Equality Florida Presents FROM HERE Review—Found Family

FROM HERE did not begin this way, just as shootings often are not preceded by tears. Blake Aburn as Daniel, a man on the hunt for a new man after his breakup within the first few moments of the show, brings the audience up to speed on his life in stand-up-esque streams of consciousness. These explanations are separated by intermittent musical numbers and interactions with his dearest friends. He is charismatic and silly—so much so that he attracts the attention of a new beau, Ricky, played by Erick Perafan. The two, from their first kiss, are seemingly made of interwoven, inseparable limbs. Daniel’s mother, played by Sarah-Lee Dobbs, on the other hand, could not be farther away, despite Daniel’s daily calls in the form of song.

Daniel’s life and the life of his found family, a jovial gang who frequent the Pulse nightclub together, are bright and fun and loud. They have gayme nights in which they all get drunk together and end up laying in cuddly piles, sprawled out on the floor and furniture. They attend Michelle’s cabarets, where Dorothy Christopher, playing Michelle, is dressed in black sequins and belts showtunes about loving all her gay friends. They live in pools of love that they have created.

The backdrop of the set is a map of Orlando and the surrounding areas. Streets and highways weave in and around one another, encircling bodies of water and leading out from the center but always returning in one way or another to the center focal point—a heart pointing toward Pulse.

Hearts Pulse Faster

The transition from romantic comedy to modern tragedy happens quickly. One minute bright lights coat the stage, while Daniel quips with his ex to an upbeat guitar. The next, blue light drowns Daniel, Ricky and Michelle while they receive a call from a friend who lives down the street from the Pulse nightclub. Showtunes turn to long winded confessions of grief set to steady, almost monotonous piano.

Then, as effortlessly as the musical plunges into the depths of sadness, Daniel’s found family finds solace in their happiest memories of the deceased. Still, despite the adversity they face—or perhaps because of it—their arms and hands are interlocked. They lay in heaps together, leaning on each other and laughing through trembling tears glistening in their eyes. Their cheeks are strained from smiling, but their eyelashes are still glued on. With hands on one another’s knees in comfort, they exemplify strength in tragedy. We see the LGBTQIA+ community’s struggle through this cast of loving friends.

You, like this reviewer, may be deterred by the camera work, which is sometimes shaky, overexposed or underexposed at different times. You too, though, may conclude that the value of the content is more important than the presentation.

CAST:

Blake Aburn

Erick Perafan

Sarah-Lee Dobbs

Dorothy Christopher

Peter Heid

Kendall Leamy

Justin Jiminez

CREATIVE TEAM

Musical by Donald Rupe

Directed and musically directed by Jason M. Bailey

Arrangements and Orchestrations by Jason M. Bailey

WHEN

Through June 28

WHERE

Online on the FROM HERE website

TICKETS

Free

Photos courtesy of Equality Florida.