2008 Kansas City Renaissance Festival
6/04/08
Pass around sign in sheet-update your
information!
Introductions:
- Jim Stamberger – Executive Director (KCRF &
Scenario)
- Alice Willard – Costume Coordinator
- Becky Stamberger – Scenario Assistant
- Rnee’ O’Bannon – Webmistress of KCRF site
- WendyWanda Morris – Apprentice Coordinator
- Sean Murphy – Living History Coordinator
- Linda Boyce-Children’s Realm Coordinator
- Our King and Queen:
John Cleary – King Henry VIII
Portia Bowers – Queen Anne Boleyn
CARPOOLING ANNOUNCEMENT!
Apprenticeship Program
- -Welcome and thank you for joining or
returning to our cast!
- -KCRF is a staple during the fall festivals
of the Midwest.
- -People from all walks of life visit our
faire each year
- - Up to 280,000 people visit in past three
years!
- -Open rain or shine, 7 weekends, Labor Day
and Columbus Day
- -We have returning patrons that have formed
their own groups…aka The Rogues
- -Some graduates or performers/characters
have over 25 years of working in the shire or are well known
-Madame Red
-Master Quavo
-Jolly Rogers
-Bob the Juggler
- -Our costumes are the most sought after for
ideas from other festivals.
- -Best on the circuit
- -Trouble is worth it
- -Our program consists of Apprentice (1st
year), Master Apprentices(2nd year) and Journeyman(3rd
year)
- -We meet every Wednesday evening at 7:30.
- -For the most part , if you are an
apprentice in a group, your entire group is here to support and help you in
your journey, whether they have completed the program or not.
- -We want and hope that you will use the
exercises as guides along figuring out:
- -To entertain, teach or make a patron feel
good.
- -Who exactly your character is-historical
or not.
- -Handle certain situations as they come…if
ever.
- -Make you a better performer
The Bungee Cord Effect
- 1. Canterbury is a 16th century
English village-for the most part
- 2. Our site is a charmed site that looks
like such a village
- 3. Our vendors sell wares and art to
enhance that feeling
- 4. Our job is to breathe life and a soul
into that shire-which is our star.
a. Example: Stardust (3 stories focusing on one thing)
- 5. The patrons leave their cars and enter
through the gate to a flurry of activity! Juggling, singing, dancing,
calling of stage acts, etc.
- 6. Their cars and lives are obscured from
site from our gate that surrounds the village. So, they’ve literally jumped
into our playground of 16th Century England!
- 7. What we hope and plan to teach you are
little nuances to keep them from snapping back to their lives outside the
gate aka the bungee cord effect.
a. Wearing watches or other anachronisms, modern slang or language,
piercing, etc.
Little things add up to a lot of snapping that person into reality and
forgetting to play along.
Important Things to Know:
- Promos are a part of our faire…it the
backbone of our marketing and advertising system. Please do NOT freak
out at the amount of hours! These are just guidelines BUT every performer
here is asked to be at promotions since that is a great way to learn to
interact with a crowd.
~Apprentice level: 35 hours
~Journeyman level: 50 hours
~Master level: 50 hours
~Court: 75 hours
~Scenario: 75 hours
~King & Queen: 300 hours
- On top of the hours of promos, some are
absolute MUST BE THERES: (They also factor into your total number of
hours)
~4th of July Parade
~Trial By Fire
~Mini –Faire Evening
~Media Night
~Site Day(?)
~Maybe a feast & coronation?
Apprentice classes every Wednesday evening.
~If you can’t make it…call me: 816-223-5600 or Jim at: 913-721-2110
~You may miss two classes total but after that it will cost you more promo
hours
- You will need a costume and it will be
approved down to the fabric, trim even beads by Alice Willard or Jim
Stamberger.
Costumes are due by the June 25th at costume parade for tweaking
and officially due on July 2nd.
You will design your costume and provide a drawing to Alice, along with
swatches of fabric by June 11th .
- Four great evenings are:
Trial by Fire: your character is put on trial in front of your peers
regarding a crime that has happened within Canterbury…Maestro is the leading
prosecutor and watch out because all those in the court room with you get in
on the fun to add to the storyline.
Mini-Faire Evening: a chance for friends and family to come out and help
judge "how real" your character interacts. It’s also a good time to work out
kinks in the system for your schticks and gimmicks in the lane.
Your Apprentice Graduation: be acknowledged for a job well done and hard
work that you placed for your performer bad-self! Cake will be served.
Media Night: Our first meet the public evening catering to season pass
holders, VIP’s and the media. DO NOT MISS THIS PROMO!
- BREAK!
- Tudor Life: Chain of Life
- God
- Fae or Fairies (which we do NOT see)
- King & Queen (Royal only refers to the
King, Queen & Princessi)
- Nobles (in their chain of life)
English, Italian court, Vulgarian
- Duke & Duchess
- Marquis & Marchioness
- Earl & Countess
- Viscount & Viscountess
- Baron & Baroness
- Knight & Knight’s Lady
- Guildmaster & Family
- Merchants (chain of life) & Family
- Master Journeymen & Family
- Journeymen & Family
- Apprentices & Family
- Townspeople
- Visitors (those accepted by
townspeople: knights, living history, etc. These people would have a
Letter of Introduction or Writ by Lord Mayor or the King )
- Pirates, Highwaymen
- Beggars—Back away from these people but
be kind as you do it
- Gypsys—Back away from these people,
they are said to be dangerous!
- Arrange The Chain of Life
- Make sure that when King or Queen walk by
we should stand (this includes the Vulgarians)
- We should also shout God Save the Queen /
Long Live the King (Herald will lead) (also Vulgarians)
a. Look in front of you….this is whom you owe a reverence
b. Does this mean you demand a reverence …. NO!
c. However, does this mean you don’t reverence or walk past? NO! It shows
the crowd your character respects another’s station. It was sort of like a
proper handshake.
- The chain provides for the person beneath
him.
d. The King would care for his staff with a home and meals while the Guild
Master does the same for the local merchants within the guild.
e. Lord and Lady Mayor of Canterbury are concerned that the townspeople are
happy with their work and collect taxes or so forth to build a chapel or pub
& settles disputes.
f. Townspeople would take care of the beggars and sometimes…a gypsy or two.
- How Low Do You Go?
a. Children kneel before their parents
b. Same to same class, a slight reverence
c. Lower class to upper class is deeper according to difference.
(Example: Merchant would make a fine reverence while a beggar would be on
the ground.)
- Reverencing tips:
a. Women can place one knee behind the other to keep balance or take a knee.
b. Keep eye contact to show a sign of respect, dropping your eyes states you
want that person in your bed.
c. Remove your hat, gentlemen but keep the inside facing you (we had lice
remember?)
d. Reverence before and after an interaction or addressing their Majesties
or your betters.
Who are you?
haracter
Survey
Fill it out!
This becomes the living and breathing manual and core essence of who your
character really is.
It’s also a fantastic promotional tool as people might search you out!
Expand on the questions! Don’t think that any tale is too far-fetched but
keep it light!
Is your character adopted? Do you have ill feelings for
your father?
What happened for those few moments of your first kiss?
Was it good or bad?
Are you secretly in love with Queen Anne?
Don’t get too dark or R-rated….our patrons like to read our character
surveys! For example: nothing about your father abusing you and you having
him killed in retaliation!
Students will ask you about your character on Columbus
Day-get ready
Our surveys are going to be linked to teacher’s page on
the website!
c. Living History might stop and inquire about your
talents-be ready.
Relate to those you know in the village or your guild or court.
They are your friends…talk about them and include them.
Most of us knew each other cradle to grave!
It’s going to make for a better day at festival and
promos.
The 10 Things to Know About Me is an exceptional tool!
Reminds you of your characters core.
Can be used against you for a juicy story in Trial By
Fire.
It can bring you back to center if something catches
you off guard.
Rnee’ will return your survey to you if you DO NOT fill
this section out!
KNOW YOUR CHARACTER, LOVE YOUR CHARACTER, and you will BE YOUR CHARACTER!
REVERANCING
It shows respect to others
It’s important aspect of your character.
Make it your own style! A beggar would reverence far
differently than a Vulgarian!
If you are unable to bend or twist or whatever, find
something that is comfortable for you
(unless you’ve worked out a schtick)!
If nobody sees you, give it a second, and then proceed
on.
For those Reveranced at….
Lift them up quickly!
Guards and Ladies in Waiting can rise the individual up
if the King, Queen or Princess do not see them!
DO NOT EXPECT IT OR THROW A TANTRUM IF YOU DON’T GET
ONE!
HOMEWORK
Work on your reverence!
Do your character survey…you have two weeks (June 18th)! Send ME
your character surveys or bring them to me next week!
Work on your costume sketches and fabric swatches for Alice if you are
street and Jim if you are court or scenario.
Make sure that your name and contact information is on the surveys!
Get to know the members of your team, pass contact information, instant
message each other, write them a note or e-mail….you are NOT alone!
Last note: My e-mail is:
HopeOMalley@hotmail.com , write me if you have questions. If I don’t know
the answer…I will find it out for you.
(Main Page) (Apprentice
Page)
