At Atlantia’s Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival, March 5-6, 2021, a virtual performance of the Greek play “Antigone” will be released! If you would like to participate in this production, please read the invitation from the Director, Lord Owyn Wolfe / Cody Clark, below.

This Friday, January 15th, at 7:00 PM, please join us on Google Meet for an information meeting/interest call regarding an upcoming fully virtual production of the Greek classic play Antigone! The production will be directed and produced by Cody Clark (SCA: Lord Owyn Wolfe). The artistic ethos of the project is to create a piece of art that is both fully truthful to the spirit of the Greek text that we are working with and is also fully truthful to the time we are living in today. The inspiration is to embrace all parts of the logistical, technological, and practical realities of the world we live in today and the challenges that come with it. To that end, webcams and cellphone cameras will be used not just as cameras but instead used as the perspective that the action of the production is shown from. All actors and production crew will remain apart from each other at all times. This production will be a collaborative project with an emphasis on the elements of devised theatre. 

Auditions will begin immediately following the interest call starting at 8:00 PM and there will be time slots available until Monday evening. Please see the links below for the interest call or to fill out an audition form! 

This production will premier as a part of the virtual event Kingdom Arts and Sciences hosted by the Society for Creative Anachronism’s Kingdom of Atlantia on March 5th and 6th! 

Audition Form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJ4KGCovXiaBQ_zutQNcIlNnF7p6zF-qA-r6ei6ZUU6JD5mQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Interest Call: 

https://fb.me/e/1sOF6c24D

For further information please reach out to Cody Clark via Coclark18 AT gmail DOT com 

Tagged with: Ancient Theater

Filed under: Announcements • Theater

Lady Meriorie Matheson is offering a 4-part workshop in Ancient Theater!

A self-professed “Ancient Theater Nerd”, Meriorie is holding this 4-part series digital workshop on ancient theater – classical Greek and prior. This includes Egyptian and early Middle Eastern performance.

This is a rare treat!

• Part 1 – She teaches an overview class in Ancient Theater, discusses options for plays to produce, and assigns parts.
• Part 2 – Deep dive into analyzing the text of the play chosen in Part 1.
• Part 3 – Rehearse the play!
• Part 4 – Perform the play! Live streamed via Zoom-Facebook and recorded.

Organization is currently happening via Facebook Messenger chat in a group. If you would like to get involved, feel free to contact Meriorie via Meriorie.matheson AT gmail DOT com . She will add you to the Facebook Messenger list and/or keep you involved via email if you’re not a facebooker.

The 4 parts will feature:

Part 1. An overview on ancient theater, discussion/selection of a play and assignment of parts.

Sat. Sept. 12 1:00 PM  https://facebook.com/events/s/ancient-theater-workshop/927479164429523/?ti=as&__mref=mb

Part 2. A deep dive textual analysis of the play chosen in part 1

Sat. Sept. 19 at 1:00pm  https://facebook.com/events/s/ancient-theater-workshop-2/322297559208580/?ti=as&__mref=mb

Part 3. A rehearsal of the play

Sat Sept 26 at 11:00am https://facebook.com/events/s/ancient-theater-workshop-3/613561976025071/?ti=as&__mref=mb

Part 4. A performance of the play over zoom, live streamed for an audience on Facebook and recorded for posterity.

Sat. October 3, 1:00pm  https://facebook.com/events/s/ancient-theater-workshop-4/893932064346000/?ti=as&__mref=mb

Filed under: Announcements • Theater

Atlantia maintains a group of Royal Players to help create time and space at SCA events for performing arts to happen. The administrative work performed by these performers supports all kinds of performing arts throughout the entire Kingdom of Atlantia. When you need a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on a Performing Arts topic, these folks are ready and excited to share with you what they know and how to make the magic happen. Please reach out to them for help bringing Performing Arts of all kinds to your event!

This article offers a short biography on each of Year 4’s players. Let’s begin with the cast of characters:

1. Baroness Fevronia Murometsa, O.L.
2. Lady Jeane Kilmeny
3. Lady Scholastica Joycors
4. Lady Nicolosa d’Isenfir
5. Lord Ciaran Mac Breandain
6. Lady Iselda de Narbonne
7. Lord Alfarinn Valison
8. Jonkvrouwe Machteld Cleine
9. Lady Rhiannon of Raven’s Cove
10. Baroness Sophia the Orange (me), Administrative Support

SCA Name: Baroness Fevronia Murometsa, O.L.

Modern Name: Kathleen Sobansky

Home group: Barony of Storvik 

Primary performing arts skills: Singing solo and in groups, playing harp, bohdran, creating space for performers at events.

She is well known for hosting an annual function going back many years called the Performer’s Revel. Hosting this function with her husband Igor in their home, they welcome performers of all kinds to share their arts, eat, drink, and be merry for a whole day. Singing, dancing, acting, and camaraderie are the focus of this annual activity. Fevronia can often be seen under a large tent she’s set up at an event just for the purpose of inviting performers to share their art.

SCA Name: Lady Jeane Kilmeny

Modern Name: Dominica Campbell

Home group: Barony of Caer Mear 

Primary performing arts skills: Singing solo and in groups, storytelling, Irish Culture, and cat herding as the Guildmistress of the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild.

At Atlantia University February 2019, Kilmeny took on the monumental task of creating support for all performers in Atlantia by agreeing to lead the Performing Arts Guild. The guild was first chartered by TRMs Atlantia in 2002 under the leadership of Master Corun Macandra. The guild primarily creates opportunities for networking and sharing resources – like the blog you’re reading right now! Kilmeny sings and tells stories whenever she gets the chance after organizing things like the PA Guild, Gem Joust, and dozens of other organizing tasks.

SCA Name: Lady Scholastica Joycors

Modern Name: Mylinda Butterworth

Homegroup: Barony of Lochmere

Primary performing arts skills: Storytelling with a touch of singing, wordplay, theater, theater games, emcee, foolishness, and organizing events.

“I am a teller of tales old and new. I like to mix various forms of performance i.e., a story with a song interspersed or doing a paper cutting while I tell a story. I am a past Royal Bard and am the current Dean of Performing Arts at Pennsic University. I have an undergraduate degree in theater education and a Masters degree in Storytelling.

I am passionate about the performing arts, I want to SEE and HEAR more of them and not be shoved out into the dark smoky night or trying to be heard over a noisy feast hall. I would like to see more opportunities to spotlight performances beyond bardic circles as entertainment. Perhaps performances before court begins to draw people in or a short performance to take some time while everyone clears away to congratulate new peers or a bit of shenanigans between the royal court and baronial court. I am out to bring performing arts into the light.”

SCA Name: Lady Nicolosa d’Isenfir

Modern Name: Kendra Schmid

Home group: Shire of Isenfir

Primary performing arts skills:  European Renaissance dance – all styles – ECD, Italian, Gresley, everything!  Teaching, running balls, anything dance related

“Dance is Fun!  My goal is to share the love of dance around the Kingdom!  Making space for all participatory and performing arts benefits us all.

Other: I am also the Chancellor of the Atlantian Academie of Dance. I organize dance tracks, competitions, run our youtube channel, hold advanced dance practices and more!”

Dance is Fun!

SCA Name: Lord Ciaran mac Breandain

Modern Name: David Gunter

Home group: Barony of Windmaster’s Hill

Primary performing arts skills:  Instrumental performance.  Singing if necessary 😁

I believe the more opportunities for engaging performing arts, the better.  Specifically, I want to see more opportunities for instrumental musicians both in concert and competition.  I would like to see us create a group of performers who could provide music for court, feast, or other situations where background music could add an air of authenticity.  

I do transcription of medieval musical manuscripts into modern notation so as to make them available for performance.  I also compose music when I get the chance. Also, I’m a relatively decent brewer.

SCA Name: Lady Iselda de Narbonne

Modern Name: Alix Evans

Home group: Shire of Roxbury Mill

Primary performing arts skills:  Poetry, singing, harp

“Currently the Poeta Atlantiae. I’d like to help create more and better venues for performance at events, including by better incorporating performance into A&S competitions and displays. I’m hoping to a) encourage and help people running competitions to arrange time, space, and judges for performance entries so that performers don’t have to scramble to do it themselves day-of when they’re already jangling with nerves, and b) to make sure that the space set aside for performances of any type is quiet enough to accommodate a range of performances, from loud and brash to delicate and tender.

In my experience so far, performers are often asked to perform in noisy venues, and it seems to me that we’re missing out on a lot of wonderful performances as a result.  As performers, we should be able to express the length and breadth of the human experience, and that includes tenderness, reverence, beauty that should not be shouted. Some of the most magical moments happen when care is taken to create a welcoming space for performers (such as at the most recent Royal Bard competition).  I would like to continue to help carve out such welcoming spaces for ALL performances, not just the loud show-stoppers.

I’ll be looking for more and more opportunities to create these spaces, so if you have an event or competition coming up and you’d like help making it happen, please let me know!  I’d gladly be your partner in crime. 🙂 Best, Iselda”

SCA Name: Lord Alfarinn Valason

Modern Name: Nancy Kramer

Home group: iFirenzi in the Barony of Windmasters’ Hill

Primary performing arts skills: Primarily commedia and beginning ventures into singing

“Commedia dell’Arte has been such a joyous adventure for me!  It took me a while to get over my stagefright, but once I did I branched out from the straight-laced “safe” role of The Servetta into Arlecchino – the consummate fool. This let’s me explore and express the jester / fool / clown parts that don’t have permission to come out and play in any other aspect of daily life. Physical comedy involves letting all the repressed actions come out – it is immensely freeing. I’m excited to be directing my first show at KASF 2020.”

SCA Name: Baroness Machteld Cleine

Modern Name: Eva Bogaerts

Home group: Barony of Nottinghill Coill

Primary performing arts skills: Theater and storytelling, teaching, history, repertoire, and singing

“I believe I am really good at encouraging people. I am an engaging teacher and I love performances. I especially love to figure out what would be available and desirable in which setting. I love theater especially, I have my masters in theater, film and TV studies, with an emphasis on Theater and the place of community theater, as well as a bachelors in social and cultural work, with an emphasis on cultural work, especially the theater.

I love to touch people’s hearts and minds when performing. I’ve written a few pieces for the SCA, and am trying to write and translate more.”

SCA Name: Lady Rhiannon of Raven’s Cove

Modern Name: Lauren Smith

Home group: Barony of Hawkwood

Primary performing arts skills:  Instrumental (recorders, flute, guitar, and more!) and Singing

“With music (as with everything else) in the SCA, the more the merrier!  I love encouraging folks to explore vocal and instrumental music within the society, and work to create an atmosphere where even those who haven’t picked up an instrument since high school feel comfortable trying out music in the SCA, and playing with groups such as the dance band.”

SCA Name: Baroness Sophia the Orange

Modern Name: Lara Coutinho

Home group: Barony of Windmasters’ Hill; Canton of Elvegast

Primary performing arts skills: Commedia dell’ Arte, theater arts, dance, dance music, cello, improvisation comedy, puppets, stilt walking, juggling, and organizing performing arts.

I created the Royal Players team to encourage performers to create more opportunities for themselves to have time and space at SCA events for performing arts. It was originally an idea of Master Ruaidhri an Cu’s in Spring of 2016. Then Queen Thora blessed the idea and encouraged me to try it. I had the blessing of help from Mistress Dervila for the first two years. It has been successful since Pennsic of 2016 in creating time and space for performing arts to happen more in Atlantia.

I love performing, and I know there is great administrative work necessary to create time and space for performing to happen at SCA events. Schedules need to be managed, space needs to be found and committed, and numerous people who are not performers need to be engaged for a performance space to be made available. I believe that I need to “put my money where my mouth is” and devote service to creating performance opportunities in my community before I can take that opportunity for myself to perform.

For those people who like teamwork and believe that pitching in on making the administrative work of performing arts happen, this team is very supportive. I hope it continues for many years to encourage excellence in performing arts and the admin work needed to allow performances to happen.

To contact any of the Royal Players at any time, if you don’t already have their email address or Facebook contacts, please post a request for what you need to our public Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RoyalPlayersofAtlantia/

Filed under: Uncategorized

Good gentles, Mistress Faye and Ollam Lanea have loved their tenure as the Queen’s and King’s bards, but we know we must help select someone to follow along when we step down at Twelfth Night.

We cannot enjoy the rest of our tenure to the fullest if we do not help TRM Cuan and Signy select our replacements. Moreover, we want to give all of those interested in seeking a place in the august rolls of Atlantia’s Kingdom Bards plenty of time to prepare.

Thus, we present our challenge to the competitors:

We ask each competitor to prepare three pieces. One period piece, one piece that is new to the performer, and one that serves as a challenge or an inspiration to the performer. Each performer should limit their entire performance time to 15 minutes or less.

Documentation is required for the period piece. Documentation should cover information about the culture that produced the original, its place and date of composition/creation, and information about the author of the piece if possible. For pieces in languages other than English, translation into English is strongly encouraged. All documentation should be properly annotated and should include a bibliography documenting multiple sources researched by the performer. If documentation is also appropriate for other pieces, we would love to see and review it.

Competitors are encouraged to demonstrate their skills in multiple performance styles. Sing, recite poetry, play an instrument, demonstrate acting ability. Show us the breadth and depth of your talent. The broader your abilities, the higher your score.

Original pieces are encouraged as well. A competitor may pen an original translation of a period piece, write an original song or poem about a historical event, a myth, or an occurrence or aspect of SCA culture, compose an original instrumental piece, or produce some other bardic work that displays your talents as you see fit. The more creative and talented you are, the higher your score.

We encourage performers to be off book for all three pieces if possible. Memorization is important to both royal bards as a demonstration of personal investment in a piece. The better you know your pieces, the higher your score.

Participants are encouraged to fully embody a character during performance. Costuming, demeanor, acting ability, and a sense of maintaining “enchanted ground” during your performance can all gain you additional points.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Early Shakespeare Performances in Germany…Or “My Kingdom for a Copyright!”   (And fundraiser for The Trevor Project
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ )

Shakespeare’s works were not translated into German then shipped to German actors for local production immediately upon the Bard’s completion of his plays. Rather, the English performing artists who benefitted from Shakespeare’s material slowly tiptoed their way into German audiences like a mountebank insideously slipping his way into an audience member’s better judgement.

During the SCA period, before 1600, pieces of Shakespeare’s material were performed by English actors for German audiences in a kind of “Coming Attractions” fashion. The Bard’s best, audience pleasing bits were selected and incorporated into German comedies for years before full Shakespeare plays were performed in Germany. English actors teased the German people with Shakespearean salsa before the whole enchilada was served.

Wealthy European nobles often paid foreign traveling troupes to perform in their homes for special occasions. One great example of this practice was the 1575 Commedia dell’Arte play performed at Trauznitz Castle in Landshut, Germany for the Duke of Bavaria upon the occasion of a wedding. This play is portrayed in a mural along a 6 story staircase still visible in the castle today as can be seen at this web page: https://www.burg-trausnitz.de/englisch/castle/narren.htm
Performing troupes from Italian cities, France, Spain, and England were seen throughout Germany prior to 1600, just like the Trauznitz Commedia play of 1575.  Shakespeare’s material was used by English troupes in a smattering of skits, speeches, and stolen plots ensconced in comedy variety shows customized for the paying patron and his audience.

Here at Atlantia’s German Christmas Market (Atlantia’s Twelfth Night event for 2020), our little English troupe of actors will recreate a version of what German audiences could possibly have seen before 1600 when Shakespeare’s works were just starting to infiltrate the continent. 

Our local business contact, Herrin Genefe Wölfelin, has done wonders by getting us gigs at the houses of rich nobles during this exciting Christmas season. When we take some time to explore performing in the street at her local Christmas market, we hope to discover which of our favorite Shakespeare pieces appeals best to the German audiences. Will it be the comedies as our fellow English actors have reported back in London? Will it be the passionate war speeches? Will the performance by women be accepted? Come help us with medieval market research for Shakespeare’s works in Germany!

Our little English troupe of actors includes the following brave souls:

• Herrin Genefe Wölfelin
• Lady Meriorie Matheson
• Baron Manus MacDhai
• Baroness Sophia the Orange
• Lord Charles Fleming
• Lady Odile de Strasbourg
• Natanyel Violette
• Lord Owyn Wolfe

Preliminary research used to inform our presentation will be provided in hard copy at Twelfth Night. Many thanks to Natanyel and Lady Gwenhwyfar Weale for help researching Shakespeare in Germany!

We WILL pass the hat at the end of the performance with all proceeds going towards The Trevor Project, a non profit organization supporting LGBTQ+ youth:
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

It may be presented in the performance that we are collecting money for “bail” because one of our English actors got arrested for violating some crazy German law, but really the hat pass money is going to be donated to The Trevor Project.

Filed under: Uncategorized

The Royal Players of Atlantia is a program started in 2016, during Royal Court at Pennsic, with the blessing and support of Queen Thora and King Detrich of Atlantia.

It is a team of Performer-Administrators with the mission of creating more opportunities for performing arts to happen at SCA events.
Each teammate is skilled in at least one kind of performing art and also performs administration tasks. Their understanding of both what performers need and what admin tasks are necessary help them to serve the performers of Atlantia. They are also, as a team, spread geographically throughout Atlantia. The team has ranged from 10-13 members over the 4 years of the team’s existence.

The initial idea for this program was given to us by Master Ruaidhri an Cu in the early spring of 2016. He was serving as one of two Royal Bards for that year. The idea was for a team of people to help fulfill the needs of the entire performing arts community throughout the kingdom. Creating opportunities for performers of all kinds – singers, actors, instrumentalists, soloists and ensembles, poets, storytellers, dancers, magicians, and more – throughout the entire kingdom was a goal that could only benefit from more people working towards it.

While the renown and honor of winning our annual kingdom-wide Bardic competition is reserved for the Royal Bards of Atlantia, the Royal Players add to the mission of supporting all performing arts in Atlantia by creating opportunities for all kinds of performers. The Royal Players also support performing arts by modeling excellence in performing with their chosen art.

This team is informal and open to any performer in Atlantia. If you wish to perform administrative tasks supporting performers, and if you also have some skill and understanding of a performing art, you are welcome to sign up for the team. The team membership is open for new members during July and is announced during Royal Court at Pennsic. The Atlantian Crown traditionally offers a blessing in support of the team to continue their work.

Examples of the opportunities created by Royal Players include and is not limited to the following:
–Bardic Circles
–Instrumental ensembles
–Dance Bands
–Instrumental Ensemble Practice Sessions
–Bardic Competitions
–Long Storytelling Competitions
–European Dance Balls
–Middle Eastern Dance Haflas
–Middle Eastern Drumming Circles
–Performance Dances
–Parades
–Scripted Theater Plays & Skits
–Improvised Commedia dell’ Arte Plays & Skits
–Magic acts
–Background instrumental music during feast
–General Performing Arts Tents
–Invitational or Open Sign-Up Concerts
–Organizing the Performing Arts Track at Atlantia University
–Teaching Classes, classes, classes!

Royal Players also keep track of their accomplishments. Each royal reign, a report is given to the Atlantian Crown to report on the progress made by the Royal Players team. Annually, at Pennsic, the summary of that report is announced to the populace during court.

The Royal Players Team for Year #4, Pennsic 48-49, is as follows:

• Lady Iselda de Narbonne – Poetry, harp, and vocal performance
• Lord Ciaran mac Breandain – Instrumental guitar and vocal performance
• Baroness Machteld Cleine – Singing and Theater
• Lady Nicolosa d’Isenfir – European Dance
• Lord Alfarin Valison – Commedia dell’ Arte, vocal performance
• Mistress Fevronia Murometsa – Harp and vocal performance
• Lady Rhiannon of Raven’s Cove – Singing, multi-instrumental, European and Middle Eastern Dance
• Lady Jeane Kilmeny – Vocal Performance and Atlantia Performing Arts Guildmistress
• Lady Scholastica Joycours – Storytelling and vocal performance, and Pennsic Performing Arts Department Dean for Pennsic 47-50
• Baroness Sophia the Orange – Commedia dell’ Arte, instrumental dance band music, cello and vocal performance, Royal Players Administrator

If you are interested in signing up to serve as a Royal Player, watch this space and Facebook for the announcement of the opening of the sign up list in July.

Filed under: Uncategorized

This year’s Atlantia Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival (KASF) has a great plethora of performing arts activities for all Atlantians to enjoy!

This is the Day-long schedule:

• 10:00 – 12:00 Open Sign ups for performances
• 12:00 – 1:00 Demonstration Hour – specific performances demonstrating all the different kinds of performing arts in the SCA
  • 12:00 – 2:00 — Theater Guild Class in short scripted scenes by Lord Owyn Wolf (in a separate classroom).
• 1:00 – 2:00 Oldcastle Poetry Smackdown
• 2:00 – 2:30 Theater Guild Scenes performance
• 2:30 – 3:30 Commedia dell’ Arte performance by i Firenzi
• 3:30 – 4:00 Open Sign ups for performances
• 4:00 Court Begins

Open Sign Ups: Performers are encouraged to sign up ahead of time for 10 minute time slots during “open sign ups for performances” when they can perform their favorite material. Please sign up for just one 10 minute time slot until February 25. After February 25, if there are still open time slots, go ahead and take a second slot if you wish.

The morning hours of 10:00 –  12:00noon are set for Open Sign Ups.  The half hour of 3:30 – 4:00 might need to be used for Court setup – so please be flexible if you select that time slot.

The Demonstration Hour is an hour of 10 minute performances meant to showcase the wide variety of performing arts enjoyed by Atlantians. Six demonstrations will be shown: 

1. Solo vocal with instrument
2. Solo instrument
3. Group Vocal
4. Group Instrumental
5. Poetry
6. Scripted Theater

If you are interested in demonstrating one of these arts, please email Lady Kilmeny directly via “thekilmeny AT gmail DOT com.”

Commedia dell’ Arte will be demonstrated later in the day with i Firenzi’s afternoon performance.

Click here for the sign up sheet:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YaC2mMtqKypcD1QtTsn14BliF4p3r0C-qPlkYfhmQ0k/edit?usp=sharing 

The Oldcastle Poetry Smackdown will be run by Master Dunstan   leHeryngmongere. His description of the competition is below.

Lady Jean Kilmeny and Baroness Sophia the Orange are jointly organizing the performing arts portion of KASF.  Please direct questions and requests to Kilmeny after February 1 via “thekilmeny AT gmail DOT com.” 

Please direct questions about the Oldcastle Poetry Smackdown to Master Dunstan via his directions below at the end of his text.

Thank you for participating in Atlantia’s Performing Arts Community!

Sincerely yours, 

Baroness Sophia the Orange

Past Guildmistress, Atlantia Performing Arts, AS 50-AS 53

Oldcastle Poetry Smackdown Announcement from Master Dunstan  leHeryngmongere:

Greetings and Well wishes unto all the Poets, Lyricists, Orators and Wordsmiths in this, the fairest of all Kingdoms, Atlantia!

This year (2019) at the Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival (assuming the autocrat lets us in) there shall once again be held THE Duke Gyrth Oldcastle Memorial Poetry Smackdown, this one being the twelfth such annual event.

‘WHAT, PRAYTELL, IS A POETRY SMACKDOWN?’ I sense you asking . . .
I’m glad you asked.

The smackdown serves as an opportunity for poets of all experience levels to come and display their wordsmithing prowess in front of others in the spirit of good fun. This is not a competition, though each entrant shall be given a token to give to their favorite entry. And yes, occasionally some of the poets use this opportunity to . . . . make statements about each other. But that is by no means a requirement this year.

Entrants are asked to write the poems beforehand (this year there are two (2) poems required) and to either show up at the KASF to read their poems or to send them along with someone to read or to send them to me (the moderator of this year’s smack down) and I shall arrange to have them read.

There is an optional third poem that will be only for those who show up. The morning of the competition come find me and I will give you a verbal prompt. See #3 for a description below.

1) ENTRY POEM In honor of a great person and poet (Duke Gyrth Oldcastle) and in defiance of the many negative things happening in the SCA lately you must write a poem, in any period style, that speaks of the reason(s) why you still play in this game and dream this dream we share.

2) SHORT BUT SWEET- LET’S ALL TWEET!- A poem in any period style that speaks of a person that inspires you. Please note the definition of inspire; The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something. This can be a positive inspirational message or a full on smackdown, as long as it is about some form of inspiration. The catch is- it has to 144 words or less (not counting the title)

3) (OPTIONAL) THAT’S DEBATABLE- This one is only for folks who show up to the smackdown. In honor of the 500th anniversary of the debate between Martin Luther and John Eck wherein Martin famously denounces the Divine right of the Pope, I am going to give you a prompt and a note on whether or not you are ‘pro’ or ‘con’ for that prompt. Someone else unknown to you will be given the opposite side for that same prompt. You will be required to write, on site, a poem in any period style defending your stance. Then you and your oppone . . .er . . . colleague . . . will go head to head at the end of the smackdown.

Any questions, concerns, or dirty limericks should be addressed directly to me, your humble moderator.

Master Dunstan leHeryngmongere
On facebook you can message Keith Nealson if you have questions.

Tagged with: KASF • Poetry Smackdown

Filed under: Announcements • Atlantia Performing Arts Guild • Poetry

By Baroness Sophia the Orange, immediate past Guildmistress of the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild

At the Atlantia University’s 100th session this Saturday, February 2, 2019, I officially passed the torch of leadership for the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild to Lady Jeane Kilmeny! Vivat!

SCA Guilds are unofficial organizations, similar to households, that are created and managed by the people invested in them. Like so many aspects of the SCA, you get out of it what you put into it.

After 3+ years of re-energizing this guild, I felt it was time to pass on leadership, and Kilmeny accepted my invitation. She is a fountain of great ideas, new energy, and stuff I never would have thought of. I will still pitch in, especially for technical support for this blog and the Google resources we’ve been using for sharing information within the guild. And now, the buck stops with the magnificent Kilmeny. She will serve our community well, and I’m thrilled to pass this torch to her.

Below is the introduction of Kilmeny I gave the audience at University’s convocation yesterday. Many thanks to Mistress Adriana for allowing us time during the convocation to do this business.

Passing the Torch to Lady Jeane Kilmeny:

Bards are the foundation of Performing Arts in the SCA. Bards were the first ones to create space at SCA events for a person to take the stage and sing. Blossoming from the bardic foundation, many other performing arts have found space in the SCA: vocal, instrumental, solo, groups, theater: both scripted and improvised, commedia dell’ arte, storytelling, magic, sword dancing, and many more.

The Atlantia Performing Arts Guild provides informal structure for performing artists to network and find resources. That structure includes: an email list, roster, blog, and a Google drive for sharing tons of documents. (The facebook group “Bards and Performers of Atlantia was started by Lady Scholastica Joycours before the Guild was re-energized, so it’s not an official resource of the Guild, but that’s really splitting hairs. We’re all using the FB group to share and network.)

This Guild was started by Master Corun McAndra in 2002 with a royal charter and an email list on Yahoogroups. In 2015, with Corun’s blessing, Her Majesty Adelhait allowed me permission to re-energize the guild. Today, I pass the torch of leadership to an awesome new leader, Lady Jeane Kilmeny! <applause>

Kilmeny gets the job done with passion, accountability, and empathy. She works successfully with a wide variety of people, including special needs folks, and all the crazy wacky people all of us SCAdians are. She’s a mother of 2 and has been playing in the SCA for over 20 years. She pays attention to individual needs and balances them with the needs of the community making the SCA experience better for all of us.

She is reliable, holds herself accountable, and has a mischievous sense of humor.

At University alone, she started taking classes in 1994. She started teaching here in 2002. She has served many times as Autocrat, Nastycrat, Children’s Activities Coordinator, Performing Arts Coordinator, she’s fought heavy weapons, she sings, and she can teach you a ton about Irish culture!

My lords and ladies, I give you the new Guildmistress of the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild, Lady Jean Kilmeny! <the crowd goes wild!>

All photos here were taken by Andrea Nichols and used here with her permission. Thanks Andrea!! <3

Tagged with: Guild Leadership • Kilmeny • Passing the Torch

Filed under: Announcements • Atlantia Performing Arts Guild • Event Reports

New Pennsic University Maps and other Pennsic PA Cheat Sheets

• NEW MAPS!!! Showing the new location of NEW Runestone Campus and the Bog University location
  • http://honorbeforevictory.com/new-pennsic-university-map-with-runestone-campus/
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• Performing Arts Tent and Amphitheater performances – a one page list with descriptions PDF
  • https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-ta6p8JkuHPeGRrTVBBZzc0Y2dQeDdWQll1N0JpR1VFcFl3/view?usp=sharing
  • P47 PA & Rehearsals SCD FINAL with desc.xlsx – P45 PArts Schedule-Date order updated
• New Theater Track schedule – grid style
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• Commedia Track schedule – grid style
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• Commedia Track schedule – excel spreadsheet
  • https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x9y_sMWDuihTWP7X7aR9vOtGMVwxaYmG/view?usp=sharing
• Youth Performing Arts track – google calendar style
  • https://tinyurl.com/PennsicYouthPA
• Busking (street performing) Guidelines – PDF
  • Buskers Information Handout- updated for P47
• Pennsic Book PDF
  • http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/GENERAL/eventguide.html
• Pennsic University THING – database portal where you can download the entire, updated, class and performance schedule in spreadsheet format.
  • http://thing.pennsicuniversity.org/

Any questions about the Pennsic Performing Arts Department can be directed to Lady Scholastica Joycours, the Pennsic Performing Arts Department Dean (Fearless Leader #1) at scholastica.ppa  AT  gmail.com

Filed under: Pennsic

The Atlantia Royal Players are a team of performers that are both excellent performers and work to create time and space for performing arts to happen at SCA events.

This team of administrator-performers is comprised of performers from a wide variety of different performing arts as well as geographically spread throughout our fair kingdom. 

At Pennsic 2016, Their Majesties of Atlantia, Dietrich and Thora, kicked off this new experimental program at Royal Court.  At court during Pennsic 2017, Their Majesties of Atlantia, Cuan and Signy, witnessed the success of the first year of this program and blessed the team to continue.

At Pennsic Royal Court on August 8, 2018, Their Majesties of Atlantia, Dietrich and Una, will again witness and bless the Royal Players. The team members for Year 2 will be honored, and the team members for Year 3 will be introduced to the populace.

Each summer, the existing team members have the option to continue for the coming year or opt out. They also invite new members based on who they have seen devoting effort to both excellence in performing and also volunteering to create time and space for performing arts at events.

The Royal Players team for Year 2 are the following talented and hardworking performers:

1. Lady Scholastica Joycors – storytelling
2. Lady Harper an Cu – instrumental and vocal music
3. Lady Meriorie Matheson – theater
4. Lord Hákon Erfikvaethiskald – solo and ensemble singing
5. Mistress Fevronia Murometsa – instrumental and vocal music
6. Mistress Azza al Shirazi – instrumental music, specialty in dance band music
7. Lady Nicolosa d’Isenfir – European dance
8. Master Johann von Solothurn – instrumental and vocal music
9. Lady Rhiannon of Raven’s Cove – singing, multi-instrumental, European dance and starting some middle eastern
10. Lady Maia Bowen – Middle Eastern dance and music; European Dance
11. Lady Wenllyan Goch – European Dance
12. Lady Darci of Hawkwood – singer and multi-instrumentalist (including Hurdy Gurdy!)
13. Lady Machteld Cleine – Singing and theater, theater techniques and theater science, encompassing theater history, practice, sociology, audience reaction and societal context
14. Mistress Dervila Ni Leanon and Baroness Sophia the Orange – administrative and mentoring support

The Royal Players team for Year 3 will add a new member, Lord Owain Wolfe, who recently graduated from Highpoint University with a degree in Theater. He has participated in the commedia troupe I Firenzi, worked with other Royal Players Machteld, Meriorie, and Sophia to create a Theater Track at Atlantia University, and is also an avid fencer.

Year 2 team members Azza and Maia have done amazing work and are opting out for Year 3. The Atlantia Dance Band exists greatly because of the amazingly well-organized materials Mistress Azza has produced for musicians to prepare ahead of a dance band event.  Lady Maia has been impressively dedicated to teaching dance, both European and Middle Eastern to anyone in her travels. Her zills classes have been a hit at events and demos.

Mistress Dervila is also retiring from the Royal Players program this year. Her steadfast belief in the program was key to creating it and kicking it off in 2016, and we would not be here if she had not been so supportive.

The total number of activities for Performing Arts that the Royal Players have created or supported in the past year comes to 205!  The number of events that Royal Players attended totaled 48 not including rehearsals!

If you are seeking assistance in creating performing arts at your event, please reach out to the Royal Players team for support!  A public facebook group is available for anyone to post and reach the team, and anyone is welcome to email me, the administrator of the team, with any questions or requests for help. Orangesophie AT gmail

Vivant to the Royal Players of Atlantia!

With great appreciation,

Baroness Sophia the Orange

Guildmistress of the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild

Filed under: Atlantia Performing Arts Guild • Royal Players of Atlantia