Hello, I am alive, PARF-fan content is not necessarily resuming at this point because capitalism exists and abelism exists and I don’t get enough sleep these days even without spending time actively updating this blog.
BUT!
As anyone who subscribes to Mount Hope’s newsletter or follows them on the magical Book of Faces undoubtedly already knows, the Faire is a go for September and October, albeit under very strict perimeters. There will be no streetwork, and thus no Blackfryars, and but a skeleton crew of Bacchanalians. Out-of-house acts are likewise reduced. I’m frankly too tired to rephrase everything right about now, so I’m going to just drop the image from the Faire’s facebook page here. I’ve pasted the text from the email below it, if that’s more your speed. (I think the contents are the same, but I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison.)
Greetings!
I am excited beyond words that we are soon able open to celebrate the 40th season of the glorious Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. It certainly isn't how we had hoped to commemorate this momentous milestone, but, in a way, this year's Faire experience will harken back to "the olden days" when crowds were smaller and intimacy was the order of the day.
We will operate this Fall significantly different than what we have become accustomed to as we adapt to the new landscape created by COVID-19.
Our maximum daily attendance will be set at 25% of capacity as we swing wide the castle gates. Smaller audiences will ensure safe and socially distanced seating at stages and eating areas as well as shorter queuing lines at Faire gates, kitchens and merchant booths.
Advance, date specific tickets will be required in keeping with the strict attendance limitations as directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
In addition to the reduction of audience size, we will be taking extraordinary efforts to ensure a safe and comfortable Faire day, including CDC approved sanitizer stations at every food booth, merchant booth, and stage area, as well as requirements of face coverings for staff, performers (not performing), vendors and guests throughout their stay, and reminders of social distancing throughout the Faire grounds.
As we are only open weekends, increased sanitation and cleaning using CDC approved cleaning equipment and sanitizers will take place after each Faire day as well as during the week. Every member of our staff will be screened before they begin each Faire day and we will encourage guests to self-monitor their health before joining us at the Faire.
All health and safety information will be published to our website and updated as new policies or procedures are mandated. We will follow the lead of our other great PA amusement and theme parks (including HersheyPark, Dorney Park, Sesame Place and many others) as we carefully monitor Dept of Health policies to assure a safe experience. As we continue working towards welcoming Her Majesty, our overriding concern is providing a safe Shire for all staff, performers and patrons to put aside life's everyday concerns, even if for but a few short hours.
Since the beginning of this crisis, our choices have been rooted in the health, safety and well-being of hundreds of actors, performers, merchants and staff, as well as the many thousands of patrons who visit to experience the fantasy of the Faire.
With new policies and precautions in place and, with the cooperation of all, we can look forward to sharing a very special 40th Anniversary season together.
Until our paths shall cross again, stay thee safe and fare most well!
Scott Bowser, Proprietor
As far as I understand it, the Faire is taking just about every single precaution short of actually not running this year. It’ll come down to whether or not they actually enforce the whole hey-patrons-wear-a-mask-and-wear-it-right thing.
But my chief purpose here is to share what, as is their wont, the Faire hath not posted upon their Facebook: the cast list!
At this point, characters have not been announced anywhere; and though a visit to the Faire’s website will yield costumed headshots, those are definitely not going to be the characters – at least not all of them, not unless the plot involves all of time having collapsed even more than usual.
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Bacchanalian Cast 2020
Leigh Ann Hamelin
Jonathan Handley
Mary Huff
Dana Micciché
Joe Penn
Jules Schrader
Adam Shepley
Katelyn Shreiner
Alex Stompoly
Jeff Wolfthal
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My observations:
A small enough cast that the living quarters might actually be spread out enough to be safe for them, THANK GOD.
Looking like there’s likely no in-house combat (only two actors have been on the combat track that I know of), which makes sense. Also probably no in-house music groups (only two have been on music track that I know of), which also makes sense. So pretty much improv only, then. Wise decision, all things considered.
My Lady Dana Micciché hath been robbed of her accent mark on the Faire’s site, but is a Bacchanalian this year? Hell yes?
I was about to say that the only casting I feel remotely confident will be the same is Mary Huff as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, but then it occurred to me that with so small a cast, the story might well call for not having a royal progress happening this time. That’s what I would do if I were writing it in this situation. Then it also occurred to me that having Mary Huff as Queen Elizabeth again would enable the writers to bring back a couple of insanely popular characters that likely would not logistically be able to return otherwise. (I’m referring, of course, to Jonathan Handley and Alex Stompoly as Sirs William Pickering and Henry Carey, respectively, because I stg some patrons of last year only recognize or acknowledge or care about those two.) So now I’m sure of nothing.
I had words I wanted to make about how I would arrange things in this situation, because I am theoretically a writer and like to play what-if sometimes, but no matter how I phrased things, it sounded like I was either trying to predict things or (worse) trying to unsubtlely drop hints directed at the writers and directors about what they should totally do. Which, nope.