USA

“Show” me Orlando

by David J Cox

When in Orlando, there are so many destinations to grab your attention with Disney, SeaWorld and Universal parks, but what if you want something on a smaller scale? The theatre is a great alternative and Orlando has something for every taste.

A Mad Cow Christmas

Tucked away on a second story of a building on the trendy West Church Street is the Mad Cow. What began in late 1997 as a simple two show project between a group of Floridian actor/directors has become a hub of local theatre. The productions have become renowned and popular for their featured works of consistent quality and simplicity.

Our experience was in line with the philosophy. “It Was a Very Good Yule”, was filled with the Christmas cheer that the outside summer-world of sunny Orlando cannot really accomplish for visitors used to snow and cold. The four musicians were excellent singers, with the three young women channeling the Andrews Sisters and keyboard player offering up some fun with Sinatra and Elvis. Wonderfully choreographed, the hour-long show featured 26 carols and Christmas songs and was well-paced with small anecdotes from the 1940s and 50s mixed in as well.

The Mad Cow, at 54 West Church Street 1997, now produces 10 shows per season and produces a yearly Christmas show.

Gangsters, gals, gags and grub!

Capone’s is dubbed as a “Funtastic” Dinner Show, and it does deliver some good laughs and good lines. Reasonably priced, the evening starts with finding the ticket taker and the doorman in character as 1930s gangsters. After saying the code word, ‘four cherry cokes’, we were led to the bar by a flapper and awaited our seats.

The wait staff and stage performers would interact throughout the evening with often hilarious jokes and double-entendres. Once seated, we enjoyed a hearty Italian food buffet with a salad bar, pizzas, meat carving station, and an array of Italian favorites like baked ziti, lasagna and garlic bread sticks.

The highlight of the night was the show, with a core ensemble of actors and lots of group and individual interactions with the crowd. Sections of the restaurant were divided into “families” and each had their own sayings. Our section was “Get outta’ here!”, and we were called upon to say it several times during the show. The inclusion of the audience made the show that much better!

For those who wish, there is an opportunity to purchase some personalized memorabilia during the show with a mug shot in a fake newspaper.

Salsa, singing and sweet times

At this beautiful multi floor pub, the evening is for famillies and the night belongs to singles. For us with kids, it was filled with dancing and a three course dinner with dessert.

Although the meals at the Mango’s Tropical Cafe were standard fare and nothing too exotic, the dishes were presented well and service was quick and efficient. My dish, the mango salmon, was really well done and delicious. My companions tried the pasta and chicken, with one enjoying the magnificent surf and turf steak and shrimp dinner. Desert was a highlight, with a huge slice of creamy cheesecake and a rich chocolate lava cake. The exotic was saved for their amazing list of specialty cocktails, including enormous glasses of margaritas and other rum drinks.

The music selection is diverse and the dancers were very good, it felt like the whole staff really want you to have a good time. The live musical set, complete with dancers, costumes and live band, included Cuban Conga, Bachata and a mix of dance music. A multilevel stage with light show and great sound offered a great atmosphere for the high energy dinner show which, at several points, included the wait staff. It was really entertaining. We especially appreciated the Michael Jackson dance impersonator who even nailed the Moonwalk!