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

Performing Arts show up in many forms in the SCA, and at the Atlantia Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival (KASF), the Atlantia Performing Arts community is demonstrating all those forms. Below is the schedule for Performing Arts opportunities at KASF followed by the link to the Google spreadsheet where you can sign up for performance times!

THIS SCHEDULE HAS CHANGED AS OF 2 MARCH 2017:

10:00 – 11:00 – Nothing.

11:00 – 1:30 – Open Sign Ups for Performances

1:30 – 2:00 – Competition Performances for Pentathlon and Baronial Champions

2:00 – 3:00 – Performers Resources and Materials Roundtable – in the sanctuary

3:00 – 4:30pm – i Firenzi Commedia del’ Arte mini-class and performance – in the sanctuary

Sign up sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1skHFIcWH_m9ehUHP0U2_BeqE9Yllb1i1kULl5BHr758/edit?usp=sharing

Due to lack of participation, we are no longer doing the pre-defined slots for demonstration performances. To get an idea of what we were going for, please see the video recording of last year’s KASF Performance Demo Hour here: https://youtu.be/8NYrd9kS7Ww  If you want to try to set up one of these Demo Hours at another event, please contact Sophia the Orange via orangesophie AT gmail.

Please go ahead and sign up on your own via the google spreadsheet if you’d like to perform during “Open Sign Ups”in the hours between 11:00am – 1:30pm. Please take as many slots as you want. To get an idea of what we’re going for, please see the video recording of last year’s KASF Performance Open Sign Ups Hour here  https://youtu.be/6ifUTJwEEFI

Performances for the Competitions in Persona Pentathlon, Persona Triathlon, or Baronial Championship will be held between 1:30 – 2:00pm. If they end early, the performance slots will be open to Open Sign Ups for those performers who are in the room at that time.

Contact Lady Sophia the Orange via orangesophie AT gmail DOT com if you have any questions about the Performing Arts Program at KASF.

The Performing Arts community achieved new heights at this year’s Twelfth Night event in the Barony of Sacred Stone! Peruse the pictures below and watch out for these gentles in the coming months if you want to come join in the fun!
1) European Dance! Sacred Stone’s own Lady Elizabeth of Northumberland led the dancing with excellent teamwork and support from Lady Nicolosa d’ Isenfir, our Royal Player in Dance. These two ladies brought dance education and graceful leadership to the event such that over 50 people got to enjoy the noble art of dance at the evening ball.

2) The dancing was supported by skillful and joyful efforts of Mistress Azza and the pick-up dance band under her direction! Ten instrumentalists followed Azza’s fearless direction and organization to produce high energy, live dance music deep into the night. Mistress Azza also serves as a Royal Player and will be producing live pickup bands at more events in the future. Watch for her at Ymir!

3) Our Royal Player in Theater, Lady Meriorie Matheson, produced an enlightening competition for actors to present their favorite Shakespeare pieces! Nine actors presented a wide variety of scenes from The Bard. The winner of the competition was a pair of amazing actors, Lady Machteld Cleine and an SCA newcomer, Cody, portraying Benedict and Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing. See the video clip of their scene here:  https://www.facebook.com/Lara.Coutinho.Orange/videos/1877274525623126/?l=6072083277919904046

It’s one of the most excellent pieces of theater I’ve seen at an SCA event in years! These still pics are of some of the other excellent monologues.

4) One of Sacred Stone’s multi-talented performers, Lord Akiyama Kazuhiko, took on the great challenge of producing the Twelfth Night Murder Mystery play… and it was a hoot! The cast was talented and engaging as they kept us laughing and guessing at the causes of sudden death all day.

5) The Royal Bard competition proceeded per tradition at Twelfth Night with a long list of talented participants. Royal Bards for 2016, Lord Gideon ap Stephan and Master Ruaidhri an Cu, presented three brilliant performers to Their Majesties for the final competition during feast that night. Despite the most extremely challenging conditions of noise and interruptions in the feast hall, all three competitors, Lord Hakon Erfikvaethiskald, Harper an Cu, and Lord Richard Wyn, proved worthy of the position. The young lady Harper An Cu finished the evening with the title of Royal Bard!

6) The Rotunda, the circular area between the staircase and hall of art, hosted a non-stop stream of performers bringing music to the people throughout the day. Performers in the Rotunda included: Lord Johann von Solothurn, Cornelia Caeciliana, Baroness Margaret Cochrane, Baroness Morgan Wolfsinger, and the amazingly talented instrumental group Lillies Among Thorns!

7) The lunchtime tavern also brought some musical thrills when “Painted Wheel” band took the stage and kept the lunch patrons entertained!

8) Laughter brought the event to new heights with i Firenzi’s performance of Italian, 16th Century, improvised comic Commedia dell’ Arte in the afternoon’s play “Arlecchino of La Mancha!” The premier of this play included many new commedia actors enjoying their first performance. We were blessed by the presence and service of a silent herald who interpreted the whole improvised show into sign language! A special moment was also brought to us when the final scene was interrupted (with permission of the director) by Their Excellencies of Windmasters’ Hill bringing an award to one of our actors in the name of TRMs. Lord Jaume de Monco was honored with an Award of the Coral Branch for his many artistic talents including acting, stage magic, bardic performance, and brewing. See the video of the whole play and Jaume’s honoring here:  https://youtu.be/MKedlRJ-VwQ

Twelfth Night again brought too much fun to cram into one day! Many thanks to the event’s Autocrat, Baroness Caitlin Macdonoughue for her tireless efforts at organizing and providing event space for the Performing Arts Community to enjoy their arts!

Atlantia Performing Arts Guild meeting at Unevent: December 3, 2016

Video recording link: https://youtu.be/Ee6vHBwngw4

Agenda & Notes:

• Google resources for sharing files like class handouts etc:
  • Googlegroup email list – adding 5 more emails to the list today –  brings the total to 81 members
    
  • Membership in the googlegroup email list creates access to the Google Drive shared folder where we keep many resources like class handouts, meeting notes, links to videos, and links to many other resources:
    • https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ta6p8JkuHPOVc0Tk0tellxcEU
    • Guild Roster is one of the spreadsheets in that folder, and anyone on the googlegroup email list can access the Guild Roster or add their name and info to it:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1b_hh_0avEed-GEWwTLigKL5VSFYhatiXiSHBESZPNKg
• Royal Players program is going strong – 10 people across the kingdom and covering many skills in Performing Arts. Monthly check ins. Creating many opportunities for performing arts to happen at events.
  • Search Facebook with the term “Royal Players” to find their Facebook group and engage with them. Here’s the direct link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RoyalPlayersofAtlantia/ 
  • The Baroness of Marinus, Baroness Catalina, is interested in producing a run of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, so she will reach out to the Royal Player Lady Meriorie Matheson who is a Shakespeare scholar.
    • Anyone can reach out to the Royal Players via their facebook group to consult on any Performing Arts topics.
• Administrative separation from MOAS office:
  • Lord Etienne, the Kingdom MOAS, decided in June that the Guilds all needed to be completely separate from the MOAS office.
  • We (Etienne and Sophia) agreed that the one required duty for supporting performing arts in Atlantia that would remain with the MOAS office, specifically the duty of the MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts, would be creating the quarterly report on the status of Performing Arts in Atlantia. For an example of this report, see the last report submitted by Sophia for the October 2016 quarterly report here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ta6p8JkuHPOUpmRWdXODBZcWc
  • The remaining tasks for supporting the Performing Arts in Atlantia remains with the Performing Arts Guild.
• Royal Bard competition is January 14th at the Kingdom Twelfth Night event: http://www.twelfthnight.atlantia.sca.org/activityPERF.html
  • The description offered by Royal Bard of the North, Master Ruaidhri an Cu, is this:
    • “My Lords and Ladies, Most Worthy Peers, and dearest cousins, Once more the time has come to select those who will serve as Royal Bards for Their Majesties and Their successors. At the celebration of Twelfth Night a competition will be held and Lord Gideon, the Bard of the South, and I encourage all bards to come and compete. The competition will be comprised of three rounds.
    • In the first and second round competitors should perform pieces in different modes. For example, if a story is performed in the first round, the bard should perform a song, instrumental piece, poem, or some-such for the second round. One of the pieces performed in the first two rounds must be period, documentation should be provided. Please limit pieces to five minutes. Extra consideration shall be given to bards who perform original compositions in addition to the period piece.
    • Those bards who are selected for the final round shall perform for Their Majesties and the populace during feast. Pieces should be limited to eight minutes.
    • Should you have any questions, concerning the competition, appropriate pieces, etc., please feel free to contact me. Your servant, if you would have me, Olaugh Ruaidhri an Cu (Bard of the North) Email: raidhriancu@gmail.com  Facebook: Ruaidhri an Cu
  • The description of the Royal Bard duties from Kingdom Law is this text from Appendix E of Kingdom Law availabile here: http://atlantia.sca.org/offices/seneschal/clerk-of-law/book-of-law/laws-of-the-kingdom :
    • E.1. Duties and Responsibilities of Kingdom Royal Notables The Kingdom Royal Notables are expected to encourage the disciplines for which they are selected.
      • Suggested goals and duties are:
        • • Services in their discipline for the Crown
        • • Sponsoring at least two competitions in their field during their tenure
        • • Working with Branch Officers to encourage the growth of their discipline
        • • Teaching in such venues as are available and reasonable
    • E.2. Kingdom Royal Notables
      • E.2.1. The Royal Bard for excellence in the individual performance of any of the following fields: Singing, Instrumental music, Poetic rendition, Storytelling. The Royal Bard is encouraged to be proficient in at least two of these fields. One or two bards will serve at the same time, depending on the whim of the Crown.
  • Additional ideas about what the assembled members of the Guild wanted to see produced by the Kingdom Bard were generated:
    • Random acts of Entertainment
    • Entertainment during breaks in Crown Tourney
    • Supporting and promoting the concept of “Mug the Gate” where, at camping events, camps can issue an invitation to wandering performers to come into their camp to entertain by hanging a mug decorated with ribbons from their camp gate. See the song from Lord Drake Oranwood called “Mug Your Gate” here” https://drakethebard.com/bardic/mug-your-gate/
    • Leading groups of bards to crawl campfires at camping events to find mugged gates.
    • Passing on their knowledge by sharing lyrics and sheet music and links to recordings on You Tube
    • Producing sing alongs where people can sing along even when they’re new and don’t know the words.
    • Bringing back social and silly songs
    • Pre-court entertainment
• Conference call for discussing Performing Arts Competitions
  • Interest was moderate for participating in a conference call just to discuss Competitions
• Upcoming events with performing opportunities:
  • Twelfth Night, January 17 – ongoing mini-concert series all day; performers can sign up for 10 or 20 minute time slots.
  • Winter University, February 4 – Performing Arts Track being organized by Lord Jaume de Monco – email him at: Craig Daniel <craigbdaniel@gmail.com>.  http://university.atlantia.sca.org/
  • Ymir, February 25:  Bardic Circles in afternoon and evening, European Dancing in afternoon and evening, Commedia show and mini-class in afternoon. http://ymir.windmastershill.org
  • Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival: March 4 – Many hours of performance opportunities and a demo hour. http://atlantia.sca.org/137-events/170-event-info?event_id=6bf73f21

The next meeting of the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild will be in January after Twelfth Night and include an introduction to the new Royal Bard who will be determined at Twelfth Night.

Link to these notes in the Google Drive shared folder: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jpTCB25lDwouuEQQGMwC-5PJxWWSNeKYbDC-Je_L6Jk/edit?usp=sharing

The Atlantia Kingdom Art and Sciences Festival 2016 hosted an amazing extravaganza for Performing Arts!  No less than 26 performers showed the populace of Atlantia a Demo Hour of the many ways Performing Arts shows up in the SCA, and the hour before that was filled with impressive performances from groups and soloists!

This link takes you to the video recording of the Demo Hour of Performing Arts: https://youtu.be/8NYrd9kS7Ww
This link takes you to the video recording of the open sign-ups hour we had for all performers right before the Demo Hour: https://youtu.be/6ifUTJwEEFI

More recordings of the Commedia dell’ Arte mini-class/demo and the period scenario presented by i Firenzi are coming soon!
Many thanks to Lord Manus MacDhai for processing these videos and making them available to us all!

Thanks also to Mistress Ceridwen ferch Owain for helping us organize this extravaganza at KASF!

–Lady Sophia the Orange, Kingdom MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts

Most of what was planned for War of the Wings 2015 did happen and get produced as planned which was posted in the other 4 blog posts laying out the plan for the Performing Arts Program at War of the Wings 2015:

WOW Performing Arts 1 of 4 , WOW Performing Arts 2 of 4, WOW Performing Arts 3 of 4, WOW Performing Arts 4 of 4,  but as we all know…nothing ever goes quite as we planned it…

Friday started with a great kickoff of a new method for creating a European Dance Pick Up Band! We used sheet music from the Pennsic Pile, Milady Reynse Kyferin from Nottinghill Coil led the band, and volunteer musicians from all over the kingdom came to the castle to rehearse at noon on Friday and Saturday. They provided music for the European dancing on both Friday and Saturday nights!  Here is a picture of some of the volunteer musicians:

The pick up band for Middle Eastern dancing led by Mistress Azza that played on Saturday night was also a great success!

On Friday, we did hold a great class in Improvisation Skills followed by a laughter filled “Who’s Line Doth It Be Anyway” show! Here are a few pictures from that show:

After “Who’s Line” we held an Unbelted Bardic Tournament. The “unbelted” part was a challenge to any Peer who wanted to participate… any Peer needed to bring a *partner* to perform with who was not also a Peer. The one taker we had on this challenge was Mistress Dervila who partnered with her husband Tom the Drumbuilder in the telling of stories.  The winner of the tournament was Baroness Morgan Wolfsinger of Black Diamond!

Here’s one pic from that tournament:

Friday evening, many performances occurred.  The Bardic Smackdown War Point Competition happened.  There was no light nor heat nor clear direction provided, but once Mistress Dervila stepped in to instill some guidance on the chaos, ten performers did provide their best performances in contribution to the War effort.  The performers that braved the cold and chaos of war were these brave souls:

North:

• Baroness Morgan Wolfsinger of Black Diamond
• Lord Johann von Solothurn of Black Diamond
• Mistress Dervila of Hawkwood
• milady Fennic du Blayz of Black Diamond
• milady Rosheen from Highland Foorde

South:

• Lady Morgaine of Hidden Mountain
• milady Reynsa Keyferin of Nottinghil Coil
• milady Albree of Nottinghil Coil
• Lady Isabella Arabella Daughter of Hidden Mountain
• THLady Jorunn nic Lochlainn of Hidden Mountain

The South side won the war point.

Also preparing for war on Friday night were the Rabble Rousers and Bawdy Bardic singers warming up the Adults Only crowd for the eventual Naughty Commedia Show of i Firenzi.

Rabble Rousers for Black Diamond were led by our Kingdom Bard, Lord Johann von Solothurn, and Rabble Rousers for Nottinghill Coil were led by the ever-innocent Lady Machteld Cleine.  Milady Ky led the Bawdy bardic singing until i Firenzi was ready with the very silly, adults only, commedia dell’ arte play “The Issues Of One’s Loins” which had special guest star appearances by Master Efenwealt Wystle and also His Majesty Christophe of Atlantia!

Here is the one picture allowed to be published from the i Firenzi play:

Saturday saw a cascade of successful plans come to fruition!  All the classes, rehearsals and performances ran as planned including: a European dance class, meeting of the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild, Intro to Commedia dell’ Arte class, Iron Commedia rehearsal, Bardic Madness class & performance, Bardic 101 & 102 class, Research for Performers class, and the Iron Commedia performance before court!  Here’s a rarely seen before and after set of pictures of the novice commedia student cast before and after the Iron Commedia show:

Before:   After: 

Saturday night, there was a competition held for the Baronial Bardic Champions from all the baronies of Atlantia that was supposed to be followed by a lovely concert with performance slots for both a handful of pre-scheduled experienced performers and also open slots for whoever wanted to come join in the fun.  As it turned out, we did not have use of the Vingulf Hall, so we were out in the open air experiencing the very cold wind that night.  We did bring with us one fire bowl and the camp-lantern footlights we use at Pennsic, so we had a little light and heat. The following brave souls huddled around the fire bowl kept their promises to compete for the honor of their home baronies:

1. Baroness Morgan Wolfsinger – Baronial Bardic Champion of the Barony of Black Diamond (Who won the Unbelted Bardic Tourney on Friday!)
2. Lady Thamira HaSopheret- Baronial Bardic Champion of our hosting Barony of Sacred Stone
3. Lord Jaume de Monçó (Craig B. Daniel) – Baronial Performing Arts Champion of the Barony of Windmasters’ Hill
4. Lady Morgaine Ferguson (Ivy Pandora) – Baronial Bardic Champion of the Barony of Hidden Mountain
5. milady Reynsa Keyferin – Baronial Bardic Co-Champion of the Barony of Notinghil Coil (also Director of the WoW European Pick Up Dance Band!)
6. Lady Deirdre O’Bardon – filling in for the Baronial Bardic Champion of the Barony of Bright Hills
7. Lady Scholastica Joycors (Mylinda Butterworth) – Baronial Bardic Champion of the Barony of Lochmere

Many thanks to those who braved the cold to witness and provide an audience for these dedicated and loyal Baronial Champions! That includes a few performers who had committed to perform in our “Bards and Brewers Concert” which turned out to be a cozy circle of dedicated bards including Master Scott Efenwealt Vaughan and Mistress Aenor (Kirsten Humdinger Vaughan), Lord Johann von Solothurn, Mistress Rosalind (Jonna Bernstein), and my ever supportive baritone husband Manus MacDhai (Scott Dean) , AND Dervila Ni Leanon and Tom Drumbuilder!

Special thanks also to Their Excellencies of Windmasters Hill, Callixtus and Adriana, who did come brave the cold to witness the competition.

The winner of the Inter-Baronial Bardic Champions Competition on Saturday night at War of the Wings was Lord Jaume de Monçó, the Performing Arts Champion of the Barony of Windmasters’ Hill!  He performed an impressively smooth period magic trick of “Cups and Balls” and will share the research documentation of it by request.

Sorry, there are no pictures to share from Saturday night’s performances – it was WAAAAAY too cold and dark!

So watch this space for the next announcement for your opportunities to take part in Performing Arts in the Kingdom of Atlantia!

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

Herein contains a report on the performing arts activities made known to me for two Atlantian events on the day of January 24, 2015:

The Barony of Storvik held the event “Storvik Song and Dance – All The World’s A Stage” where a wide variety of performances entertained the people including dance, music, theater, and more!

This portion of the report is submitted by Lady Teleri the Well-Prepared (and boy is she!).

First, Their Excellencies of Storvik, Griele and Badouin, opened the event, welcoming all to the hall.

Yves de Fortanier, come from Meridies, and Mirabella taught an Absolute Beginner Dance Class lasting one hour.

The populace, having ignored the rows of chairs facing the stage in favor of the tables along the walls, dictated a shift in venue for the performances from the stage to the dance floor. (Note to the populace: if chairs are set up on purpose for performances by the events staff, chances are good they will provide you the best view of the performance.  Note to event staff: if the populace votes with their feet regarding where they want to sit, regardless of your best laid plans, make note of their behavior and adjust plans for the next event. Ed.)

In the first block of performances, each 20 minutes in length:

• Lady Swannoc Beag regaled the hall with a story of her experiences with the Ghost of the Dulin Waters, the eye(s) of St. Amblyopia, and the power of compassion.
• Lord Richard Wyn sang, with and without his guitar, songs of the current Middle Ages and the Tudor era.
• Members of Clan Cambion (having recorded their names without their many honorifics as Igor, Fevronia Murometsa, Volodya of Cambion, Gwaithin of Cambion, and James of Rutland) did perform harmonies both rousing and sublime.

Yves de Fortanier did teach the dances “Goddesses” and “Hide Park” in a class lasting one half hour.

In the second block of performances, each as long as those in the first set:

• Vagando Stolti, a commedia dell’arte troupe in Lochmere, did perform three most humorous sketches, alerting the audience to the dangers of feeding one’s dragon energy drinks.  Their names be given as Avelina del Dolce, James Butler, Constanza de Talavera, Kalie, and Deryk LeGard.
• Three Left Feet, a dancing troupe who form the third pillar of Storvik’s Monday practices along with the heavy and rapier fighters, exhibited their precision and grace.  Their names be given as Fred Blonder, Eowyn Ellison, Dale Neiburg, and Melinda Grotsinger.
• Lord Maugorn the Stray, playing tambourine, guitar and harmonica all at once, sang a trio of pieces.  At one point, needing a member of the audience to play the vuvuzela, Baron Baduin did volunteer – and revealed that Storvik’s ring-giver is a man of many talents, including the playing of trumpets!
• Lady Gwen of Lochmere sang some Tudor era songs.  For the first, she was accompanied by Lord Watkin of Kent on mandolin.  Despite the duet being unrehearsed, it was a most delicate and pleasing sound.

Avelina del Dolce did teach Beginning 15th Century Italian Dances, being “Petit Vriens” and “Amoroso,” in a class lasting one half hour, or somewhat more.

In the final block of staged performances:

• Master Rhuaidhri an Cu told tales and sang songs to the delight of all.
• Lady Scholastica, having so recently laid aside the responsibilities of Royal Bard, amused and edified the populace with a tale of foolish Jack and his many attempts to bring his wages home.
• The Performing Artists’ Guild Extraordinaire (PAGE) of Bright Hills played several pieces in a consort of harp, mandolin, and flute.  Their names be given as Yseulte Trevelyn, Reyne Telarius, and Bridgette Cunningham.

Finally, before feast, there was a basic beginner’s dance class.

Many musicians did lend their skill on behalf of the dancers.  With Lord Maugorn the Stray acting as the apparent ringleader, the others whose names I recorded are: Patricia of Trakai, Watkin of Kent, Rose, James of Rutland, Cynthia Anne of Silverlakes, Donal Sutton, Sir Jeff Schmitt, Barbara Schmitt, and Lisbeth of Spinning Winds.

After the potluck feast, I retired to the bardic circle, where 11 good gentles kept company with songs, stories, music and poetry.  I cannot speak to the attendance at the Grand Ball, being as I was not present for it.

All errors, mis-spellings of names, and absent honorifics are my own, and I plead that they are not from any malice but rather the perpetually harried state of the deputy autocrat.

All in all, I have heard that slightly fewer than eighty gentles passed the day with us in good cheer, despite the threat of foul weather.  Their Excellencies of Storvik pronounced themselves well-pleased with the efforts of Lady Sonya (aka: Patches) – indeed, elevating her into their Order of the Lozulet for all her good works – and they desire that the event occur again in the next year.

This being an account as true as I can make it.  Teleri the Well-Prepared; Deputy Autocrat for Performance, Storvik Song and Dance

This portion of the report on dance at Storvik Song and Dance was prepared by Lady Sonya, aka: “Patches”

• Beginner Dance class taught by Mirabella Walmesley of Grimsby and Yves de Fortanier included Belle Qui Pavanne, Black Alaman, and Hearts Ease.
• Advanced English Country Dance taught by Yves de Fortanier included Goddesses and Hyde Park.
• 15th Century Italian Dance taught by Avelina del Dolce.  She did Petit Vriens and Amroso.

More general dance dictated by student requests was taught by Yves, Mirabella, and Patches.

The ball ran for almost 3 hours, with 3 sets.  We did the following dances:

FIRST SET

• Belle Qui Pavanne
• Montard Bransle
• Sellenger’s Round
• New Boe Peep
• Black Nag
• Horse’s Bransle
• Black Alman
• Petit Vriens

SECOND SET

• Gathering Peasecods
• Amoroso
• Washer Woman’s Bransle
• Hide Park
• Ly Bens Distonys
• Upon A Summer’s Day

THIRD SET

• Rufty Tufty
• Heart’s Ease
• Rostiboli Gioioso
• Chestnut
• Gelosia

Ice Castles Barony of Black Diamond Bardic Competition report – contributions by Their Excellencies Black Diamond and Their Current Bardic Champion, Lord Johann von Solothurn:

Baron Girard and Baroness Maaline had the privilege of observing the bardic competition in the afternoon as well, and after careful consideration they decided that a further competition was needed before a decision regarding the Black Diamond new baronial bardic champion could be made. A second round of competition and decision will be had at Seven Hills Skirmishes (http://acorn.atlantia.sca.org/event_flyer.php?event_id=3a8e3553) on March 21 in Lynchburg, VA .

If you have questions about anything posted above or wish to add or offer corrections, please post a comment below!

Sincerely yours

Sophia the Orange