Hype for Orlando Shakes’ production of Les Misérables – which launches the company’s 2014-2015 season Sept. 10 – hit new heights last week with a flash-mob performance of “One Day More” (not to be confused with Terry Olson’s What the Dickens flash-mob contest) in the middle of the Mall at Millenia. Shakes’ season continues with The Best of Enemies, A Christmas Carol (not to be confused with Theatre Downtown’s perennial production), To Kill a Mockingbird, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry V and Bad Dog.
Shakes is also the venue for Fringe Year Round’s Drama Winners Weekend, which encores lauded shows Seasons, There’s No Place Like Home and Reincarnation Soup Sept. 12-14. FYR continues with The Screw You Revue at Parliament House in October, and T.J. Dawe’s Medicine and Marathon in November. Speaking of Fringe venues, the auditorium at Orlando Museum of Art will join 2015’s festival as the new Gold Venue. The Fringe, which recently appointed George Wallace as executive director, announced their new board of directors, which includes new president Joyce Arbucias and joining members Zachary Alfson, Daniel Blumberg, Kenneth Howard, Darci Safreed and Alina Williams.
Finally, the Abbey sprang into their new Monday night cabaret series Sept. 8 with Rebecca Fisher’s Sin. Play. Live. The mini-fest continues with Mood Swings With Kevin Kelly, Sept. 15; Jessica Hoehn’s Debutante Gall: Better Late Than Never, Sept. 22; Andrea Canny’s Good for You, Sept. 29; and John Ryan & Eddie Cooper: Strange Bedfellows, Oct. 13.
Now playing:
Blue Star & Patrick Fatica’s Monster, through Sept. 15 at the Venue … The Letters, through Sept. 21 at Mad Cow … Sylvia, through Oct. 3 at Theatre Downtown.
Upcoming:
Betty’s Summer Vacation, Sept. 12-15 at Breakthrough Theatre … They’re Playing Our Song, Sept. 12-Oct. 4 at Winter Park Playhouse … Sweeney Todd, Sept. 12-Oct. 5 at Garden Theatre … Logan Donahoo’s Field Guide to the Gays, Sept. 13 at Parliament House … Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Sept. 14-28 at Theatre Downtown … Frank Siano’s Let Me Be Frank, Sept. 17-18 at Winter Park Playhouse … I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Sept. 19-28 at Breakthrough Theatre … David A. McElroy’s By Dickens, Sept. 21 at the downtown public library … Beth Marshall Presents The Trayvon Martin Project, Oct. 3-5 at Valencia East.