Cast Changes

[Cofeeguru]

I posted BEFORE seeing that.  Yes, now it is truly too late.  Though I still have nightmares about cast members having Nike logos.

[saphire_glade]

I totally put orange over my wings first year on fire me sunday adn went as the most cingular fairy at the fair... so yeah.... I think that is jsut adding to your nightmares... but yeah...

And wow... lets make a deal... just wow... coudl you see howie mandel touching a festie if he heard baout the creepy fest crud half the cast gets?

[Kiss-me-Kate]

 

From their facebook page:

Breaking news from MNRF: After resolving some confusion the Bust Dusters will be at festival this season. Watch for upcoming information regarding an Enchanted Tea with the ladies in blue. Thank you to all of our friends for being so supportive. We love yiu.




Yay!  Not sure if our voicing our opinions helped, but I don't care.  Glad they are back!!!!

[SleepyArcher]

@Sleepy - with all due respect, I think people who volunteer 12 hours a day, 2-3 days a weekend for 7 weeks should absolutely be allowed the privilege of staying after hours. That is the difference between playtrons and volunteer contracts -  obviously, we're all out at Fest mainly because we love it. But while playtrons are, of course, free to come and go as they please, not subject to MAF rules, etc, volunteers make a committment to be out there at least half time (at least all the groups I know of that get hard passes have a half-time minimum committment, otherwise you get a paper pass and can only stay until 10), rain or shine, hot or cold, and I think we're entitled to the privilege of staying after hours in exchange. If someone just wants to stay after hours and don't care about the show, there are many booths that hire part-time workers.

Char: please accept my apologies. I should have also put in there the volunteers who actually work and do good for fest.  Yes if you are out there like you say been all means you should.

Kate: yes I love playing Lord F and like the break every now and then and geez who doesn't love to visit you guys at Willin' you're a fun loving bunch    I guess my meaning for a volunteer contract would enable me to take tips etc. I put a lot of money in my costumes,yes I love to do it more than anything else. I mean the looks on peoples faces especially them men/boys out there...priceless. But I have been told I could get kicked out if I accept tips. Which I have been offered after taking pics with people. It would be nice to be compensated in that way and it's not like it's a lot of money either. but hey anythnig I can get to help the costume fund helps right?
Heck just let me accept the tips,dont give me a contract, I dont need the special privelages. thats all I ask. Ask Storm its a hoot out there when I am there. And now with Austin Tatious it could get even better.

[Storm]

Sleepy is right! I love hanging out with him when he comes out as Lord F! It's a joy to stroll the lanes with him and see the reactions he gets from people. Some of my most fun days at fest have been hanging out with him when he is Lord F! It's always a hoot then...

All that aside, I am really concerned about fest with all their volunteer contracts and stuff. As a Playtron who has been coming out to fest for going on 5 or 6 years now I have seen nothing but decline over those years. It seems that the powers that be want to get by on the cheap. They want people who they use to pay to volunteer now. They don't seem to want to put much money back into fest. Is the Masters Hall repaired yet? If not, what will this be....3 years without it now. What is Mid America doing with the money they are making out there? I thought part of the new lease agreement was that they were suppose to stop bleeding our fest to prop up other fests of theirs? I am not seeing any of that. There is an old saying. You get what you pay for. And the Mid America and the powers that be don't seem to want to pay for much. Yup, I have great concerns for our Festival. They are going to run it into the ground if they keep wanting to get by on the cheap. Eventually, people will just stop coming.

I don't know what to expect this year.....And that's sad....

[groomporter]

Is the Masters Hall repaired yet? If not, what will this be....3 years without it now. What is Mid America doing with the money they are making out there? I thought part of the new lease agreement was that they were suppose to stop bleeding our fest to prop up other fests of theirs?

I've heard no indication that there was a clause like that in the lease agreement. I would think that as long as they're keeping things up to code, it's they're own business how they reinvest their profits. That being said, no I don't believe anything has been done with the Hall of Masters. But they have been rebuilding and/or bringing up to current code quite a few food booths in the last three years. There's a least one whole new food building just up the street from me. You can't blame them for focussing first on the structures that make them money. The Hall of Masters doesn't bring MAF any direct income, it really only supplies us crafters with a little extra on-site advertising. I'm actually surprised they haven't just torn it down and leased out that space for two or three new craft booths -or put another pub in.

[Storm]

You are right Chas.....

I don't know if there was a clause or not, but I thought I heard from somewhere or another that the land owners were concerned about money being put back into the festival? I thought that was part of the hold up with getting a new lease signed?....

As for the Hall of Masters. In my opinion, it's an eye sore leaving it they way it is. Either fix it or tear it down and let someone else come into the spot. I think it's stupid of them to let it stand there as is. It's a big black eye for fest and you have to think that patrons aren't impressed. What kind of message is letting it stand there, basically condemned with paying patrons walking by it all day long, sending?....

[William_MacKean]

Hall of Masters is basically roofless from decay as of this afternoon.

What I have not heard mention of is MRF moving to a new location.  I think it will go away entirely and KCRF will be the big MAF show.

[groomporter]

KCRF or MIRF... But we've got what, 12? years left now on the new 15 year lease? Of course some of it may depend on how long Peterson lasts and who might take over. He's gotta be at least in his upper 60's.

[William_MacKean]

I paced off the quarry progress today.  I have my doubts that this will reach 12 more years.  I am thinking it will go the way of the Virginia show.  About a week after closing, the owners strip the site of anything worth selling and walk away.

[groomporter]

Jac mentioned something not long ago that they recently took some core samples in the area behind the campground that got cleared of trees last year, so depending on what they found they could shift to back there for the time being. Until the economy improves at least the gravel operations probably won't accelerate.

[Charlotte Rowan]

Char: please accept my apologies. I should have also put in there the volunteers who actually work and do good for fest.  Yes if you are out there like you say been all means you should.

No worries, Sleepy!

[William_MacKean]

Jac mentioned something not long ago that they recently took some core samples in the area behind the campground that got cleared of trees last year, so depending on what they found they could shift to back there for the time being. Until the economy improves at least the gravel operations probably won't accelerate.

I wonder if that area is below the water line?  Or very near?  I heard rumor that the richest deposit was in the area 600 between our place and Bad Manor.

Who knows what the future holds?  I wonder if every year the cast will be squished more and more?  Seems like cutting off the nose to spite the face.  Still, I have to place trust in the owner who (in theory) knows more about the show and the biz than I pretend to.

[groomporter]

Jac mentioned something not long ago that they recently took some core samples in the area behind the campground that got cleared of trees last year, so depending on what they found they could shift to back there for the time being. Until the economy improves at least the gravel operations probably won't accelerate.

I wonder if that area is below the water line?  Or very near?  I heard rumor that the richest deposit was in the area 600 between our place and Bad Manor.

I believe the surface there is at the same or above the lower levels of of the site, but who knows about the usable rock compared to water level...

Who knows what the future holds?  I wonder if every year the cast will be squished more and more?  Seems like cutting off the nose to spite the face.  Still, I have to place trust in the owner who (in theory) knows more about the show and the biz than I pretend to.

Yeah can't helpt but recall what my late father-in-law said, gotta hope MAF makes lots of money so it trickles down to increase the investment in the site and advertising. Prolly gonna be a tough year what with the economy regardless.

[Charlotte Rowan]

Alas and alack. Terpsichory has been notified that we will not have the Bear Stage to perform on this season. I don't know where we'll be performing... random locations on the street? To be determined. But we shall persevere!