ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 9-7-06

 

Those present:  John Iaria, Her Highness Queen Freya, Jim Lake, Lee Freeman, William Freeman, Donna Miles, Bonnie McIntyre, Connie Sheffield, Lauren Sheffield, Chris Solis, Billy Warren, Paul Daniel, Susie Rickard, Cathy Myers, John Holcomb, Andy Betterton, Mary Nicely, Aubrey Gaskins, Perri Scott-Hawthorne, Salana Letsinger, Jan Roblin

 

  1. Billy Warren reminded everyone that the second meeting of the Roundtable this month will be on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, at NOON.

     
  2. Billy Warren distributed copies of a flyer that advertises the upcoming “Pilgrim’s Progress,” the show to be performed by David Simpich’s marionettes at First United Methodist Church on Friday and Saturday evenings, October 27 and 28.  All tickets (seating limited to 400 people each night) cost $5.00 and will go on sale October 1; all are general admission, with no reserved seating.  Everyone was encouraged to post a copy of the flyer in prominent places (e.g., churches, etc.) throughout the Shoals area.  Billy expressed public thanks to Bill Freeman, father of Lee and William, for his work in designing the flyer.

     
  3. Billy Warren expressed thanks to Cathy Myers for helping us to get publicity for the Feast in the Times Daily.  The photo shoot for the Feast publicity will be at the Roundtable meeting on Thursday, October 5.  All members are urged to come in full costume that day so the photo can be taken at 12:00 noon.  It will appear in the newspaper on Friday, October 13.

     
  4. Billy Warren thanked Susie Rickard for getting publicity for both the Feast and the Faire posted on Channel 59 on the cable.  For Feast publicity, the technicians at Northwest-Shoals Community College will lift photos of the 2005 Feast from www.godecookery.com.  They will scan still photos from the 2005 Faire for publicity for the 2006 Faire.

     
  5. Her Majesty Queen Freya announced that she plans to attend Big Spring Jam in Huntsville on September 23.  She will go in full costume to publicize the Feast and the Faire, and she encouraged other Roundtable members to do the same.

     
  6. Billy Warren distributed copies of the proposed menu for the Feast.  He noted that a dish using turnips and parsnips will replace the fava beans.  At the request of the group, he agreed to talk with Chef Jim Matterer about the possibility of some dish other than turnips and parsnips.

     
  7. Mary Nicely announced that Tibia, a recorder duo from California, will perform once again in a free concert at Kennedy-Douglass Art Center on Friday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m.  Billy Warren encouraged everyone to hear this talented duo perform pieces from the Baroque and Renaissance eras.

     
  8. Billy Warren announced that up to 30 members of the Roundtable (including Menagerie) have been invited to a Renaissance Feast on the lawn of Coby hall on Friday evening, October 27, with the UNA Foundation Board of Directors and the UNA President’s Cabinet.  Here is the schedule:
    1. 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Hospitality time with music by Menagerie and extemporaneous performances by Roundtable members
    2. 6:00 p.m. until – Renaissance Feast with sword fighting by Garde-Ecossais Regiment de Hepborn; introduction and history of the Faire by Billy Warren; demonstration (15 – 20 minutes) of Medieval-Renaissance realia by Don Green.

       

These people from today’s meeting agreed to attend this exciting event in full costume:  Her Majesty Queen Freya and her consort (both will sit at the head table), Paul and Laura Daniel, Jim Lake, Lee Freeman (who will say Grace in Latin), William Freeman (who will preside as he does at our Feast), Perri and Keith Hawthorne, John Holcomb, Donna and Greg Miles, Bonnie McIntyre, Connie Sheffield, Lauren Sheffield, Billy Warren.

 

The group expressed thanks to the UNA Foundation staff for this great opportunity to advertise our Faire.

 

  1. Lee Freeman stated that he will formulate the exact titles for the three Sunday afternoon lectures at the public library and email those titles to Billy Warren so they can be posted on the Faire’s website.

     
  2. Paul Daniel, Connie Sheffield and Lauren Sheffield volunteered to assist with the costume-making workshop on Saturday, October 14.

     
  3. Billy Warren announced that officials with Downtown Florence Unlimited have invited Roundtable members to attend the October 6 First Friday event in downtown Florence in full costume and to distribute flyers about the Feast and Faire at that time.

     
  4. Salana Letsinger, now a staff member at the Children’s Museum, announced that the children’s party room is being renovated as the Enchanted Kingdom.  The students in Rick Ashley’s Manufacturing Technology class at Florence High School are building an elaborate throne for the Enchanted Kingdom; it will be the place of honor for the child whose birthday is being celebrated.

     

Salana further reported that the Renaissance costumes for children which Roundtable members made and donated to the museum will now be used in conjunction with the Enchanted Kingdom.

 

Hooray for Salana!  Hooray for the Children’s Museum of the Shoals!

 

  1. Billy Warren distributed copies of a flyer advertising a return of the Nina, the replica of Columbus’s ship by the same name, to the Florence Harbor from September 15 through September 25.

     
  2. Jan Roblin:
    1. Announced that she is developing a children’s party room on a Medieval-Renaissance theme at Spanish Oaks Gallery;
    2. Stated that her book, Planet of Dreams, should be published within a month’s time; and
    3. Distributed pertinent information to those Roundtable members who are planning to participate in the trip to Italy in April, 2007.

       
  3. Jim Lake encouraged everyone to attend a performance of “Lion in Winter” at the Ritz Theater.  Play dates will be October 5, 6, 7 and October 12 and 13.

     
  4. Aubrey Gaskins stated that the annual Feast for Roundtable members will take place at Stephano’s in Sheffield on Thursday evening, October 26.

     
  5. In a drawing, Salana Letsinger won a Renaissance-themed pendant on a chain; John Holcombe won a video of Kevin Costner playing Robin Hood.

     
  6. Billy Warren agreed to create a chart showing all of the upcoming events in September and October that involve members of the Roundtable.  He will e-mail the chart to all members.

     
  7. Mary Nicely shared information on the Shoals Symphony’s concert that is scheduled for September 28 on the lawn of the Frank Lloyd Wright-Rosenbaum House.  Tickets are $20 and include admission to the house and a gourmet picnic dinner.

     
  8. Billy Warren distributed copies of an article from the 9-3-06 Times-Daily entitled “Craftsmen build medieval-style castle.”  It describes the construction of a replica of a Medieval-style castle in France that was begun in 1996.  Workmen use only the types of tools that Medieval craftsmen would have employed.  Huge numbers of tourists visit the construction site.  Billy suggested that a similar project would be a great tourist draw as part of a Medieval-Renaissance working village at Veterans Park.