Late last month, Lake Howell High School hosted producer Beth Marshall's annual Play-in-a-Day event, and this writer – along with Margaret Nolan of Kangagirl Productions and Fringe executive director George Wallace – was invited to judge the results of the 24-hour projects. This year, playwrights were presented with the word "pulse" as a theme and restricted to writing three-minute scenes. Billy's Story, an anguished autobiographical anti-gun monologue by Billy Manes, won the "After Orlando" award, and will be performed again on Monday, Oct. 17, as part of an international theater event in response to the Pulse Nightclub shootings (see page 36). Best Overall Production was awarded to Hope Springs Nocturnal, a tiny gem of musical magic realism written by Ken Preuss, directed by Lauren O'Quinn and starring Robert Cunha, Amanda Grace and Zach Lane. Rose Helsinger won Best Playwright for Whiskey and Rye, Richard Width received Best Director honors for Between the Pulses by Andy Haynes, and Dion Leonhard and Michael Osowski won Best Female and Best Male Performer.
NOW PLAYING
Dracula, through Oct. 15 at Carmine Boutique ... Breathe, through Oct. 16 at Parliament House ... The Addams Family, through Oct. 23 at Athens Theatre ... 1776, through Oct. 23 at Mad Cow ... Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, through Nov. 13 at Orlando Shakes.
UPCOMING
Orlando Philharmonic presents Candide, Oct. 13-16 at the Plaza Live ... Phantasmagoria VII: The Cards They Are Dealt, Oct. 14-31 at Orlando Shakes ... The Untold Spoken Word Poetry Event, Oct. 5 at the Abbey ... After Orlando: A Global Theatre Action, Oct. 17 at Orlando Shakes ... The God Game, Oct. 21-Nov. 20 at Mad Cow ... Young Frankenstein, Oct. 20-30 at UCF ... The Glass Menagerie, Oct. 21-Nov. 6 at Garden Theatre ... PechaKucha v19, Oct. 21 at Dr. Phillips Center ... CFCArts presents Metamorphoses, Oct. 21-Nov. 6 at Central Christian Church ... The Humor Mill: A Fate Worse Than Debt, Oct. 22 at Orlando Shakes ... Spring Awakening, Oct. 25-30 at Valencia East ... Orlando Ballet: Dracula Oct. 28-30 at Dr. Phillips Center ... Stuart Little, Oct. 29 through Nov. 18 at Orlando Shakes ... The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Nov. 1-6 at Dr. Phillips Center ... Orlando Story Club: Origin, Nov. 2 at the Abbey ... Playfest: After Pulse, Nov. 3-6 at Orlando Shakes ... Mikey Layman: Grin & Bear It, Nov. 7 at the Abbey.
