R.I.P. Bruce - The Close of MiRF
Michigan Renaissance Festival is over for another year! This year was nice for me since I got to experience it in a number of different ways which I haven't been able to do in quite awhile. I got to get out there twice as a patron (once in costume, once in street clothes) and also as a performer. I find the festival to have different personalities depending on my purpose there. As a patron in street clothes I was able to wander the lanes with relative anonymity. As a patron in costume, there seemed to be more interaction. Whether that was because I was more interactive or something else I don't know. As a performer there's much more interaction, both with the patrons as well as the merchants and other acts. As a perfomer you're on the "inside" and get more of a welcome. I met some nice people including the Limeybirds (with whom we shared the stage/backstage at Treetop) and one of the employees of the sword booth next door.
The performances went really well. Saturday was cold and wet but we got good audiences anyway. The best part (and the reason for my subject) was the second show of the day on Saturday. At the point where Gary throws Bruce (our Ken-clone crashtest dummy) onto the stage, he goofed and started the arc a little too early. As a result, Bruce's head clipped the edge of the stage door and ripped clean off. From there on in it was a running battle to keep from cracking up entirely. The best part was when Ken, not knowing what had happened.. grabbed Bruce and pretty much stopped dead for just a second.. continued the scene and then yelled "Anyone have a spatula?" grabbed Bruce's head and headed off stage. I think I was in tears at that point!
Sunday the weather was nice - I think Metro Detroit showed up en masse so the festival was as crowded as I've ever seen it. The audiences were good and I think got a real kick out of the show. Hopefully Maria saw enough of the third show that day to want us back next year. We shall see. Kat and I also finally got a chance to do a street fight above the Little Guiness Pub. The fight was fun and I received compliments from several patrons who were around to watch Kat smack my head into the railing!
Several compliments / Kudos
Keith: Congratulations on your first year as fight director. I enjoyed the shows you put together. I was very impressed by the Chess Show. It was very entertaining and very funny at times. I know you put a lot of work into getting that ready and it really showed!
Ken & Gary: Thanks for letting me be a part of the Romeo & Juliet show. It's a blast. I've learned a lot from watching the two of you do this show.
Kat: Thank you for helping with the show. Having you backstage to help with the costume changes really made a huge difference in the timing and pace of the show. Also, thanks for doing the street fight with me, and for putting up with my varying levels of stress throughout the week!
Tina, Anne, Dave, Aaron, Margaret, Ken, and whoever else got a chance to fight out at MRF. From what I heard - the street fights were very well received. You all rock!
The audience members who raised their lighters during the Epilogue on Saturday. You rock too!
Some observations / footnotes.
Chuck Taylor Hightops - basketball shoes mind you - have absolutely no traction whatsoever. Get them wet and they have even less.
For anyone that's wondering - the guitar pieces I played, with the exception of one I wrote Saturday morning while warming up, were all selections from various hard rock bands. I used "Don't You Cry" and "Sailorman's Hymn" by Kamelot. "Wait" by White Lion, a little bit of Silent Lucidity by Queensryche. I also managed to squeeze in some Wednesday 13 and some heavier Kamelot - March of Mephisto comes to mind.