 pm to 9pm Free. GUTS Orlando 2016. 2428 E Robinson St, Orlando, FL 32803. GUTS is a friendly pumpkin carving competition with all proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish®

AIGA Orlando invites you to its 2nd Annual live pumpkin carving competition, GUTS Orlando. The event will be held October 29, 2016. The carving competition will last from 2 to 5 pm, with an after-party featuring live music from local bands until 9 pm.

More information on the music lineup to come!

The event is free to attend, open to the public, family-friendly, and features the carvers going head-to-head to craft pumpkin creations live that will then be put up for auction to raise money for Make-A-Wish®. While the carving happens, there will be food and drink for sale, trick-or-treating for the kids, live music, silent bidding for the auction, raffle opportunities, and activities for all ages.

Interested in being a carver or creating a carving team? Visit GUTSORLANDO.COM for more information on how to register for carving competition!

The primary goal of this event is to unify the creative community in support of children who fight for their lives every day and to make their wishes come true through Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida. All money raised from the carver’s registration fees, the silent auction, as well as food, drink, and merchandise sales during the event will go to benefit Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, and donations will also be accepted.

The competition is open to local and regional creative professionals who want to test their pumpkin carving skills, and more importantly, raise money for the brave kids of Make-A-Wish®.

The deadline to register to carve will be Friday, October 14th.

About AIGA Orlando

AIGA Orlando advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, and vital cultural force. As the largest community of design advocates, we bring together practitioners, enthusiasts, and patrons to amplify the voice of design and create the vision for a collective future.

For additional information please contact:

guts@orlando.aiga.org

8pm to 2am Free. Return of the PokeParty 2016! Bikkuri Sushi Noodle & Grill, East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL. Guess who’s back? Back again! DING! is back! TELL A FRIEND! Tons of people have been asking for this, and OMNOM is bringing it back in style! Not only are we going to celebrate our love for Pocket Monsters old and new, but in true DING! fashion we’re also going to be celebrating our friend Sammi’s Birthday AND Halloween all at the same time!!!!

Featuring a performance by Pokemon Master Rapper Shammers!!!

This is going to be one hell of an event, and we want to see everyone dressed up to be the very best! Feel free to wear your favorite cosplay OR Halloween costume! (Not required to be Pokemon related!) The only requirement is to come out and have fun!!!

(MORE INFO WILL BE ADDED LATER ON)

…BUUUUT be prepared for more awesomeness than ever before! Some of the fun things available to do include video games, dancing, sushi, bar specials, AND A PIÑATA FULL OF CANDY!!!

Bring your family, your friends, and whoever else that you think would enjoy a night of friends, fun and fantastic memories!

8pm to 10pm $10 4th Annual Thornton Park Halloween Block Party. Party. Entrance in front of Dexter’s Thornton Park. Festivities include:

Live Music by The Sh-Booms, $1000 Costume Contest, Food Trucks, DJ Spreadsheets, Dark Art Market… and much more and it’s all for a good cause! Proceeds for the event benefit non-profit Thornton Park District!

Patrons will fear the spooky brick-lined streets of Thornton Park, the city’s most haunted district. (21+ event)

Tickets are $10 in advance.

Thornton Park District is an entity, made possible through the interest, efforts and generosity of the national trust Main Street USA, the City of Orlando as well as our many members and volunteers. Event Chair:

Board Member Melissa Schumann

Sunday October 30, 2016. 

10am to 3pm Free. Annual Pet Costume Contest.  North Park Ave at Garfield in Winter Park. Presented by Doggie Door.

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola Farmers Market. Southeast corner of Lake Eola Park.

2pm to 4pm Free. Yoga. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL. Near the Red Gazibo. Every week.

49, 53 and Beyond Children’s Mural.

Michael Pilato a mural artist from Philadelphia has come to Orlando to create a series of murals dedicated to the 49, 53 and beyond who were directly affected by the tragic shooting at Pulse nightclub. He has moved into the empty apartment above Tony’s pizzeria on the corner of Mills and Colonial. This run down apartment was formerly known as “The Space” and has been the location for quite a few cutting edge exhibits and performances. Volunteers have been working tirelessly to make the space livable. New floors are being put in, along with a new sink and cabinets. Piles of scrap wood were piled in the hall, waiting to be taken to the dump. There was no air conditioning and some window panes were broken and missing. Michael was bitten by mosquitoes on his first night in the space.  The groundwork for this artist studio is a true labor of love.

Long narrow staircases lead up to the space. Chimene Pindar Hurst came up with the idea of having home school students create a mural on the walls of the front stairwell. Susan Gromala Crary has done murals on Disney property and she stepped in to spearhead the project. Day one had the children sketching and writing ideas on paper. The kids wanted to sling paint from the start, but Susan assured them that they needed a unified plan before paint touched the walls.  They circled up to share ideas and chat while they worked. The moms sat on the opposite end of the room, also chatting. Susan took all the sheets of paper home to her studio to create a unified concept that incorporated all the separate ideas.

When the kids were finished, Susan sat with them and enthusiastically let them know which ideas inspired her the most.  She collected all the sketches and notes and the conversation she had with the kids gave her a definite idea of how to proceed. Words are very important to these kids because of texting and the internet. Therefor words of love and inspiration would weave themselves in to the visual tapestry of the mural. The plan was to have the kids come in weekly to get the mural painted.

Pirates invade Ceday Key.

The Cedar Key Pirate Festival became a mecca for pirates from all over Florida and Georgia in September of 2015. The drive north west from Orlando passed by the Ocalla National Forest. The pirates invaded the quiet city of Cedar key on the first day landing on the beach and fighting their way towards the city park. They set up a thieves row and a pirate encampment.

A gazebo in a corner of ye park, becomes the main stage for Arrr Ink, which is short for, Acme Rogue, and the Ruffian Recruits. Arrr Ink offers the crow card trick, walking the plank, and get hi patrons to jot the Pirate Union, which is an organization of their own invention. Their show consists of light hearted comedy that is family friendly. I was picked out of the audience, and got to play along side the pirates.

Music consisted of sea shanties and folk must reminding me of the simple days crewing on board the Clearwater Dutch Sloop on the Hudson River. We used to wall up to the gent strumming on a banjo. Of course there was plenty of grog, and decent food at various vendors. In the evening the pirates dance with fire on the beach, and invade the local pubs. A quiet evening out could suddenly become quite boisterous.

I sketched pirate performers as they rested near a tent that acted as their green room. Pirates have an appreciation for art and several watched as I worked, saying “Arrrr you an arrrrtist?” “No, I’m a deck hand, I just do this for fun,” I might respond.

Mark Ye Calendars for the 5th Annual Invasion September 15-17, 2017. The Pirate Invasion Weekend website will have more information as the date approaches.

Love appears across from Pulse.

Artist Michael Owen used to live in Orlando, going to Dr Phillips high school. He moved to Baltimore to attend art school and has lived there ever since, his family is still in Orlando and he visits often. In Baltimore he executed a series of 20 murals, all with the theme of love. After the tragic shootings at Pulse he wanted to return to Orlando to share this theme. Finding a location was difficult, but Einstein Bagels right across the street from Pulse decided this was a great idea that might help in Orlando’s healing process.

Michael used large rollers to paint. He also executes more refined detail using house paint brushes. “They are like the filberts I use when painting on a smaller scale.” he said. The lift helps him paint the details high on the wall. LOVE is spelled out in silhouette using human hands. I first met Michael at After Orlando, a one night theater collaboration that featured 20 plans that addressed feelings and emotions after the Pulse shooting. Originally, he intended to have 49 orange blossom floating in space. After Orlando inspired him to paint more of the stems and leaves for the blooms. The outpouring of community support is symbolized in this more solid base.

We talked d bit about a common friend, Cole Nesmith, it turns out that Cole is the first person to ever buy a piece of Michael’s art.  People would stop to talk to the artist and he was always happy to tell then his story. One woman walking past the mural had on a deep purple blouse. “you match.’ he said. “I what?” she replied. “You match the mural.” Sure enough her deep purple blouse matched the purple hands on the mural.  “Purple is the color of royalty.”  he informed her. Several I cars honked their approval and some people wanted to shoot photos with their phones. “People just react” he told me as we talked abort what it is like to create art in public. The positive responses he has had from everyone in Orlando has been unprecedented.

 From interviews with Pulse shooting survivors, I know that the Einstein Bagel’s parking lot had been used as a triage site where the injured and dead had been taken to get them any from the gun fire. Survivors used their shirts and socks to plug bullet holes in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Blood had stained the pavement. Now splashes of purple spattered paint dripped from the well to the pavement. Once the scene of horrible carnage, the parking lot is becoming a beacon of hope and love.

The drips are all part of Michael’ spontaneous process. He uses the paint as if is were watercolor being used by a giant. He would sweep the roller in an arch creating elegant sweeping lines to the purple foliage. He asked me how far Sam Flat was and I gave him directions. The Sun was getting close to the horizon, and he needed more supplies. He needs some spray paint to because he wants to add delicate gradations to the flowers. Each blossom is unique having it’s own shape and form.

People in Orlando are still trying to process the horrors of June 12. People grieve in their own ways. Creating art is an artist’s attempt to come to terms with that evening. In that way, Michael a I have much in common. I hope his mural does help in the healing for those who visit the pulse memorial across the street. Perhaps some will cross the street and leave memorial items at the base of the mural. Michael has invested his one money and  gofundme money to bring this message of love to Orlando.

I heard a skid and then the crunching of plastic hitting plastic. there had been a fender bender at the stop light.  The drivers got out and exchanged insurance information. Life still rushed past even as art blooms. You can’t rush a labor of love.

After Orlando

Margaret Nolan has worked diligently to bring “After Orlando” to the stage. Usually it takes years for a theater production to come to life. In Orlando, nerves are still raw, so Margaret felt it was important to bring After Orlando to the stage only months after the Pulse shooting. “It was a labor of love. [I’ve] been steeped in it daily since the 1st week of July and it’s taken an emotional toll….but so worth it to present these important plays and project to honor the Pulse tragedy.” Margaret wrote me. The event was sold out.

After the Pulse tragedy NYC creators Zac Kline and Blair Baker invited fellow theater artists to create short plays and poetic pieces as a response to create something with heart, and spirit.  After Orlando is now a collective of over seventy playwrights from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Uganda. Plays are being presented in venues and universities all over the work and will be published in an anthology by No Passport Press.

Margaret commissioned and curated Orlando based writers to join in the conversation. The evening consisted of 20 short plays with ten local playwrights showcasing their talents. My short film, “Finger on the Pulse” was screened right after intermission. As I entered the theater, Paul Casteneda said he was close tears watching the film at the last rehearsal. There were tech issues but they were resolved right before the opening. My favorite play was written by young playwright Rose Helsinger. Called “Albino Crocodile“. It was a monologue be young actress who witnessed a gay classmate being bullied in the school halls. The bullying centered around a mispronunciation of Albino. Albino Crocodiles have blood red eyes and beautiful white skin. When an albino goes to the watering hole all the other crocks go  “Hey what is this? We can be seen around the likes of you.” At a girls slumber party conversations turned to boy crushes. One girl confided that she had a crush on another girl. She was shunned like the albino. She however stood resolute finding a strength and joy in being herself.

A Poem by Aradhana  Tiwari called “I remember I am a Rainbow” got me choked up. The poem started showcasing a storm’s approach and violence. Despite the turbulence and darkness the rainbow emerged to explain the joyful meaning behind it’s every color. It was somewhere around the description of a yellow bird chirping happily and taking flight that I broke down. It was a dark theater. I didn’t have to wipe away the tears.

Other heart wrenching plays, had actors exchanging messages and phone calls in a desperate attempt to find out if loved ones were lost. Janine Klein had an incredibly powerful monologue as a mom getting ready for bed and seeking silence from social media. Her sleep is disturbed by phone calls and she discovers her son is among the missing. Janine grew desperate, hoping her son was alright. Her love was palpable even as she described the tattoo he loved and she hated. She faced the possibility that her son might be forever silent.

The final play, had all the actors on the stage. I imagine the final production would have 49 actors. Rebecca Fisher recited a series of joyful phrases beginning with “Today is a good day to…” Tell someone you love them, hug a stranger, to take dance lessons, to sky dive… All the statements came from the obituaries found for the 49 victims in the Orlando Sentinel. It ended the evening on a high note, reminding us all to live life to the fullest. Life is a gift that is all too short. Part of me wants to shut down, to steer dear of the pain. But compassion and hurt bubbles to the surface any time I see OrIando’s Creative community unite to answer bigotry and hate with an enlightened response. As Paul Castineda said, “I’m proud of all my fellow
artists.”

Angels in the Abbey

I went to a red carpet event benefiting the Pulse of Orlando Fund at The Abbey, (100 S Eola Dr #100, Orlando, FL 32801). Outside angels were set to welcome guests, but) a sudden rain Storm sent the angles scrambling for corer.  The evening marks three months since the tragedy and will be focused on the positivity, love, and inspiration we have seen from around the World.

The event included a Silent Auction, sale of Original Art pieces from around the World, performances by the Orlando Gay Chorus, Evin, and featured performer Brandon Parsons – singer of the hit single “Forty-Nine Times.”

Pulse entertainment manager, Neema Bahrami, will MC the evening and Pulse owner Barbara Poma will also be in attendance.

This was a VIP red carpet event with limited tickets sold. 100% of the proceeds go to the Pulse of Orlando Fund, the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit currently distributing funds to victims.

Brandon’s song and the appearance on stage of Pulse employees and survivors had me fighting back tears. Healing is a slow process and my need to understand keeps the nerve endings exposed. 

Catharsis adds a personal touch to horror.

Catharsis is an all-new immersive haunted experience
unlike anything Central Florida has ever encountered. This experience is not about simply startling you. It  is not an “extreme” haunted house. Catharsis is about reaching you on a deeper level. It is about the chill that runs down your spine, about the involuntary feeling of dread that consumes you as you step out into the unknown.

Executive producer Ricky Brigante walked me through the dark sinister warehouse maze. We stopped in the Lust room, and we both knew that this is where I should sketch. To help me blend in, Ricky walked me to the actors dressing room and  picked out a long flowing night gown with sequins and large triangular shoulder pads. The actress it was tailored for only had a two inch wide waste, I couldn’t wrap it around my bulky chest. All that guests would see, would be sequins on my legs and a white pearl necklace around my neck. I sat right beside them in a dark corner.

The actor in the Lust room, Sam Matusrek, had long lashes, eyeliner and a beautiful red silk night gown. We were briefly introduced in the dressing room before the doors opened. You enter the lust room through a jagged hole that has been knocked through a wall. Sam searched for a flashlight in the dark when he first entered. The room was illuminated by a single exposed red bulb. It had the sinister feel of an old school photographer’s dark room. An analog camera and darkroom chemicals were on the floor along with rose pedals. Masks were on a dresser and on the single lamp.

When guests arrived, Sam would inspect each silently by lightly touching their hair. Then he signaled for them to sit on two stools.  He would then focus on his favorite by shining his light in their face and delicately painting their face with lipstick. He quietly sighed and moaned with delight at his creation. Some times they had their backs to me. Had I reached out, I would certainly have startled them. However I’m a good boy, a reserved pornographer. I kept my hands to my self.

Then he would take his muses hand and guide him or her to the sex stained bed. He would have them lie down and then he posed them in the position which best suited his lustful fetish. He would place the right hand above their head, and then cross the other across their chest or belly. He then opened a small cabinet at the foot of the bed. He removed a featureless yet sad mask for himself and then a second mask of sewn together bits of flesh. The flimsy and light flesh mask went over the face of his muse. He would then lie next to them and spoon close to their back or side. He wrapped his arm around them and would lightly stroke their arm. That delicate touch would illicit some chill up anyone’s spine,  good or bad. Reactions varied. A few laughed nervously and others would lie stiff and still with only their twitching fingers as a hint that they were still alive.

As Sam left the room with his new cuddle buddies, he would check my sketch on the iPad and sigh with delight. I felt very much like a filthy pornographer. Sam’s camera was broken. He usually took photos of his models before he molested them. I became his only means of documenting his filthy creative routine.

make a Catharsis reservation

The Catharsis experience is available on select nights throughout October 2016.

hours: 8:00pm – 11:30pm

Tickets to catharsis are sold in 30-minute arrival windows. You must arrive and check in during that window. Upon arrival, you will first enter the deadly sins bar, where you may check in, relax, enjoy a drink and a few sinfully fun activities while you await your entry to the experience.

Select a remaining date to purchase a ticket:

October 22, 2016

October 23, 2016

October 26, 2016

October 27, 2016

October 28, 2016

October 29, 2016

October 30, 2016

you will experience Catharsis in groups of 1 – 4.

Standard entry ($24 per person) – you / your group may enter with other guests.

Private entry upgrade
($10 extra per person) – you / your group will enter without other
guests. this upgrade enables you to enter ALONE, if you wish…

Catharsis is inevitable.