Author Alex Hutchinson

Alex & Iris at Manikin's Freak Show Friday I had never been comfortable in a nightclub before but this place was different. Was it the music? Was it the laser lights and deepening fog? Was it the friendly bar tenders and reasonably priced drinks? No, none of those things ever meant that much to me. So why was it when I walked through the red door at Manikins Goth Club in Sanford, Florida did I feel so comfortable? What did this place trigger in me? Manikin's lounge & nightclub is the creation of Tom Morris, a black entrepreneur who wanted to cultivate a unique experience in a town where local businesses weirdly lack diversity. I say weirdly because Sanford is 46% black or mixed race. That is a high percentage in a state full of retired white people. Sanford has over 1,300 businesses and yet less than 50 are black owned . That is usually a signal that a lot of voices are not being heard. Alex, Terri and Gene at Manikins Halloween night So is diversity the key? Look, I&#

  Tawdry wizards, sizzling dancers, pirates, clowns, drag queens and non-stop sexual innuendos. But enough about the audience, there are also amazing things happening on stage. Orlando is well known for its theme parks, its tourist destinations and even its downtown nightlife. Little known to the outside world is a yearly event called the Orlando Fringe Festival. Orlando Fringe has been supporting independent artists for the past 33 years. Talent arrives from around the globe to display their skills, humor, acting and pageantry during this two week long event. You can choose from among 100 different acts ranging from children's shows to stand up comedy, from Broadway musicals to brilliant burlesque. There is truly something for everyone. My personal history with this event started almost 20 years ago. A good friend of mine from Journal group named Ed Anthony persuaded me to give it a try. Ed is a Fringe super fan. He attends every year and sometimes every show. One time he attended

  1978 - Avon Massachusetts: As a little kid I had a reoccurring dream. There was an army of men in white armor wearing bucket helmets. They were led by a tall, dark stranger with a deep voice who carried a glowing red sword. They chased me through a series of hallways until I awoke. When I told my mother she explained that she had taken me to my first movie only a year earlier. We had seen Star Wars. While I was too young to comprehend what I had watched, the images embedded in my mind had forever changed me. The town I grew up in was very small and known for only one thing, it had a drive-in movie theater . My parents started taking me when I was only a baby. Over the years I became a movie addict watching hundreds of films and memorizing many of them. I was deeply inspired by these works of art which motivated many of my adventures as a writer and athlete. Selling my book "Twisted Trails" at MTB events  2023 - Sanford, Florida: Upon reaching my 50th birthday I have finall