Here, alphabetically, are the Orlando Sentinel’s picks for the best of the 2024 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival , which runs through Memorial Day. You can find longer reviews of all the shows mentioned here, plus dozens of others, at OrlandoSentinel.com/fringe .
‘Absurd It Through the Grapevine: Paul Strickland’
Fringe vet Paul Strickland’s diving really deep this year into the existential questions of being, and so while Erika Kate MacDonald’s direction and Strickland’s own sense of wordplay, as well as his gifted delivery, help lighten things, there’s a darker current at play in this enjoyable and thoughtful journey through fable and meta-songs that prove their own points. (Savoy at 1913 N. Orange Ave., 60 minutes)
‘At the Table With Keith Brown’
Magician Keith Brown demonstrates astonishing up-close magic with a simple deck of playing cards. Brown’s sleight of hand is dexterous and artistic, and his storytelling is captivating and entertaining. A stand-out among his peers, this Fringe veteran is all aces. (Silver venue, 60 minutes)
‘Barbenheimer: The Musical’
Writer-director Chris Metz cleverly weaves together blockbuster films “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” into a peppy yet enthralling, time-bending adventure set to the music of Matchbox Twenty. The cast is full of quadruple threats: They sing, dance, act and play instruments. This parody is high energy, super fun and right on target. (Peach venue, 75 minutes)
‘Becoming Santa’
Mary Boatman’s series of connected sketches efficiently and comically present different takes on how children first discover the biggest truth about St. Nick in this funny holiday special we didn’t know we needed. The willing and able cast evokes a nostalgia for the simple wonders of Christmas and childhood with gifts of laughter and heart. (Brown, 60 minutes)
‘Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream’
In true Tim Mooney fashion, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy is expertly condensed. This year, five other actors join the usual one-man show onstage for a chirpy, whimsical delight that succeeds in making Shakespeare accessible to all. (Silver venue, 65 minutes)
‘Chris Turner: Childish’
The British comedian is consistently funny without being meanspirited — except toward the French, which is, of course, perfectly fine. A message of following your dreams gives a sweet core to Turner’s show. His prowess with improvising raps delights, and his comic charm is universal. (Gold, 75 minutes)
‘Cocaine Bear: The Opera’
There’s a lot of cleverness on display in this lark — reimagining the movie about the cocaine-fueled bear operatically — from the correlation of the parody songs to their original usage to Pinder’s lyrics. Legit singing, some ace comedy performances, and timed so the silliness wraps up just as you start to wonder if it’s time to end. Bravo. (Peach, 50 minutes)
‘Dream’
Cindy Heen’s magnificent choreography is matched by the quality of movement throughout her Emergence Dance company. Heen’s attention to nuance, and her dancers’ abilities to execute it, create a powerful and emotionally driven show, enhanced by the spoken-word transitions written by Bryen Nöel. (Teal at Fringe ArtSpace, 54 W. Church St., 60 minutes)
‘Eleanor’s Story: Life After War’
Ingrid Garner immediately pulls you into the story of her grandmother Eleanor’s post-war experiences after returning to America from Nazi Berlin with clearly defined characters. The horrors of war are effectively juxtaposed against normal teenage girl worries. And the lighting and sound design vividly depict how Eleanor’s experiences continue to intrude on her new “normal” life. (CityArts at 39 S. Magnolia Ave., 60 minutes)
‘Emilio’s A Million Chameleons’
This one’s for the kiddos and their cool adults as showman Emilio learns a lesson about being himself with some help from his talented chameleon sidekicks. The action keeps moving, catchy music adds to the fun and the puppets, using flip-sequin fabric, are adorable as we celebrate “special friends filled with sparkle.” (Silver, 60 minutes)
‘Hyde’
So, so deliciously dark, this is the kind of darkness that peers into your soul in the dead of night: What causes evil deeds? Are people evil themselves? Even if they are loved? The intense physical movement of the three performers beautifully adds to the sense of something off-kilter in this disquieting piece of theater. “I think I’m going to do something truly terrible,” an actor tells us. Be afraid. (Peach, 60 minutes)
‘Juliet: A Revenge Tragedy’
This entertaining and clever romp from Canada’s Monster Theatre turns classics on their head with pro-woman flair. The tragic heroine breaks free from her literary fate to smash the quill pen of the patriarchy. A brisk comic pace adds to the audacity of challenging the revered canon in this romp that’s smart, subversive and silly all at the same time. (Silver, 60 minutes)
‘Life Goes On?’
Damian Barray’s the writer, composer, lyricist and star of this highly polished musical, and his charisma is a big selling point. At a crossroads in his life, Barray’s character looks to what’s next in company with a cast of solid actor-singers. This is the kind of engaging show where the details have been satisfyingly thought through, from the spot-on costumes to the subway-rumbling sound design. (Renaissance Theatre at 415 E. Princeton St., 60 minutes)
‘The Light Bringer’
Laila Lee’s personal story of immigration has a different spin than many. Resoundingly expressive in both face and voice, she makes a simple headscarf another character in her tale of falling in love with liberal America while her Muslim father grows more conservative. The energy never flags in this compelling show. (Blue, 60 minutes)
‘Mitzi Morris: Live at the Come On Inn’
In a polished, one-woman cabaret of jazz and show tune standards, Mitzi ruminates on life, love and how she once played a grape in a children’s dance production of “The Grapes of Wrath.” Kevin Kriegel’s script is full of witty double entendres and sexual innuendo — mostly, you can feel naughty but not dirty — and his finely crafted performance, directed by Kevin Bee, imbues Mitzi with a delightful obliviousness to her true self. (Brown, 75 minutes)
‘Retributeion: The Ultimate Tribute Band Tribute’
Writer-director Michael Marinaccio has combined a mockumentary look at a band that never existed with a real-life reunion concert. It’s the best of both worlds — you get a kick-butt concert of familiar hits from the likes of Tina Turner and Meat Loaf — while laughing as the fictitious back story of this band plays out onscreen. That “Behind the Music”-style film is sharply funny, and the musical numbers really rock. (Renaissance Theatre at 415 E. Princeton St., 60 minutes).
‘The Stakeout by Martin Dockery’
Playwright Martin Dockery is keeping watch on all of us: the complicated emotions between fathers and sons, the traumatic effects of feeling abandoned and the collective sense of hurt in the world. The rhythm of his rhetoric is remarkable, and he and Andrew Broaddus trade lines and personas in a heady mix of comedy — there are plenty of laughs — and poignancy. Will you be able to explain what you saw afterward? Maybe not. But you’ll know what you felt. (Gold, 60 minutes)
‘Tanabata’
This ambitious, good-hearted and satisfying musical is sweet but not syrupy, entertaining and educational as it depicts a young Asian-American couple falling in love. Creator Andrew Heidorn’s songs are as appealing as he is, and he’s matched in charm by Robin Chinn as his love interest. (Teal at Fringe ArtSpace, 55 W. Church St., 75 minutes)
’10 Sketches with Rauce and Joel’
Rauce Padgett and Joel Warren have an easy rapport that translates well to their offbeat and fast-paced sketches that are full of grown-up fun. (Even the grown-up sexual stuff is smartly executed.) They both can create a character in an instant, and you never feel that one is trying to upstage the other. They even slip in some positive social messages along the way in this laugh-fest. (Peach, 60 minutes)
‘Who’s Afraid of the West Cherry Orchard: An American Classic in an Active Quiznos’
A group of actors attempt to stage a classic play in Quiznos sub shop open for business, and silliness ensues as various customers (all played by the same actor) stumble into the show. A simple concept is delightfully executed through smart writing and expert timing, while taking winking shots at oh-so-actorly actors. (Renaissance Theatre at 415 E. Princeton St., 60 minutes).
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Orlando Fringe Festival
- Where: Shows at Loch Haven Park are in color-coded venues; off-campus locations are identified by name.
- When: Through May 27
- Cost: $10 button required for ticketed shows, then individual performance tickets are no more than $15.
- Schedule, tickets, more info: OrlandoFringe.org
- More reviews: OrlandoSentinel.com/fringe
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