You’re going to hear a lot about the 25th annual Orlando Fringe theater festival this month, but I don’t want the silver anniversary of another arts institution to slip by unnoticed. SAK Comedy Lab, like the Fringe, was also co-founded by Terry Olson in 1991, and the downtown improvisation school is celebrating their quarter-century with shows featuring some of their most famous former members. Television host Wayne Brady (Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Let’s Make a Deal) returns home to appear alongside the troupe’s founders at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 15, following an anniversary alumni reunion at 6 p.m., and will perform with his fellow SAK All-Stars Monday, May 16, at 8 p.m. Call 407-648-0001 to see if any $35 seats are still available.
With the recent increase in ticket prices at Walt Disney World, it’s good to know that at least a little of that money is being given back to local arts education. Last month, Mad Cow Theatre received a $10,000 contribution from Disney toward taking one of the staged readings from their Science Play Festivals on a tour of local schools. And last week the Dr. Phillips Center Florida Hospital School of the Arts was awarded a $100,000 grant from Disney to fund two years of the Disney Musicals in Schools program, a free residency in musical theater for underprivileged students, at four Orlando-area public schools. Applications are being accepted now for the 2016-2017 school year; visit drphillipscenter.org for more information.
NOW PLAYING:
The Wonderful Wizard of Song: An Evening With Harold Arlen, through May 15 at the JCC of Greater Orlando … Singin’ in the Rain, through May 29 at Winter Garden’s Garden Theatre … The Producers, through May 22 at Osceola Arts.
UPCOMING:
CFCArts Choir: A Night on the Red Carpet, May 12-13 at Northland Church … Orlando REP Power Chords: Broadway Our Way, May 13 at the Abbey … Starter Studio Demo Day, May 19 at Dr. Phillips Center … Emotions Dance: Blur, June 3-4 at Orlando Shakes … Conquer Pro Wrestling presents We Don’t Play Fight, June 4 at Orlando Shakes.
This article appears in May 11-17, 2016.