two of my favorite acts are missing

[Craigmeister]

I was a business major in college.  What I've seen in business is that when times get hard, whether you're a company or a government entity, the first thing you don't do is lay off your workers.  There are plenty of other places to re-examine & cut your expenses.  The same goes for Renfests.

I've gotten to know a lot of performers over the last couple of years.  What I have found out is that you shouldn't burn your bridges w/ the performers that bring in the crowds.  They are not a bunch of primadonnas (they couldn't be or they would move on to television or motion pictures).  They do know when they are being treated unfairly though.  When you burn your bridges w/ them, the only way to get them back is to change a festival's management, woo them & treat them well.

You can find anyone to take tickets at a gate or hand out bows & arrows.  You can cut your turkey leg prices back to $4 a piece.  You can build new structures every year.  But if you don't have the talented performers that the people are used to every year, your crowd will shrink.  It's flat-out dumb to bring in new playtrons when times are bad.  It takes a few years for people to get used to the new entertainers or get large numbers of new patrons who don't know what they're missing.

It is like a regular company.  If you treat your employees right, they'll be loyal & treat you right.  The customers see this & will come back if they see a good environment.  Emerald is right.  During the good years, funds should be saved back to be prepared for the lean years.  This common sense is as old as Biblical times. 

[Emerald Shaunassey]

Thank you, Capt. Emerald, for such a thoughtful, well-written, reply.  I really wanted to respond myself.  In fact, I had at one time drafted a very long response, but didn't post it.  As a new member of the site, I didn't want to appear to be "bashing" the festival in front of patrons, as it were.

I must also respectfully disagree to the idea that the management has been doing "a fine job."  Stamberger takes the heat for a lot of things that are beyond his control, but he, the GM and Peterson are all responsible for decisions that defy any logic that I can see, such as not building a permanent banquet facility for which they have been in breach of contract for at least four years and cost them a $60,000 fine. 

As has been previously noted, it is a for profit business and as such they are certainly free to do as they see fit, including choosing to cut the entertainment budget.  Having said that, street cast has gone from 250-300 performers to barely 100 in the last few years.  There are virtually no "name" stage acts left and almost all of the stage acts that are here are local.  If they keep this trend up, there won't be any reason for people to bother buying a ticket.

Good Finvarra -
     It was a pleasure to see you once again!  And let me just say that as always, it was a pleasure to watch you at your work this weekend at KCRF.  My hat is definitely off to you, the entire cast, crew, and stage shows for pulling off feats of amazement in the face of all the difficulties facing you all. 

     I do wish you a wondrous remaining season - I know with NASCAR next weekend things are a 50/50 crap shoot (as always though, no?).  Hopefully the NASCAR-widowed and orphaned will be out in droves to seek solace with the Rennies!       May the weather be gentle on you all, the crowds many, and the endearing moments overflowing. 

Blessings until next our paths cross ...
Emerald

[Emerald Shaunassey]

Craig m'dear ... I will definitely have to pick your brains for ideas and such ... I had no idea that was your background!  In fact, I don't think we've yakked about much more than faires!  LOL. 

At any rate.. it's been a long weekend - great for seeing family and friends (espeically some former cast members from the 2004 Pirate's Invasion season at KCRF!!!) and the hour grows late. 

Until next time,
Emerald

[Emerald Shaunassey]

[RANT]  Please be forewarned that the following post is snarky, hateful, and very sarcastic .... if you continue to read, you do so at your own risk of being insulted "if the shoe fits."  You cannot claim to not have been warned.

KCDCChef
    Ya know ... I so wasn't going to reply to or even acknowledge your .... post but, as I love a good challenge and assuming you do as well; I invite you to the following challenge (seeing as how you have it all down pat where business and the proper operations lie, maybe I could learn a thing or two from you ... maybe) ... Taking exactly what I have and doing exactly what I do 24/7/365 ... I invite you to walk a mile in my moccasins and see just how well you do and how that all turns out for you.  Ok?  Sound fair to you?  Sounds bloody fair to me.  I look forward to hearing your quarterly reports as well as your quarterly finance reports.

    You will need to know a little background before you begin this challenge (which is more than I had when I started out 7 years ago).  I started my business without any kind of grants from government, philanthropists, rich family members ... no one but myself and my other half.  I still am paying on loans for gear that the company no longer has.  Get your EIN number first.  Don't forget to purchase the merchandise (and do the inventory yourself every quarter because you are the warehouse and distribution center for your company), keep the props in good working order - replacing them when needed, building them with every new show; building the prop boxes and providing period locks for them.  Then there is the building and maintaining of your own garb that is specific to your stage show & character (we cannot afford to spend 100-150 per season to have someone else clean and maintain our costumes ... we poor silly empty-headed performers who cannot grasp logic and finances have to make as much of our garb as possible so that we can afford decent boots, belts, and hats to protect ourselves.   ).  

    Oh ... don't forget to pay for the website every month from the meager company account; cause when that money is gone, it comes out of your personal account.  Then don't forget to budget out of your personal/household monies the travel expenses for rehearsals every month, lodgings for festivals that can not/will not provide lodgings for you and up to 7 of your employees, the gas to and from every rehearsal and event, the food that 7 people will eat ... 3 times per day (pesky employees demand more than 1 meal per day, doncha know?).  Oh yes, then out of your personal finances is all the supplies (paper, printer ink, envelopes, DVD disks for the camcorder then the blank DVDs you have to copy footage too, and then delivery confirmation as well as postage) for the media packages you must send out to all of the festivals and faires you want your company to apply to.  Without the guarantee that you will get the contract or be able to keep the contract from year-to-year.  And yes, you'll be doing the video shooting yourself (or your poor other half will be) and you will be doing the dubbing off of footage yourself ... with a household VCR/DVD combo hooked to your TV as you cannot afford professional videography, editing, and dubbing.

    Oh yes, you are also the Parental Advisory Board for your group.  You must put a rating on each and every show your company puts forth.  You must also monitor everyone's language and physicality (including your own) to ensure you are not crossing any lines both in rehearsals (you perform what you practice) as well as on the stage and in the lanes of every event ... year in-year out.  And do so in a way you don't alienate or hack off your employees.  Most importantly, you are the personal secretary to yourself and every single one of your employees.  It is your responsibility to generate and hand out a calendar that lists each event (including rehearsals).  Along the line, don't forget to do your duties as Webmaster of the website and keep it up-to-date as much as possible!  Why do you do this to yourself?  Oh yeah having a webmaster ... costs money that neither you nor your company have for something so frivolous.

    THEN .... the up keep and tires on your personal vehicle (since your company cannot afford anything on its own) and the upkeep on the cargo trailer you are *still* making bank payments on to haul all of your props, camping gear (most of which you paid for our of your pocket), and personal garb/clothing in.  

    All the while paying all of your personal and household bills that come from just drawing a breath of life.  Then at the end of the year, you sit in front of a computer; adding up receipt after receipt and figuring depreciation on electronics, camping equipment, cargo trailer and anything else business related ... while praying that your honesty is well served in that the IRS doesn't flag your income tax return because you have again, lost scads more money than you've brought in for that tax year.

    You get exactly 2.5 weeks off each year to be "just yourself" with no worries over networking, making media packages, ensuring e-mails and phone calls are made/answered and that contracts are in transit to you (or the ED).  Time to yourself to NOT worry if the meager income you have spent 2-3 months per contract haggling like a Jewish fish wife to get for your hard working and dedicated employees (as well as yourself) will be enough or if you (and your employees) will be eating 100-300 each weekend ... again this year.  

    And at every opportunity - you promote, promote, promote your company.  You do e-mail interviews, you do phone interviews, you submit your CD (which you haggled to get produced and printed, and helped do the artwork/photography for) to be reviewed, you take every opportunity thrown in your path to get your company's name in newsprint, on websites, and in magazines.  For without exposure, there are no 'gigs.'  But that would indicate that you, the average performer, actually understands business .... amazing.

    Repeat for 7 years while watching other groups come and go ... doing (and often wearing) much less than you and your group ... and getting much better perks/compensation AND a monetary paycheck.  Let me know how it works out for you and if you can say at the end of the challenge time (7 years remember?) if you do not want your share of the pie, that you do not know and understand finances and logic simply because you are a performer who chooses to post on a forum's boards.  

    I look forward to your reports and a listing of where all you and your stage show have performed.

Good Luck oh Grasshopper!  Remember, you do this for the love of the event with the vain glory hope that your prospective employers understand what it takes to put on a single 30 minute show, 4-5 (and sometimes 9) times per day each day of festival you are hired to perform; and that those prospective employers will give you enough compensation (monetarily and others) to simply break even on your expenses.  After all, you aren't trying to be a prima donna, "Platinum" stage show.  You and your employees actually give a rat's patoot about your prospective employers, your prospective patrons, and being a good cog in the spoke of that particular festival.


    Until you have walked the miles I have, living the life I have, and doing what I have done with what little I have done it with ... do not make the mistake of telling me that I do not know logic, how to run a business, nor how finances work and flow.  How dare you be so presumptuous my good man.  Shame on you.

    With this post, I consider this topic done from my perspective.  I will not be replying to any further posts from you on this topic nor any others in the future.  I wish you the best and hope that you will be given the opportunity to see through other person's eyes that you may broaden your horizons.

Fair Thee Well.
[/RANT]


To the other Forum members and administration; thank you for humoring me in this posting.  Your patience and indulgence is truly appreciated.

[Butch]

You Ladies of the Salty Kiss have a cd?  I'll be sure to pick one up next year at the Midwest Ren Fest!  I can't wait to see you again!

[Emerald Shaunassey]

You Ladies of the Salty Kiss have a cd?  I'll be sure to pick one up next year at the Midwest Ren Fest!  I can't wait to see you again!

Butch,
     Indeed we do have CD's.  Tis our first offering of piratical humor ... and of a limited number of disks.  When this first CD is gone, we'll not be repressing them but move onto our 2nd CD.  I will hold a CD back for you so that you are ensured a copy.  I look forward to renewing our acquaintance and sharing more laughs with you. 

     Until next our paths cross, I wish you many fine and happy adventures!

Emerald

[Butch]

Ah, so polite!  Are you to be considered a "Privateer" instead of a "Pirate"?

[kcdcchef]

 again, a general non understanding of finances from many of you.

as far as the whole "you dont do it, you dont understand". again, for fun, i run a non for profit business, for fun. fund the webpage, fund the products, fund the advertising, fund the literature, fund the photography, printing, etc. and as stated, was a performer at a haunted house for several years. spent a good chunk of my year preparing my act, costume, my room i performed in, etc, and lost money on it like crazy. and spent the same end of season time trying to recover physically. dont assume i dont get it based on not working faires. i do.

some of you dont understand finances though. going off of other acts coming and going that get more that are showing more boobs/cleavage, being younger and prettier, etc, guess i cannot comment on that. wouldnt know. i know several performers out there, and a couple members of management. their opinions differ. so on that topic, we will agree to disagree.

but again, the biggest expenditure out there isnt the payroll folks. it may have been 10 years ago, it isnt now. and their attendance has held steady for years now, actually went up the last couple seasons. my guess would be they arent suffering. the usual suspects are there. and will continue to be.

and my guess is all of you will be. i go every season knowing the joust will not have changed, knowing that there will be no new acts to speak of, to know that even if they did get tartanic that since i go so late in the season, i will miss them. because we are all addicted. same reason i will go to mount hope ( the pennsylvania renaissance faire ) even though tartan terrors and gaelic storm arent there anymore. and that celtic spring isnt there. it is an addiction.

but that any of you think that they can afford to spend soooo much more than they are on payroll, that someone is living in a mansion somewhere with an ivory backscratcher, is dumb.

[Emerald Shaunassey]

Ah, so polite!  Are you to be considered a "Privateer" instead of a "Pirate"?

Butch -
Indeed, I do attempt to be polite to all I meet.  Sometimes I am successful and at other times, not so much.  Indeed my good sir, I and my crew are truly Privateers; being legalized with a Letter of Marque and paying taxes unto the crown (but gaining no representation either!) 

Should you have any questions or wish to chat, feel free to PM me here and I shall return your message.

Blessings,
Emerald

[Butch]

As you wish, my lady, a PM it shall be!  Thank-you for maintaining the high standard of etiquette you set for yourself!  I enjoy reading your posts.

[Emerald Shaunassey]

Good King Finvarra,
     I bow to your eloquence and well thought-out posting.  Thank you for sharing information and educating me; I do sincerely appreciate it.

May you have a wonderful day,
Emerald

[Emerald Shaunassey]

As you wish, my lady, a PM it shall be!  Thank-you for maintaining the high standard of etiquette you set for yourself!  I enjoy reading your posts.

Thank you good sir, you are far to kind with your words.  Especially when one considers I allowed my temper to get the better of me.  I am glad my postings bring you enjoyment. 

A reply PM should have been delivered unto you.

Blessings,
Emerald

[kcdcchef]

finvarra-
great reply, good points. as far as the finances out there go, with the vast amount of public information that the unified goverment has published in recent years thanks to tax breaks, the amount of money that is paid for annually to lease the festival grounds is out there for the public to see. it has increased astronomically in the last decade. me thinks that is the justifiable reason that the amount of staffers has gone down so much. i am a big rennie, come each fall, so i for sure know the difference between the paid help and those that just hang out because they like hanging out. and i think those two wash one another. they cannot charge what they should in regards to rent going up so much, people would not pay it.

now, i dont condone them letting things get in such a state of disrepair, steps, stages, things like that, i dont know how to respond. again, i tend to see this at other faires too. not sure if it is the vision of the propreitor to let it look more period, just apathy on financial reasons, or laziness. not sure which. i have noticed it at kcrf, prf, nyrf, and orf. seems to be common, unsure why exactly.

specifically regarding the halloween haunts as i call them, i just call them that due to theme changing annually. i know exactly what they are. now, i can tell you this, nothing would make me happier than if kcrf used their grounds more. personally, i dont even want a banquet hall out there. i would like to see a brew pub go in or a winery. but a banquet hall is at best, dumb. i have always liked that the grounds were so special. that, we only use them for the festival, and now the annual halloween thing. personally, i would love to see the festival expanded to an 8 week run. or a holiday themed weekend in early november, or even better, a celtic fling type thing. problem is the festival needs so much updating for this to happen. microphones for one. but that may or not ever happen. it is a part of the lease agreement, but my understanding from conversations with jim and carrie, and the public portion of the lease fight, is the halloween stuff was subsequential. the feaste crap was a part of the lease, not the halloween stuff. but it is moot.

i also dont think anyone should use this forum to bellyache about their gripe with festival management and ownership. talk to them, would be more appropriate. this is a forum for rennies to talk and talk about faire. our festival is always in the top 10 nationally in attendance, and one of the least visited on the forums. we should try and put a good foot forward. i am seeing more and more people inquire about coming to our festival in the forums, and further, how impressed they are.

[kcdcchef]

agreed. and will not call anyone paid help per your request.

[Mooncalf]

Jem is in Spain, last I knew. 

I'd wager Tullamore isn't here because of schedule conflicts, and KCRF doesn't like to contract for anything less than all 16 days.

Yes, even the biggest acts were given a pay cut.    Hopefully that'll change next year.