ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is in its second week and it features more than 100 shows from local, national and international artists.
Often times we hear from the actors or performers in a show, but Vanessa Frances is sharing how she came to write and produce, “The Magic Castle Still Stands.”
This is her first time producing a show for Orlando Fringe.
She’s 25 and a lifelong writer.
Frances said when she was fired from her first big corporate job in February of 2021 as a content strategist, she was inspired to write her first play.
It all started with a visit to her friend in Maryland. She took a train from Winter Park to get there.
“As we were on the train up north, we had an emergency stop on the train tracks and we were stranded for like 5 and a half hours. As I was sitting there, the gears started turning in my head, and I was like, ‘This is a really interesting show premise, just the idea of a bunch of people coming together, stuck in a train cabin. You know, how did these different personalities of strangers, kind of, interact in a confined space,’” said Frances.
She said “The Magic Castle Still Stands” takes audiences on a journey of self-discovery and reflection. It tackles adolescence, death and loss, and the impacts from that grief.
The story follows a main character named Harvey who’s on a train ride. An unexpected crash between the train and a car connects her fate to her fellow passengers and her own past. The show takes a look at the sacrifices you must make to truly understand yourself and move on in life.
So where does the title, “The Magic Castle Still Stands” come from?
Frances said the Magic Castle is based off a real place in Central Florida, what used to be known as A World of Orchids off Old Lake Wilson Road in Kissimmee. It closed down in 2012.
“Our main character, Harvey, loves orchids. It’s like a really big symbol within the show. The magic castle is that Orchid World building, where a lot of her childhood self was formulated and where she came into her own and spent a lot of time with one of her best friends,” explained Frances.
There’s two more showings, one Friday night and another on Sunday. Click here for ticket information.
We also put together a complete guide to help you navigate Orlando Fringe Fest. It wraps up this Sunday.