Clarissa Moon - Page 3

Laura Hodos is currently starring as Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. We talk about her character, corsets, dream roles, brownies, and more!

This is the first video in a series of interviews I'm doing about theater for social change. I talk with John DiDonna, the Theater Program Chair at Valencia College. John is well known for doing docudramas - plays about social issues based on interviews. We discuss Division (his docudrama about the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis), his new play Transition (about people transitioning between genders), the angel action wings, and more!

FENCES at Mad Cow gives the audience a snapshot of the life of Troy Maxson, a garbage worker struggling to support his family. The show explores themes such as family, discrimination, death and loyalty.

Florida Theatrical Association presents the world premiere of JOYCE JACKSON'S GUIDE TO DATING August 4-14 at The Abbey. The musical parodies a dating book from the 1950's of the same name. FTA produced a staged reading of the musical last Fall as part of their New Musical Discovery Series.

Mad Cow Theatre continues its twentieth season with ANIMAL CRACKERS, a musical adapted from the Marx Brothers' film of the same name. The plot centers around a party honoring Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding, which is attended by larger-than-life guests, originally played by the Marx Brothers. Mad Cow is known for producing lesser-known shows. ANIMAL CRACKERS  was originally produced on Broadway in 1928, before the Golden Age of musicals. It has a vaudeville feel--broad comedy, from puns to prop comedy to outrageous physical humor.

Kerry Ipema makes her Orlando Fringe premiere with SEX ED, a coming of age story told with the help of Disney parodies. This week, I sat down with Kerry to talk about the show, ask advice, and more.

If you're looking for great storytelling, look no further than SEX ED at the Orlando Fringe Festival. Kerry Ipema's one-woman show is a coming of age story, complete with parodies of Disney songs.

SOMETHING STRANGE at the Orlando Fringe Festival is an improvised play based on Netflix's 'Stranger Things.' Each night, a small town faces a different mysterious or other-worldly challenge. I talked with producer/director/performer Travis Ray about the show.

DUEL! centers around the infamous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, and how two storytellers end up getting the story very, very wrong. I talked with director/producer Fiona Campbell about the inspiration for the show's creation, the stylized hair and makeup, if storytellers change history, and more!

Beth Marshall Presents' COMMENCEMENT at the Orlando Fringe Festival centers around a school shooting. Beth Marshall plays Sarah Havermeyer, the mother of the shooter. I talked to Beth about her connection to the piece, why she chose to act in it, the challenges of her role, and more.

This year, Fringe-favorite TJ Dawe is back with ROLLER COASTER, his latest one-man show. I had the chance to talk with TJ about his process, fandoms as religions, the role of a storyteller in a post-apocalyptic society, and getting politically active. 

This week, I discuss seeing two shows that were adjudicated for the Applause Awards; CINDERELLA at University High School, and MAN OF LA MANCHA at Trinity Preparatory School. Both of these shows were among this year's winners! 

For the next few weeks, I'll be blogging about the APPLAUSE AWARDS at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. What are the APPLAUSE AWARDS, exactly? Find out below! 

The touring production of DISENCHANTED! is hilarious. Check out my review below!  To catch the DISENCHANTED! tour, check out their Facebook page or visit disenchantedmusical.com for dates and cities. 

The Studio Theatre finishes its inaugural season with David Auburn's PROOF. The play follows Catherine, the daughter of a recently deceased mathematics professor, as she struggles with the mathematical genius she shares with her father, and the mental illness she fears she might have inherited from him. I talked with Jill Jones (Catherine) about her own math skills, the small cast, and the challenges of the show.

On Wednesday, April 12, UCF students showcased their short films as part of "UCF Celebrates the Arts" at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. A brief Q&A session with the filmmakers followed the event.

This past Sunday, UCF faculty members Belinda (Be) Boyd, Cynthia White and Sybil St. Claire hosted a female playwrights panel as part of "UCF Celebrates the Arts." Boyd and St. Claire provided insight on playwriting, while White offered advice from the developmental perspective. 

PINKALICIOUS: THE MUSICAL at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater is pinktastic! See my review of the show below.

This Friday, April 7, marks the beginning of 'UCF Celebrates the Arts,' a week-long showcase of student art and pieces that demonstrate the vital role of the arts. On Sunday, UCF faculty members will hold a female playwrights panel. I talked with two of the playwrights, Belinda (Be) Boyd and Sybil St. Claire, about their inspiration to become playwrights, their start in playwriting and what to expect at the panel. 

This is the sixth post in my series about Apples and Oranges Studios' THEatre ACCELERATOR. THEatre ACCELERATOR utilizes new technology to develop musicals in a unique way. For a full explanation of THEatre ACCELERATOR, see my first post here.