McKenzie Lakey

The traditional and beloved tale of greed, reflection, and redemption in the wake of the Christmas season recently hit the stage at Orlando Shakes this past weekend-and no, it's not the tale of the Grinch. Whether you're a seasoned Charles Dickens fan, entirely versed in his holiday classic, 'A Christmas Carol' and the lessons it brings every year, or you're introducing someone new to the story, you might just find that Orlando Shakes' take on the story deserves a spot amongst your own family traditions.

Howls of laughter echoed down the halls of Orlando Shakes last weekend as the spooky satire, 'The Mystery of Irma Vep-A Penny Dreadful', opened just in time for the Halloween season. From the title alone, the expectations for a show filled to the brim with satire and comedy are fairly high. (If you're unaware of the anagram that lies within 'Irma Vep', I'll let you discover that through the spectacular fashion that it's revealed in thanks to one of the two men who command the stage throughout the entirety of the show.) But straying from any further potential spoilers, let's explore the finer elements that make this show sing-or perhaps, scream.

Set against the backdrop of The Abbey-the perfectly unorthodox lounge in downtown Orlando which doubles as an intimate theatre-the zany and immersive 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' was brought to life on stage through Encore! Cast Performing-Arts this past weekend.

Nipping at the heels of the wildly outrageous, yet hilarious, comedies such as 'The Book of Mormon' and 'Spamalot,' this national tour cast of 'Something Rotten' serves up a fun take on musicals at the turn of the century-the 17th century, that is.

The current touring production of 'Waitress' is a musical best served to a full house and welcoming audience prepared to ride one rollercoaster of a show-exactly as it was Tuesday night at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. The show itself dished out some serious laughs on its opening night, but also managed to bring in heavier undertones and themes masked by the upbeat musical numbers created by pop star Sara Bareilles.

All of these pieces and more factor into the creation of the touring production of 'The Lion King', now entering its 20th year on stage. Resident Director Dodd Loomis and a handful of his fellow Disney Cast Members who help the production come to life, recently pulled back the curtain on their show for a small group of local theatre professionals at Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, March 9.

Rooted in its history as an animated treasure since its release in 1994, 'The Lion King' manages to transform into a visual masterpiece on the stage as well-and has maintained its rightful place in Broadway royalty for nearly 21 years.

All it took was a single step through the front door of The Winter Park Playhouse to be immediately transported back into the golden years of Hollywood-and the days where Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney captivated audiences through their work on screens and stages of all sizes.

Meet Cami Miller, Garden Theatre's 'mother of the year' in this season's production of 'Annie.'

Elder Price of 'The Book of Mormon' made it very clear that he loves Orlando during the musical's stop at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts this past Wednesday night-and Orlando made it known that it loved him right back.