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Oct 4, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
Music and Lyrics by Dolly PartonDirected by Wade Hair Musical Direction by Angello CottaStarring Felicia Melcer, Cameron Cartagena, Krys Arvelo, Oliver MerrillWhat did sexism ever do for us? That’s pretty much the story here, and it’s a ton of fun. It’s the 1980s, and the office is run like it was 1956. Franklin Hart, Jr. (Merrill) jokes with the guys and hits on the women. Morale is low, productivity is ill-defined, and audits unheard of.
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Sep 25, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
Three musicians decamp to the rural Catskill mountains and produce a snappy jazz albumThis introspective documentary takes the view deep into the secret dungeons, where creativity, execution, and collaboration create a vast new experience. Medeski Martin & Wood have deep roots in the jazz world, their work with other performers ranging from symphonies to punk to rap.
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Sep 25, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
A Hip-Hop MusicalBook and Lyrics by Psalmayene 24Directed by Ke’Lee PernellChoreographed by Arius West • Music Directed by Brandon MartinStarring Arius West, Adourin Jamelle Owens, Jared-Austin RoysYou start out writing code with good intentions, but pretty soon that punch list of software bugs turns into a weeks-long coffee-fueled debug session. That’s what’s happening in G.Petto’s (Arius West) coding room.
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Sep 11, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
Garden Theatre • Winter Garden, FloridaWell, this is the darndest piece of theater I’ve run into lately. While the show is the product of Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson, it is forever known as Bob Fosse’s premier production in 1972. In other words, all the giants of Broadway got together and made one of the greatest stage productions of the post-war era, yet this show is rarely performed. In my 20-plus years of theater commentary, this has long been on my bucket list.
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Aug 27, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
Not Your Typical CabaretWinter Park Playhouse • August 21, 2024Perhaps I now know more about Sahid Pabon than any sane man should. For more than an hour, Mr. Pabon spoke of his history, his theatrical triumphs, his loves, his pets, and I think there might have been a few words on his car. It was all a little overwhelming for a cabaret. Mr. Pabon is a rather exotic fellow with a background in musical theater and a home life in the exotic city of Miami, Florida.
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Aug 15, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
The Sounds of the ‘70sDirected by Tay Anderson, Musical Direction by Christopher LeaveyAh, the ’70s! A world of hyperinflation, lingering angst over a war we lost, and the miracle of 8-bit video games! Living through a colorful but pixilated past wasn’t always that much fun, but like any self-respecting decade, there were a few bright points. Fashions tended toward polyester: hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and never stylish in-between.
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Aug 7, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
Romance on the high seas of Central FloridaFelicia Thornsbury, Dominic Vitiello, Kari Ringer, Michael FunaroCreated by John Didonna“Dinner Theater” was a big deal for my parents a lifetime ago, and it’s making a slow comeback. Tonight, I sailed the “Rivership Romance” (actually the Barbara-Lee) out of Sanford, Florida. It’s a floating dinner theater featuring an old-school Italian family struggling to get their new-generation kids to match up and reproduce.
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Aug 1, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
My buddy Dave found this place, presumably while looking for a new watering hole. We’d been drinking in a classy Winter Park bar, but Dave unexpectedly sought to expand his territory. We made plans to visit this new establishment which lives in the shadow of the Orlando Kia Center. That’s where Orlando keeps their basketballers. Good news: no game tonight. Bad news: the locals have made selling parking VERY lucrative.
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Jun 27, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
One thing about this theater is you never know which door to use. I tried them all, and ended up back by the railroad tracks entrance. I thought “Do I have the wrong date?” Then a woman dressed as a 1920s flapper showed up, so we both knew we were on the right path. A few more people arrived in costume, and we found our way to tonight’s door up front. We all passed through a possibly working metal detector operated by an improvised bouncer. Next a dimly lit passage led us to the ID and age check guy.
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Jun 25, 2024 | 
ink19.com | Carl F Gauze
Valencia College • Orlando FloridaMusic and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheimdirected by John DiDonnastarring Gabriel Ramos, Edwin J. Perez II, Courtney HarrisIt’s tough work cranking out a Broadway smash, but Franklin Shepard (Gabriel Ramos) and Charley Kringas (Edwin J. Perez II) try. They hang out with aspiring actress Mary Flynn (Courtney Harris), and all three work on breaking into the big time in post-war NYC. We follow this slightly autobiographical story of two young aspiring playwrights.
