Cast or Vendor?

[Prince Thomas]

Some of you are cast members, some of you are vendors, some of you are just here for the ride (like me!)!! If you had opportunities to be a cast member or to join a shop as a hawker, which would you prefer and why? Just wondering what I should be lookin at for next year since I have opportunities for both. Thanks everyone!!

~Andy

p.s. nothing is set in stone for next year, so if you are a vendor and want an extra hand next year, let me know too!!

[saphire_glade]

Well I have never been a vendor and I don't know what the schedule is like for them.

I do know cast can be a hard and thankless job. We are up at  for cast call at 8am. Cannon is at 9am. You are expected to be "on stage" most of the time. When you are on, you are supposed to entertain. Now it is something you love and have always wanted to do it isn't the worst. It is very gratifying to hear the compliments from patrons and from the rest of the cast. You have a beautiful effect on people and sometimes even make their day.

On the other hand vendors possibly get time off. I work all day.... from 9am to about 7:45pm *yep cannon sounds at 7pm, but you can't go till the patrons are gone*. I don't see shows, I don't get to shope, and somedays I am busy enough I barely get to prive and eat. The probably also get some form of pay. As an actor you most likely will not get any pay at all. Maybe some food books and some comp tickets, but no real money.

I am sure both have the benefits, but you have to think about why you want to do and why you want to do it. If you want to interact with patrons and be part of the street crew out there entertaining, give it a try. But you love being at fest, watching shows, and having your own time to do what you want with, then I would try Vendors instead.

[groomporter]

For booth help, it can vary, some are expected to work much of the day and actually get paid, some just work part of the day for free in return for a pass so they can play on site the rest of the day. (My shop help slaves work for food and a staff Tshirt and usually for about 5 hours a day) But if space in the booth allows it can be nice to have a "home base" on site where you can potentially come back to during the day if the weather is bad or where you can store snacks or other belongings

Based on a meeting I listened in on that Carr Hagerman held Saturday night it sounds like the cast -might- be going through some changes in the near future with possibly fewer volunteer cast members, or less benefits for volunteer performers (like no campground space,) but possibly more standardized pay rates for cast members with contracts. Could be an interesting next couple years for individual street characters...

[William_MacKean]

In the mead booths, I schedule 2 per booth.  They take their own breaks and work accross booths to have a 'lunch' together with their booth partner.  They keep their tips and the 1% bonus if they meet festivals requirements, but are otherwise unpaid.  Still, they can get up to $160 plus $30-175/day in tips.

[Prof. John Bull]

Some of you are cast members, some of you are vendors, some of you are just here for the ride (like me!)!! If you had opportunities to be a cast member or to join a shop as a hawker, which would you prefer and why? Just wondering what I should be lookin at for next year since I have opportunities for both. Thanks everyone!!

It depends.  The gridded stage acts generally have weekly rehearsals during the off season and expect their performers to have a post-secondary education in the performing arts.  If that's you, go for it.  It's typical for stage acts to have 6-7 shows a day when things like opening gate, the parade, and scheduled performances that don't appear on the broadsheet are included.  Some acts have extra performers so they rotate days or shows off and it isn't necessary to play the whole run.

The current climate for non-gridded independent street performers appears to be one of tightening audition standards and heightening expectations regarding level of participation (e.g. cast call to closing cannon every day of the run).

I can't speak to the larger standing groups like the Irish Cottage, the mayor's entourage, or the royal guard.

The expectations for booth help vary widely with some places splitting the day into two shifts so you get some free time.  If your main goal is to be out at fest and have some flexibility this might be the best choice.

[LadyFae]

Since my first time attending Faire I have wanted to be on cast.  The final day of Fest this year I spent the majority of my day with cast members, (basically pretending that I was on cast) and so I "got a taste" of what they go through.  Now I'm torn on whether or not I really want to be cast.  There are the pros and cons to it.  Now I understand what Lolly (our formor queen) means when she says, "All of the adoration, none of the hassle."  (About no longer being our queen.)  That pretty much sums up going as a playtron.  =)  I would also consider helping out at a booth.  Just something else to experience and another way to get my Fest Fix!  =)

[Ferret]

I'd love to have a booth. A medieval arcade.
Ferret

[groomporter]

I'd love to have a booth. A medieval arcade.
Ferret

THREAD JACKING!

If we had unlimited money, we'd take over the old scriptorium, or maybe one of the other large buildings like the Boss Wench* booth and do the "gaming hall" idea up right with a musical acts rotating in one end and a house band that sings naughty songs 2 or 3 times a day.



*Where the heck did she come up with that name?

[Storm]

I think if I had to choose one over the other, I'd choose to work for a vendor. Most of my friends out there who do work for a vendor seem to get a good part of the day to go out and do their own things. I REALLY think that is important. After all, isn't that part of the allure of faire? To wander around the lanes and do your own thing? So they kinda get the best of both worlds. They spend part of the day working and part of the day wandering around doing their own thing. They don't have to pay to go to faire, get to go through their own gate where things likes flasks aren't checked too closely and can stay after hours and enjoy the goings on then.

Personally, I prefer being a playtron. I had an opportunity that I explored over the winter to work for a vendor, but after doing a lot of thinking, decided it just wasn't for me. I don't like being nailed down to a schedule. I like to do what I want when I want out there. I generally come out only 1 day on normal weekends and 2 days on the 3 day weekends. I really like having 1 day over a weekend to get things done around the house and yard and to generally relax a bit before having to go back to work the next week. I really think if I had to work out there both days of a weekend I wouldn't like it and faire would not be as fun for me anymore. Another thing I like about being a playtron is if the weather turns bad I can leave. Heck, if the weather is going to be bad I can choose to not even go in the 1st place. The 1st 2 weekends were really hot this year. I remember we left early in the afternoon on the 1st one and decided just to stay home on the 2nd weekend. I would have hated to have to had to stick around all day (and all weekend!) out there then.

Another nice thing about working for a vendor is having that place to go to get away from the crowd, maybe eat a little lunch, relax a little, etc. Now with Fest Friends, we playtrons  have a place like that too. I really love Fest Friends. A place to go and relax! They have water and lemonade and usually some munchies for their members. And, they even have their own privies!

The one thing that as a playtron I can not do is stay after hours. There are times I thought being able to do that would be great since there always seems to be so many fun things that go on there for the cast and workers after hours. There are times I have thought that working for a vendor would be worth it for that reason alone. As a matter of fact, when I was exploring that option to work out there this year that is all I said I wanted in return. That pass (or whatever they call it) to stay on grounds after hours. But, then I realized I almost never stay out until closing cannon any way! I like to get out there early (between 9 and 10:00 am) and by 5:00 pm I have usually had enough and am tired from walking around the grounds all day. I can count the number of times I have stayed until closing cannon in the 5 years I have been a playtron on one hand! Many of those nights when I do get home from a full day of faire I am drifting off by 9:00 pm or so. So , even if I could stay after hours, I'd don't know how long I'd enjoy it before the weariness from the day would set in.....Ya, I know....I'm getting old!...LoL...

So for me, being a playtron is the best option. I come and go when I want and do what I want. Yup, I have to shell out money in the form of a season pass and membership dues to Fest Friends to do it. But for me, it is well worth it......

[Kiss-me-Kate]

I am a booth worker and I love it.  (We're the fun booth!)
I work one day, and play the other.  On third day options (like five finger friday, or Labor Day) We kinda rotated in and off shift.   Also on days we work, we still get to go and get out for a little bit too, so we can blow off steam.
But that is our booth.
I know of some where you are there before cannon unpacking, sell all day and then pack up everything after cannon-everyday.  That is a bit much, I think.
Most booths don't pay much more than your pass to get in, and food.   

Before working, I was a playtron.  Which was fun, but I am actually having more fun selling our products at Willing Soles (shameless plug)

After hours, are fun, but really, I promise there is no orgy.   Usually the activities are charity related.  Such as the Beers for Boobs (breast cancer), or the auction we had for Fitz's daughter last year.
Everyone has a  good time and goes home/to their tent.

[Storm]

The one thing I really would like to see after hours is....The Dregs after Dark!....

[TheFerret]

I love working in a booth and I love my booth in particular (Yea soap!). I work for friends which is sometimes tricky but they are awesome. I love the product I sell so it's easy to get excited and to get other people to buy it. I don't tend to do a lot of after hours stuff (between my cats, work and being sick, I had no energy for it) but I love the backstage side of things and I *love* having a "home" out of the elements. I started working in a booth because I'd lost the desire to be just a playtron.

[Prof. John Bull]

Another fact to consider is that, technically, cast are not permitted to consume alcohol until the patrons are gone, after closing cannon.  I believe booth workers are permitted to do so once they are off their shift.

[TheFerret]

Another fact to consider is that, technically, cast are not permitted to consume alcohol until the patrons are gone, after closing cannon.  I believe booth workers are permitted to do so once they are off their shift.

That may depend on the booth.... 

[LadyFae]

Another fact to consider is that, technically, cast are not permitted to consume alcohol until the patrons are gone, after closing cannon.  I believe booth workers are permitted to do so once they are off their shift.

That may depend on the booth.... 

LOL!!!!!!!!