Renaissance Faires

King Richard’s Faire Audition Information

 

King Richard’s Faire, New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance Faire, will hold cast and crew auditions for the 2015 season in Boston on Saturday, April 25th at BCA’s Artist’s Building, Studio 204, 551 Tremont Street, Boston and Sunday, April 26th at Boston University, College of Communications, 640 Commonwealth Avenue, Room COM 101, Boston. The Faire is the perfect opportunity for performers, entertainers, and technicians who are looking for a fun, interactive job and are available to work Fridays, Saturdays and Monday holidays from Sept 5-Oct 25. We would be extremely grateful if you could help us spread the word (see flyer to post, attached). Thank you for your time, and we appreciate any help you can provide to get the word out about the auditions for King Richard’s Faire. If you would like a few complimentary tickets for an upcoming fundraiser or for yourself, please let me know.

If you would like to attend the auditions or would like any additional information please email [email protected]

 

 

Saturday, April 25th (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.) at the Boston Center for the Arts - Artists’ Building, 551 Tremont St., Boston

 

AND

 

Sunday, April 26th (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.) at the Boston University College of Communication, Rm. 101, 640 Commonwealth Ave., Boston

 

King Richard’s Faire, New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance Faire, will hold cast and crew auditions for the 2015 season in Boston on Saturday, April 25th at BCA’s Artist’s Building, Studio 204, 551 Tremont Street, Boston and Sunday, April 26th at Boston University, College of Communications, 640 Commonwealth Avenue, Room COM 101, Boston.

 

The Faire, which is held in Carver, MA and runs from the first weekend of September through the end of October, is looking for the following: village cast members (with free four-weekend theater training program), musicians (trumpeters, violinists, pipers, drummers, keyboards), singers, dancers, acrobats, actors/actresses, jugglers, stiltwalkers, aerialists, street performers, specialty acts, musical comedy performers, technical staff (costume, stage management, sound techs, etc.) and entertainment staff (musical directors, fight coordinators, etc.)

 

Actors and singers must prepare one monologue and two contrasting songs, one uptempo and one ballad, to be performed a cappella. None of the pieces need to be Renaissance themed. Musicians and specialty acts must be prepared to demonstrate any special skills, such as musical instruments, dance, magic, juggling, etc. Please bring a current photo and resume, if available.

 

Symposium on Medieval, Early Modern Warfare April 9–11

 

The dangers, intrigue and violence of medieval and early modern warfare and statecraft will be the focus of the twelfth annual Marco Symposium at UT from April 9 to 11.

The symposium, “‘Cry Havoc!’ War, Diplomacy, and Conspiracy in the Middle Ages and Renaissance,” will feature scholars from various disciplines and will explore these issues and assess their relevance to contemporary times.

The Marco Institute will hold the symposium in conjunction with the UT Center for the Study of War and Society. All lectures are free and open to the public.

Ted Gup, professor of journalism at Emerson College, will deliver the keynote lecture entitled “The C.I.A. and Intelligence-Gathering Post-9/11: Transformations and Consequences” at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of UT John C. Hodges Library.

Gup, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his work on the Central Intelligence Agency, is a former reporter for the Washington Post and Time magazine, a grant recipient of the MacArthur Foundation and a Guggenheim fellow, and the author of two trade books on intelligence operations in the United States.

The symposium will consider conflict, threat, and contact from the Crusades through the Hundred Years War to the Thirty Years. It also will explore strategies of terror and piracy as well as technologies of surveillance and intelligence gathering.

“The past is always relevant to the present, but the later Medieval and Renaissance periods’ toxic cocktail of religious violence, raison d’etat, and espionage is especially so, since we live in an age awash in the same drink,” said Thomas E. Burman, Riggsby Director of the Marco Institute.

Symposium sessions will be held at the International House Great Room, 1623 Melrose Ave. They will be led by scholars who will speak on various topics, including the diplomatic technologies of the Middle Ages and Renaissance and the reshaping of the role of the spy and the ambassador to accommodate new global realities.

For more information on the symposium and to see a full list of speakers, visit the website.

Avalon Faire, A New Renaissance Fair, Opens in Texas

A new Renaissance fair opened Friday between Kilgore and Longview, with members of the community and vendors dedicating the site.

"They are just right outside of the city; so, they did connect with us to see how we could assist him in marketing," said Cindy Morris of the Longview Chamber of Commerce, which organized a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at Avalon Faire off FM 1252.

Morris said it was an easy decision because of the potential economic impact. "Our hotels are working with us by having available rooms for their people," she said. "The same thing with RV parks."

Avalon Faire is a medieval, Renaissance fair that will be held each weekend, beginning today and continuing through April 26. It will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Featuring vendors, concessions and artisans from around the world, Avalon Faire includes full-contact jousting by National Geographic's Knights of Mayhem, bird of prey and falconry demonstrations by Knightwings as well as a variety of magicians, musicians and jugglers.

"I want to say how exciting it is to have something like this in Kilgore," said Mayor Ronnie Spradlin, before two men in full metal armor demonstrated the joust. "To see all of you in costume — it is just fun without the event even started yet." The festival grounds are at 1076 FM 1252, just north of Interstate 20 off Texas 42. Admission prices are $12 for adults, $6 for children 4 to 12, and free for children younger than 4.

Cervantes Remains Discovered

Sent date:	03/18/2015 12:03:00 PM
To:	"Jonathan Kantrowitz"<[email protected]>

 

 Spain said Tuesday it had unearthed the apparent remains of a literary giant, "Don Quixote" author Miguel de Cervantes, in a Madrid convent almost 400 years after his death.

Researchers said they were "convinced" that among crumbling remains in a crypt they had found Cervantes, hailed by academics as the father of the modern novel.

Forensic anthropologist Francisco Etxeberria said that after a year-long search his team had positively identified "some fragments" of the author who died in April 1616, the same month as William Shakespeare.

Don Quixote -- the delusional country gentleman who sets out to right wrongs as a self-styled knight -- had a far-reaching impact on world literature, academics say.

Though there is no genetic proof of the find at this stage, Etxeberria's team of anthropologists and archaeologists said they were confident of the claim on the basis of documentary research.

They based their findings on fragments found underground in the crypt of a church in the Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians in central Madrid, Etxeberria said.

Archeologist Almudena Garcia-Rubio said there was "no confirmed genetic identification" of the human remains.

But Etxeberria said: "We are convinced that we have among these fragments something of Cervantes."

Tilting at windmills 
Cervantes is recorded as having been buried at the convent's chapel a day after his recorded death on April 22, 1616, but the exact whereabouts of his grave were unknown.

Etxeberria's team launched in April 2014 the first significant search for the remains of the greatest writer of the Spanish Golden Age. 

They used infrared cameras, 3D scanners and ground-penetrating radar to identify spots where remains could be stored.

Born near Madrid in 1547, Cervantes has been dubbed the father of the modern novel for "The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha", published in two parts in 1605 and 1615.

His influence has been so great that Spanish is often referred to as "the language of Cervantes".

But his impact went beyond Spanish, particularly in the development of the novel as an art form. 

The proverbial phrase "tilting at windmills" -- a well-meaning, misguided bid to vanquish imaginary enemies -- also originated from Don Quixote's adventures.

Cervantes spent his last years in a Madrid neighbourhood now called the Literary District in memory of him and his 17th century rivals Lope de Vega, Francis de Quevedo and Luis de Gongora.

"This a very important day for Spain and for our culture," said the mayor of Madrid, Ana Botella.

Culture Minister Jose Ignacio Wert hailed the discovery, saying its announcement coincided with celebrations planned this year for the fourth centenary of the publication of the second volume of Don Quixote.

"From a purely literary point of view, this will not change much," said Jean Canavaggio, a biographer of Cervantes at the University of Paris-Nanterre, of Tuesday's announcement.

"But there will be crowds of tourists flocking to the Trinitarians convent. That will be a source of revenue for Madrid."

Cervantes had an "absolutely fascinating life," Canavaggio said.

Born into a modest family, Cervantes served in the navy and worked in the Church and in finance before his writing career took off.

He lost the use of his left hand after he was shot at sea in the 1571 Battle of Lepanto, in which the Holy League led by Spain defeated the Ottoman fleet. He later spent several years as a prisoner after being captured by pirates.

Researchers had hoped his injured hand might help them identify his body -- but the piles of bones they found under the convent floor were too poorly preserved. 

Sacred Song: Chanting the Bible in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

 

The 30 manuscripts comprising this exhibition, on view at Les Enluminures New York, 23 East 73rd Street, from January 24 to February 21, 2014, will reflect the extraordinary scope of the Gregorian chant tradition by exploring the distinctive artistry, history, and mystery of these early biblical readings.

Gradual, (Olivetan Use) In Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment with musical notation Italy, Lombardy [Santa Maria di Baggio near Milan?], c. 1430’s

Les Enluminures

Representing the earliest substantial body of music preserved in written form, Gregorian chant has continued as a living tradition throughout the medieval age and well into the modern era. Featured in the liturgical services of the Roman Catholic Church, this sacred chant owes its origin to the legend of a dove – or the Holy Spirit – singing directly into the ear of Pope Gregory the Great (Reigned from 590-604 AD). Reflecting the inseparability between music and liturgy throughout the Middle Ages, the chant consists of a vocal, monophonic music composed in Latin using sacred texts from the Old and New Testaments. Often referred to as a “sung Bible,” it did not appear in written form until the ninth century. 

Divided into three thematic groups, the exhibition begins with “In the Church: in the Choir,” featuring monumental manuscripts that were used to present the music for the Mass and the Divine Office. Choirs sang from these large books (mostly Graduals and Antiphonals), the colorful initials of which signaled the beginnings of each feast.  Both monks and nuns, not only chanted within the walls of the medieval church, but outside and on foot as well. Thus, “Outside the Church: in the Cloister, in the Cemetery, and in the City and Countryside” features portable liturgical manuscripts called Processionals; some illuminated and often personalized. A final grouping: “Apart from the Church: in the Classroom, in the Chapter House, and in the Congregation” presents those forms of chant that were often preserved in non-liturgical contexts. 

Chanting the Bible

Serving as a vital link between the earliest days of the Church and the Church of later centuries, the text of early medieval Choir books, including some dated from the Renaissance, often contain biblical verses that come from pre-Jerome versions of the Bible (the Vetus Latina or Old Latin Bible). In fact, most words that form Gregorian chant are taken from the Latin Bible, and usually from the Vulgate translated by St. Jerome near the end of the fourth century. In Graduals, sung sections called Introits (invitations or openings of a chant), offertories, and communions are biblical passages often taken from the Book of Psalms. Here, focus is placed on the individual’s relationship to God, his praise of, petition to, need for repentance, and exhortation, etc.

Exhibition Catalogue

A fully-illustrated exhibition catalogue, edited by Susan Boynton and Laura Light with a preface by Sandra Hindman, will be published by Les Enluminures and Paul Holberton. Price: $35.00

New research refutes claim that mummified head belonged to King Henry IV of France

New research led by KU Leuven professor Jean-Jacques Cassiman exposes erroneous conclusions in forensic studies by Spanish and French researchers. They incorrectly ascribed a mummified head to Henry IV and a bloody handkerchief to Louis XVI.

Two purportedly royal relics recently surfaced on the collectors' market in France: a mummified head and a handkerchief with blood residues. The head was said to be that of French king Henry IV and the blood on the handkerchief that of King Louis XVI. This was confirmed by Spanish and French researchers, who reported positive DNA matches. Several historians voiced doubts about these claims and enrolled the help of forensic identification specialist Professor Jean-Jacques Cassiman and his team to investigate the relics.

Professor Cassiman's team compared the published DNA results from the head and the blood in the handkerchief with DNA samples obtained from three surviving descendants of the house of Bourbon, progeny of Henry IV (see Figure 1). The genetic relationship between these three Bourbons, who come from different branches of the family line, is fixed on the basis of research carried out on the Y-chromosome. The DNA comparison found that there was no relationship between the Bourbons and the blood on the handkerchief, nor the mummified head. Two breaks in the biological line on the paternal side would have had to occur in order for the head and the blood to belong to the two French kings.

Likewise, there was no evidence on the maternal side (based on the mitochondrial DNA testing) suggesting a positive identification of the relics. The mother of Henry IV, Jeanne III d'Albret, is related via Anna of Habsburg in an unbroken maternal line to the Habsburgs, including Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVII (see Figure 2). Here, once again, there would have to have been at least one break in the maternal line for the head to belong to King Henry IV. The probability that one of the women in King Henry IV lineage was not the real mother of her daughter, or of the king himself, is virtually non-existent.

Furthermore, DNA tests of the blood on the handkerchief show with 84.2% certainty that the blood belonged to a person who did not have blue eyes. It is known that King Louis XVI had blue eyes.

Based on these conclusions, the team of Professor Cassiman is unable to confirm the conclusions of their Spanish and French counterparts, given the available data. The blood on the handkerchief almost certainly does not belong to Louis XVI. Too little DNA remains were found on the mummified head to confirm or deny that it is the head of Henry IV, although historical data makes this identification unlikely.

According to the researchers, the study shows that a reliable genetic identification of historical remains requires a DNA profile of the living paternal and maternal descendants of the 'donor' to which the remains purportedly belong.

Book Review: German Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1350–1600

 

"German Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1350–1600" is a spectacular exhibition catalogue , by Maryan W. Ainsworth and Joshua P. Waterman. It features 315 illustrations in full colo.

The book includes paintings made in the German-speaking lands (including Austria and Switzerland) from 1350 to 1600, including the towering figures of the German Renaissance—Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Hans Holbein the Younger—and many by lesser masters.

It is available here.

Excerpts:

" Hans Holbein the Younger (Augsburg 1497/98–1543 London). Benedikt von Hertenstein, 1517.

Viewed straight on, Hertenstein appears noticeably broader than he perhaps should, with an oversized left arm and hand. But, as we pass from left to right before the painting, he assumes more natural proportions and seems to project in a realistic manner out of his space into ours. As he engages us with his glance and we reach an angle of forty-five degrees opposite his image, we gradually experience the full force of Hertenstein's corporeal presence. The inscription becomes more prominent, and the authorship of the painting is featured. Holbein's striking effect of verisimilitude, in which the ideal image of the man is recognized only "in passing," calls attention to the transience of life—both Hertenstein's and our own.

Lucas Cranach the Younger (Wittenberg 1515–1586 Wittenberg). Nymph of the Spring, ca. 1545–50.

This small, astonishingly well-preserved painting shows a nude woman reclining on the grassy bank of a river, near a spring that issues from a rock formation. Looking toward the viewer, she identifies herself and offers a word of caution through the first-person Latin inscription at the upper right: "I, nymph of the sacred spring, am resting; do not disturb my sleep." The scene's open eroticism is heightened by the nymph's sultry, half-closed eyes; the red tinge of her cheeks, buttocks, elbows, knees, and feet; the transparent veil that meanders from head to foot, as if to guide the viewer's gaze along her body; and the bundled red dress, which evokes the thought of her disrobing. A bow and quiver hang in a nearby tree, signaling that the nymph belongs to the entourage of the huntress goddess Diana. A green parrot perched on the bow and two rock partridges in the grass probably serve as symbols of the Luxuria (lust) that is embodied by the nymph and called forth in the male viewer.

Bristol Renaissance Faire will open Saturday, July 6,

Voted Best Renaissance Faire in the country in 2012, this summer's 26th annual Bristol Renaissance Faire will open Saturday, July 6, for nine weekends through Labor Day Monday, Sep. 2. While more than 200,000 visitors immersed themselves in the multi-sensory revelry of last summer's Bristol Renaissance Faire, partaking in an eclectic array of 16th Century arts, games, food, music, comedy and dance that earned top national honors from subscribers of Renaissance Magazine and the Renaissance Festival Podcast, Bristol's producers were not content to rest on their bum-rolls. This summer's creative team has again hit it out of the joust yard, with new construction on the 30-acre Faire site, enhanced immersive experiences for patrons, and an A-list of nationally-touring acts and artisans rivaling any season to date.

 

         "Over the past two and a half decades, we have hosted a thousand thrilling jousts, variety performances by the hundreds, trained more than 20,000 actors, and served too many turkey legs and pints of ale to count," said Linda McFeters, general manager and co-producer of the Bristol Renaissance Faire. "We are committed to building upon the unprecedented history, fantasy, merriment and spectacle that is the Bristol Renaissance Faire, as we kick off the next 25 years!"

 

 

 

Fire-Whips and Bagpipes

 

Sixteen Bristol entertainment stages feature nonstop music, merriment, feats of daring and an eclectic assortment of comedic performers who invite their audiences to become part of the act. Joining Faire favorites, including Dirk and Guido, the comedic sword-fighting duo known as "The Swordsmen," ropewalker, juggler and foolish mortal MooNiE the Magnif'Cent, Guinness World Record-holding fire whip artist Adam Crack, the Barely Balanced acrobatic comedy troupe, and the Sturdy BeggarsTM Mud Show(r), will be newcomers Iris and Rose, singing sisters whose bawdy humor promises to have Faire-goers splitting their doublets, and, returning to Bristol for the first time in a number of years, hammered dulcimer virtuoso Glenn Morgan.

 

         Long-time Bristol jousters Steve Cowan (Sir Mauldron) and Matthew Mansour (Sir Maxmillian) will be putting a new twist on the Faire's most popular spectator sport this summer with ever-changing tests of skill guaranteed to keep man and horse at their competitive peak, and audiences on the edge of their seats. Hard-hitting and exquisitely choreographed, these new stylized jousting exhibitions will take place at various times throughout each Faire day.

 

         Among this summer's special musical guests, the explosive Celtic group, Tartanic, will appear during the Faire's first three weekends, and the Dread Crew of Oddwood, a folk-punk pirate band that's coined the genre "heavy mahogany," will perform the final two weekends.  Making their Bristol debuts in 2013 are the sea shanty crooning Crimson Pirates (July 6-7), Jamila Lotus Bellydance Carnivale (July 13-14 and 20-21), the Iron Hill Vagabonds acoustic music duo (July 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28), and VaNa MaZi, with their unique brand of Gypsy Jazz (final four weekends, Aug. 10 through Sep. 2).

 

 

 

Beyond Turkey Legs

 

As iconic as a giant, barbecue sauce-slathered turkey leg is to the Renaissance faire experience, Bristol patrons enjoy an extensive, and often unexpected, array of epicurean delights, ranging from Teriyaki chicken to Cornish pasties, and bakery-fresh scones to Italian strawberry gelato dipped in chocolate. New to this summer's Faire is Shehadeh Mediterranean cuisine, featuring falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, and other vegetarian delicacies.

 

         A large, new coffeehouse will bring specially-blended Old World Italian coffees to the Bristol beverage mix, which includes imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers and ales, wines and mead, sassafras, lemonade and other popular selections. A perfect complement to the Faire's new hookah smoking tent, a variety of international sipping beverages, such as Turkish raki, a grape brandy, will be offered for the first time at this summer's Faire.

 

 

 

One-of-a-Kind Wares

 

Bristol's ever-expanding Marketplace offers a breadth and depth of unique shopping experiences that can't be found anywhere outside the country's top Renaissance faires. Nearly 175 artisans and crafters display wares ranging from stage-combat-approved swords and handmade chain maille to Scottish kilts, handcrafted leather masks, tapestry wall hangings, sterling silver jewelry, rare-edition books, hand-caned brooms, bamboo flutes, even steampunkery and jester socks. Often, patrons have the chance to watch potters, glass blowers, bowyers, blacksmiths and other working artisans create their wares on-site.    

 

         Back by popular demand, the annual Bristol Marketplace Weekend is scheduled for Aug. 3-4 this summer. Shoppers spending $200 in one day can show their receipts at the Guest Services Gazebo and receive two free tickets to return to the Faire another 2013 weekend.

 

 

 

Live Action Fantasy-Play

 

Among the most anticipated events of this summer's Faire, Bristol's live action fantasy-play game, RenQuest, will return with an epic conclusion to its Chaos Trilogy. Originating in 2008, RenQuest brings the worldwide popularity of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, like World of Warcraft, into the live action dimension of the Renaissance Faire. The interactive theatrical gaming experience offers players an unprecedented opportunity to experience the Faire through completing quests, honing skills and defeating evil villains. The game spans the entire 30-acre Faire site and employs 30 non-playing characters dedicated to enriching the fantasy experience for patron-players.

 

         Kids Quests provide the Faire's younger patrons, ages 5 to 11, with two daily opportunities to embark on their own, age-appropriate adventures. The 30-minute adventures are led by Willow Spellworthy and Astrid Treeswift, and their pet trolls, Stirling and Bucket, as they set out to fight the evil Snifflewort. 

 

 

 

More Kid-Friendly Fun

 

The Bristol Renaissance Faire is filled with kid-inspired experiences, including more than 30 games and rides, shows that make kids laugh, and special play areas bursting with whimsy and photo-snapping charm. Always entertaining and engaging, Bristol's Kids Kingdom boasts a climb-aboard pirate ship, giant sandbox, crafts and games activity center, its own theater and a full cast of beloved fairy tale characters. Magic shows, story-telling and interactive role-playing adventures take center stage throughout the day, and at 4:30 p.m., Queen Elizabeth herself shows up in Kids Kingdom for the celebrated Knighting Ceremony, at which she personally dubs all attending children lords and ladies.

 

         Other popular, kid-friendly diversions include mad-cap tea parties with Lady Ettie, kid pike drills at the Military Encampment, toy ship sailing on Mouseboro Pond, and chance encounters with the Faire's most elusive inhabitants, curious faeries known as Fantastikals. 

 

 

 

Weekends to Remember

 

Once-a-summer events create special opportunities to enjoy the Bristol Renaissance Faire in new and different ways. Debuting in 2013, Swashbuckler Weekend will unleash a booty of Buccaneer-themed revelry, July 13-14, while Bristol's nod to ladies night, Wenches Weekend, sets participants on a self-guided wine tasting tour of the Faire, Aug. 10-11. Among notable events returning to this summer's Faire, Bristol's third-annual Steampunk Invasion is slated for July 21-22, and the ever-popular "Renaissance Runway" Costume Contest will celebrate all expressions of character couture, from lords and ladies in full Renaissance regalia, to Trekkies

 

and Greek gods, July 27-28.

 

         Taking its framework from the summer day in 1574 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth visited the English hamlet of Bristol, the Bristol Renaissance Faire is located on 30 wooded acres, just west of I-94's Russell Road exit, near Kenosha, Wis. Open rain or shine, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, July 6 through Sep. 2, and on Labor Day Monday, Sep. 3, tickets are $19.95 for adults and $9.50 for children, ages 5 to 12. Advance ticket discounts are available at renfair.com or by calling (847) 395-7773.