The Wanzegram

Get on down to Loch Haven Park. Buy your one-time-purchase $8 Fringe Entry Button (required to get in to all shows for which you purchase individual tickets). The eight bucks go to the festival, while 100% of the revenue from the individually-priced show tickets goes to the artists.

It's always best to plan ahead. You can purchase tickets online and choose to pick them up on site, or simply print them out yourself by visiting www.OrlandoFringe.org

Directly below this paragraph we are pleased to showcase all the performances that are occurring at the Festival this very evening. Take note of the specified "Official WANZeGRAM Outing" designations. That's when you can be certain to be enjoying a specific show with like-minded subscriber friends, and WANZIE. Check out the A Note From Wanzie section of this gram for the complete listing of Official Outing show times.

2010 Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival

Schedule for TONIGHT, Friday, May 21

SHOW
TIMES SHOW TITLE followed by running time in minutes

Time Venue Show Company Length

5:05 PM Ironhead: Quest for the Ring of the Dark Evil Lord of ... /60
5:20 PM Cyclosa Confusa / 60

5:30 PM Fringe of Nature / 90

5:30 PM Reefer Madness!!! The Play!!! / 60

5:30 PM I _______ You Orlando Youth Alliance / 60

5:45 PM Digressions: Based on Events That May Have Been True / 55
6:00 PM The Box Set / 30

6:05 PM Creative Mind Experiment / 45

6:30 PM Words with the Detective / 60

6:45 PM Some Other Day / 50

7:00 PM The Dream Express / 60

7:10 PM CANUCK CABARET / 55

7:10 PM B Peg O'Keef Fixes the World / 60

7:25 PM Tropical Depression Rake Theater / 50

7:30 PM GrDivine Will / 60

8:10 PM Elements of Change / 90

8:10 PM Reincarnation Soup / 60

8:15 PM Janine Klein: Gay Bar Star / 60

8:40 PM Lucky 9 Big Sandwich / 60

8:50 PM OrTHE SHAKESPEARE SHOW: Or, how an illiterate son ... /70

8:50 PM Br Saucy Jack / 60

8:55 PM Pla / 60

9:00 PM Discovery and "Escape to Planet O" / 10

9:10 PM GrOddlie FreeFall Theatre and Bag of Beans/ 60

9:50 PM ReCopping a Craigie Freeline Productions / 60

9:55 PM Dancing Nude Tim Mooney 60

10:00 PM PBarely Latino Francisco / 60

10:20 PM The Bike Trip / 65

10:20 PM A Day in the Life of Miss Hiccup SHOSHINZ / 60

10:30 PM B6 Guitars Chase Padgett Productions / 50

10:35 PM The Soiree Celebration Barn Theater 55

10:50 PM GAngels: The Epic Modern Dance Ballet / 60

11:00 PM OPROCRASTINATION An Electronica Operetta / 60

11:35 PM Dirty Stuff Jonny McGovern/60 Official WANZeGRAM Outing

Midnight BrThe Screw You Revue : Up Your Wazoo / 60

Midnight Hell Freezes Over Mo Laughs Comedy / 60

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

60^th BIRTHDAY SOIRÉE' HONORING MARCY SINGHAUS:

Marcy & Guests Were Treated to a
Fashion Show of Marcy Singhaus Originals
From the Karen Brown Collection:

Friends Entertained Marcy:

Special Surprise Guest Star at
Marcy's Birthday Soiree'

Tony Award Winning Actress
CADY HUFFMAN:

Cady sang - "If you've got it, flaunt it..." from the Broadway show THE PRODUCERS in which she played Ula - the role that won her the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical!

All of the photos in the above section are courtesy of Official WANZeGRAM photographer

Margo Dixon, picture here with Cady and Sam who first became friends as

co-Cagelles in La Cage Aux Folles.

SING -A-LONG SOUND OF MUSIC:

FIRE ISLAND FOLLIES

GUEST SERVICES

BROADWAY HEELS

Out of Town Performance:

Marcy Richardson (long time companion of Orlando producer Margaret Nolan) is currently appearing in a very Baltimore-ized interpretation of THE MAGIC FLUTE in the Opera Vivente production in Maryland.

"Marcy Richardson...sang brightly and offered vibrant acting as Papagena."

- The Baltimore Sun

Your Home Town AFFORDABLE Gay Day Events:

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D Squared Productions and WANZIE Presents
The FUNKsters
Show times:

Saturday               5/22             5 PM
Sunday               5/13             4 PM
Saturday             5/29             4 PM
Sunday             5/30             4 PM

Kids Fringe/Main Stage on the Green Lawn of Fabulousness

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Now on Sale in our Box Office

This Very Special Event Is NOT A Pageant!

This is a Comedy Drag Show featuring key players and past winners

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Don't Miss Out on the Fun!

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We've Got Mail!

We at the WANZeGRAM are always just as pleased as punch to receive, post, and answer our mail in this public forum. But it takes two to play! Send your email to WANZIE!

Short Takes:

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.

- Blaise' Pascal

The single most destructive force on the face of this planet is not the nuclear warhead; it is organized religion.

- Michael Wanzie

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.

- Laurence J. Peter

Submit YOUR Short Take directly to WANZIE at michael@wanzie.com.Be sure to type "Short Take" in the subject line. Short Takes submissions must be received no later than midnight on each Tuesday, for inclusion in the following Friday GRAM. A strict limit of 30 words maximum is imposed. You must provide your first and last name, which will be printed following your submission. Your name will not figure into your word count. All postings will be at the sole discretion of the management team at the lovely WANZIE.com World Headquarters, with offices inconveniently located in Melbourne, and Lake Mary, Florida.

My Two Cents:

DIRTY STUFF is CAROLINA MOON on Crack
By Kenny Howard

I had the privilege on Wednesday and Thursday of working on Jonny McGovern's Orlando Fringe offering - DIRTY STUFF - and I wanted to take a moment to tell the WANZeGRAM subscribers how much fun it was. If you had the opportunity to see him back in January at the PH, please know this show is completely different! This is a play, not a standup routine. Imagine CAROLINA MOON on crack. Jonny's self- written DIRTY STUFF is five characters played by one person; they dance and sing together, as well as fight and sashay; I've never seen a fake Chanel bag garner so much attention. Set on the streets and clubs of NYC, it is truly a joy to watch this man do his thing, and I hope that you'll come out to see it, too! The Official WANZeGRAM Outing for DIRTY STUFF is tonight's 11:35 PM Performance. All the show times for Stuff are listed below. Performances are in the PINK Venue.

TONIGHT     May 21       11:35 PM
Saturday      May 22       2:10 PM
Sunday        May 23       12:40 PM
Wednesday   May 26        5:20 PM
Friday          May 28        8:10 PM
Saturday      May 29      12:40 PM

Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.OrlandoFringe.org

Submit YOUR TWO CENTS: My Two Cents submissions must be received no later than midnight on each Monday for possible inclusion in the next Friday GRAM. A strict limit of 350 words will be imposed. Please submit your column directly to WANZIE at michael@wanzie.com and kindly type "My Two Cents" in the subject line.

LAST CHANCE - CONTINUING TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY

THEATRE - Spring Awakening

Florida Theatrical Association/Broadway Across America presentation of Broadway's most talked about new musical, which is the biggest Tony® Award Winner in years. SPRING AWAKENING is the groundbreaking fusion of morality, sexuality, and rock & roll that has awakened Broadway like no other musical in years.

Winner of 8 Tony® Awards including BEST MUSICAL, SPRING AWAKENING celebrates the unforgettable journey from youth to adulthood with a power, a poignancy, and a passion you will never forget.

"HAUNTING AND ELECTRIFYING! This brave new musical has a shivery sensual allure unmatched by anything in the theatre right now." - Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

"A GROUNDBREAKING JOLT OF GENIUS!" - Clive Barnes, NY Post

MAY 18 - MAY 23

Saturday, May 22 at 2 pm & 8 PM
Sunday, May 23 at 1 pm & 6:30 PM

Carr Performing Arts Centre
401 West Livingston Street
Orlando, FL 32801

GAY DAY EVENT - Stratosphere Party
Watermark Media (producers of the original Gay Day dance parties at Typhoon Lagoon) teams up with legendary circuit party designer Mark Baker to present this mega dance party with a home town spin. DJ/Music Producer Tony Moran will mix the tunes from onstage at Universal Studios' new outdoor concert venue. Locals Miss Sammy, Carol Lee, and Tweeka will be on hand as official hostesses. Four USF major attractions will be operational during the party: SHREK 3D, TWISTER, indoor Special EFX coaster - REVENGE OF THE MUMMY, and the park's newest high speed thrill ride - THE HOLLYWOOD RIP RIDE ROCKET ROLLER COASTER. Advance tickets are available at the Watermark offices, as well as at Urban Body. For party preview and to purchase tickets online, simply point your browser to www.Watermarkonline.com

Be sure to check out VIP tickets with line-skipping options!

"The Biggest Party of the Nation's Biggest Gay Weekend Event"

Saturday, June 5

8:30 PM - 2 AM

$75

Universal Studios Orlando

THEATER - Sordid Lives
Back by popular demand, Theatre Downtown encore presentation of Del Shores play which spawned a motion picture and a LOGO TV series of the same name.

SORDID LIVES
A Black Comedy About White Trash

Opening Thursday, June 3rd through June 26th
Sunday Matinee June 6 at 2:30 PM

Theatre Downtown
2113 N. Orange Avenue Princeton
Orlando, 32804

Tickets $18/$15

Reservations: 407.841.1083

Coming Attractions:

Upcoming events which are not listed elsewhere in this edition of your WANZeGRAM. Please note that only opening dates are indicated. Some events may have extended runs. Please check with the venue for additional information.

A comprehensive listing of most performance venues in Central Florida, including web links and phone numbers for ticketing, may be accessed if you simply CLICK HERE

June 4  JOAN RIVERS Gay Day Comedy Event - Hard Rock Live!
June 5  GAY DAY in The Magic Kingdom - WDW
June 5   STRATOSPHERE PARTY - Gay Day evening/Universal Orlando
June 5   TAYLOR DAYNE Gay Day Concert/Party - PH
June 6   American Idol's BLAKE LEWIS & FRENCHIE DAVIS -PH

July 9 ANNIE - Theatre Downtown

Now Playing:

Ongoing attractions currently being presented which are not featured elsewhere in this edition of your WANZeGRAM

Through May 31:
19TH Annual ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL FRINGE THEATER FESTIVAL
Loch Haven Park / Orlando Rep / Orlando Shakes

Through July 18:
TRANSCENDINGVISION: AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM 1870-1940 - Orlando Museum of Art

Fridays 10PM - MAMA'S COMEDY SHOW - Sleuth's

Performing Arts Reservation Links & Numbers:

Our companion website - WANZIE.com - is pleased to host a permanent listing of Central Florida theatrical & concert venues, as well as most area performing arts companies, with phone numbers and web links for ticketing and reservations. If you are interested in any event listed in the sections directly above, you may quickly access venue/ticketing information when you CLICK HERE.

A Note From Wanzie:

I am pleased to report that Kenny Howard, John deHaas, and I have completed the casting process for our October production of [title of show]. Meet our cast:

Melisa Mason will play Heidi

Kevin Kelly will play Jeff

Rob Lott will play Hunter

Robyn Pedretti-Kelly will play Susan

John B. de Haas will play onstage accompanist Larry

Needless to say, we are very excited about our cast. We are grateful to everyone who came out to audition.

Kenny and I are busy applying for rights and perusing scripts for other projects for which we will again hold open auditions. We are very happy to be in a position at the Footlight Theatre where we are able to offer, not only opportunities, but fair compensation to non-equity actors in Orlando as we continue to present both original and established plays and musicals in a real theater, along with cocktail service.

Now as to more pressing matters.

Check out pages 12 & 13 of the current issue (May 20 -26) of the Orlando Weekly. Seth Kubersky and Lindy T. Shepherd have assembled a fun and funky spread entitled FRINGE EXPOSED. It's two pages of short tongue-in-cheek, tabloid-style articles highlighting little known Fringe news, Fringe scandals, and possible Fringe scandals in the making. Of particular note is a column on former Orlando Weekly Theater Critic-turned NYC resident-turned Fringe playwright - Steve Schneider. His show written for this year's Fringe - PEG O' KEEF FIXES THE WORLD - stars none other than one of Orlando's truly finest acting talents - Peg O'Keef.

Schneider's first-ever Fringe offering is being staged by one of our area's finest in his field - Director John DiDonna. DiDonna apparently thought of the show concept ,which Schneider has fleshed out. All of the above is why PEG 0'KEEF FIXES THE WORLD has made it to the top of my not-to-be-missed list. I am declaring and inviting you to attend along with me, The Official WANZeGRAM Outing performance on Tuesday, May 25 at 10:30 PM.

Over on page 13 of the Weekly is a very cleverly written column entitled "Wanzie doesn't give a blank then gets childish" in which I am described as, among other things, "Bacchanalian-beyond belief." (I'd like to think that adjective is a testament to my overall merry countenance, but something tells me Seth and Lindy looked up "drunk" in a thesaurus and came up with "Bacchanalian." Then to add insult to injury, they saw fit to add "beyond belief" to the moniker.) Anyway - it's an interesting read, if I do say so myself. You can pick up the free Orlando Weekly now on newsstands to see all the pictures and nifty layout, or you may simply click on the link provided here to read the Fringe Exposed articles online:

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/artsculture/story.asp?id=14007

I hope you will join me and other Subscriber friends at these Official WANZeGRAM Outing performances:

Dirty Stuff                TONIGHT May 21   11:35 PM      Pink Venue

The Dream Express Saturday   May 22    1:40 PM     Yellow Venue

The FUNKsters         Saturday   May 22       5 PM      Outdoor Stage

Hell Freezes Over     Sunday     May 23       1 PM       Yellow Venue

Peg O'Keef Fixes...   Tuesday    May 25    10:30 PM    Brown Venue

Janine Klein:
Gay Bar Star             Thursday   May 27      9:35 PM    Pink Venue

Tod Kimbro: Robots
Stole My Piano         Saturday   May 29      5:20 PM    Red Venue

The Great American
Trailer Park Musical   Saturday   May 29     11:20 PM   Silver Venue

BTW - 903 Mills Market is offering Fringe-goers 10% off your meal at their sidewalk bistro located on the corner of Mills and Gore just south of the 408. The offer is good for the duration of the Festival as long as you are wearing your 2010 Fringe Button.

And this late-breaking news just in! For those in the know: the now infamous WANZIE PRESENTS/PH FLAMINGO LOUNGE booth will once again be out on the Green Lawn of Fabulousness, thanks to some last minute finagling and contributions of funds and labor by Catherine Goodisson, Jeff Jones, Jeff Kern, Robert Currie, and other subscriber friends. Those who utilize the facility are encouraged to put a small contribution in the collection jar to help reimburse those friends who fronted the funds to make this happen.

Now get out there and FRINGE!

I'm WANZIE and That's All I Wrote!

email me

2009 Wave Award Winner for Favorite Local Spiritual Leader