Philip Nolen

What’s the formula for a perfect farce? First take a bunch of unwitting characters thrown together in an unlikely scenario, add to that a lot of slamming doors, physical comedy and costume malfunctions (and maybe a bunch of sardines) and let boil over until you have immense amounts of laughter. Or you could just study Michael Frayn’s masterpiece of a comedy NOISES OFF, which is currently playing at Orlando Shakes as the opening production of their 2022 – 2023 season.

It’s hard to imagine a musical theatre world without the iconic, simple but lovely, musical THE FANTASTICKS. Opening at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in 1960 and playing a record breaking 42 years (making it the “world’s longest running musical”), Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s “little musical that could” has touched hearts and audiences for the last 62 years. It has evolved and changed over that time (more on that in a minute) but has never lost its core appeal – a beautiful, poetic, and highly theatrical tale of the power and depth of love – gained, lost and found again. Adding to the rich history of THE FANTASTICKS is the latest production of the musical at Orlando Shakes – one which delights, warms the heart and reminds us why it’s good to “Try to Remember” every so often.

Acclaimed actor Davis Gaines, who has performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera over 2,000 times, will be featured in Orlando Shakes' next production, The Fantasticks, which runs February 2-26.

In William Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, a motley cast of characters find themselves in an idyllic forest filled with magic and wonder. So, it is quite apropos that Orlando Shakes’ current production of this timeless classic is being offered outdoors, at a park (Lake Eola Park) in a beautiful setting by the water. And like the young lovers and the “Mechanicals” who enter the woods not knowing how their lives will change before the night is through, audiences seated in the Walt Disney Amphitheatre are in for an evening of magic and merriment – one that, I must say, is long overdue.

Just in time for the holidays, Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF brings Central Florida two heartwarming holiday offerings. Return to the theater in person for The Laura Hodos Holiday Cabaret! The Darden Courtyard will be transformed into an outdoor performance space with a new tented canopy for all to enjoy the incomparable Laura Hodos in a charming, holiday cabaret performance. 

The team at Mad Cow Theatre will present 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, as part of Cow-O-Ween, a virtual Halloween party performance to celebrate the spooky season! 

A few weeks back, I attended the opening night of The Three Musketeers at Orlando Shakes. I marveled, in particular, at a rotating stage and staircase designed by Bert Scott. The way the production team used that stage always impressed me. Imagine my delight when I came back to Orlando Shakes for the opening weekend of HENRY IV, PART 1 and saw that same exact stage now being used to represent 1492 England rather than 1628 France. Part of it is my fault, I didn't know they'd be using the same stage and assumed another theatre space at Orlando Shakes would house HENRY IV. But now knowing that this same space was used for two plays got the wheels in my head turning. It's a genius move on Orlando Shakes' part, creating a very fitting double-feature of entertainment. The same cast, the same stage, but two wholly different stories unfold.

Shakespeare's epic Fire and Reign series continues with a dynamic production of Henry IV, Part 1, produced by Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF. This production will run in repertory February 19 - March 21, 2020 along with Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers, as adapted by Catherine Bush. Tickets (starting at $30) are available now by phone (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, online at orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Ask anyone to describe the Three Musketeers, and you'll get the usual answers: three heroes, bound together in brotherhood, inseparable in the most dire circumstances. They were a holy trinity of masculinity and friendship, the #SquadGoals of the 19th century. But unless one were intimately familiar with Alexandre Dumas' novel or its many adaptations, five will get you ten the average Joe today would be remiss to actually name all of them. That's not the fault of the average Joe, but rather the reputation that precedes these fictional characters. Most would be familiar with what they are, not necessarily who they are.

Swashbuckling sword fights and romance lie at the center of this thrilling take on Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers by Catherine Bush, produced by Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF, runs from February 5 - March 22, 2020. This bold production will run in repertory with William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. Tickets (starting at $30) are available now by phone (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, online at orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Mad Cow Theatre presents The Mystery of Edwin Drood, based on Charles Dickens' unfinished novel and winner of five Tony Awards. With music, lyrics and script by the award-winning composer Rupert Holmes, The Mystery of Edwin Drood is set in a grand Victorian music hall. This hilarious interactive mystery musical tries to solve the murder of the young and charming Edwin Drood. Was it a romantic rival? The purveyor of opium and vice? The newly arrived twins from the East? Each night, the audience chooses the villain in this tuneful tale of intrigue.

Mad Cow Theatre is delighted to announce the cast and creative team of Jonathan Tolins' Buyer & Cellar, an uproarious evening with a friend who has a story to tell, which will take the Zehngebot-Stonerock stage Aug. 10, 2018 as the final production of Mad Cow Theatre's Season 21. Mad Cow is elated to bring this irresistible one-man comedy to Orlando.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night February 21 - March 23, 2018 in the Margeson Theater. Performed in traditional Elizabethan style by an all-male cast, Twelfth Night will play in repertory with Shakespeare in Love. Tickets ($25 - $50) to both productions are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents a new stage adaptation of Shakespeare in Love February 7 - March 25, 2018 in the Margeson Theater. A romantic look into the Bard of Avon's life, Shakespeare in Love will play in repertory with William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Tickets ($25 - $50) to both productions are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents William Shakespeare's comedy, Love's Labour's Lost now through March 24, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Love's Labour's Lost will play in repertory with F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (now through March 26, 2017). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby from February 8 - March 26, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Adapted for stage by Simon Levy, The Great Gatsby will play in repertory with William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (February 22 - March 24, 2017). BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby from February 8 - March 26, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Adapted for stage by Simon Levy, The Great Gatsby will play in repertory with William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (February 22 - March 24, 2017). BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby from February 8 - March 26, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Adapted for stage by Simon Levy, The Great Gatsby will play in repertory with William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (February 22 - March 24, 2017).  BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents William Shakespeare's comedy, Love's Labour's Lost from February 22 - March 24, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Love's Labour's Lost will play in repertory with F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (February 8 - March 26, 2017). Tickets ($25 - $50) to both productions are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby from February 8 - March 26, 2017 in the Margeson Theater.