Cast Changes

[saphire_glade]

Yeah it is a very expensive hobby. Last year I only managed to break even after you look at the camping, the gas, the food, the trinkets, the costume *which is ever in need of repair* and every year I sign a contract that doesn't offer me a dime in pay. I guess it is deciding if you love it enough to pay for it, or if you work for the pay.

But apparently now Tia is attempting to get our trinket privileges back. the only person whose current trinket scheme will likely not be allowed is naturally mine.

Apparently I look too much like twig, give my shells out too much like twig *despite the fact that most of the time I require you to play with my bubbles before you get a shell* and my shells look too much like twigs glass gems... I hold out little hope. Tia knows I am not much for compromise... as they don't pay me enough to compromise.

Adn hey Dust Busters:

Its called see if you can get some tickets cheap or free from another performer and walk in and do you thing anyways. That was my plan. *for like a whole 2 days*

[MissBubu]

I've been hearing from more friends that either didn't get offered a contract or were offered a volunteer contract this year. It will be interesting to see who shows up at the cast rehearsal on Saturday.

I haven't seen this much of a shake up of the cast since Alex Daye was ED.

[saphire_glade]

Miss Bubu:

I won't be at cast rehersal but I will certainly be at opening cast call. I don't like getting yelled at before it starts.... I think my helper is of the same mind. So there might be more at open cast call than rehersal, but it is going to be kinda scary to see who is there and who isn't

[groomporter]

I've been hearing from more friends that either didn't get offered a contract or were offered a volunteer contract this year. It will be interesting to see who shows up at the cast rehearsal on Saturday.

I haven't seen this much of a shake up of the cast since Alex Daye was ED.

AKA "Alex the Ax" as someone nicknamed him? Didn't he actually quit before the end of the season that year? Never met him, but kinda always felt sorry for him. It seemed like he was just used as an outsider to come in and make the cast budget cuts and take the heat for it all.

[groomporter]

Rumor is they also want to move the parade to the end of the day? 6 pm or something?
I suppose they're hoping it will help with end of the day crowd control by drawing people out to the closing gate show and off site?

[Sitara]

That makes sense about drawing people out, but would likely eliminate a chunk of paraders. I lost my parade job when they moved parade to 11:30 as the booth owner didn't think it was worth it since there weren't nearly as many people there at that time of day. If it was at the end of the day, what motivation would any crafters have to do parade? You aren't going to drum up any business for the booth if faire is about to close for the day.

[groomporter]

Yeah the first person to mention it to me asked about the effect on us, but I don't think we really get any advertising value out of it. I wonder how many patrons actually look for the parade or whether they just watch because it's hard to ignore.

Seems to me when I visited Bristol last (prolly ten years ago), they had a Danse Macabre performance at the end of the day. Kinda spooky for some people but really neat I thought

[Kiss-me-Kate]

From their facebook page:

Breaking news! Serpent Dancers: Shades of Arabia will not be performing at Minnesota Renaissance Festival for the 2011 season.

[Cofeeguru]

Okay, so exactly how many acts ARE going to be at Fest? This sounds like it's going to be emptier and emptier.  When does the Joust take a hit? Or some of the musical troupes (if they haven't already)? 

I guess my fear is, more than this year, what's going to happen next year, when there isn't a terribly large amount of grumbling about missing acts, and they've saved a bit of money? More cuts? These kind of things start small, but they grow until the Fest becomes an overly-commercialized monster.

[groomporter]

The website lists the stage and music acts http://www.renaissancefest.com/MRF/entertainment.html but not the street groups. It seems like most of what has been cut has been street character groups. There's already been a perception in recent years that there are fewer characters on the street so you may be right that next year could see the reaction from the customers. With the economy still slow they may turn out for "Stay-cations" this year...

[Capt. Bacardi]

It is starting to sound like what happened to TRF right before I moved up here. They cut out most of the street acts and some of the shows.

[Charlotte Rowan]

From their facebook page:

Breaking news! Serpent Dancers: Shades of Arabia will not be performing at Minnesota Renaissance Festival for the 2011 season.

This sucks. I really liked their act!

As for moving parade to the end of the day, I personally think it would be great. Combine post-parade with closing gate, and also yes, get people out. Though what effect that would have on Drum Jam I'm not sure (but Drum Jam has not bee up to its former glory in the past couple of years either, in my opinion). The Danse Macabre sounds cool to me, groomporter!

[Jon Hanslow]

The Bust Dusters got the boot, too!  GRRRR!!!!! 

Best part of street cast (imo) and a huge loss. Losing way too many good people..

[Jon Hanslow]

Okay, so exactly how many acts ARE going to be at Fest? This sounds like it's going to be emptier and emptier.  When does the Joust take a hit? Or some of the musical troupes (if they haven't already)? 

I guess my fear is, more than this year, what's going to happen next year, when there isn't a terribly large amount of grumbling about missing acts, and they've saved a bit of money? More cuts? These kind of things start small, but they grow until the Fest becomes an overly-commercialized monster.

This.

[tcindie]

...until the Fest becomes an overly-commercialized monster.

Is it not already that?