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CTRF opening weekend...
Sep. 25th, 2006 10:07 amFor many people I know, opening weekend is a start. It is their true start of their season. Their chance to get out there and show what they can do. I've been working with a group of people who have been getting up at the asscrack of dawn every weekend for the past 3 months to work on one of the more grueling, physical and rewarding aspects of the faire. That would be the fighters. This weekend was their weekend to put their hard work to the test and shine they did. Unfortunately, I missed most of it because I'm otherwise occupied throughout the day. Despite one major disappointent (which was truly nobody's fault) to myself, the fight staff and I'm sure then entire fight cast, everything went great and unexpected person's rallied and really brought things together to make it a great day.
For me, CTRF is marks the beginning of the end of a long season. This is my first season of faire in 6 years I have not performed a single choreographed fight and likely will not. (It still could happen.) I performed in several armored combat demos throughout the year and have been acting as Paragon Jousting's mounted master of the list, riding on 16.2hh of Percheron named Paladin. It's been great, and I'm ready for some time off... just three more weeks to go. (I've been working since March.)
As for the faire itself, WOW! Record attendence on opening day and this after rain in the morning. (NOTE: Don't leave your air mattress sitting on top of your car no matter how nice the weather seems.) In fact, it seemed every time we took the field it started to rain just a bit. We marched horses through the streets and it was just amazing to have all these people taking our pictures as we paraded through. Saturday after the joust portion of the day had concluded, I need to jump off my horse and head back to Boston for dinner with my family. So I missed some of the after hours excitement of opening weekened. From here on out, however, it should be pretty relaxed and fun.
The cast stepped up to the crowds. I think I may have missed the mark when I tried to get a bit silly with His Majesty and Sir Bedeivere at a booth selling toys. It was nice to see the monarch and his knight playing with small children.
There were lots of faces I've seen throughout the run and many others I hadn't seen since last year. It will be a great four weekends and it will be hard to part in the end. But I know I'll see everyone again in 11 months, or sooner.
I got to actually watch the brawl on Sunday and was very proud of the fighters. I heard lots of good things about how the fighters had done in the chess match and the brawl and was happy to see it for myself. Consideration for the efforts of my fight staff have to be considered as well as we wouldn't be where we are without them. Only problem the fighters really had was they set the bar really high and now they have to exceed their own efforts. (I think I smell a Bodgie.)
Some things may need to be tweaked going forward. Hopefully, each weekend will simply be better than the previous, and that seems like a hard thing to do.
And I had fun pitching my ideas for next year to various cast members and the directorial staff. Let's see where that goes.
For me, CTRF is marks the beginning of the end of a long season. This is my first season of faire in 6 years I have not performed a single choreographed fight and likely will not. (It still could happen.) I performed in several armored combat demos throughout the year and have been acting as Paragon Jousting's mounted master of the list, riding on 16.2hh of Percheron named Paladin. It's been great, and I'm ready for some time off... just three more weeks to go. (I've been working since March.)
As for the faire itself, WOW! Record attendence on opening day and this after rain in the morning. (NOTE: Don't leave your air mattress sitting on top of your car no matter how nice the weather seems.) In fact, it seemed every time we took the field it started to rain just a bit. We marched horses through the streets and it was just amazing to have all these people taking our pictures as we paraded through. Saturday after the joust portion of the day had concluded, I need to jump off my horse and head back to Boston for dinner with my family. So I missed some of the after hours excitement of opening weekened. From here on out, however, it should be pretty relaxed and fun.
The cast stepped up to the crowds. I think I may have missed the mark when I tried to get a bit silly with His Majesty and Sir Bedeivere at a booth selling toys. It was nice to see the monarch and his knight playing with small children.
There were lots of faces I've seen throughout the run and many others I hadn't seen since last year. It will be a great four weekends and it will be hard to part in the end. But I know I'll see everyone again in 11 months, or sooner.
I got to actually watch the brawl on Sunday and was very proud of the fighters. I heard lots of good things about how the fighters had done in the chess match and the brawl and was happy to see it for myself. Consideration for the efforts of my fight staff have to be considered as well as we wouldn't be where we are without them. Only problem the fighters really had was they set the bar really high and now they have to exceed their own efforts. (I think I smell a Bodgie.)
Some things may need to be tweaked going forward. Hopefully, each weekend will simply be better than the previous, and that seems like a hard thing to do.
And I had fun pitching my ideas for next year to various cast members and the directorial staff. Let's see where that goes.
