For the second year in a row, the locally written musical was named Best Show at the 34th Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival.
Written by Brandon Martin and produced by Orlando’s Renaissance Theatre Company, Lennox Avenue, won the highest honor, as determined by Orlando Weekly critic Seth Kuvalski and I. The vibrant musical is a salute to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s, celebrating the excellence, creativity and joy of black people with enthusiastic and passionate songs and dances, gorgeous era costumes and enthusiastic choreography.
The show had previously been held in theaters in 2023, but the new version debuted at the Fringe Festival, finishing its two-week run at Rock Haven Park on Monday.
The winner of last year’s Best Show was the musical “Tanabata” by Central Floridian Andrew Heidone.
In all, 11 local productions or artists received one of 24 awards presented. Other winners came from South Florida, New York and across Canada. The Best Comedy Award took place with the UK-based duo in “Done To Death By Jove” in British mystery and spoofing between Ragatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes. The Best Drama play was awarded to Martin Dockery in New York City for “Bunker” after seeing America’s split today.
Three former Florida awards also won awards. Former producer artistic director Beth Marshall shared the performance award with Orlando actor Ella Hadley. Marshall currently lives in Colorado. Todd Kimbro, who currently lives in Washington, won the best solo musical award for his fictional narrative about a Florida coming-of-age story. Megan Marcum, who currently lives in Washington, also won the Best Solo Drama Award for his storytelling show “Witch’s Skirt on Fire.”
Locals also won awards for original scripts, music and choreography. Orlando’s new generation Michael Knight won the Best Screenplay for his witty and witty imagination, imagining important religious and historical events in The Great King James Bible. Zelda Gray won the Music Award for her inspiring folk-pop composition featured on her show “Liquid Sunshine.” Ana Kuerer’s elegant and emotional choreography for “Enmi” won the highest award in that category.
Other locally created musicals won “The River’s Daughter,” the “Daughter of the River,” spoken by Pan & Circus Theater through music, dance and aerial arts. “Fosgate, Ferret Loan Officer” was a stupid takeoff of “The Merchant of Venice,” featuring animals, written by Winter Park Playhouse musician Ned Wilkinson, and was named Top Family Show. And the new musical adaptation of M&M Productions of Celebration’s “The Great Gatsby” was named Best Musical.
Kailash Wanberg of the Central Floridian won a Music Performance Award for her turn as “Fall-fallen Woman” in Old West, rising again in the vengeance of “Bullock and the Bandits Vol. 3: Cowboys and Aliens.” The Dance Show Award was awarded to “Sam’s Skeleton Soiré.” This is a high-energy program with an undead theme that enhances modern music.
Phoenix Tear Productions in Orlando won a site-specific award for “They’re doing all these things.” The title comes from a statement made by Gov. Ron DeSantis when he accused Fringe of being a “sexual festival” in an attempt to justify a statewide arts grant refund in Florida. Based on text messages, the show cast the audience as state secret agents, completing a scavenger hunt-style mission on the Fringe grounds, looking for signs of a deviant “wake” action.
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2025 Orlando Fringe Critics ‘Choice Awards
Solo Show – Comedy: “Poetry for Poetry”, Victoria Watson Sepe Jack Solo Show – Drama: “Her Skirt-On Fire”, Megan Mark Ham Solo Show – Improvised: “Solo Vera: Improvised Solo Telenovela: Diane Jorge Solo Show – Speciality: “1-Manno Show” Song “One Little Lie: Martin Dockery” by Tod Kimbro, Concrete Drops Theater Choreography: “Enmi”, Ana Cuellar Original Music: “Liquid Sunshine”, “Liquid King James Bible”
Individual Performances – Drama: Ella Hadley and Beth Marshall, “Beth & Josie’s Exposure (f*%k de $antis)” Personal Performance – Musical: Kaila Swanberg, “Block and the Thief, Vol. III: Cowboys and Aliens” Site-specific Show: “They’re Doing All These Things” and Phoenix Tears Production Improvisation Show: “Breaking Bard: An Tragedy of An Travised Shakespeare”, Vol. 100% Wizard, Artistic Director Brent Hirose Magic Show: “100% Wizard” Production Play – Drama: “Bunker” by Martin Dockery Play – Comedy: “Dead at Jove”, Nicholas Colette Production Play – Musical: “Great Gatsby: Musical Adaptation” Renaissance Theater Company
