CitySurfing Orlando

As far as Orlando cultural events go, the annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is one of the city’s biggest. Voted “Best Festival” by the Orlando Weekly for nine consecutive years, the 2012 Festival showcases over 500 theatrical performances over a thirteen-day period, throughout ten indoor venues at Loch Haven Park.

This year’s event, which marks its 21st year, takes place from May 16 through 28.

To attend any of the performances, you must first purchase an $8 fest button. Proceeds from these buttons are what fund the festival.

Then you can attend the actual performances, which range in price from free to $11. Any money raised by individual tickets goes to the artists performing that particular show.

In addition to ticketed performances at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E Rollins St. Orlando, FL 32803) and Orlando Repertory Theatre (1001 E. Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803), the Orlando Fringe Festival hosts a number of interdisciplinary activities and exhibits.

Kids Fringe, held at the Mennello Museum of American Art (900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803), offers free arts and theatre activities for the whole family from 10am to 4pm on the weekends. Visual Fringe is on display throughout Festival venues, and exhibit artwork is available for purchase.

Festival hours are 4pm to Midnight on weeknights, and 10am to Midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets for Festival performances can be purchased at www.OrlandoFringe.org, or during the Festival at Box Office locations in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center and the Orlando Repertory Theatre.

This month, the website Yelp is running a special promotion called The Yelp Culture Club here in Orlando. It has nothing to do with Boy George, but everything to do with great deals on area museums and live shows throughout October.

Here’s the deal: Yelp has partnered with select museums to offer free days of admission. These include the Morse Museum of American Art and Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park, and the Orange County Regional History Center downtown.

They’ve also arranged discounts on select concerts at downtown venues like The Social, as well as shows by the Orlando Ballet and the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. There are even discounted Cirque du Soleil tickets for Florida residents through October 29.

To get in on all of this, or for more info, visit the Yelp Orlando website.

You may never have heard of Ricky Powell, but you’ve probably seen his work.

As a young photographer in the 80s, he managed to talk his way into a spot as a tour photographer for up-and-coming rap groups like Beastie Boys, Run DMC, LL Cool J and more. His work started appearing in a slew of newspapers and magazines ranging from the New York Times to the Village Voice.

Well, starting July 30, 2011, an exhibit of his photographs goes on display at Mother Falcon Clothing in Thornton Park, and Powell will be in attendance. All images that will be on display are for sale and can also be screened onto a t-shirt (since that’s what Mother Falcon does).

The event starts at 8:30pm and will feature live entertainment by Andrew Spear, Nigel John, Francis Lt-smash Crisostomo of The Lazy Afternoon.

Mother Falcon Clothing is located at 817 E. Washington St and you can call them at 407-423-3060.

If you’re a horror fan, chances are you like the Evil Dead trilogy – Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, and Army of Darkness.

If so, then you may want to check out Evil Dead: The Musical.

This theatrical production takes elements from the films, adds in musical numbers, mixes in a lot of camp and comedy, and serves it up live on stage.

The basic synopsis: Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. It’s all up to Ash (an S-Mart housewares employee, turned demon killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons are telling bad jokes… and all to music.

Evil Dead: The Musical is currently appearing at Theatre Downtown from now through July 2, Thursdays through Sunday. Times for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday productions are 8:00pm. All Sunday matinees are 2:30pm.

Ticket prices vary from $16 to $22, but the first Thursday after opening (which would be this Thursday, June 9), tickets are only $10.

Theatre Downtown is located at 2113 N. Orange Ave. The box office is open Wednesdays through Saturdaysfrom 1pm-6pm, and you can call them at 407-841-0083.

As tomorrow is Memorial Day, I thought I’d post about a local deal for active military.

From Memorial Day (May 30) to Labor Day (September 5), the Orange County Regional History Center will offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families.

This offer is available to active duty military and their immediate family members (military I.D. holder and five immediate family members), including active duty Reserve and active duty National Guard.

This offer is part of Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 1,300 museums across America.

For more information, contact the OCRHC at 407-836-8500 or toll-free at 800-965-2030. It is located downtown at 65 E. Central Blvd.