The Slip-Knot is a one person show about working horrible day jobs: stock-boy at a drug store, truck driver for a dumpster company and Christmas parcel tracker for the post office. There are three subplots: a long distance relationship, an attempt to sell a used van and the ordeal of finding an apartment in a new city.

"If you could listen to a juggler, and if that juggler were the most accomplished juggler in the world, the experience would be something like listening to TJ Dawe in The Slip-Knot" - Elizabeth Maupin, Orlando Sentinel

"A cross between a Dilbert comic strip and a Stuart McLean narrative" - Susan Down, Victoria Times-Colonist

"It's a virtuoso performance. This is not just a lesson in rhythm, text and performance; it is also a scintillating explosion of imagination. Fine, fine theatre pulled out of thin air" - Gaetan Charlebois - Hour Magazine (Montreal)

TJ has toured The Slip-Knot throughout Canada and the US.

The Slip-Knot
Orange Venue in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center
Monday, May 26th, Patron's Pick Day
11:30AM
90 minute show

Come support TJ and Orlando Fringe!

All proceeds go to Orlando Fringe!

Tickets on sale now at www.orlandofringe.org

OW Article..

BEFRINGED AND BEWILDERED?
Dwarfs with flashing tools? Check. Red dildo in the hand of a randy senior citizen? Check. Devil's weed, racial jokes told in blackface, the politics of pee and the mysteries of the clit? Check, all four.

..tr> ..TR> ..table> By Lindy T. Shepherd

Indeed, such strangeness is a mere sprinkling of what's in store for the 2008 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. The whole enchilada is engorged with the creative energy of 70 artists and groups (mostly from here, though others come from everywhere) plus the scores of volunteers and staffers who provide the production magic. Over the course of 12 days, right-brain inspirations fill the stages for the 17th annual celebration of music, drama, comedy, dance and other artistic expressions that defy categorization.

For all the planning that goes into the Fringe, it's still a random operation: The shows in the lineup are picked by a lottery system. Applications go to producing artistic director Beth Marshall (we call her the Mistress of Fringe), and she blindly draws the lucky titles that'll fill the limited schedule. On the upside, the system ensures there's always room for fresh Fringe blood; on the downside, the unchosen are left to wait for another year – a tough break for successful Fringe veterans who've established a following. Ultimately, the quality of the act doesn't count for doodie in the selection process – there is no auditioning beforehand. (Speaking of poop, the Doodie Humor comedy troupe is back this year with Doodie Humor's Christmas Spectacular.)

So what does the random selection process mean to the audience? Simple – no guarantees. Depending on individual tastes, some productions may strike the zenith of viewing pleasure, while others may sink to a miserable nadir. That's the gamble of Fringe: There is something for anyone to love or hate, you just have to find it; every Fringe is a fresh treasure hunt. That's why word-of-mouth recommendations are the most reliable way to gauge what's hot and what's not. When it comes to the inside scoop, Marshall suggests eavesdropping on conversations in the beer tent and observing what other Fringers are standing in long lines to witness. Of course, those who never follow the crowd can slip into any dark venue for an adventure to judge for themselves. And the Fringe website connects you with endless pages of detailed information about participants and activities; it can pay to study up in advance.

If rubbing elbows with wacky theater types and their followers causes undue anxiety, that's OK too. Because of the improved logistics – everything is centralized in Loch Haven Park, and tickets are available online (eliminating congested will-call experiences) – it's possible to show up with ticket in hand, catch a production and make a fast getaway without ever uttering a word. (That is, as long as your Fringe button has been bought and picked up in person ahead of time; see the "How to Fringe" sidebar.)

If money is in short supply, not to worry. No button or ticket is required to hang out in the beer tent or to shop around the food court and product vendors spread out in Loch Haven Park – aka "the Green Lawn of Fabulousness." The outdoor stage on the lawn also will see its share of free shenanigans in the evenings and weekends. (Suggestion: Take notes on what happens on the green for 12 days and there should be enough character-rich filling for a 2009 Fringe hit.)

For a better understanding of what's in store for this year that's different from previous years, we went to Marshall, whose whip-cracking over the years has worked wonders in shaping the festival's efficiency, productivity and creativity. She knows the Orlando Fringe inside and out, and she's also knowledgeable about the national and international Fringe circuits. On top of that, she's a performer herself, with plans to go on the road with her show just after Fringe wraps up.

Since Marshall never tires of cheerleading for the festival, we talked with her and found that as she revealed specifics about the 2008 assemblage, she captured a colorful overview of this crazy little thing called Fringe. In keeping with the random theme, we share her insights in no particular order.

The Green Lawn of Fabulousness

Proper food and drink always elevate the mood of the crowd, and this year organizers have tripled the offerings in the outdoor food court (complete with tables and chairs). Here's where you'll be tempted by the smell of fried catfish or the sight of an ice-cold beer, or moved to revive your overstimulated body with a short spell in a massage chair. Entertainment on the free stage picks up in the evenings and all day on weekends, and special events also have been planned. A sure spectacle is the Silent Rave: Orlando (5:24 p.m. Saturday, May 24), for which partiers bring their own MP3 players and earbuds and dance to their own tunes. Costumes are encouraged, as well as group efforts.

Godfather of the Fringe: Michael Wanzie

It just wouldn't be Fringe without local theater impresario Michael Wanzie, who's always pushing the boundaries of Fringe's no-censorship sensibilities. Whether the maven of gay theater is performing, directing or just hanging around taking tugs off his trusty flask, keep an eye out for his oversized flamboyance and stay clear of his stinging wit. Wherever he wanders, the cult of Wanzie usually staggers behind. At the Fringe Preview several weeks ago, he shared hosting duties and had obviously been scolded about making inappropriate comments in front of the family-friendly audience. Though he tried to hold himself in check, it was impossible. As always, his unscripted asides thrown from the sidelines served as an assurance that the Fringe has not yet been tamed. The overtly gay musical When Pigs Fly is the production he directed in this year's lineup.

Faithful Fringers: The Green Room Company

Considering the R-rated content we've mentioned so far, it might be hard to believe that there is plenty of wholesome fare in the Fringe mix. (You can find the maturity rating of each show in the festival's program.) For example, the Green Room Company that stems from the First Baptist Church of Orlando has participated in the festival for four years now. Steel Magnolias was last year's show; this year they present the Rejoice Dance Ministry original work In His Own Time. The segments are based upon the Biblical writings in Ecclesiastes 3, ringing with the familiar line "A time to be born and a time to die" – the same passage that was transformed into the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds.

Newbies

We mentioned that the lottery system keeps the Orlando Fringe doors open to fresh faces from around the world – and Casselberry too. That's home to Kick the Puppy Productions, whose three-minute showcase of their Oral entry at the Fringe Preview piqued the interest of the audience with its frank talk on what it's all about down there. (This could be the sex-ed refresher course that you've been praying your lover will attend – and ace.) Not having seen the full show, we're hoping that once and for all, the difference between a "vagina" and a "vulva" is fully mapped out, and that Howard Stern gets a tape. Also on the newbie scene is Jessica Taylor of Palm Coast with Colored Waiting Room, a game show of sorts starring the black actress, who performs in blackface as she shocks audiences with her no-holds-barred racial satire. It's as brutal as it is enlightening.

Poetry Vending Machine and Smackdown

While many past and present shows have contained elements of poetry, rarely has poetry taken center stage at the Fringe, says Marshall. And it won't again this year, but there will be the cash-and-carry Poetry Vending Machine on the lawn powered by Tod Caviness and other "local bards," including Dani O, Darlyn Finch, Brad Kuhn, Trevor Fraser and S.K.I.P. Hand over $5 (or try to barter with beer and snacks) and a few guiding words to the poets on duty, and they'll deliver the goods. At 11 p.m. Saturday, May 17 and 24, Caviness hosts the more competitive Fringe Poetry Smackdown, for which local wordsmiths take on each other in live matches judged by the unruly vultures on the sidelines (the judges). The Smackdown is free and takes place in the new outdoor Red Venue (the back courtyard, by the firehouse).

Kids Fringe and
Visual Fringe

The 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends-only Kids Fringe moves outdoors this year too and benefits from sponsor Blue Man Group, which will run a one-day-only workshop Sunday, May 18. That's in addition to other programmed activities designed to stimulate the creativity of the Fringers of tomorrow. The Visual Fringe takes place inside the Lowndes center, organized by Anna McCambridge. The works are all for sale with 100 percent of the purchase price going back to the artists. Both Kids Fringe and the Visual Fringe are free and don't require buttons.

Both veteran and novice Fringe-goers should be getting the message that there's more to experience at the Fringe than can be recounted, so make use of the website and all of the other maps and guides available onsite. Visit Orlando Weekly's Culture2Go blog (www.orlandoweekly.com/blog/c2cg.asp) for reviews and comments during the festival. And don't forget to wear your ruby slippers, as you'll want to click your heels and remember that though your imagination has been transported to an alternative universe, you're really still in Orlando.

*Note: Dwarfs with flashing tools can be found in VarieTease No. 24: Doll Factory; red dildo in the hands of a randy senior citizen, Mister Rose's Bird and Falling Leaves; devil's weed, Reefer Madness, the Musical; racial jokes told in blackface, Colored Waiting Room; politics of pee, Urinetown; mysteries of the clit, Oral.

HOW TO FRINGE .. --> @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->

Buttons & tickets

First, buy a Fringe button. And we suggest buying it in advance, which you have to do in person. REPEAT: Buttons must be purchased in person. It's $6 and is required for entry to all performances, but NOT for Visual Fringe, Kids Fringe, the outdoor stage or the beer tent. Buttons are available only at the Ticket Central location (4 p.m.-midnight weekdays, 10 a.m.-midnight weekends) inside the Lowndes Shakespeare Center – not online and not by phone. Proceeds from the button sales benefit the festival; ticket revenue goes directly to the performers.

After you have the button (sold in several collectible designs), buy tickets (priced up to $10), which are sold inside the Lowndes Shakespeare Center up to three minutes before show time. Advance tickets – the way to go – are available at www.orlandofringe.org. Online sales stop at 10 p.m. on the day before a specific performance. A $1 processing fee is added to all ticket purchases. After you buy advance tickets, you can print them yourself. Free parking is available at Loch Haven Park on a first-come, first-served basis. There is also limited street parking on Rollins Street and Mills Avenue and paid parking at the Orlando Science Center and Florida Hospital.

Seating at Fringe performances is general admission, so early arrival is recommended; patrons who have not purchased their tickets in advance are advised to show up an hour before the advertised show time. No late seating will be permitted.

Venue key

Lowndes Shakespeare Center,
812 E. Rollins St.

Orange: Margeson Theater
Yellow: Goldman Theater
Blue: Studio B
Brown: Orlando Philharmonic Rehearsal Hall
Pink: Mandell Studio Theater
Red Venue: outdoor Darden Courtyard
Bathroom venue: Women's lobby bathroom
Kids' Fringe: Loch Haven Park

Orlando Repertory Theatre,
1001 E. Princeton St.

Green: Tupperware Theatre
Silver: Edyth Bush Theatre

Ratings Key

All shows at the Fringe are uncensored and anything goes – dirty language, sexed-up costumes, nudity, inappropriate humor, name-calling and so on. The ratings were determined by the artists themselves and are only a general guideline, not a guarantee. And when they say "mature," they mean, like, your age.

FF (Family Friendly) Like a G-rated film.
GA (General Audience) Like a PG-13 film.
MA (Mature) No one under 18 allowed without a parent or legal guardian.

lshepherd@orlandoweekly.com

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photo by Greg Matthews

MISTRESS OF FRINGE: Beth Marshall makes the calls

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Sean Flynn

SFlynn@mmm.edu

(407) 227-3045

"Dance in the streets. Not your room."

New York, NY (April 22, 2008), On April 18th 2008 at 6:17pm New York City witnessed one of the newest forms of clubbing that has been sweeping through Europe, a "Silent Rave", where dancers supply, but don't share, their music. Many forms of "Silent Raving" can be seen at music festivals such as Coachella and Bonaroo.  In New York City's historic Union Square Park thousands gathered with their iPods, portable CD players, and other forms of mp3 players, and danced until their batteries died. People arrived dressed in business clothes, clearly taking a break or perhaps on their way to work, they sparkled in sequins, or they floated around with a pair of wings. The idea of a "Silent Rave" is show that you should not care what others think and just be yourself. "Dance in the streets, not in your room", the motto of Jonnie Wesson, the eighteen-year-old Foreign Exchange student who started the NYC gathering.

It is time for Orlando to be a part of the fun. "Silent Rave: Orlando" is able to happen thanks to Beth Marshall, the producer of the Orlando International Fringe Festival. On May 24^th, at 5:24pm gather in on the Green with your portable music player of choice, wait for the countdown, then prepare to dance until that little battery of yours dies down! If you are on a break from seeing one of the spectacular shows the Orlando Fringe has to offer, come on over and dance in the field. You can formulate playlists with friends so you can dance together, you can arrive in costume, just be yourself, meet the wonderful people of the Orlando Fringe, promote peace, and just have fun! A "Silent Rave" never has an official end time; the Union Square began at 6:17pm and lasted until close to midnight! Get the word out there! Join the Facebook event page, invite your friends and have a good time! Spread the word!

Got a Facebook? Add the event and invite your friends!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=14708362166

Peace and Love,

Sean Flynn

FUN, FABULOUS, FRENZIED FRINGE FESTIVAL RETURNS..

--Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival Announces 17th Consecutive Year-

ORLANDO, Fla. (April XX, 2008) – We live in a censored world where entertainers can’t say and do whatever they want, unless they are in the Fringe, that is.

May 15-26, 2008, the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival will present edgy and authentic theatre, dance, art and musical entertainment, guaranteed to be everything from the unimaginable to the unforgettable and ranging from mild to wild.

As the oldest, non-juried Fringe Festival in the United States, the Orlando Fringe Festival proudly stays true to Fringe roots, with all acts remaining uncensored.  In its 17th year, nearly 70 new and established artist groups from around the world will perform in eight color-coded venues and one non-color coded venue throughout Orlando’s Loch Haven Park.

Lowndes Shakespeare Center Venues:

            Orange Venue: Margeson Theatre (sponsored by The Parliament House)

      Yellow Venue: Goldman Theatre (sponsored by The Harriett Lake Festival of New Plays: PlayFest)

      Blue Venue: Studio B (sponsored by BLUE MAN GROUP)

      Pink Venue: Mandell Theatre (sponsored by Orlando Shakespeare Theatre)

      Brown Venue: Orlando Philharmonic Rehearsal Hall (sponsored by Orlando Philharmonic)

NEW Red Venue: Darden Courtyard (sponsored by Cirque du Soleil)

Bathroom Venue: Women’s lobby bathroom

The Orlando REP Venues:

            Silver Venue: Bush theatre (sponsored by Bank of America: Local Hero Award)

      Green Venue: Tupperware Theatre (sponsored by Orlando REP)

      Favorite Fringe elements will return this year, including:

·         Kids Fringe - Outside in Loch Haven Park on festival weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Kids Fringe is free to the public. This year’s theme is Fringezilla and offers a variety of theatrical and fun experiences for children and families. During each Kids Fringe, all-day activities will allow kids to express themselves in any form they choose. Kids Fringe activities are catered to children K-8th grade.

·         Visual Fringe - An uncensored and non-juried display of art located located within the Lowndes Shakespeare Center.  Fringe takes no commission on the art sale price and 100 percent of the purchase price goes back to the artist.

·         Opening Night Gala - A VIP reception with Michael Wanzie and Beth Marshall as hosts, will take place May 15 from 5 to 6 p.m. at Loch Haven Park Outdoor Stage featuring a proclamation reading and ribbon cutting.  Opening night shows in all venues will begin immediately following the ribbon cutting, promptly at 6 p.m.  No late admission will be permitted into shows  A Fringe Button is required for admission to the Gala and all shows.

·         2008 Fringe Wrap Party and Fabby Award Ceremony - The last weekend of the festival marks the Fringe Wrap Party and the 2008 Fringe Fabby Award Ceremony, beginning at 11 p.m. on Sunday, May 25 located on the Outdoor Stage in Loch Haven Park.  A Fringe Button is required for admission to the Wrap Party.

·         Patrons Pick Day - The 12th and final day of the Festival, May 26, Patrons Pick Day features bonus performances by the top selling show in each of the venues, as voted by patrons of the Fringe.

·         The Green Lawn of Fabulousness aka The Beer Tent - Located in Loch Haven Park, the The Green Lawn of Fabulousness aka The Beer Tent is the place to be seen in between Fringe shows, serving beer, wine and food weekdays from 6 p.m.- midnight and weekends from noon - midnight.

·         Other Fringe Events - Throughout the festival, the new, red venue will feature certain free performances and activities including Fringe Poetry Smackdown Saturdays at 11 p.m. with local celebrity and audience judges, Fringe fashion shows, Fringe Poetry Vending Machine and more.  Please note, the red venue is a ticketed venue with the exception of certain performances.  Please check www.orlandofringe.org for up-to-date schedules of these free events.  The free outdoor stage is sponsored by City Beverages.

For up-to-date Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival information as well as a schedule of events and ticket pricing and purchase, please visit www.orlandofringe.org or www.myspace.com/orlandofringe.

HOW TO FRINGE

Beginning April 28, 2008, tickets for the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival go on sale online at www.orlandofringe.org. Tickets can also be purchased during the festival, weekdays from 4:00 p.m.- midnight and weekends from 10:00 a.m.- midnight at the festival box office, located at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center.  Tickets cannot be purchased by phone. Please do not call the Fringe office or the Lowndes Shakespeare Center in attempt to purchase tickets. Tickets purchased online can be printed from home. No tickets will be mailed and there is no will call.

A Fringe button is required to enter any of the Fringe venues. The button cost is a $6, one-time purchase and the proceeds go to the Fringe. Patrons must have Fringe buttons to enter the venues. A button is not required for Visual Fringe and Kids Fringe or to hang out at the Beer Tent and enjoy the outdoor events. Fringe buttons can only be purchased in person at the Fringe box office located in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center during the operating hours of the festival.

Each performing group determines their own ticket price. The average range is from $5-$10 (no ticket exceeds $10). There is a $1 ticket surcharge on each ticket purchased that goes to the ticketing system. Credit Card fees apply as well. One hundred percent of the box office income goes directly to the artists.

The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is sponsored by The Orange County Government through the Arts and Cultural Affairs Program, The State of Florida’s Department of State-Division of Cultural Affairs, The Florida Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. The 17th annual Orlando Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival presenting sponsors are Orange County Division of Arts&Cultural Affairs, United Arts, Cirque du Soleil and The Parliament House.

About the Fringe

Fringe festivals began in 1947 when groups not invited to perform at the Edinburgh Festival of the Arts in Scotland staged their own "fringe" performances outside the festival boundaries.  Fringe Festivals now occur all around the world, with true festivals continuing to be uncensored, and non-juried with all performance ticket proceeds going directly to the artists.

This year, seven theater venues in and around Loch Haven Park will host all 12 days of the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival from May 15-26, 2007. In addition to 65 performance groups, the Orlando Fringe Festival will also include Visual Fringe, featuring non-censored art pieces on display throughout the venues and Kids Fringe, showcasing entertainment and activities for young theatre-goers on the weekend. Tickets will go on sale in April at www.orlandofringe.org.

On April 28, 2008 at 7:00 p.m., Orlando Fringe will host a Fringe Preview - featuring 30, three-minute previews of the 2008 Fringe shows at Lowndes Shakespeare Center. Tickets will be $16 per person.

The first of more than 20 Fringe Festivals occurring internationally each year, the Orlando Fringe Festival has grown by more than 100 percent since its debut in 1992, originally having only 30 performers. 

For continually updated Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival information visit www.orlandofringe.org.

About CAFF

As part of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF), the Orlando Fringe Festival follows four main "Fringe" ideals and principles:

·         Participants are selected on a non-juried basis, through a first-come; first serve process, a lottery or other method approved by the Association.

·         100% of the ticket price goes directly to the artists. 

·         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.

Other true Fringe festivals and CAFF members are the: Athabasca Country Fringe Festival, Atlantic Fringe Festival, Boulder International Fringe Festival, Calgary Fringe Festival, Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, Festival St. Ambroise Fringe de Montreal, Fraser Valley Fringe Theatre Festival, Frigid Theatre Festival, Fringe of Toronto Theatre Festival, Grand Little Fringe, Hamilton Fringe Festival, Indianapolis Fringe Theatre Festival, London Fringe Theatre Festival, Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, Ottawa Fringe Festival, Regina International Fringe Festival, San Francisco Fringe Festival, Saskatoon Fringe Theatre Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival, and the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival.

For more Fringe Festival information, visit www.fringefestivals.com.

Media Contact:

Lindsey Levy, Push.

407-841-2299

llevy@pushhere.com

Michael Alberici, Push.

407-841-2299

malberici@pushhere.com

Don’t miss your chance to have a sneak peek of what’s to come at the 17^th Annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival.

Fringe Preview offers 3minute teasers from 30 of our local, national and international arts groups performing at this year’s Fringe. It is your chance to get a jump- start of knowing what you want to attend at this year’s festival –May 15^th-26^th in Loch Haven Park! You will also learn Fun Fringe Facts and info on HOW TO FRINGE! This event sells out every year at rocket speed. Book your tickets NOW!!!!

When- Monday, April 28^th, 2008

Where- The Lowndes Shakespeare Center- Margeson Theatre (ORANGE VENUE) located at 812 E. Rollins St. In Loch Haven Park

ShowTime- 7pm-10pm

(box office opens at 6pm) Beer/Wine & soft drinks available for donation

Ticket price- $16 (includes Fringe button good for the 2008 Festival)

Reservations- can be made by calling the Fringe office- 407-648-0077. Tickets are on sale now and they go fast- PLEASE ensure your spot by reserving in advance. Visa/MC accepted.

$5 Raffle for a chance to win a 2008 Fringe Superpass!!!!!!!

2008 Fringe merchandise and hard copy Fringe programs will be available as well.

April 28^th, 2008 is also marks the day the tickets for the festival go on sale online at orlandofringe.org !

Hosts- Genevieve Bernard, Chris Gibson, Beth Marshall & Michael Wanzie

ACT 1

An exceptionally cheerful, militantly gay musical extravaganza. Phantasmagorical costumes. Lavish production numbers. Irreverent comedy. Starring David Lee, Frank McClain, Sam Singhaus, David Dorman, & Wanzie. This year’s The Lion Queen!

CineDance Jazz Dance and Florida Dance Theatre- MOVE!(Orlando/Lakeland)

What does it mean to move?...to be moved? Film and dance collide on stage as directors of two Florida dance companies collaborate to take you on this provocative journey.

Daack-Evanicki Productions- Alice In Wonderland (Orlando)

A new, contemporary musical adaptation of this classic tale. Adapted and composed by 16-year old Alexander Thomas Ferguson. Written, directed and performed entirely by young performers. World Premiere.

Greater Orlando Actors Theatre-Amanda’s Mix Tape (Orlando)

A quirky romantic comedy about what comes with falling in love: crazy friends, scavenger hunts, spoiling movies, quoting Han Solo, playing quarters, zombie plays, hating Toto and making mix tapes.

Hippity-Doo Productions-Skip Peril and The Players of The Lost Trunk (Orlando)

Film noir, vaudeville, Shakespeare, pirates and more, plus four actors and a plot. Something about a mysterious inheritance. Friends of the Annie Grant winner! From the mind of Eric Pinder.

Orlando Youth Theatre- URINETOWN-The Musical(Orlando)

URINETOWN, water shortage, banning private toilets, must pay to pee. Add a villain, an ingenue, and a hero to start a revolution. add music and you have URINETOWN, THE MUSICAL

Jessica Taylor- Colored Waiting Room (Orlando)

One woman, multi-character bonanza exploration of race! Satirical, Controversial, Political, a TOUR DE FORCE! An unapologetic take on how the world is still black and white!

I.D. 10-t Productions- Mr. Marmalade (Orlando)

Four year-old, Lucy, loves to have tea parties and play house. Unfortunately, her imaginary friend, Mr. Marmalade, is a cocaine-snorting, workaholic who never has time for her.

Voci Dance- perfectly broken (Orlando)

Step right up! See Fringe-favorite Voci Modern Dance explore the freakish beauty of the bizarre. Marvel at the mirthful mysteries of the human form through movement and music.

 Original Cast Players- Mister Rose’s Bird and Falling Leaves (Orlando)

Two outrageous and offensive geriatric comedies!! A world of talking plastic birds and geriatric sex! So funny you’ll pee in your seat. (Bring a towel.)

Platinum Blonde Life Productions and Rob Ward & Superfriends- Truth or Dare with Pepe’ (Orlando)

A talk show with a Fringe twist! The World Renowned Pepe Rodrgiguez joins your favorite Fringe celebrities for a fabulously naughty night of Truth or Dare! Different guests each night.

The Warren Acting Company- Reefer Madness The Musical-(Mt. Dora)

This wild uproarious musical that parodies the anti - marijuana propaganda film of the same name is back, live on stage, and funnier than ever!

TV iMature- The Executives (Orlando)

Some things are appropriate for TV. This sketch show isn’t. Prepare to laugh till it hurts with this alternative programming brought to you by The Executives

Randy Productions-New Rochelle (Orlando)

Donna Reed meets Medea as Janine Klein stars in this comedy by John Ryan (MY PAL BETTE) about the sinister side of TVLAND’s happiest family.

DRIP- Wet (Orlando)

A provocative, rock n’roll, performance art show incorporating dance, liquid light projections, and blacklight body painting. "It’s so bad-ass. It’s brilliant." "This is going to be HUGE!" -DRIP audience members.

ACT 2

Daack-Evanicki Productions-Bathhouse: The Musical (Orlando/NYC)

Patron’s Pick. "Freakin ’ Hilarious" says Orlando Sentinel. NYC Cast! New Material! Hot Towel clad men! Please Drop the soap! First stop on the national tour!

Aspen Comedy Works-American Squatter (Aspen, Co.)

From the creator of JESUS IN MONTANA (SOLD OUT Orlando ’07) - another multimedia comedy. From suburbanite to squatter. True story. With pictures! "CRITICS CHOICE Vancouver Fringe ’07"!

Sansregret Productions-WONDERBAR! (Winnipeg,Canada)

A middle aged shop clerk is caught up in a world of glamour, high finance and crime when she falls in love with an international fraud artist.

Mark Baratelli-MarkBaratelli.com (Orlando)

Mark Baratelli improvises a one-man show. Every performance is completely different. "What comic improvisation should be." -NYTheatre.com

Simply Extraordinary Tales- Labor Daze(New Jersey)

Folktelling about birth like you’ve never heard before. History of stirups. Enslaved woman owns her own birth. Scottish Husband breaks taboo 400 years ago. Superbowl birth. Birth of a mother.

Theatre 13- once upon a time: the end (Boulder, Co)

A hilarious journey of a woman struggling with airport security, neurotic relationship to fairytales and society’s obsession to define happiness."...Audience laughed over and over again."-Critic

Gemma Wilcox- Shadows in Bloom- (London, UK)

Gemma Wilcox returns to Orlando with another multi-character theatrical feast and 23 exciting new characters! PICK-OF-THE-BOULDER-FRINGE-2006; "[she] shows you what theater can be." -Elizabeth Maupin, Orlando Sentinel

Rickshaw Boy and Barris International- The Greg Barris Heart of Darkness Rock –N-Roll Circus(NYC/Orlando)

Hailed as simply "Excellent!" by the New Yorker Magazine Greg Barris explores being a man, expanding consciousness, the search for truth and death in this one man comedy spectacular.

Dewey Chaffee Comedy Enterprises, LLC- The Screw You Revue: DeJavu- (Orlando)

2007 Patron’s Pick Winner and self-proclaimed ’Entertainment Legend’ Wayburn Sassy revives his cancelled 1970’s late night talk show.

Massicotte & Kubersky- The Boy’s Own Jedi Handbook (Toronto/Orlando)

The award-winning author of MARY’S WEDDING and the artists behind OBSCENITY and MATADOR present the hilarious saga of two friends’ quest to master the Force... and survive the school play!

Excellent Adventure Productions- Dysfunctional Fables (Orlando)

WORLD PREMIER MUSICAL! - Book by Sean Hartley "Cupid and Psyche". Distinctively modern twists on traditional stories including Gingerbread Boy, Demeter and Persephone, Three Little Pigs AND MORE!

Utmost Productions-Here Be Dragons (Orlando)

A miracle throws together a gay atheist and conservative Christian couple. A metaphysical dramedy from the creators of "My Big Fat Gay Wedding" and "Whipping Wally Wonker".

Kick the Puppy Productions- Oral (Casselberry, Fl.)

Yep. It’s a play about oral sex. Come and share with us as we explore the awkward, sexy, scary, tender, hilarious truth about oral sex!

Appear Whole Entertainment- Wonder Show of The Universe (Orlando)

Do you believe in Ghosts? Experience astonishment and be mesmerized as you witness a historical re-creation of supernatural manifestations and decide for yourself if the spirits really do come back.

babyBlueStar Productions & Invisible Arts (Orlando)

VarieTease:No.24

Seamless collection of choreographed spectacle that will amaze, inspire and entertain. See it. Hear it. Feel it. Again and again. Voted Patron’s Pick in 2007. All new in 2008.

LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES

Julie Milford Photography

FAB FACTORY: Fisher lets loose her dulcet tones
By Seth Kubersky

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A geriatric vaudevillian and a performance artist walk into a fundraiser …. Like the unnatural lovechild of Jerry Lewis’ telethon and The Carol Burnett Show, March 3’s Fab Fringe Fundraiser was, well, fabulous. Thanks go in large part to the new Korman and Conway of Orlando hosting gigs: Wayburn Sassy and BabyBlue, who introduced the half-dozen acts who donated their talents in support of the annual theater festival, coming May 15. Beth Marshall, Fringe producing artistic director, usually co-hosts this sort of event herself (often with Michael Wanzie), so it was a change of pace to see new MCs breaking each other up between acts.

Said performances by Fringe favorites started with songs from Tod Kimbro and included a reunion of Hedwig stars David Lee and Becky Fisher on "The Origin of Love," followed by Fisher’s fearsome delivery of Pink’s "Dear Mr. President." Act Two featured a modern dance sampling from Voci’s upcoming Fringe offering, Perfectly Broken, and a taste of VarieTease: Nightclubbing (currently performed Saturdays through March 15 at the Parliament House). The entertainment closed with a number from Kimbro’s new sci-fi musical, My Illustrious Wasteland, a John DiDonna–directed production premiering July 11 at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center.

The highlight of the night (financially, at least) was the live auction. Marshall couldn’t resist getting into the act, and succeeded in driving up the bids more than once by calling people out (she seemed to take particular pleasure in making me squirm). Some of the fiercest bidding broke out over the Dexter DVD box set signed by series co-star C.S. Lee, with whom a conversation over cheap wine was extemporaneously promised (no word if the winner took Lee up on it). I personally went head-to-head with United Arts’ Margot Knight over a hotel package; she came out on top, then graciously ceded the prize to me. Thanks, Margot, I’ll think of you during my massage! (Um, wait, that didn’t come out right ….)

All together, the evening netted $6,320 for the Fringe, a healthy bump above their four-grand goal. I wish I could end the story there and move on to MegaCon, but sadly, I can’t. Last year I sang the Fringe’s praises for finally getting the infrastructure right; the balanced use of the Lowndes Shakespeare Center and the Orlando Rep made Loch Haven’s lawn a comfortable beer garden. Unfortunately, the 2008 festival will take a step backward at the Rep facility, which is run in partnership with UCF and rents space to the Fringe.

As Fringe producer Beth Marshall wrote to me: "The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival will have a lesser presence at the Orlando Rep for the 2008 festival, due to the Rep opting to have their season finale show during the course of the festival. To the best of my understanding the choice to have this show during our festival was a result of Orange County Public Schools extending their school year and the Rep accommodating that extension for their school field-trip shows. As a result of this, the Orlando Fringe has lost two Rep venues – the Universal Theatre (our old Purple venue) and the Rehearsal Hall space. … Other loss of Fringe presence at the Rep includes: loss of all Visual Fringe presence, Kids Fringe presence and usage of the main lobby at Rep (which affects our ability to have centralized ticketing at the Rep facility at all)."

In short, the Fringe will still use the Busch and Tupperware theaters at the Rep, and the Lowndes Shakespeare Center is helping to compensate with use of the Darden Courtyard outdoor stage and additional Visual Fringe wall space.

Jeff Revels, artistic director of the Rep, did not return requests for comment by press deadline. But off-the-record sources suggest the Rep is worried about how the Fringe’s uncensored ideology meshes with their kid-friendly mission. The Rep’s concern about conflict sounds reasonable but doesn’t fully explain the pullback. Fringe shows don’t get started in the Rep until 6 p.m. on school days, and shows there are restricted to "general audience" ratings, with mature material sent across the lawn. In the Rep’s mission statement, it reads: "To challenge our audiences with culturally diverse, intergenerational programming" and "To offer assistance to smaller theatrical organizations" – goals that would seem to be fulfilled by a collaboration with the Fringe.

I can’t claim to be objective: I have close relationships with several people who work with the Fringe (TMI alert: I feed the associate producer’s cats), and I’m producing a Fringe show in one of the affected venues. In 2005 I produced a Fringe show under similar circumstances, and I remember the frustrating experience afforded patrons forced to crisscross the giant green for tickets. I just wish everyone involved could band together behind the one cultural event that comes closest to putting Orlando on the international map.

arts@orlandoweekly.com

Volunteers are paid in "Fringe Bux" (for each hour you work, you earn a Fringe Bux- 4 Fringe Bux= a FREE Fringe show) Volunteering is both fun and rewarding! Fringe LOVES our volunteers. We couldn’t do it without you!!!

* Cashiers/ box office (there will be specific training for this)
* merchandise
* beer tent
* Ushers
* crowd control
* Security
* KIDS FRINGE helpers
* Venue Captains
* VISUAL FRINGE helpers
* And More!

For more info or to sign up, please contact, Volunteer Coordinator- George Wallace at volunteer@orlandofringe.org or go to orlandofringe.org’s contact page, enter your name and email and be sure to tell them you heard about it through this official Fringe myspace profile.

You must attend one meeting in order to volunteer for the Fringe Festival.All Orientation Meetings will take place at the Lowdens Shakespeare Center, 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, 32803. Please RSVP by emailing volunteer@orlandofringe.org

NEW TRAINING DATES:

Saturday April 12                                                                       6:00 - 7:30pm
Lowdens Shakespeare Center- off Princeton St.

Saturday, April 19                                                                  6:00-7:30pm
Lowdens Shakespeare Center- Off Princeton St

Saturday, April 26                                                                         10-11:30AM                                                                    Parliament House     

Saturday, April 26                                                                      6-7:30PM
Lowdens Shakespeare Center- Off Princeton St

Saturday, May 3
11:00am-12:30am
Lowdens Shakespeare Center

Monday, May 12                                                               2pm   (Mandatory Box Office Training Session)                      Lowdens Shakespeare Center         

 

Am I good candidate?
If you're sitting there asking yourself if you might be good for one of these positions, here's some food for thought. First off, look at last year's blog. These types of posts are what I am looking for.

How it works
You'll receive raw info from many sources. Then you'll combine, rewrite and edit it. Most posts require you include links to what the post is about. Most of the time, you'll have to search out those links yourself. I will be in charge of creating graphics for the posts as needed. The posts can include links to video, audio and embedded audio and video.

During the slow months (September through February) you will be in charge of searching out info to create posts. The posts can be about any other fringe festival in the world, Orlando Fringe veterans and their news, other Fringe-like events around the world, and any other type of creative endeavors you'd like to introduce to the Orlando Fringe blog-reading audience. I can show you the sources I used for last year's blog and then you will find your own along the way.

I am looking for daily blog posts. This can be accomplished by having several bloggers on the team. So you won't be posting daily, but as a team, daily posts will be created.

You will not be reviewing shows. You will be reporting news.

It's a commitment from September 2007 to the end of May 2008. You will sign an agreement with me. You can leave at any time, but the agreement just states your duties and what is expected of you so we are both on the same page. You'd be working for me (Mark Baratelli Creative) as a sub-contractor. I am contracted by the Orlando Fringe to create and maintain their blog.

Pay
No pay. You'd want to think of this as something to do for fun, to help the Orlando Fringe and to get your name out there.

Deadline
I am looking to get my blogging team together by the end of July. Email me at email at markbaratelli dot com with a description of yourself and links to any blogs/writing/other you can show me that would tell me you would be a good candidate for one of these positions.

Referrals
If you know of other potential Official Fringe bloggers, please pass their names/myspace/email on to me and I will contact them directly.

Thank you
Mark Baratelli

Please Repost
<br><b>Be a 2008 Fringe blogger</b><br>In 2007, for the first time ever, the Orlando Fringe Festival had a blog. And I wrote it. Over 233 posts were written by yours truly. Loved it more than you can know. This year, once again, I am honored to be in charge of the Orlando Fringe's blog. However, I cannot do it on my own this time. I am going to be on the road Sept '07 thru May '08 in the national tour of "I Love a Piano," a 6-person musical tribute to the music of Irving Berlin. So, I am looking for bloggers to do what I did last year, and have me manage the whole effort from the road. I will have internet access throughout the tour.<blockquote><i>Am I good candidate?</i><br>If you're sitting there asking yourself if you might be good for one of these positions, here's some food for thought. First off, look at <a href="http://blog.myspace.com/orlandofringe">last year's blog</a>. These types of posts are what I am looking for. <br><br><i>How it works</i><br>You'll receive raw info from many sources. Then you'll combine, rewrite and edit it. Most posts require you include links to what the post is about. Most of the time, you'll have to search out those links yourself. I will be in charge of creating graphics for the posts as needed. The posts can include links to video, audio and embedded audio and video. <br><br>During the slow months (September through February) you will be in charge of searching out info to create posts. The posts can be about any other fringe festival in the world, Orlando Fringe veterans and their news, other Fringe-like events around the world, and any other type of creative endeavors you'd like to introduce to the Orlando Fringe blog-reading audience. I can show you the sources I used for last year's blog and then you will find your own along the way. <br><br>I am looking for <b>daily</b> blog posts. This can be accomplished by having several bloggers on the team. So you won't be posting daily, but as a team, daily posts will be created.<br><br>It's a commitment from September 2007 to the end of May 2008. You will sign an agreement with me. You can leave at any time, but the agreement just states your duties and what is expected of you so we are both on the same page. You'd be working for me (Mark Baratelli Creative) as a sub-contractor. I am contracted by the Orlando Fringe to create and maintain their blog. <br><br><i>Pay</i><br>No pay. You'd want to think of this as something to do for fun, to help the Orlando Fringe and to get your name out there.<br><br><i>Deadline</i><br>I am looking to get my blogging team together by the end of July. Email me at email at markbaratelli dot com with a description of yourself and links to any blogs/writing/other you can show me that would tell me you would be a good candidate for one of these positions. <br><br><i>Referrals</i><br>If you know of other potential Official Fringe bloggers, please pass their names/myspace/email on to me and I will contact them directly.<br><br><br>Thank you<br><a href="http://www.markbaratelli.com">Mark Baratelli</a>

Subscribe to the Official Fringe Blog
Listen to the Official Orlando Fringe Podcast

Hello, ya Bastards.

My manager, Dewey Chaffee, called me at home today in Clooneysville, Virginia and told me that he's got a couple appearances in the works for m'show, "The Screw You Revue." I THOUGHT he would be tellin' me that we booked Caesar's Palace in Vegas or The Rainbow Room in New York. After that whole CRINGE FEST thing I am ready for a REAL venue once again.

Hell no, he says. I gotcha connected with Theater Downtown in Orlando!

He said this like I'm suupposed t'be excited about it! ORLANDO?! AGAIN?! GodDAMMIT. I have had just about enough of that little hick town full'a Whimsicals!

He says the run will be in the first two weekends of August.

Great. I get to deal with that damned oppressive SUMMER HEAT, too?

I HATE my manager.

Screw You.

Linwood Sassy

The Oops Guys tour the Fringe Circuit
Lounge-zilla was born at the Orlando Fringe and it's afterbirth is spilling out all over the world. Check out how insanely busy those Oops Guys will be in the coming months below. And be sure to check out their cool website here: click me dangit.

Video Clips:

--COMEDY PROMO
--YOU LOVE ME (ODE TO A FAG HAG)
--I'M A TEENAGE MUTANT BOY SCOUT FROM THE NUCLEAR FALLOUT ZONE


The Oops Guys' Dates:

Ottawa Fringe:
Friday June 15 9:30pm
Saturday June 16 7:30pm
Sunday June 17 1:00pm
Tuesday June 19 5:30pm
Thursday June 21 11:00pm
Saturday June 23 7:30pm

Regina Fringe
Venue, Dates, Times TBA

Saskatoon Fringe
Friday, August 3 -- 8:45pm
Saturday, August 4 -- 8:30pm
Monday, August 6 -- 1:00pm
Wednesday, August 8 -- 2:30pm
Thursday, August 9 -- 9:00pm
Saturday, August 11 -- 4:15pm

Edmonton Fringe
Venue, Dates, Times TBA

Vancouver Fringe
Venue, Dates, Times TBA



Blue and her peeps go to Parliament House
VarieTease: Carnivale just got booked to perform at The Pariament House June 16-July 7th, 2007. If you enjoyed the insanely popular show, do it all over again at the Parliament House.




Christa Bell featured in Orlando Sentinel
Christa Bell resembles one of those fertility idols you see in the Africa sections of museums -- wide of hip and heavy of thigh. Her skin is the honey-brown of time-polished wood. Her eyes are dark with magic. Read full article



Voci Dance Classes Starting Back Up
Voci Dance is starting back up with summer classes the week of June 11th:

--Monday, June 11th at 6:30pm we're offering a fundamentals of dance class geared more towards the beginner and focusing on body awareness, alignment, and spacial awareness. It will also be a great workout in a friendly environment!

--Wednesday, June 13th at 7pm we're offering an open level modern class (Horton technique).

All classes are held at Avalon Island located at 105 E Pine St. on the corner of Pine and Magnolia in downtown Orlando. You can find free street parking or use the Library Parking Garage located on Central ($1/hr) Classes are only $10! For more info. please contact 407.616.8775. Please note, we will be closed Wednesday July 4th.