from Archikulture Digest - Number 25: April, 2002

Archikulture Digest

Number 25: April, 2002

Author: Carl F Gauze
Posted: 4/1/02; 5:09:23 AM

No Shame Theatre
Hosted by Heather Lam
Mood Swing Café
Orlando, Fla

As interest in local theater grows, it's nice to know there is a place to get a good discussion on the internal structure of an opera based on dodecaphonic serial music and a space alien with a split personality. Yes, it's the theatrical equivalent of Open Mike Night for writers, set in the funky yet noise atmosphere of a neighborhood hole-in-the-wall café. The exact program varies from night to night, as aspiring writers and actors try out new material, some subtle, some destined to painful obscurity, but always material that challenges the viewer perception and ability to hear low sounds in high ambient noise.

Over the course of an hour or so, we saw a reading called "Mall of the Afterlife" presented by our perky Hostess Cupcake of the evening, Ms. Lam. Eternity isn't what you thought - it's a big mall, and you either come in through Ruby Tuesday's or the Burger King, depending on your life's merit. God is a big fan of shopping, and if you've been good, the sales are to die for, and if you've been bad, your credit card is over limit. Following this was the slightly opaque "Trying to take over the world" read by Isabella Maia and Matt, whose last name I careful neglected to note. It was a bit hard to follow what was said due to a dropped tray and poor projection, so while the merits of the work remain unknown. Then it was on to a bit of Fringe rehearsal, with a read through of "True Love", a truly minimalist work. With only 50 words of dialog and 50 of direction, it allows the actors full range to make something out of a wire coat hanger of a script. Ah, minimalism - it's the least you can do.

After a few more segments of Works In Progress, a few interesting violin pieces by Craig Grasso, and it was time to settle up for dinner and discuss existentialism. While nothing was well polished, the experience is a peek into the act of writing and then making it pop into drama, and worth a visit on a Wednesday night. Aspiring writers and under employed actors are sought, and the food is pretty good.

For more information, contact TheCultofHeather(at)aol.com.


[Back to Press Clippings]