Musical instruments as props for non performers

[LordSterben]

In regards to my Badagris the Witch Doctor persona at BARF...

I'm bringing my shamanic hoop drum and some rattles as part of my costume. Obviously, I wouldn't bang on my drum near any performers or anywhere near musical acts-in-progress, but is there anywhere I absolutely shouldn't make any noise? I didn't plan on banging on the thing much, but if somebody gets interested in my costume and I want to do some healing drumming or something as part of the character, I don't want to anger the rennie spirits!

I had the same concern last year because I bought a wassail horn and really wanted to try blowing it, but I didn't want to disturb any acts or vendors...now hopefully I can get some advanced warning.

[isabelladangelo]

I know a lot of faires look down on playtrons doing any kind of preformance what so ever.  (If it draws a crowd, it's preformance)  It doesn't matter whether or not you are asking/getting money or not - it takes away from the paid preformers even if you are away from their space.   I do know people that have been kicked out of fair for being playtrons with a shtick. 

So no drums, no musical instruments of any kind.  If you want to do a full shtick, audition for your faire - although given that the European Renaissance didn't have "witch doctors"  I'm pretty sure you'll have to change your entire persona. 

[609wood]

I think it's fine unless you are a nuisance.  You have a respect for payed performers and others so why not have a little gun with your character? You can always dampen your drum or just play softly.

[LordSterben]

They had witch doctors....it just wasn't the name ascribed to them until the phrase was coined in the 1700s. Besides...faires hire fairies...and I'm pretty sure there were more people beating drums during the renaissance than there were winged cunning folk flying around. Thanks for the warning, though...ill make sure not to draw crowds. if anything ill just interact with the cast in character.

I was planning on playing with my hands. Pretty quiet that way. Especially if I put the drum in my lap...then I might as well be drumming on a picnic table

Thanks for the responses!

[stonebiscuit]

I know a lot of faires look down on playtrons doing any kind of preformance what so ever.  (If it draws a crowd, it's preformance)  It doesn't matter whether or not you are asking/getting money or not - it takes away from the paid preformers even if you are away from their space.   I do know people that have been kicked out of fair for being playtrons with a shtick. 

So no drums, no musical instruments of any kind.  If you want to do a full shtick, audition for your faire - although given that the European Renaissance didn't have "witch doctors"  I'm pretty sure you'll have to change your entire persona.

Quoted for truth. If you want to perform (which is what you're talking about), go through the proper channels.

[Sev]

I'm going to agree that you should not play your instruments at faire, unless you are on cast or otherwise contracted to perform. Carrying instruments as a visual part of your character -- yes, absolutely! But not playing them. Even playing quietly may draw patrons, simply because they'll want to get a closer look at what you're doing. It's not merely a matter of volume, but interest.

You should totally consider auditioning, though. It's a lot of fun! And you'd have a lot more freedom to play up the parts of your character that could get you in trouble as a patron.

[LordSterben]

Okay, I think I need to clarify my question! =) I get the feeling some of you might be picturing a New Orleans Bond villain sitting on the lane with a chalice drum between his legs and his inverted tophat awaiting tips. I have no desire to "perform." The extent of the attention that I care about is maybe a "hey, nice costume."

I'm not a musician, nor do I aspire to be one (I'm busy enough with writing and acting...can't do it all I just have a wooden shaman's hoop drum, about 10", that hangs from my neck. I'm wearing it because it's part of my costume AND because I was hoping I could commission someone to paint a picture on the head for me. I just wanted to know that if I'm walking around and decide to tap my hand against the drum, that security won't cold-dim bulb me in the base of the skull and drag me away. =)

I don't want anyone to think that I'm trying to horn in on spectators and steal the show. I just want to be a shaman and drink my mead and have fun buying stuff. You have all been helpful and I think the answer is that I don't really have to worry...I didn't think about this, but with the din of the faire, you won't be able to hear me tapping my hand against the drum anyway!

On a side note, I would love to work at a faire some day...maybe when I'm retired. Sadly, writing doesn't leave me time for any more jobs.

[isabelladangelo]

The people I know that have been kicked out of faire:
One guy who was spot on for Captain Jack Sparrow - he got kicked out for drawing attention away from the performers due to his costume
One lady and her husband plus friends as I understand it - dressed up as lepers

They weren't causing noise.  Their costumes were *fantastic*.   Both got kicked out faire.  They were not allowed to come back wearing those outfits

No one is picturing the one man band.  What I am envisioning, however, ain't going to be pretty and we are all just trying to warn you before jumping over that cliff that ya know, maybe, it's not such a good idea.  If you want to to do it, well no one on the internet can stop you.  However, know that there are consequences to actions and, as I tell my nephews all the time, if you do this, the rest of us will just point and laugh when what I already told you comes true.  ;-)

[609wood]

Being kicked out because your costume is too nice? 
I never would have thought that could happen.

[Sev]

If you're absently tapping the drum as you're walking around, you're right, you likely won't have much issue. My concern came from the idea that you'd at any point be sitting or standing still while playing it. Even while taking a breather at a picnic table, quietly playing your drum could in theory look like a performance to people who don't know any better, and that's where the issue comes up.

But yes, at some events well-dressed patrons can and have been removed for drawing too much attention away from the performers, especially if -- like most of the very good Jack Sparrows I've seen -- they're in character, too. And this really can be a big deal, because most of the paid performers perform for a living, and the wages they get from the venue alone generally aren't enough for them to live on -- it is absolutely CRUCIAL that they have the opportunity to collect tips, and so patrons attracting too much attention can actually hurt the performers' livelihoods. It's not usually that extreme, of course -- how much damage could one Jack Sparrow really do? =) -- but the point is there, and it's actually pretty nice to know that some venues look out for their performers that much, because I know of a few who couldn't care less, and it's heartbreaking.

LordSterben, you're right -- now that I have a clearer idea of what you're looking to do, you're very unlikely to run into any issue at all. But the general points made in this thread are still very much valid. =)

[BubbleWright]

I have only attended 2 major RenFaires- Pennsylvania and Maryland, plus quite a few small weekend Faires. Before I go, I email the Faire asking for permission to attend, explaining what I do with the Renaissance Bubble Machine (RBM), documenting that bubbles were made in the time period and that the technology of the machine existed in the era. I further state that I do not bubble near stages or performances, nor near food venues or vendors. Also, I do not accept tips. I am generally welcomed although one Faire did not respond to my email, which I took as a yes. Unfortunately, after only 20 minutes on the grounds, a delegation escorted me to the Gate. They did acknowledge it was their bad form for not replying to my email.

I totally understand a Faire wanting to have creative control over the entertainment presented at their Faire, which is why I seek permission to bring the RBM.

[isabelladangelo]

Being kicked out because your costume is too nice? 
I never would have thought that could happen.

More because they had a shtick.   All that "into character" stuff doesn't fly at some faires.   It is to protect the performers but it's also to protect the other patrons from uh...interesting characters.  The main faire I attend had some very interesting incidents four or five years ago. 

[LordSterben]

This is all really interesting information! Helpful, too. After seeing myriad pictures of things like elves, fairies, steampunk, stormtroopers and Vulcans at larger renaissance faires (such as the one I'm going to), I figured all bets were off. Heck, BARF had a steampunk costume contest, and witch doctors and Jack Sparrow are more HA than steampunk.

I'm kind of torn on my feelings about all this (yes, I know my feelings are academic because I don't make the rules). Part of me says, "Yeah, sure, I get it. They're taking away from the paid acts. Makes sense." I'm an artist. I get it...I'm constantly struggling for the next gig or the bidding too low on a contract or trying to get another radio interview.

Then another part of me says, "If a fake Jack Sparrow can steal the show away from your act...what does that say about your performance?" It's like me wanting the internet to pull all of the blogs off the internet that aren't written by people who do it for a living. I get paid when people read my stuff, so these other bloggers are taking away from my livelihood! No one cares...I just have to write better content.

As far as kicking me out for my costume, what it boils down to for me is motive. I'm a grown up and I respect the system, but I'm also a paying customer. I'm going to go and have fun. If they don't approve and kick me out for having a "good costume" then the merchants will lose out on my money and the money of my group, in perpetuity. No hard feelings, but I think such a move would be absurd on the part of management and I just wouldn't come back. Besides, 90% of the fun is showing off a costume that I made by hand..so if I can't wear it, I'd have no reason to be there anyway. =)

Especially when last year I saw multiple Links, a few characters from Mortal Kombat, numerous people with tails and furry ears, a Boba Fett and...the list goes on. =) Historical accuracy can't be that critical at BARF, from what I've seen. 

I still thank you all for your input, and I appreciate that you're warning me against things that might spoil my fun or get me removed. You're all being remarkably patient and kind since I know I'm an outsider and my questions/views are probably pretty skewed.

[theatrekat]

If BARF security is anything like MIRF security, and they should be pretty close (same front offices and all) if they don't approve of it, they will stop you at front gate and give you the option of leaving it at the front gate with a staff member, or running it out to your vehicle. 

Also, as BubbleWright pointed out, you can always contact the festival in advance to see if your drum would be a problem.

-kat

[Hoowil]

I've only seen a few people get kicked out of faires, and for most of them it was for being stupid and/or drunk. I have seen a few instances where, especially in small er faires, folks were asked to leave, or re-dress when they were dressed as royalty. In and of itself not a bad thing, but trying to dress as the same individuals in the faire's court can cause some real confusion. Just remember most of the people who are asked to leave, or escorted out are, at least in the eyes of the organizers, either endangering the paytrons or staff, or threatening the feel of the faire. Stormtroopers are obviously paytrons, and other visitors will see them as such. In a faire that has a Dance Macabre, period dressed lepers could go either way. If you help build onto their idea of the illusion its fine. If you try, even inadvertantly, to change it, but well enough that other paytrons can't tell, they can get a bit upset. And then there was the lady who fired an arrow blindly from handicap parking into the faire.. but thats a (hopefully) unique case.
If participating behind the ropes is something you're interested in, find a smaller faire and give it a whirl. Around here most of the characters in the lanes or in the re-enactment yards are volunteers, and even for the multi week events, you don't have to sign on for the whole run (as long as the group your with can field enough people each day). I started 'performing' last year at a lot of the local soft faires out here last year. I had wanted to for years, but like you I was concerned about the time commitment. Really, at least for me, it means I have a yard to go back and rest at when my feet get tired, and I get to go for the whole weekend for faires where I cold only afford day tickets. So I have to be on site at 8am instead of whenever I manage to get there, and I have to help clean up? So what? Totally worth it.