2009 season in retrospect.

[Sir Trevor]

Ok, what did everyone think of the season overall. (not counting the trustee trouble which doesn't belong here)

First I have to give props to Scott.
I think this is the first season that had so much entertainment that I just could not see all that I wanted to see.
I mean, yeah. There are some years where I miss a few acts here and there, but usually because they didn't interest me that much. And yeah, I became a lot lazier and spent more time visiting with friends. But damn! There was just no way for me to see all the regular acts, + weekend specific acts tha I wanted to.
So, congrats to Scott for packing our faire with tons of entertainment this season.

Second, I want to congradulate Sarah.
What a cast this season.
First, just the shear size of it. I know a lot of that is luck and how many show up for auditions. But also, we retained a lot. I think we only lost 2 during the run (might have been 3) Which is low. Especially when considered as a percentage of the huge cast we started with. (62+ the feast cast)
They could be seen all over the shire. Especially in what used to be cast 'dead zones' in years past.
From what I could tell, they all did a great job. I didn't get to interact with all of them like I normally do, as there were just so many.

I probably shouldn't do this, but I will anyway.
I want to give a few special shout-outs to some particular cast members.
Not to say the rest weren't good, but these were especially fun for me.

George LaForge and Kit Catchem. I told you both this at the wrap party, but I want to say it for all to hear. I loved your characters this season. It's always fun when we have former nobles in the streets being peasants again. They seem to make full use of all the new-found free time they have again. You 2 were always lively, energetic, and entertaining whenever I saw you.

Modred - I loved your interpretation of the character this season. And that laugh ......

Sheriff Andy Griffin - You did an impecable job of keeping the streets of Avaloch safe. You are the one constant that helps make the faire seem like home (being the only person to be on cast every season that I have been attending). Cannot imagine the shire without you.

Tullio - I don't know how you went the entire run without ever breaking character or talking to any patron. But my hat is off to you. I am still amazed by that.

Polina - What a great addition to the shire. I can honestly say. I don't think anyone else has managed to do a bit that stuck in my head the entire run the way your song did.

I could go on and on singling out probably 90% of the cast for certain bits and other things that brought me joy. But the ones above especially impressed me this season.

I will post later about the other great things from this season as this post is already getting long enough.

[Avis]

Thanks Trevor, without patrons who like to play and a willing cast to match up, my character wouldn't have been able to do nearly as much. I had a blast this year.

[ivywoodwings]

So many new memories. Here's a personal list:

* The Queen giving me my character name within the first hour of the faire.
* My 12 year old daughter buying her first garb ever. The folks at Fiona's Fineries were extremely helpful.
* Learning the Irish pronounication of Smithwicks. Drinking like the Irish even though I'm Polish.
* After having a rough week at work, sitting down and listening to Silent Lion.
* Watching Circa Paleo. Watching my brother LOVE Circa Paleo.
* Being personally serendaded by Carl Asch. Swoooooon!
* Being heckled by a skull on a stick.
* Spending money on stuff that will remind me of the faire. Mostly earrings and cds. Did you know Porter and Stout are playing Battleship on the cover of their new cd?
* Watching the little kids have fun. A group of 4 year old princesses were acting out Gibbon's rat song while he sang. It was like preschool performance art.
* Doing new stuff! Like the Celestial Circus, Ophelia's Dance, etc.

And lastly:
* Joining up on this message board though I've been a lurker for awhile.

[blueguy]

I just want to know one thing about this season:

Who taught the little 4 or 5 year old girl that a leaf off the tree was a "faerie map" of the entire realm of avaloch? I was giving her very lost parents directions when she whips this maple leaf out and points to a fork in the veins and asks where that spot was in avaloch.

(worst part was, the leaf was sorta accurate to where they needed to get if you put the chess board at the stem)

[Dillasandra]

Well, wasn't me, but I love it! ;D

[Sir Tristan]

I bet it was Akesha (brittany) the tree nymph.

[Juan Don]

There was a special relationship between audience and Circa Paleo at GLMF in 2009. I visited the Michigan Ren Fest this month and people just didn't move or clap as much at Circa Paleo shows there.

Evidence of that GLMF relationship are on three videos I uploaded at You Tube. If you go to youtube.com and enter Circa Paleo, you will see the videos by MrDonGrim, my name there.

The videos in order of time are Close With Roses (roses thrown to the stage), Hava Nagila (encore song just after roses on the stage), and Shikee Shikee Baba which followed that song at the pub sing stage. This was all on the last day of the faire on 8/16/09. Enjoy the videos and remember the "specialness" of GLMF!