Here are all the Performing Arts activities in chronological order. Some locations DID change since we lost use of Vingulf Hall, so please watch for announcements, signs, and disturbances in the force to inform you of location changes once you get to site! Friday night Vingulf Hall activities moved to the Picnic Shelter “Madrassa” and Saturday night Vingulf Hall activities moved to the Bardic Center tent. See notes in red below.

FOR ALL PERFORMANCES AND CLASSES – BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR!!!

Bardic Madness Challenges have been posted!  Lady Scholastica challenges the bards and performers of Atlantia to the following Fyts of Madness:

• A Tale a Tale, My Kingdom for a Tale (Pass the Tale)
  • All those who wish to participate get up together and tell a tale from beginning to end. The challenge’s patron will ‘conduct’ by pointing to the person whose turn it is to continue the tale, and deciding when it is time to end the tale.
• Descriptionary
  • Sometimes words have hidden meanings and it will be up to our team to define their given word, one word at a time to the audience until the word is completely defined.
• Wisdom is Often Fleeting
  • Aesop a mere slave, is credited for presenting teaching stories with a touch of wisdom so for this challenge you would be wise to come with a prepared Aesop story to tell. Stories should be five minutes or less.
• Shakespeare on the Fly
  • No preparation, for you will be handed a piece by Shakespeare and must stand and perform on the fly after 60 seconds. Sing it, dramatize it …own it.

Rules of the Challenge:

1. This is a challenge and not a competition. If you are playing then you have already won.
2. Challenges are designed to encourage you to try your hand at something new, to stretch yourself, to enjoy, and to celebrate the creative spirit.
3. Follow as closely as you can to the instructions as possible.
4. In order to allow the largest number of people to participate, prepared entries should be limited to five minutes or less (that includes the introduction).

If you are a Baronial Champion for your Barony in the Performing Arts, and if you wish to compete in Saturday night’s Inter-baronial Bardic Champions Competition, please be sure to sign up with the MC, Lady Sophia the Orange NO LATER THAN 12:00noon on Saturday!  Please send email ahead of time to  dmoas-performance AT atlantia.sca.org OR leave an UNMISTAKABLE message at Windmasters Hill Camp.

DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS!  Numerous folks are well versed in this whole program and ready to answer your questions! Please contact any or all of the following people to ask questions or advice on the best way to get the best bang for your buck per minute of fun at War of the Wings!

Lady Sophia the Orange, Whole Program and Commedia: dmoas-performance AT atlantia.sca.org

Lord Johann von Solothurn, Bardic Classes and Competitions: RoyalBard AT atlantia.sca.org

Vrouwe Machteld Cleine, Rabble Rousing: faerieeva AT hotmail.com

Lady Scholastica Joycors, Bardic Madness: totallystories AT gmail DOT com

Reynsa Kyferin, European dance band: meganfair.clarinet AT gmail DOT com

Lady Elizabeth de Northumberland, European Dance: mills_se AT yahoo.com

Mistress Azza: Middle Eastern Dance Hofla and Dance Band

Baroness Alianor of Sacred Stone, Bardic Smackdown War Point Competition:  https://sites.google.com/site/sscoronets/contact

The rule of the day at this event is to be as flexible, forgiving, and polite as possible to your fellow SCA volunteers. This event has had some rocky changes to juggle at the last minute, so please keep lines of communication open as we juggle and squeeze as much fun into these few days as possible!

Thanks for playing!

Lady Sophia the Orange

War of the Wings, Deputy Village Steward for Performing Arts

Kingdom of Atlantia, Minister of Arts and Sciences, Deputy for Performing Arts

Capocomico, i Firenzi

Fan of Anything That Comes To Life On Stage!

Vingulf Hall is Adults Only after 8:00pm on Friday Night!

Research has shown that some material from the sixteenth century and earlier is not appropriate for modern day children and teenagers. Specifically, the material in the research is not appropriate. Many woodcuts, paintings, and sketches of commedia dell’ arte from SCA period depict scenes that would be rated R or worse in modern movies. This does not mean that as adults we should not attempt to recreate this part of history.  Most of it is perfectly harmless with an adult’s perspective (enema syringes, uncovered body parts, bodily fluids, etc.).  It does mean that we need to create a safe space with walls and clear boundaries and communicate clearly regarding when and where we will engage in art forms that are not completely 100% guaranteed family friendly so those who wish to not engage can be not bothered.

War of the Wings is an event with enough space that some has been set aside, with clear boundaries, for an adults only area.  Here we can allow for some of the material from commedia dell’ arte that is not appropriate for children to be brought out from the books and used in real life plays.  I Firenzi has brought such a play to War of the Wings for the second year and will perform it in Vingulf Hall at 10:00pm on Friday night.  Bouncers will be stationed at the doors to Vingulf Hall for everyone’s sanity.  If you or a companion of yours is under 18 years of age, you are not allowed in Vingulf Hall after 8:00pm.  If you wish to break this rule, you must ask for special permission from Lady Sophia the Orange so that you and your adult guardian can make an informed decision based on full disclosure of the adult content expected to be presented in the play. Last year, two exceptions were made after careful conversations with parents, and the teenagers were not scarred. They both lived on to perform commedia themselves. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions ahead of time or get clarification from Sophia by emailing “capo AT ifirenzi DOT com”  or you can also use dmoas-performance AT atlantia.sca.org.

Commedia dell Arte by i Firenzi is improvised, so some risk is implied. No guarantee is made regarding exactly what will happen, what the audience will see, or what will be exposed during the play. All attendees enjoy the play at their own risk.

Photography, videography, and recording of any kind at all will not be allowed under any circumstances.

This year, i Firenzi is not the only performance for adults only in Vingulf Hall!  Remember, Vingulf Hall turns into an Adults Only zone after 8:00pm on Friday night, which is when the Bawdy Bardic by Ky begins!  As with all performances at War of the Wings… BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR!!!!

Friday night at War of the Wings… here is your lineup in Vingulf Hall!

I.

Bawdy Bardic by Ky 8:00 ~ 9:15pm

A beautiful, creative, and vivacious young lady named Ky will sing some of her own bawdy songs and lead a bardic circle in Vingulf Hall for those adults 18 years old and older who want to sing with her!

And if that weren’t enough… the ancient tradition of taunts and insults lives on!

II.

Rabble Rousing skits by Opposing Sides of the War starts around 9:15 ~ 9:30 ish…

The opposing sides of the War of the Wings will have the opportunity to engage in millennia old tradition of taunting and insulting the other side.  Each side will have no more than 15 minutes to crush the souls of the other side taking turns politely.

Then… what you’ve been waiting for since Pantalone stripped to his skivvies last year!

III.

Commedia dell’ arte performance of “The Issues of One’s Loins” by i Firenzi

The infamous annual “Naughty Show” of i Firenzi appears again at War of the Wings as a rare demonstration of some very real and documentable material of period commedia dell’ arte that is not family friendly nor appropriate for children at a regular SCA event. I Firenzi is grateful for this opportunity to stretch their creative muscles and perform some of their art form that is not safe for regular SCA events but appears regularly in commedia documentation.  Beautiful women will parade around Vingulf Hall with this documentation for anyone interested in the educational portion of our program. The family friendly version of commedia dell arte will be presented on Saturday in the Iron Commedia production before royal court.

The scenario, “The Issues of One’s Loins”, was written by Luceta di Cosimo, currently living in Pittsburgh, PA and regularly writing scenarios for i Genisii (often seen performing at Pennsic) in the style of Flamino Scala of Florence in the late 16th century.

Photography, videography, and recording of any kind at all will not be allowed under any circumstances.

For more information about commedia or i Firenzi, visit www.ifirenzi.com  and watch the videos!

Visit http://warofthewings.com/performing_arts.html  for all your War of the Wings Performing Arts info!

And if you’re looking for something lower key or guaranteed to be Family Friendly… there’s a lovely Castle next door to Vingulf Hall with European Dancing and a live Pick Up Band!  http://warofthewings.com/details/dancing.html  The music and dancing starts at 7:00 with the first half hour focused on kids.

Sincerely Yours,

Lady Sophia the Orange

War of the Wings, Deputy Village Steward for Performing Arts

Kingdom of Atlantia, Minister of Arts and Sciences, Deputy for Performing Arts

Capocomico, i Firenzi

Fan of Anything That Comes To Life On Stage!

Have you ever seen performers having fun on stage and craved joining in? Well, now you can! And not just “throw them in and hope they float” Nononono….. We will actually *teach* you something before making you face the terrifying stares of an expectant audience! (WARNING: All shows at War of the Wings are BYOChair!  There will NOT be enough chairs for everyone, so BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR PLEASE!)  And don’t worry about the deadline to register for classes… just show up if you haven’t registered and we’ll make room for you! No class size limits on Performing Arts Classes!

Friday:

1) Who’s Line Doth It Be?   Improvisation Skills class and Show 1:00 – 3:00pm

Have you ever seen the TV show “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” either the American version hosted by Drew Cary or the original on BBC? We’re going to run a mini-version of that show ourselves at WoW based on the version die hard performing arts geeks at Pennsic have been doing for many years.

But before that, a class will be taught in Improvisation Skills. You must take the class if you want to be in the show, but you can take the class and not perform in the show.  The class will run through six basic rules of improvisation that can help you in everyday conversation, living in persona at SCA events, better performance during SCA court schtick, and also performing improvised commedia dell’ arte. We will also learn the short form improv theater games that will serve as the structure of our Who’s Line Doth It Be Show.

Improvisation Skills Class runs from 1:00 – 2:00pm. Who’s Line Doth It Be show runs from 2:00 – 3:00pm.

2) European Dance Pick Up Band:  Rehearsal 12:00 – 3:00pm;  Performance 7:00 – 10:00pm (both Friday and Saturday)

Any and all musicians are welcome to join in a new kind of pick up band! To sign up, click here!

A lovely new professional music teacher and band director has joined the Barony of Nottinghill Coil a couple years ago and brings with her a passion for period music! Our new best friend,  milady Reynsa, will lead volunteer musicians through a rehearsal with Pennsic Pile sheet music from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm on Friday and Saturday to prep for playing for the balls on both Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7:00pm.  Click here for details including links to the sheet music, dance list, and recordings:   http://warofthewings.com/details/pick_up_band.html

3) Middle Eastern Dance:  Band Rehearsals Thursday – Saturday

Middle Eastern Dance Band will Rehearse on Thursday 2-3:00, Friday 3-4:00, and Saturday 2-3:00, then play for a Hofla dance party starting at 8:30pm Saturday night!

Three classes are also offered for learning middle eastern dance.

See the Dance page for details: http://warofthewings.com/details/dancing.html

Saturday:

1) European Dance: 10:00 – 11:00am

The ball on Friday night is a practice ball, so all the dances will be taught then, but more dances will be taught Saturday morning in this class (New Yere, Bel Fiore, Petite Vriens, and some bransles). The ball Saturday night will also have some teaching time.  For more details about learning and performing European dance, click here: http://warofthewings.com/details/dancing.html

2) Commedia dell’ Arte: Intro class and Iron Commedia show 12:00 noon – 5:00pm

Learn the basics of Commedia dell’ Arte, the Italian improvised comedy play style that was very popular throughout Europe in the 16^th century.  Intro to commedia class runs from 12:00 – 1:00pm.

Then whoever is ready for an intense creative thrill… we will run an Iron Commedia session from 1:00 to 4:00pm where we will write a commedia scenario based on who shows up and what characters people want to play. We will rehearse until 4:00, then we will put on our short play in the half hour before court as pre-court entertainment!  (Court starts at 5:00pm) Anyone who wants a part in the play gets one, but you have to have taken the Intro to Commedia class either that day or some other day to join in. Once we start writing the scenario at 1:00pm, the process takes off like a rocket!

3) Bardic Madness: Challenges and Performances  12:00 – 2:00pm

The Challenges put forth by Lady Scholastica Joycors, Kingdom Bard of 2014, are set forth as “Fyts of Madness” which will challenge bards to create material either ahead of time or in the moment.  Bards will then also have the opportunity to perform their material right there in the midst of madness!  Depending on how many participants show up, bards can exchange critique and improve on their works, discuss, challenge each other more, and let the madness lead them.

4) Bardic 101 & 102:  A class in all things Bardic 2:00 – 3:00pm

Lord Johann von Solothurn, the current Kingdom Bard, will help you get started in becoming a bard and/or help you take your bardic lifestyle to the next level based on who shows up to the class and what questions they bring.

5) Research for Performers:  A multi-purpose performers class 3:00 – 4:00pm

Lord Johann von Solothurn continues to spread the wisdom by offering resources for research for all kinds of performers.

6) Bards and Brewers Concert at the White Phoenix Inn – Starting at 9:00pm in Vingulf Hall

On Saturday evening, after you’ve had all this great instruction on performing all day Friday and Saturday, you can put it to good use if you signed up ahead of time to claim a 10 minute performing slot during the Saturday night concert!  Now, the Saturday night performances will begin with the Inter-Baronial Bardic Champions Competition starting at 9:00pm where those performers who have earned the honor of serving as their barony’s Champion in a performing art will compete for glory, honor, and spiffy prizes.  AFTER, the Champions have competed, the regular concert will commence with a lineup of performers who only had to sign up ahead of time.  Did you sign up ahead of time on the Google Form here?  If you miss signing up, you just move to the end of the line and a sign up sheet will be posted in Vingulf Hall so the organized concert can devolve into an all-night jam if performers show up who wish to share the space.

To sign up for a 10 minute performance slot in the Bards and Brewers Concert on Saturday night, click here!

The Kingdom’s Royal Brewer is leading his fellow brewers in gathering in the same space as the concert in Vingulf Hall on Saturday night starting at 9:00pm to share the fruits of their labor. So, no need to sign up, just bring your brewed creations to share!  Rumor has it that a special friend from the Barony of Windmasters’ Hill is also bringing a supply of Savory Toasted Cheese, so the evening will be full of brews, cheese, and song!

Stay tuned for two more blog posts covering the rest of the extensive Performing Arts Program at War of the Wings!  http://warofthewings.com/performing_arts.html 

Sincerely Yours,

Lady Sophia the Orange

War of the Wings, Deputy Village Steward for Performing Arts

Kingdom of Atlantia, Minister of Arts and Sciences, Deputy for Performing Arts

Capocomico, i Firenzi

Fan of Anything That Comes To Life On Stage!

The upcoming smorgasbord of entertainment opportunities at War of the Wings includes Competitions, Classes, Shows, and opportunities to sign up, jump in, and perform yourself! You can claim two minutes to shine in the spotlight, your whole 15 if you want them, or just kick back and watch the amazing performers from all over Atlantia as they pop out of the woodwork at War of the Wings! http://warofthewings.com/performing_arts.html

This first of four blog posts will explain in detail the Competitions at War of the Wings in the Performing Arts Program.

There are 3!  The number of the counting shall be THREE!

I.

First, on Friday afternoon from 3:00 – 5:00pm, there will be held an UNBELTED Bardic Tournament! This “UNBELTED” business means that if you have been elevated to a noble Order of Peerage, of any kind at all, you must join with a partner who is not also a Peer in order to compete in this competition. No documentation is required, but since the SCA is a 501c3 non-profit organization built on supporting pre-1600 historic research, material that is documentable to pre-1600 or of a similar style is heartily welcome and encouraged.

Voting for this tournament shall enjoy the following simple format: All performers who wish to compete will perform once and the audience will vote using beans in cups.  The top half ranking performers will move on to the second round.  Those performers will perform again and the audience will again vote on those performers using beans in cups.  The top half ranking performers from that vote will move on to the next round. This process will be repeated until one performer is left. That performer is the winner who will be showered in glory, bragging rights, and a very spiffy prize. This competition, the “Unbelted Bardic Tournament” will bring a very special and valuable prize to the winner sponsored by Lady Sophia the Orange.

Baronial Champions have been challenged to show up to this Tournament by the Kingdom Bard himself, Lord Johann von Solothurn! This is NOT, however, the “official” competition for Baronial Bardic Champions… that comes on Saturday.

A few experienced performers will be attending and are ready and willing to provide constructive feedback to any performer who wishes to get feedback in order to improve their performance.  Those performers interested in getting feedback need to just sign up to get feedback at the tournament.

II.

Second, Her Excellency, Baroness Alianor, OL, has again designed the annual War of the Wings “Bardic Smackdown” in order to determine the winner of the Bardic War Point for War of the Wings.  Immediately following the Torchlight Tournament on Friday night in the Marketplace there will be a “Bardic Smackdown Warpoint Challenge.” Their Excellencies of Hidden Mountain and Nottinghill Coill will pick their team of five people from their own baronies or from their allies to represent them in this Challenge. Their Excellencies of Highland Forde and Black Diamond will do the same. At the “Smackdown,” a performer from each team with come forth and perform. The populace will choose a winner. The next pair will perform until all five pairs have performed. The side with the most winners will get the War Point. For any questions regarding this competition, please contact Her Excellency Alianor directly. https://sites.google.com/site/sscoronets/contact

III.

Third, on Saturday evening, as the first part of the Bards and Brewers Concert at the White Phoenix Inn, those performers who have earned the title of Baronial Champion in the Bardic Arts or Performing Arts for their barony are invited to sign up to compete in a competition starting at 9:00pm in Vingulf Hall.  Those Baronial Champions who wish to compete on Saturday evening need to sign up by noon on Saturday with the MC, Lady Sophia the Orange, for the sake of organization and creating the line up by emailing dmoas-performance AT atlantia.sca.org with your name and which Barony you represent or leaving a message at Windmasters’ Hill camp on bright orange unmistakable paper (Ok, any paper will do, but please make it UNMISTAKABLE!). This competition, the “Inter-Baronial Bardic Competition” will bring a very special and valuable prize to the winner sponsored by Lady Sophia the Orange.

Per the request of the hosting barony, there are no official limitations or criteria on the material performers can perform in this competition.  If performers are interested in performing material that is documentable to within SCA period or of a similar style, assistance can be had from the following sources both online and personal:

• Lady Sophia the Orange, Atlantia Kingdom Minister of Arts and Sciences Deputy for Performing Arts, dmoas-performance AT atlantia.sca.org
• Lord Johann von Solothurn, Atlantia Kingdom Bard 2015, (guitar and vocal) RoyalBard AT atlantia.sca.org
• Lady Scholastica Joycors, Atlantia Kingdom Bard 2014, (Professional Storyteller) totallystories AT
• Atlantia Performing Arts Blog Links Page: https://perform.atlantia.sca.org/?page_id=12
• Facebook SCA Bardic group files section: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bardicarts/files/

The VOTING FORMAT for this competition is very new, different, and deserves your attention ahead of time…

Judging will be by beans-in-cups method by the populace with a twist! All members of the populace will get one bean to vote for their favorite performer PLUS one extra bean for every hour they have done service to support the event! If you sit at Troll for 3 hours, you get 3 extra beans to vote for your favorite performer! If you serve on Security for 5 hours you get 5 extra beans! You will be on your honor to report how many hours you performed volunteer service to the event when the voting beans are handed out. So, do more service, and have a more powerful vote in who wins the Inter-Baronial Bardic Competition!

Immediately following the competition will be the regular concert. Performers wishing to sign up for a 10 minute performance slot can sign up here: http://goo.gl/forms/JiIE2sKVm3

So, jump in and enjoy the thrill of competition as you step up into the spotlight or applaud the performers before you! Don’t hesitate to ask questions of the WoW staff or hosting baronage – everyone wants to enjoy the riches of the event and help you join in!

Stay tuned for the next three blog posts covering the rest of the extensive Performing Arts Program at War of the Wings!

Sincerely Yours,

Lady Sophia the Orange

War of the Wings, Deputy Village Steward for Performing Arts

Kingdom of Atlantia, Minister of Arts and Sciences, Deputy for Performing Arts

Capocomico, i Firenzi

Fan of Anything That Comes To Life On Stage!

By Lady Sophia the Orange

You never really know what’s going to happen at Pennsic until it does. A lot gets planned, and a lot happens, and the overlap is always an amusing gamble in the end. So here’s some of what really happened in the Performing Arts arena by the time Pennsic 44 was over:

Most performances did get produced according to plan as laid out in this blog post before Pennsic: https://perform.atlantia.sca.org/?p=152 .

Upon arrival at Pennsic, the staff discovered a significant infestation of hornets throughout the Amphitheater requiring a move of all Peace Week activities from the Amphitheater to the Great Hall.  However, reports of our own Lord Richard Wynn’s first solo concert and Lady Scholastica’s Shakespeare Open Mike Night in that space were outstandingly positive!  The commedia dell’ arte rehearsals in that space also found it excellent, so the hornet issue did not get in the way of our fun during Peace Week!

Lord Manus MacDhai and I did perform as planned in i Verdi Confusi’s Saturday night commedia dell’ arte play, but what was not planned was the autographing scene where I experienced a “Pennsic First” of autographing a man’s chest. Tis the joy of improv!

Another commedia thrill that was unplanned was a visit from His Majesty Stephan, the King of Lochac! This gentleman is also a Laurel in the art of Theater, and he enjoyed a day with us in the Iron Commedia session #1 on Friday of Peace Week!  He played Pantalone in the play conceived and produced in one afternoon, and you can see a tiny bit of the production here: https://www.facebook.com/Lara.Coutinho.Orange/videos/vob.100000217895334/1321810187836232/?type=2&theater

 King Stephan of Lochac playing Pantalone with the Iron Commedia cast of Iron Commedia Session #1 of Pennsic 44!

Another surprise from the commedia track came when Isabella the Pirate Queen, also serving as the Assistant Director of the Pennsic Commedia All Stars Troupe, broke her arm during the first 5 minutes rehearsing with her new band of pirates. Twenty volunteer pirates were given three days with the Assistant Director to create, learn, and rehearse their parts for the big Thursday night commedia show, but their fearless leader fell prey to the deep, hard mud ruts in the ground around the Amphitheater left after the last rock music event at Cooper’s Lake Campground by tripping over a rut and falling on her wrist. Crazy Pennsic luck being what it is, the Pennsic Commedia All Stars cast happened to include a blacksmithing Laurel who had a working forge back at camp, so the next rehearsal included a custom made hook for our Pirate Queen. Her final costume included a custom ladies’ pirate hook, personalized eye patch, borrowed ducal coronet, and spiffy red Italian gown. Best looking Pirate Queen Pennsic’s ever seen!

 Isabella the Pirate Queen with patch, coronet, and custom hook!

Master Efenwealt and Mistress Dervila did, in fact, produce their retelling of the legendary tale “Love Will Return; The Story of Heloise & Abelard” with the new sources and 100+ letters Dervila discovered. What we didn’t know ahead of time was how the various skills of Maîtresse Aénor d’Anjou would add to the beauty of the presentation and how support of indigogo supporters can make a simple Pennsic performance last forever. Watch for the crowdfunded DVD that includes footage from this performance to launch next summer.

Our own Lord Yakov did adjust to unexpected changes in his modern employment schedule and change his originally scheduled performance into a private camp bardic performance that had not been promoted enough for the amazing brilliance it ended up being! About 25 people got to witness Yakov’s telling of a reconstruction of a period collection of stories called “Sefer Hashashuim” (“The Book of Delights”) written by the Jewish physician Joseph Zabara in Seville in about 1200. The collection was originally written in poetic form, with a framing story providing a nested “story-within-a-story” structure similar to that of the Arabian Nights. In reconstructing the collection as a performance, he eliminated the poetic form and somewhat edited and restructured the story to enhance performability. For this reason, it is a reconstruction and re-editing and not an actual translation. This beautiful performance was enjoyed by a small group of lucky Pennsic campers who got the message about rescheduling, and hopefully, Yakov will be able to share it again back home in Atlantia for the rest of us.

And it was not a surprise at all that our dear friend, Margherita Battistina, was successfully elevated to the Order of the Laurel for her accomplishments in the art of European Dance as predicted and planned.  The vigil was lovely, and I enjoyed jumping in at the end, thanks to the efforts of many including Master Solvar, Lady Marion the Red, Baron Lorenzo, Master Stephan, and Lady Evelynn. The elevation ceremony in the dance tent was attended by a magnificent inter-kingdom dance community that testifies to Margherita’s great positive impact on a great many lovers of dance.

  Mistress Margherita, the first Atlantia recognized Dance Laurel in 16 years!

A final big surprise on the final Friday of Pennsic, for the final show, the Known World Players enjoyed the thrill of seeing the electric power to Cooper’s Lake Campground go out half an hour before their 8:00pm production of the Merchant of Venice. Seeing the sun set and leaving the stage in darkness, but never questioning the dedication to “The Show Must Go On!”, the KWP troupe, Pennsic Performing Arts staff, and various supporters moved the entire production out into the courtyard and established portable lighting. A combination of tiki torches, a single propane torch, and Manus MacDhai’s camp lantern footlights normally used at the Amphitheater created enough light in the right places for the actors to be seen. The instant teamwork brought to life a magical Shakespeare environment that became beautiful and memorable for all.

 Known World Players producing Merchant of Venice with torchlight and camp lantern footlights.

So, if you missed Pennsic, or if you missed the many Atlantians performing beautiful, funny, and impressive works of art at Pennsic, find them here at home and ask them for a repeat performance!

–Lady Sophia the Orange, Co-Track-Lead for Commedia, Foolery, and Physical Theater at Pennsic Performing Arts, Pennsic University, Pennsic 44 and  Atlantia MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts

Atlantians are stepping up to perform some magnificent works of art this year at Pennsic!
Want to know exactly where and when to see your fellow Atlantians on the stage?

You can sift through the official Performing Arts Schedule: http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn44/DEPTS/PERFARTS/perfschedule.html

or skim the Bards By Day/Bards By Night online version: https://sites.google.com/site/pennsicbbdbbn/home

or see if Mystic Mail has the BBD/BBN paper copy they usually have…
Or just read this…
In order of appearance:

• Lord Richard Wyn is putting on his first ever Pennsic solo show on Thursday of Peace Week, 7/30, 7:30 – 8:30 pm at the Amphitheater.
• Dragonsong, a world music band from northern Atlantia, plays a concert on Friday 7/31, from 10:00 – 11:30pm, on the Performing Arts Tent stage.
• Lady Scholastica co-hosts the Open Stage Shakespeare Night on the Green, Saturday, 8/2, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, at the Amphitheater
• Lady Sophia the Orange and Lord Manus MacDhai perform with the i Verdi Confusi commedia troupe in “The Courtesan’s Discount Bed” on Saturday night, 9:00 – 10:30 pm, on the Performing Arts Tent stage.
• Master Efenwealt Wystle and Mistress Aenor perform their annual concert on Sunday, 8/2, at 8:00 – 9:30 pm on the Performin Arts Tent stage
• Master Efenwealt Wystle Comedy Music- short concert pre-show to Who’s Line Doth It Be – Efenwealt sings from 6:30 – 7:00 pm on the Amphitheater stage
• Love with Return/ The Story of Heloise & Abelard: Master Efenwealt and Mistress Dervila present a retelling of this legendary love story, Tuesday, 8/4, 7:30 – 9:00 pm in the Performing Arts Tent stage
• Lord Johann von Solothurn, Atlantia’s Kingdom Bard, leads the Atlantia Bardic Circle (also a join in below) on Wednesday, 8/5, from 7:00 – 9:00pm in Atlantia Royal Camp!
• Lady Sophia the Orange directs the Iron Commedia performance at 7:00pm on the Amphitheater stage.
• Lady Sophia the Orange directs and Manus MacDhai, Genefa Wolfelin, Avalina del Dolce, Derek le Garde, and J. Conrad Muni star in the Pennsic Commedia All Stars troupe second annual production of a play produced entirely at Pennsic! Show begins at 9:30pm on Thursday 8/6 on the Performing Arts Tent Stage. (Other Atlantians may be seen on the stage portraying very sneaky pirates!)
• Mistress Dervila presents A Cycle of Norse Myths, from the Creation of the World to Ragnarok, on Friday, 8/7, from 6:00 – 7:30pm on the Performing Arts Tent stage

Open “join-in” Performances where you *might* see fellow Atlantians performing, or you can come JOIN IN include:

• Friday:
  • Iron Commedia session #1 of 2, Friday 7/31, create and put on a Commedia play in one afternoon from 1:00 – 6:00 pm in the Amphitheater. Show goes on at 6:00pm at the Performing Arts Tent stage.
  • Artisan’s Row has Friday 7/31 scheduled for Music Day
• Saturday:
  • European Music Exhibition, Saturday, 8/2, 2:00 – 5:00 pm in the Performing Arts Tent stage
  • Practice Safe Bardic Safe Practice – Bardic Circle, Saturday, 8/2, 2:00 – 5:00 pm, in Runestone Park
  • Open Stage Shakespeare Night on the Green, Saturday, 8/2, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, at the Amphitheater
• Sunday:
  • Avalina del Dolce, Derek le Garde, J. Conrad Muni, Manus MacDhai, Sophia the Orange and other commedia enthusiasts from Atlantia will perform in the Commedia Expo on Sunday, 8/2, from 2:00 – 5:00pm, on the Performing Arts Tent stage – and audience members will be welcome to join in some scenes!
  • Recorder Jam Session, Sunday, 8/2, 5:00 – 6:30 pm, in the Rehearsal and Class Tent
• Monday:
  • Bardic Arts Exhibition, Monday, 8/3, 2:00 – 5:00 pm on the Performing Arts Tent stage
  • Whose Line Doth it Be? Improv Comedy show – Monday, 8/3, Auditions for evening performance are 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the Amphitheater. Performance is 7:00pm at the Amphitheater.
  • Cantore Borealis, Monday 8/3 5:00 – 6:00 pm, Performing Arts Tent stage, A “pick up” choir formed during Pennsic. Ban Ollamh Orlaith Ballach Ingen Fhlainn, OL, of Northshield, organizes music, rehearsals and performers. Note: If you’re interested in performing, find her in Northshield populace camping for an audition.
  • Sing We and Chant it – Madrigal and A Capella Jam with optional join in rehearsals on Friday and Sunday – Performance on Monday 8/3, 6:00 – 7:30 pm on the Performing Arts Tent stage
  • Artisan’s Row has Monday 8/3 as Poetry Day
• Tuesday:
  • Middle-Eastern Dance Exhibition, Tuesday, 8/4, 2:00 – 5:00 pm on the Performing Arts Tent stage
  • Pennsic Fools’ Parade, OPEN TO ALL FOOLS! Meet at 3:00pm at the bathhouse. All ages welcome, and kids bring an adult!
• Wednesday:
  • Fool’s School Graduation Show, Wednesday, 8/5, 6:00 – 7:00pm at the Amphitheater
  • Iron Commedia session #2 of 2, Wednesday, 8/5, create and put on a Commedia play in one afternoon from 1:00 – 6:00 pm in the Amphitheater. Show goes on at 7:00pm on the Amphitheater stage.
  • Lord Johann von Solothurn leads the Atlantia Bardic Circle on Wednesday 8/5, from 7:00 – 9:00pm in Atlantia Royal Camp!
• Thursday:
  • Mini Bardic Madness, Fun Bardic Challenges, Thursday, 8/6, 12:00 – 2:00 pm Rehearsal and Class Tent
  • Story Telling Exhibition, Thursday, 8/6, 2:30 – 5:30 pm, Performing Arts Tent
  • Storytelling Academy Student Performance, Thursday, 8/6, 5:30 – 6:30 pm Performing Arts Tent
  • Pennsic Choirs Performances, Thursday, 8/6, 6:30 – 8:15 pm Performing Arts Tent
• Friday:
  • Pennsic Youth Commedia Performance, Friday 8/7, 5:00 – 6:00pm, Performing Arts Tent stage

Please come help STRIKE THE STAGE on Friday night 8/7 at 10:00pm, after the last performance! It’s always a hard time to find people still awake and willing to turn a screwdriver to help pull everything down. If you trod the boards anywhere at Pennsic, please pitch in and help us strike the set on Friday night!

Enjoy the Performing Arts all through Pennsic this year!

–Lady Sophia the Orange

Co-Director for the Commedia, Foolery, and Theater track of Performing Arts at Pennsic University

By Lady Scholastica Joycors

I started to come to Pennsic just five short years ago and taking classes at University was entertaining and educational but I found that classes in the bardic track were sparse. When THL Lorelei  Skye, the Pennsic University Dean of Performing Arts, asked me to take over the bardic track I thought this would be a good opportunity to increase classes in all three areas of bardic; poetry, storytelling and music and thanks to the many people who heard my call for teachers we have a full track this year.  There for a while I didn’t think it would happen so few people responded but in the last few days of charting all the classes our bucket was overflowing and we were scrambling to find places to put everyone.  Classes begin on Wednesday, July 29 and there is a class/rehearsals going on every hour from 10 AM till 5 every day, which breaks down to 275 spaces filled in performing arts, 60 different bardic classes, in 6 locations. Classes are held in the Performing Arts Tent (PAT), Amphitheatre (AMPI), Practice Arts Performance Tent, Classroom AS9 along with a couple other classrooms and the battlefield. Can you just say Huzzah!

For the definitive description of all the classes, times and places check out these links:

You can sign onto Thing and download a copy of all the classes with descriptions or you can look at the Google Calendars that Lorelei Skye created that you can download to your phone, https://sites.google.com/site/pennsicbbdbbn/calendar

There are several places you can go to get complete descriptions, times and dates. For performances:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Sd2ToAXllciJVKKdU1q0Fr3ropUbBSe-0CoMXaF20JY/edit#gid=0

or

http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn44/DEPTS/PERFARTS/perfschedule.html

Atlantia has stepped up and several of her bards are showcasing this year:

Pennsic Choir has several of our lofty voices who have been practicing all year just to soothe our souls with their musicality. See the performance on Thursday 8/6 at 6:30pm in the Performing Arts Tent.

Richard Wyn: Thursday 7/30 at 7:30 in the Amphitheatre presents ‘A Bardic in Minature’

Efenwealt Wystle: Sunday 8/2 at 8:00pm in the Performing Arts Tent hold his traditional concert with Mistress Aenor & Monday 8/3 at 6:30pm in the Amphitheatre presents ‘Comedy Music’

Sophia the Orange (who co-runs the Commedia Track): Wednesday 8/5 at 7:00pm presents Iron Commedia

Dervila ni Leanon & Efenwealt Wystle: Tuesday 8/4 in the Performing Arts Tent present ‘Love Will Return – The Story of Heloise & Abelard’

Dervila ni Leanon: Friday 8/7 in the Performing Arts Tent presents ‘A Cycle of Norse Myths’

And don’t forget the Atlantia Bardic Circle on Wednesday 8/5 from 7:00 – 9:00 in Atlantia Royal Camp led by our own Kingdom Bard, Johann von Solothurn!

I could go on and on about all the great Bardic things going on at Pennsic like all the bardic circles that can be found every night (check out the Bards by Day/Bards by Night book kept at the Mystic Mall) and don’t forget the Bardic Expo on Monday afternoon or the Storytelling Expo on Thursday afternoon…wait, wait there is also the Practice Safe Bardic Safe Practice (which used to be called “The Peerless Bardic Circle”) on Saturday or Bardic Madness or Shakespeare on the Green or the Sing We and Chant It Madrigal Jam. Needless to say there are a plethora of classes, performances, and opportunities to perform so that when you leave Pennsic you will leave with your bardic mug filled to overflowing.

Yours in Story and Song,

Lady Scholastica Joycors