A Resignation and Severing of Ties

[Captain Emerald Shaunassey]

Having been fed up with the politics, the back stabbings, and the double standards that have run rampant since the inception of the Northwest Arkansas Renaissance Faire; I have resigned my position as one of the few remaining founding Board members and pulled my Stage Show from this show until and unless the owner gets rid of the hanger-ons that are dragging this show into the pig troughs! When I'm told that actors and stage shows should not be paid for their hard work, skills, talent, and efforts and that they are not as important as vendors ... that is when it is time to walk away before I throttle someone! Be warned! Stay away from NWARF in Fayettville, Arkansas unless you want to visit a Medieval Flea Market that has no entertainment (Norman Medieval Faire in Norman, Oklahoma is STILL the better Flea Market Faire, with hundreds of vendors and it has entertainers too!)

[Rumba Rue]

Holy dead mackerals!

I've never heard of a faire not paying it's actors who do the stage shows! That's absurd!

It's really amazing the stupidity of people who need a good mast whipping.

Well if you ever get out to the west coast, the faires here do pay, maybe not big bucks but at least something.

[Badger]

Unfortunately, Southern Faire here in L.A. has a similar (Though as of yet, less grim) problem. I am pretty sure that they do pay the entertainers, as there are still some good ones who have been coming for many years, but every year it seems there be less and less in the way of buskers and 'incidental' entertainers.Read that almost none left..... The vendors rule, and only the same old stage shows (we do love y'all though ) play on the few stages. Not the 'Faire I first met and loved so many years ago. Stll "OUR" 'Faire....holding on. I miss th' Wild People...Sigh.

[Blackbead]

Emerald,

As ye well know, I am a vendor. Speaking from the vendor's point of view, I NEED good entertainers on the faire's stages to attract the customers I want to sell to. If I wanted a flea market, there are millions of them out there and most of them cost a hell of a lot less than what a faire charges for booth fees. A good faire is a balance among all of food-vendors-entertainers with some extras thrown in for good measure. I cannot understand why anyone would rather have five more vendors than a good stage show, unless they are greedy sons of bit*hes that just care about the money and don't really give a sh*t about the event being a faire. If they want to run a flea market where they get to sit back and just charge the vendors booth fees and expect the crowds to pay to get in . . . well, their days are numbered as faire owners. I think most people are going to wise up when they finally realize that they are paying to go into Uncle Willie's Olde Tyme Trade Days.

Blackbead

[iPirate]

Sadly, it's not the first time I've heard such things. I worked the Maryland Renfaire and witnessed many political backstabbings and a similar proposition to not pay actors.

The most astounding thing I ever saw was when the leather merchant I worked for was constantly harrassed and even assualted by another leather merchant and the Faire owner refused to do anything about. It wasn't until said merchant attacked my boss and his wife off-site that anything was able to be done and that was by the authorities. The Faire owners STILL took the side of the offending merchant.

For a while we had a nice alternative with the Virginia Renfaire but for some reason that just can't seem to stay open.

[Badger]

Holy *&%!#$!* iPirate! (Hey, can I say "*&%!#$!*" on here?) Now THAT is taking things just a bit too far! Kinda sounds like th' other vendor was a....was a...a..a PIRATE! I hope th' rascal is locked up....

Blackbead, 'tis good t' have vendors on our side. Need more like ye, man.

Sadly, immoderate greed drives many things in Modern society. Fools.

[Lady Alyx]

What....? That is ridiculous, why not pay the entertainers...that's

what they are for to entertain...and not get paid, that's horrible.

Peeps that go to faire want to be entertained by the likes of the

crazy and friendly show folk! Can you imagine the So Cal Ren Faire '

with out the Queen and her court on the main stage?

I am with you on this Badger

I have been

going to the So Cal Ren Faire since 1986 when it was still in the

Malibu hills! I also miss the folk that would just wander around

and be a mini entertainer on their own to rev up the crowds and

get them in the mood...Remember when the kissing bridge really was

the kissing bridge and it was a bit naughty...sigh....Faire has

already lost so much muskiness and earthiness and to now drain away

the entertainment...? They better think twice because it will not

be much of a faire without entertainment.

[Captain McCool]

Woops. Double post. Sorry folks.

Edited December 31, 2009 by Captain McCool

[Captain McCool]

Having been fed up with the politics, the back stabbings, and the double standards that have run rampant since the inception of the Northwest Arkansas Renaissance Faire; I have resigned my position as one of the few remaining founding Board members and pulled my Stage Show from this show until and unless the owner gets rid of the hanger-ons that are dragging this show into the pig troughs! When I'm told that actors and stage shows should not be paid for their hard work, skills, talent, and efforts and that they are not as important as vendors ... that is when it is time to walk away before I throttle someone! Be warned! Stay away from NWARF in Fayettville, Arkansas unless you want to visit a Medieval Flea Market that has no entertainment (Norman Medieval Faire in Norman, Oklahoma is STILL the better Flea Market Faire, with hundreds of vendors and it has entertainers too!)

Sounds a lot like the Colorado Renaissance Festival. Worked there for 4 seasons and left, disgusted with the mentality of the corporate suits who run (read micromanage) the place.

This seems to be a common problem with Ren Faires, and I can't quite put my finger on why. I get the greed factor, of course. But there are a lot of other gimmicks out there to get people to give you their money. Seems to me that if you want to run a renaissance festival, you should have... oh, I dunno... some interest in THE RENAISSANCE! Or at the very least, fantasy.

At least at our faire the actors are still paid. The Management has instead solved this problem by not hiring any actors. Well, okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration. They're still hiring some actors. But they DID cut the performance cast in half (severa times), and even went so far as to fire a whole bunch of actors the week before opening day.

It's the same thing. Medieval themed flea market. The Powers That Be seem to believe entertainment isn't cost effective, and focus solely on the vendors and the (often crappy) food.

And Blackbead, It's really nice to hear that from a vendor. So often it seems vendors don't want the actors around. I've tried to do bits with/around vendors and their shops, and many get really angry. I can never understand why they don't want to play, since it actually does bring business into the shop, in my opinion. If that's how they feel, they shouldn't be working at a ren faire at all.

Anyway, Bah, soapbox and all that...

[TheBlackFox]

For a while we had a nice alternative with the Virginia Renfaire but for some reason that just can't seem to stay open.

Which VARF are you rumour-milling about? I've been attending and/or setting up a very successful booth at VARF for 5 years (6 if you count the coming season).