Phoenix Tears co-founder Megan Markham has made a welcome return to Orlando from Washington State for this year’s Fringe Festival, but rather than another participatory site-specific experience, she’s presenting an intimate solo show of original storytelling that’s pure theatrical magick. A library in center of the universe that holds every book ever written; a maiden with hourglass lungs; a woman with starlight hair; and a vitrified crone are all fantastical elements in the triptych of tales Markham tells her conservative Catholic grandmother, in an attempt to convince her that witchcraft isn’t wicked.
These fresh yet somehow familiar fables feel both authentically ancient and utterly contemporary, thanks to her evocative script’s interweaving of prosaic and poetic imagery. Without any wizarding special effects (beyond a wondrous glowing book) Megan uses cannily crafted pauses and ritualistic arm gestures to cast a hypnotic spell in a fascinating performance that’s as incandescent as her fuchsia locks. “Magic and joy cannot be discovered in pages of a book; you have to go out and adventure to find it on your own,” Markham claims, but magic and joy can also be encountered around her cauldron by imbibing the enchanting elixir that is Witch With Her Skirt on Fire.
Witch With Her Skirt on Fire
Blue Venue, Lowndes Shakespeare Center
60 minutes; 13 & up
$6-$13
Get tickets
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Meghan Markham brings her show ‘Witch With Her Skirt on Fire’ to the Center for a fundraiser
This article appears in May 7-13, 2025.