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A child might imagine Orlando to be the capital of Florida, crowned by attractions at the state’s center. Dramatists focus on Orlando for those same reasons. Today we explore writing for theme parks and the “antidote” aka Orlando Fringe.

First, some housekeeping: West Florida Dramatists Guild is on Facebook, thanks to our Youth Ambassador Jaime O’Brien. Find a link to a survey, timely news and a place to share your announcements. In Sarasota, Arthur Keyser won Theatre Odyssey’s Tenth Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival at the Asolo Center with High School Reunion, a comedy about two 101-year-olds. And hats off to winners of the glowing crystal Spark Awards for unsung heroes of Theatre Tampa Bay theatres.

Scott Swenson, the former writer/director at Busch Gardens, says despite the high concentration of entertainment in central Florida, there’s “no magic bullet to get these gigs. Some have internal folks for basic content and look for people who are writers and directors because changes are made so quickly. The president of the company can come in and ask for changes,” he says. “A lot of playwrights write art for theatres and write shows for theme parks because they pay better!” Find the Director of Entertainment and email them a sample. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions conducts industry “speed dating.” Busch hires writers/directors. Disney reaches out to writers they know. Universal imports from California. But smaller parks and cruise lines also hire in Orlando. Theme park writers select music, work with designers, and direct specialized performers. “Instead of writing dialogue, we write emotional arcs. Playwrights are first people to go to for that.”

Swenson wrote Vault of Souls, a “high end haunt targeting a demographic with cash that wants an elegant night of theatre.” Set in an actual bank built in 1923, the Vault is Tampa history laced with the paranormal. A place under the bank holds the souls of bootleggers and gamblers. It opens in a bar, leads to a 6,000 square foot theatrical experience with no pathway featuring 30 characters, and ends in a 1920s gin joint. Tarot readers & psychics complete the venue.

The opposite in theatrical production is the Orlando Fringe - a sprout from 1947’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The oldest USA Fringe, Orlando’s only rule is that if there is room, you can do it! The two week festival features “unjuried, uncensored, 100% artistic free expression” says Producer Michael Marinaccio, costing a $9 fringe button and $11 per show. Ticket sales go entirely to the artist who pays a production fee but pockets the rest. This year 200 applicants were randomly awarded 100 spots. The only restrictions on the lottery are that 50% of the spots are reserved for local writers from five counties in central Florida (Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Osceola, Brevard); 25% are for national playwrights; and 25% are reserved for International artists.

Orlando Fringe Fest saw the first full production of Disenchanted, a huge hit (then called Bitches of the Kingdom) that went on to a closed ended run at St. Clements off Broadway and has now been picked up by the Westside Theater. Fringe recently frayed off Broadway with Toxic Audio’s a cappella Loudmouth. Chase Paglett’s 6 Guitars also strummed out of Orlando’s Fringe.

“We provide workshops, unified auditions and try to give them a foundation for producing, but ultimately it’s an independent performing arts festival offering independent producers a chance to do the show their own way.” Marinaccio says “we’re not censoring or deciding for the audience what is a good show. Our audience is savvy and the artists are very good. So if the artist comes and they don’t have a good product, they’re not gonna do well. And if an artist has a good product they will do well and will probably come back. So it juries itself better than any individual ever could. I always look at it like ‘who am I do decide what art is worth seeing?’ Let the people decide. Let it go out there into the world and see how people feel about it.”

ddavis-thompson@dramatistsguild.com