Mini-Interviews

[Ignia]

Hello. I am doing a research project for english class about renaissance festivals (in general and what is like to work at one). So far, this site has been a great place for contacting people for interviews. However, my computer seems to dislike sending lots of messages and I thought it would be great to get a lot of people's views. So, below I have pasted a number of questions that anyone looking kindly upon me or just plain bored enough can please fill out and put in their reply. You don't have to answer all of them, or repeat yourself.
Thank you, 
Ignia 

here are the questions:

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)


2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?


3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?


4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?


5. How do you come up with characters/acts?


6. What are the hours?
7. Pay?


8. What do you do during the rest of the year?


9. What is your home faire?


10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?


11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?


12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.


13. Costumes?


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?


15. any other stories you'd like to tell:

[Cobaltblu]

1.  Attend as a guest.
2.  I am not an employee
3.  I go to one festival so far, maybe more in later years.
4.  After you lose your license for DWI and cannot drive your options are limited.  If you crossed the border from Mexico illegally you can travel the circuit and be exploited.
5.  Rip off Monty Python's The Holy Grail
6.  24/7
7.  Depends if immigration is watching.
8.  Study Scientology
9.  North American Renaissance Festival
10.  Yes.  Being a roadie for the rolling stones.
11.  Was arrested by a police officer who had to attend a faire and he didn't want to be late so he handcuffed me and dragged me around all day before booking me.
12.  Wonderful people.
13.  People often wear costumes at faires...but one guy dresses like that all year long and you have to question his sanity.
14.  North American Renaissance Festival
15.  You are now an official member of the UOUP.

Regards,

CB

[VIII]

1.  This is my 22nd season at Scarborough Faire.  I have played King Henry VIII for 14 ½ years.
2.  I walk around (or run as necessary) from event-to-event and talk to people (I also pose for photos a LOT).
3.  I only WORK at Scarborough Faire, but I LOVE to visit other Faires so I get a chance to play.
4.  Audition or Apply
5.  For background, I read everything I could get into my hands.  I had observed five other King Henry VIII's and chose to do something different so as to defy comparison.
6.  I get up at 7:00 a.m. and don't see my bed until after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from February until June.
7.  Not enough and too much!
8.  Travel Agent
9.  Scarborough Renaissance Festival
10. I am an Instructor in Heavy Sword, Hand-to-Hand, and Rapier-and-Dagger, certified by A.A.S.S.C.C.  I ride horses.  I sing Tenor and Baritone. The methods of acquiring such skills are as manifold and variegated as the stars and the sands.  Working at the Faire, you meet people who are from many diverse backgrounds with these skills.  You find them, show an interest, and hope you are up to the challenge.
11. My then-girlfriend and my best friend.  They knew about it from a school outing, so we went on a weekend back in 1983.
12. Where to begin?!?  I've met Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists, a U.S. Marshall, Nuclear Physicists, Computer geniuses, Wal-Mart greeters, Radio and TV personalities, Mayors, Sports stars, a dancer for the New York Ballet (whom I married), and untold countless others!
13. I make my own with much help and support from my very talented wife.  The trim on three of my Great Coats are from the design in the Hans Holbein paintings of King Henry VIII as hand-sewn by my dear friend, the exceptionally talented Marion Cantrell.  There are two interlocking cords of over 100 yards each on the edges of my Great Coats, not to mention the sleeves!
14. I am partial to my own, Scarborough Faire.  TRF is great, as is Colorado, Kansas City, and Maryland.  Each one has it's own flavor and ideology, which gives me a fresh perspective on my own performance.
15. No sh*t, there I was: In 1994, I was working for Roy Cox and the Free-Lancers Joust Troupe as the Marshall-of-the-Lists (announcer/talking-head) and Squire.  It was Monday and I was shoveling Horse droppings.  Up runs Ron Boulden, the Performing Company Director of Scarborough Faire.  He said, "Don't go anywhere!  I have to talk to Roy and then I need to talk to you."
    So, I stand there in the hot sun, shoveling the fewmets, copious and stinking, until Roy calls me up to his office.  When I get there, Roy says, in a deep and stentorious voice, "Hail to the King!"
    Ron was smiling at me.  Not knowing what Roy meant, I asked, "So, you're the King now?" but he only responds, "No, hail to the King!"
    Still not understanding, I ask, "What, this little guy is the new King?!?" for Ron Boulden is a short man.  Roy slowly raises his hand to point at me, and says, "Hail-to-the-KING!"
    With a slowly dawning realization, I see that they are asking me to take over the role of King Henry VIII.  Ron was smiling and Roy was looking serious.  My response was, "No thank you!"
    Roy looked surprised and Ron nearly choked, but I said, "It's just not a job I want to do."  I had serious reservations about coming in as a mid-season replacement and didn't relish the idea of Ron Boulden riding my butt and directing my every move.  Later that day, Ron approached me again, saying, "Just do the job I know you can do."
    "That" I responded, "is a job I can do!"

[DonaCatalina]

here are the questions:

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest? I attend as a Guest.
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)

5. How do you come up with characters/acts? My persona was developed in response to the Texas climate which is a lot like Spain's and not at all like England's.


8. What do you do during the rest of the year? I sew and prepare for the next faire.


9. What is your home faire? Scarborough.


10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?


11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals? A friend in high school who was in the SCA also worked Scarby for the first few seasons.


12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with. People from all walks of like. Lawyers, Teachers, Doctors, Investment bankers as well as construction workers and shoe store clerks. Some come for the fun, some come for the history, or both.


13. Costumes? It is usually referered to as garb. Costumes infers a flimsily made garment appropriate for Halloween. Most rennies wear clothes meant to approximate the daily wear of people who lived in the 15th-16th centuries. I make my agrb and my husband's garb.


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do out-of-state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones? I have to say I like Scarby best because the layout feels more like a medieval village than a big open fairground. The problem with out-of-state fairs is that unless you return regularly you miss quite a lot, be it the fabulous musician tucked away in a corner, or the exquisite jewelry in the booth you missed.


15. any other stories you'd like to tell: Becaise we have such a deep interest in similar things, rennies are more like an extended family than strangers. Fairemily is a term you might see. We may squabble occasionally like cousins at Thanksgiving, but we are usually inclined to help each other out in times of trouble.

[Master James]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)

I am in my third year as cast at the Virgina Renaissance Faire.  I play as a guest at all the other faires I attend.

2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?

I am the GM of the Court of Elizabeth and as such I make sure that the court shows are on time and handle any day to day issues that come up for the members of the court.  I am also a member of the court and participate in the shows and interacting with the patrons.

3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?

I stay at Virginia for the run of the show which is 5 weeks.  After that, I travel to other faires and play.

4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?

I auditioned for a part and was accepted.

5. How do you come up with characters/acts?

As a member of the court, we are required to portray actual characters that would have had a reason to be on progress with the Queen.  For new cast you must pick a character that is a) not being currently played and b) is not a character that somebody else on cast has recently done within the last 2 years as they are allowed to return to that character if they wish.

6. What are the hours?

We have cast call at 8AM and don't get to leave after gate until 7 or so.

7. Pay?

Virginia is an all volunteer faire so I get paid $000,000,000,000,000 per show.  Notice there is no other number in front of all those zeros. 

8. What do you do during the rest of the year?

I attend as many other faires as I can fit in.  If you mean in the mundane world, I am an IT Project Manager.

9. What is your home faire?

Virginia is my home faire

10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?

I have some sword fighting skills as I was part of a show in Virginia my first year.  We were taught everything we needed to know by a certified instructor.

11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?

I heard about the local faire on the radio so I went and loved it.  Been going ever since.

12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.

I have met a vast number of people through my years of attending faires.  I know people on cast, vendors, playtrons and workers.  Many of them are friends now.

13. Costumes?

I am lucky in that my wife is an excellent seamstress.  I am even learning to sew!  We make all our garb and its a good thing because noble garb is very expensive otherwise.

14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?

I would have to say Virginia is the best one and that is why I joined the cast there.  They are a very interactive faire and that is what I find very enjoyable about it.  Every faire, whether its a large commercial enterprise or a small local faire that runs only one weekend, has its appeal and all faires have many good and some bad things in them.  It really depends on what you are looking for in a faire as to what faire is best for you.  Some are great for shopping, others are great for hanging out at and still others are very interactive and some manage to do all of them.  So to compare local and state faires really doesn't work.

15. any other stories you'd like to tell:

Most rennies (those of us that get in garb and come to faires) are intelligent, somewhat affluent and a caring group of people.  Not the crazy, hedonistic, morons that some people think we are.  By and large the vast number of rennies are professional in areas like IT, medicine, engineering and law to name a few.  I defy you to find another group of people as a whole that would willing help out a stranger to the point of giving them a place to stay without thinking about it or worrying if the person will rip them off.  Yes we have a few bad apples like any group but that is the exception, NOT the rule.

[Lady Amy of York]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)

  No.  I attend  as  a patron.  Would  love  to join cast  someday, maybe  when  my  son gets  to be   a bit  older.



5. How do you come up with characters/acts?     

I have  two characters  that i like  to  protray  when  i  go  to faire.   One  is   a noble  lady  who   descends from the  house  of  York.   I picked  the  house  of  York,  cause  i liked    the history of  the  Tudors, and   if  you research  the  Tudor history   you can trace  it  back  to the   "  war of  the  Roses "  between  the houses  of  York  and    Lancaster.
  I  also  picked York  cause i  live  in the  state of  New  York. 
I love  portraying  a noble  lady  cause i  love   to dress up in fancy  gowns  and  walk  along  with  my husband   who dresses up  as  a  noble  also.   It is  also  fun  to   be  kissed  on the  hand  by a hansome   gentleman.  I  enjoy    playing  this  character   and  i    always try to stay  very  much  in character  and  act like  a noble  would  .

My other  character I  like  to  protray  when  i attend faires  is  a  pirate  captain.   Yes, there were female  pirate  captains.   I  love  the  history  and  romance  and  adventure  of  the  golden  days  of  piracy.I have  fun  playing this  character. I  don't  have  to act  so  prime  and  proper  as  I  do when i am  protraying  my  noble  charcter.  My  pirate  captain gets  away  with  more  stuff.





8. What do you do during the rest of the year?

         I am a wife,  and  stay  at   home  mom. I take  care of  a young  son,  the  house,  3  dogs,  3  cats,  and  two  horses .   Keeps   me  busy  !    faire  is   my  vacation  !


9. What is your home faire?

               Sterling   ren  faire  near  Oswego,  New  York




10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?

  I  can  sing  and  act.   I  acted  and  sang   in highschool  plays.

  I  also know  how  to ride  a horse. I can   ride  English and  some  basic  dressage. I have  years  of  riding lessons, and  I  also  own  my  own horses.


11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?

   I  have  always  been  a history buff.    While  living in southern California,  when i  first  got  married   I  saw a  commerical  for  the  southern  California  ren  faire.   I attended  with  my  husband,  and  we  were  both  hooked.


12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.

           I have  met  follow  patrons   who i have  become  good  friends  with.  some  of  them  are  like  family  to  me.    I have  met  members  of  cast.     I  have  met  tourists  who  stop  to ask  me  questions   about  my  garb  i  am  wearing  or  ask  me  to  pose  for  a picture.   The  most  memorable  are  the  young  children   who  come  up  to  me.  I love  answering  their  questions  and  talking  to  them


13. Costumes?  (  should  be  Garb      )

            A  true  rennie  owns lots  of  garb  !    Especially  us   ladies on here  who  protray  noble  ladies.   It  becomes  an  addiction  !

            I  own  three noble   court  gowns.  My favorite  being  gorgeous  green velvet  and  gold  brocade  gown  that  my husband     hired  a  seamstress  to  make  for  me  last  year.  I  also  own   several  chemises,   skirts,    and  a hoop  skirt.     I have  a tall hat,  a muffin  cap  style  hat,  and  a  french hood.

                I  have  a pirate  tricorn hat,  a  captains  frock  jacket,  a  fancy  frilly  pirate captain  blouse,  a   captains  vest,  a  long  black  skirt,   boots,   a   sash, a ring  belt,  a  coin  pouch,  and   a beer  mug.    eventually  i want  to get  some  pirate  pants  and  either a  cutlass  or  a  flintlock  pistol.


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?

The  best faire.   Well as  far  as  small   faires  go   i  would  have  to  pick  the   faire  in  Corona,   California.


As far  as  medium  size  faires  go   I  would  have  to pick  my home  faire -  Sterling.


For  a  larger  faire  I  would  pick   the  Pennsylvania   ren  faire.


15. any other stories you'd like to tell:

              I  would  have  to say  that  there is  something about  attending a ren faire.  Something  magical  and  relaxing.   It is  like  you can  forget  all your  troubles  for  a day  and  step  back into  a  world   that is  slow  paced,  relaxing,  fun,  magical,  and  mythical.
   You  can let  your  inner  child  escape  for  the  day.
  And   what really make  's it special  is  that  everyone  is  so friendly,  and  it is  like  one  big happy family.

[Dayna]

here are the questions:

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?

Both, right now I work at 3 faires and attend several others.

2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?

I am a noble at one faire, so I do Court things like attend jousts, shop, etc.
I am a peasant at one faire, so I do crafty things such as sew, weave, dye wool, etc.
I am street and administration at one faire, so I sing, entertain patrons, etc. as well as teach classes and keep things in the Friends of Faire garden going along with my fellow henches.

3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?

I do not travel the circuit, but as I said above, I do work at several faires between early June and mid-October.

4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?

Lots of us started as patrons, really got into it, and then were encouraged to audition for Entertainment or got a job working for a vendor.

5. How do you come up with characters/acts?

I'm a natural entertainer, my mother swears I sang before I spoke, and my father unsed to refer to me as a "Frustrated Thespian" because my dream was to be in Musicals.  As for characters, I read a lot of historical fiction and non-fiction, so who I was when I "played" became melded in with what I'd learned to become a person with a background and a full life totally separate from who I am in the "real" world.

6. What are the hours?

If you work there, figure you get there an hour before faire opens and stay an hour after faire closes,  Minimum.

7. Pay?

Most people in street entertainment are volunteers; singers and those with actual stage acts usually have the right to "pass the hat" and can also sell CDs.  Those who are well-known acts are usually paid as well as having "hat pass", how much varies by faire and by act.

8. What do you do during the rest of the year?

I work as a systems analyst and designer for a major bank.

9. What is your home faire?

Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha Wisconsin, although I live in Minneapolis Minnesota, 400 miles away.  I make the trip the 9 weekends of the run, as well as a few trips off-season.

10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?

I sing in both English and Gaelic, also I know many techniques of needlework and etc. which were practiced during the Renaissance.  I am also a trained actress.  I learned basic needlework from my mother and then taught myself the rest, taking classes and teaching and learning from other ren folk.  I also make garments for the middle and upper classes, as they can be very expensive to purchase, where you're paying mostly for the time and labor.  So I save a fortune by doing that myself and at times make a tidy sum doing it for others.  I also barter my skills with someone else.

11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?

My father took our family to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in 1974.  I was hooked, and beginning in 1975 we went at least one weekend during the run and I went in costume which quickly developed into reasonably good garb (it helped that my mother's father was a tailor).  Once I moved from Eau Claire Wisconsin to Minneapolis Minnesota, I went more often until some of the entertainers there said I should audition which I did and joined as a street character and singer.  This will be my 33rd year.

12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.

Where to start?!  Rennies, like all groups, have their bad apples, but overall it's like having family spread all over the country.  If you're going to a strange faire, you can find someone who knows someone who lives near or attends that faire and they'll meet you, take you around, make sure you have a good time.  If you're hungry, they'll share their food, if you need a place to stay they'll offer their spare room or their couch or their floor or find someone else who will.  A rennie will see any other rennie as a fellow adventurer. 

Get any group of rennies together, and someone knows someone who knows someone you know, and suddenly your family has expanded through that connection.  Three months later at a different faire in a state far far away, someone you've never met says "Hi, you must be Dayna, my friend X knows Y who heard a story about you from Z, so when I saw you I just Knew you had to be her!  So, let me buy you an ale and if you would tell me all about the time you..."

Rennies are marvelous flirts, if you feel old and unattractive, go to a ren faire, having men tip their hats to you and/or kiss your hand and/or give you an admiring glance will perk you right up.  It's all in fun, chivalry and all that, the vast majority of us understand play is play and don't do anything that our real-life mates would object to.

13. Costumes?

It's more commonly called garb, and for many of us, the clothing we wear at faire is better built and more comfortable than our every-day outside of faire clothes.  You can find anything from dirt cheap at goodwill as a peasant to $1500 or more for a fancy court outfit. 

14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?

There isn't really a State vs Local like there is with the more agricultural and rides-related faires.  There are large many-weekend faires like Bristol or MNRF or TRF or Scarborough or Arizona, and then there are smaller one- or two-weekend faires.

Bristol Renaissance Festival, I willingly drive 400 miles one way for 9 weekends in a row, because it's So Worth It!  Smaller one- or two-weekend faires can be fun, but I wouldn't drive nearly as far just for that.  I do however happily drive 400 miles to the Stronghold Faire in Oregon Illinois and Janesville Wisconsin, because a lot of the Bristol folks will be there so it's more like a family reunion at a faire, same with Siouxland in Sioux Falls South Dakota, because I've got "faire family" there as well as being a participant.

15. any other stories you'd like to tell:

I went to Bristol with friends and my husband in 2000 and 2001, then took a break for a couple years, due to divorce and other nasties.  I went once with a different friend in 2004, then again with someone else, and re-discovered how wonderful it was, since I had a membership to Friends of Faire.  In 2005, I went by myself 3 weekends and after the second weekend a woman I barely knew offered to let me stay at her house so I wouldn't have to pay for a hotel over Labor Day.  Then she offered me a place to stay so I could go with her and her family to another faire in early October.  The next year, I attended 5 weekends, same thing, plus the other faire, plus I was invited for Thanksgiving.  In 2008 I attended 6 weekends and also had offers from even more people to stay with them during the run and after the run, Plus Thanksgiving, Plus come stay with us after the mid-winter party. 

When my car broke down, I called the people I was going to be staying with, who drove hours late at night to come and get me and take me the rest of the way, offered to take me car shopping if mine couldn't be repaired, drove hours back to pick up my car after it was repaired, because "You're Family".  When I try to pay for anything, I'm told to put my money away because "You're Family".  If I ever need a place to stay, if someone's home, I'm in, because "I'm Family".

That's what being a rennie is, it's a place where you're accepted for who you are, where Saturday and Sunday you put on a bodice and skirt and become a totally different person than you were Friday in your business casual work attire.  It's playing dress-up, doing and saying all sorts of outrageous (yet non-filthy) things and playing with the patrons.  It's playing dress-up, doing and saying all sorts of outrageous (and often filthy) things with your friends, because everyone knows it's "safe to play" and what happens at faire stays at faire.  It's what gets me through the time inbetween.

Dayna

[Lady L]

here are the questions:

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?

Both and I enjoy it that way.

2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?

I sell my fine art at my shop.

3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?

I travel to MNRF 7 weekends, the run of the show. I don't sell my work at any other Renaissance Faires. I sell/exhibit my art at other shows, in the midwest. I live close enough that I don't stay at the campground.

4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?

I had to apply and pass two jury committees, to be accepted into MNRF.

5. How do you come up with characters/acts?

As a merchant, that's pretty much what determines what our characters are. We also try to dress the part for the themed weekends, such as Irish, Scottish, Italian, Middle Eastern etc.

6. What are the hours?

I get up at 6am, leave the house around 7 am and travel an hour to arrive at MNRF by 8 am. Spend about an hour getting set up, then the gate opens at 9 am.
We close at 7pm, takes half an hour to 45 min. to take down and put away. Another hour drive home, usually arrive by 9 pm. Rinse, lather and repeat for Sundays, Festival Fri. and Labor Day Mon.

7. Pay?

Yes, please.     (I sure hope so, I am not giving away my paintings.)

8. What do you do during the rest of the year?

I am an artist all year, selling my work on my internet stores, maybe at other shows. I do a lot of sewing all year around. I have worked other part time art related jobs.

9. What is your home faire?

Minnesota Renaissance Festival


10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?

I paint with watercolor and acrylic paint. I knew quite a bit about fine art, but I also attended SAA in St. Paul, MN.
I make paper, does that count? I taught myself.
I also make garb, for myself, family and friends. My Mom taught me how to sew when I was in 2nd grade. Making garb is a bit more advanced, so I taught myself, by researching and reading.
Here's my bio

http://www.cafepress.com/lindas_worldart/3823315

11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?

I first attended in 1973, on a date.

12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.

Wow, that would take quite a few chapters.
I have met many customers, from all walks of life. I have met many entertainers, too. I have met other shopkeepers. My husband was interviewed on tv once, my granddaugher was in the tv commercial for several years. It is a huge cross section of people.


13. Costumes?
Not really, but garb, yes. Sewing garb is the most fun, for me. I love creating new garb every year! I love new patterns, learning to draft my own patterns, finding fabulous fabric, hand sewing, designing... everything. I love observing/admiring everyone else's garb, the colors, styles, the way the fabric flows when they walk. The shimmer of the belly dancing garb, the awe-inspiring noble's garb, the guys in kilts, the magic and glitter of the fairies and wizards, the fantasy of all of it.


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?

I don't know of any state run ren festivals. The best one *I* have been to, is MNRF. It may say "Minnesota" in the name, but that's where it's located. Maybe I don't understand the question.

15. any other stories you'd like to tell:

I could, but that would take many, many chapters, every year. I have been a shopkeeper for eleven years and there are stories that happen out there, every day...

[Emerald Shaunassey]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?  Both - depending upon which faire it is determines whether I am there as a performer or as a guest.  Mainly, I work festivals rather than just attend them.


2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee? I and my employees perform the contracted/agreed to number of stage shows each day of the festival, wander the lanes between shows, and generally interact with the faire's patrons.


3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel? I travel across the midwest with my stage shows.


4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?  As with any job, you apply, interview/audition and wait for a call-back to see if you got the job.  The same applies for stage shows and not just individual lane actors.


5. How do you come up with characters/acts? Alot of research went into my character.  I have always pulled from my family history to give me a basis to begin with/from.  From there, it is a matter of research and 'conversion.'  The characters take over and tell you their history themselves - you are just lucky enough to get to portray them. 


6. What are the hours? LOOOOONNNGGGG!  Anywhere from 14-16 hours each festival day.

7. Pay? If you are lucky enough then yes, there is 'pay' and/or compensation in your contract.  Will it make you rich enough to quit your mundane job or even pay your day-to-day bills ... most likely not. 


8. What do you do during the rest of the year?  Considering that I only have 4-5 months each year when there are no gigs; I rest, works LOTS of overtime at the mundane job, repair and make garb, overhaul scripts and props (repair/replacement), and ensure that the company's cargo trailer is mechanically sound.  And somewhere in there, I try to enjoy the holidays and spending time with friends just chilling like non-faire, non-rennies do (watching movies, going out with friends and the SO, etc).


9. What is your home faire?  Scarlet's Mid-Winter Festival in OKC, Ok.  Though we make berth in alot of different ports during the festival season - this little faire has taken in a bunch of homeless pirates and given us safe harbor and warm welcomes.  What more could ya ask for?


10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills? I taught m'self how to play the bodhran - does that count?  Actually, the only weapons in use with my stage show are safe, non-lethal ones.  In Comedy, one wants to slay the audience with laughter ... not actually ... slay the audience... very bad for business ... word travels and the next you know, the nobility have a price on your head and you can no longer go where you used to go.... uh... sorry 'bout that...      )  Moving on ....


11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?  I was introduced to faires in 1998 - on a dare from the Rennie I happened to be dating.  My first faire every was KCRF - I felt like I had come home and fell in love with festival.  I've had no regrets since that time nor have I looked back.


12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.  What would you like to know?  I've worked with folks with GEDs, PhDs, doctors, lawyers, fellow nurses, EMTs, teachers, coaches, stay-at-home moms, students, people with physical disabilities, people with mental challenges.  Rich folks, poor folks, friendly folks, and down right nasty/hateful folks.  People from USA, Canada, Scotland, England, Germany, Hong Kong, Russian ... from all over really.  The perfomers/workers/vendors and the patrons come from all walks of life, all socio-economic backgrounds, educational and life experience levels. 


13. Costumes?  Costumes are for the theater.  GARB is the everday clothing that one wears when working faire.  Because you spend so many hours and days in these clothes (and they cost so much to have made or to make on your own) - they must stand up to regular use and wear for years (or at least until one changes characters).  Costumes tend to last only a few hours before *something* wears out/gives out. 


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?  I would have to say either Bristol Renaissance Festival in Kenosha, Wi or Texas Renaissance Festival outside Houston, Tx for the commercial festivals.  For smaller faires/locally-owned faires/festivals: Scarlet's Mid-Winter Festival in OKC, Ok and the Missouri River Regional Library Renaissance Festival in Jefferson City, Mo.  Both small and large faires have their pro's and con's.  The bigger the faire, the more chances of making money.  The smaller the faire, the faster your cast and crew bond into a family - pretty much like the size of your neighborhood and/or town - in a big neighborhood or town it takes a bit longer to find your niche and your circle of friends.  The smaller the neighborhood and town, the easier and faster it is for you to obtain those things.  I do not know of any "state Renaissance Festivals" - those that bear a state's name in them are typically the first faire or festival in that state - not that the state or local government owns/operates them (like with your State Fairs or County Fairs).  Just because TRF says Texas Renaissance Festival does not mean it is owned by the state of Texas (same with Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas City, etc).


15. any other stories you'd like to tell: Not at this time.

[lys1022]

1.  I have spent 8 years as a member of the performing company at Scarborough, and am a part-time member this season.

2.  I am a lane performer.  I create a character based on the time and place that the faire is set and interact with the patrons as that character.  Characters can range from walking cartoons to my most recent one, who is an actual historical personage.  The main job is to entertain, but if I can achieve that while also getting the person I'm talking to interested in a bit of history, that's all the better!

3.  I only work at Scarborough, though I do enjoy visiting other festivals when my husband and I can afford to do so.

4.  If you want to be on the performing company, you have to audition.  If you want to work as a stage act (a.k.a. masquer), you have to either audition or send in an audition tape/CD.  If you want to work in a booth, you either need to attend the job fair or arrange it directly with the booth owner.

5.  Coming up with characters is the easy part, fleshing them out and making them three-dimensional is where the work lies.   My characters usually start with a name.  After that, I focus on their position in life.  That will define a lot about them in the Renaissance right there.  Then I add in the social mores of the time and slowly their personality starts to come out.  Finally, there's the quirks:  what makes them different from every other noblewoman / governess / gypsy / chef / etc. that's being played at ren faires?  Add in the costuming, the physicality, and the voice /accent / dialect, and voila!  Character!  Of course, it sounds easy, but it takes weeks of workshops and lots of discarded ideas to get the right combination.

6.  Normally, when we're full-time, we're in the cast parking lot by 8:00 a.m. and dressed by 8:30.  The final cannon is at 7:00 p.m. and there's usually a bit of schmoozing before heading backstage to get out of costume.  So it's generally a 12-hour day during a performance day (Saturdays and Sundays, 8 weeks).  Before that is workshops, which normally run 8 weeks and are every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. til 6:30 or 7:00 p.m., so it's about the same amount of time as we have to be ready to go at 9:00 which means being there by 8:30 at the latest.  Then there's homework during the week, which is usually another couple of hours at least.  So it averages around 26 hours per week for 16 weeks.  All of this, of course, on top of my 40-hour per week day job.

7.  There are people who get paid for this?  The majority of performing company members at Scarborough are not paid.  As a matter of fact, they purchase their own costuming, props, and pay for things like food and gas on top of it.  Faire usually costs a couple of thousand dollars per year.

8.  Executive Administrative Assistant to the owner and CEO of a custom and semi-custom homebuilder.

9.  Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, TX

10.  I am in the beginner to moderate class of people who know stage combat.  I've fought in the Human Chess Match and done lane fights at our festival for the last five or six years.  I learned via outside classes taught by our Fight Directors and others interested in the craft.  I've not had a chance to take formal classes yet, but plan to do so at some point.  Several folks at our faire have taken SAFD classes, and I hope to join them in the future.

11.  I went to my first Ren faire when I was sixteen, some friends took me with them.  I badgered my parents into going back nearly every year after that and bought my first season pass the year I moved out on my own.  I've been attending faires for 27 years, and working Scarby the past 8 of that 27.

12.  Tell about the people?  Do you have the next 20 years to just listen to stories?  They're amongst the most creative, talented, friendly, welcoming people I've ever had the joy of knowing.  It's a cliche to say that a group is like a family, but cliches become cliches for a reason.  Faire folke are completely a family, in all of the functional and dysfunctional ways!   But if one of our own has a problem, you'll never see hesitation in giving them assistance.  I remember once when a fellow cast member who drove several hours each way to do faire every weekend had their car break down on their way home one weekend.  They called another cast member for help, and word got around the cast parking lot, and in less than 10 minutes there was a collection of over $500 that paid for towing and repairs.  You don't get that kind of generosity and instant response in many places in the modern world.  Yeah, there's personality clashes and gossip, but there's also a lot of caring and joy in what we do and it binds us together in ways that are hard to understand unless you've experienced it.

13.  Costumes?  What about 'em?  My husband and i have an entire closet full of them.  Nobles, gypsies, and everything in between.  Accessories, cloaks, boots, it's all there.  To be honest, I've worn costuming at faire for so long that it feels odd to be there without it.

14.  It's hard to define 'the best'.  Everyone always has a soft spot for their home faire, of course, but every faire offers something wonderful and unique.  I adore Scarby, and my former home faire at Sterling, NY.  But I've been to about 8 or 10 other fests so far, and each one had that magic that manifested itself in it's own way.

15.  Not at the moment, though there are plenty of stories to be told.

[BLAKDUKE]

here are the questions:

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
    I do both.   I perform in 2 faires and the others I visit.


2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?
I walk around all day being a pompous weed puller(I am the King) and get paid for it. 
seriously , I walk the faire and greet patrons and talk to them, I visit as many acts
as I can to try and draw attention and patrons to them and I overss the Joust

3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?
The two faires that I perform in are 1 weekenders

4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?
    In my case I applied for the job


5. How do you come up with characters/acts?
    A lot of it is based on your own mental state.  Originally I was a swashbuckler, so
    it was not a long stretch to King


6. What are the hours?
    All day

7. Pay?
    Not nearly enough, but since I don't have to make a living at it
    It's spending money and expenses.


8. What do you do during the rest of the year?
    I am a computer geek for a local company


9. What is your home faire?
     Gulf Coast Faires of Pensacola and Mobile


10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?
      Not really, although I have done sword fighting though not as an act.


11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?
       I introduced myself to faire


12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.
      to many to list,  However there is one young lady who I met many years ago
      at a faire, she was but 15 years of age at the time, but she was a costumer
      par excellance.  She came to the faire every year as a volunteer and would help others
      with their costumes.   After we left the faire and after much trial and error with other
      performers not working out, she is now the Queen at that faire as well as another.   

13. Costumes?
      I started out with a rather home designed shop made costume.  As the good living caught up
      to me and my girth started to increase I found I had to start buying my garb.  This is an absolute necessity
      with regard to Kingly attire.


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?
      that is a question with no answer, at least not from me.  Each one has it's own unique flavor and draw.  to pick one over the
     other, to difficult to do.   


15. any other stories you'd like to tell:
      I have tons, but there is not enough room to post them here.

[Count Adolfo]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)

Well, I attend as a guest, though I am treated like part of the cast at BARF.  The cast at my local Faire is as superb a cast as you'd ever meet and they make us regulars feel right at home.

2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?

~skipped as per instructions~

3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?

~skipped as per instructions~

4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?

~skipped as per instructions~

5. How do you come up with characters/acts?

~skipped as per instructions~

6. What are the hours?

~skipped as per instructions~

7. Pay?

~skipped as per instructions~

8. What do you do during the rest of the year?

I am going to field this one because I think it's important to get this out there.  I am an insurance agent.  I have a job that I go to M-F so I can play on the weekends.  Too often, an image of rennies as unemployed nutcases emerges and it's simply not true.  In fact, I'm sure you'll hear from many people on here that it's the extreme exception rather than the rule, because this is a very expensive hobby.  Garb isn't cheap and neither is traveling... which many of us do... from Faire to Faire.


9. What is your home faire?

I can proudly say... my home Faire is Bay Area Renaissance Festival in Tampa, FL.
That being said, though, pretty much all of the shows in FL (and there are a great number of them if you include all the Pirate Festivals, etc.) are pretty much my Home Faires.   

10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?

Yes, I am.  I am relatively proficient with three different sword types.  I have no classical training but can be very dangerous with a rapier.  I'd love to someday take up fencing and get better... but I have a very busy schedule and I just can't seem to work that in.
I was in the SCA for a short time.  It was there I learned some broadsword and got an introduction to rapier.  I studied myself afterwards... often spending my spare time searching for information and demonstration.
I tried jousting once, many years ago... and determined it wasn't for me.  Huzzah to those who do it... they are a breed apart.


11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?

I walked into King Richard's Faire in MA many years back on a lark... I needed something to do that day and had seen an advertisement for the Faire.  I never looked back.  I was home.

12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.

How can I possibly, in such a restricted space as, say, the internet, expound upon the Fairemily I have come to know and love here on this site, at the Faires I've been to and through the Guilds?  It is far too much to tell... except that I can say this with all certainty.
I am a writer in my spare time (what little of it there is) and I could not create a more wondrous assortment of characters than the ones I have met in my 17 years at Faire.

13. Costumes?

What costumes?  Do you refer to garb?  Yes, I have garb... and I have much more of it being made for me as we speak.  It's an addiction... fabriholism.  I can go to a fabric store and spend two hours and two hundred dollars easily.  I'd never buy a $50.00 shirt at a store but will spend $90.00 for a ruffled silk one at Faire.  I believe our garb says a lot about us... a lot more than "I like pirates" or "bow down before me"... it speaks to our character in real life as much as the one we play at Faire.   

14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?

Wow, I believe BLAKDUKE is right... this is a loaded question because each Faire brings something different to the table.  For instance, if you asked me which Faire I think is the most beautiful one... I'd say MDRF.  It's an enchanting place and it's somepleace I look forward to going every single season.
Bay Area is nowhere near as large or impressive as MDRF in structures or whatnot, but I prefer to be there because of the atmosphere... as I said, the cast there all knows me and there's a feeling of being "home" even though I am not on cast and, indeed, even play a foreigner.
King Richard's Faire, where I went for years, is also a magical place... and at one time was heavily populated with friends of mine (I have not been back in a decade plus so they may not be there anymore) but it was special to me for different reasons than MDRF or BARF... so, as BLAKDUKE says, there really isn't an answer for this one.

15. any other stories you'd like to tell:

In seventeen years, I've accumulated far too many stories to relate here... but if you read this forum over, you'll likely get plenty of material in this department...

[Adriana Rose]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.) I work and play


2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?
I am a Garland Girl at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, So I get to play with little girls dressed up as princesses and I love it! But the real job discripton is I sell Flower Garlands

3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?
I have only worked at the Colorado Festival, I have traveled to the Arizona Renaissance Festival and the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Also the Ravenshire festival in Grand Junction Colorado

4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?
I got mine by calling the office and asking if there was any jobs posted. I got lucky with the job that I got because my mom works at the same shop as I do. Like I said I love my job

5. How do you come up with characters/acts?
I just act like a ditz at times, one of my Garland Girls came up with some songs that we cateruwal too

6. What are the hours? I have gone from 7 am to 8 pm
7. Pay?
not enough but hey I love it

8. What do you do during the rest of the year?
I was a housekeeper at a crappy hotel but since they suck I am now a stay at home mom. I also make a good portion of the stock for my shop

9. What is your home faire?
Colorado Renaissance

10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?
Wow.. I belly dance, I attempt sword fighting.
For belly dancing I took classes at my local dance studio. The sword fighting an ex boy friend taught me some moves

11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?
My mom took me when I was in 6th grade and I felt like I was home

12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.
They are my family, some have been lovers. But they are some of the best people that I have ever met I have members of my family across the nation

13. Costumes?
I lean more towards Wench and Gypsy. Just for the mobility factor I spend alot of time on my knees since my shop attracts little girls

14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?
I have been to Arizona Renaissance, Kansas City Renaissance . Its fun going to the differnt faires since there are differnet shops and acts. The local ones you always get to see your friends

15. any other stories you'd like to tell:
I have so many stories, they run the spectrum from annoying drunks to hijacked wooing contests ( by the way I won.. not  the wooer I won lol)

[SirRichardBear]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)
I'm a playtron which is kinda the best of both words I

2. What do you do all day at Renaissance Festivals as an employee?
March in the parade, do pike arc for weddings, play guard the Queen, stand around for back ground when people ask the Queen for pictures.  Think extra in a movie or TV show and you'll be pretty close


3. Do you stay in the same Renaissance Festival all season or do you travel?
I playtron two faires Scraborough and Four Winds and just visit a couple of others.



4. How does one get a job at a Renaissance Festival?
This guy comes up and says hey you in the kilt come march in the parade, another guy says hey doing anything after parade?  The rest as they say is history

5. How do you come up with characters/acts?
Based off my love of archery and my family history and also me love of the old period movies the type hollywood has forgotten how to make.

6. What are the hours?
I'm there from openning cannon till closing cannon but since I'm playron its my choice.

7. Pay?
the good stuff but only after parade and discretely.  Don't try to understand its a inside QOH joke.

8. What do you do during the rest of the year?
Reading history watching old movies normal everyday life

9. What is your home faire?
Scraborough

10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?

Sword fighting and archery been studing martial arts Asian and European for over 20 years.

11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?
Love of history and the unusual 

12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.
Same as the people I met at me day job maybe a little less judgemental and free spirited but not much

13. Costumes?
Grab mostly kilt since I can sew I purchase mostly from fair ventors to support the faire and the people venting there so I have a place to play

14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?
Not sure what you mean state vs local if you mean small vs large both are great for different reasons.  Small faires are more personal you mostly know everyone and can experiment around a little, see new acts just beginning before they are polished to perfection.  Big faires give you a real chance to show off, also see many different acts that are really polished and outstanding which you will not see any place else

15. any other stories you'd like to tell:
Far to many to tell.

[cowgrrl]

1. Do you work at Renaissance Festivals or attend as a guest?  I attend as a guest
(if yes, answer all questions. If no, skip numbers 2 – 8. unless, of course you have answers for them anyway.)


8. What do you do during the rest of the year?  I'm a preschool teacher


9. What is your home faire?  Scarborough


10. Some Rennies know skills such as sword-fighting, jousting, belly-dancing, fire-breathing, glass-blowing, or playing medieval-styled instruments. Are you one of them? and Where/how does one acquire these skills?  I bellydance & I would love to learn glass-blowing

11. What/who introduced you to Renaissance Festivals?  I learned about the festival through my bellydancing.  My studio has a show at the Faire.


12. Tell about the people you've met there/worked with.  Lots of fun & interesting people


13. Costumes?  I don't garb yet.  I plan to & I'm slowing building my wardrobe but weight loss & other things have slowed my purchasing of garb.  I'm probably the opposite of most rennies in that occasionally I want to not go in garb & try & encourage my hubby to not go garbed.


14. What is the best Renaissance Festival you've ever been to? And how do state Renaissance Festivals compare to local ones?  Scarby is my home faire so I'm partial.  However each one provides something different.  Colorado has great shopping, TRF is just massive & the food is incredibly varied, as is the entertainment & shopping.  Little faires like Four Winds & MiddleFaire offer a great atmosphere & an opportunity for a Faire 'Fix'.


15. any other stories you'd like to tell:  One Saturday my DD wore a red princess dress to Faire.  It just so happened that our Queen, Anne Boleyn also wore a red dress.  During the parade Queen Anne leaned over to my DD & said 'My dear I love your fashion sense!'.  Scarborough is about the best we've seen for cast interaction & I have many memories of my kids interactions with various cast members.