New York Renaissance Faire
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The New York Renaissance Faire is located in Tuxedo, New York off New York State Route 17A. Originally created by Barbara Hope and Donald Gaiti, the NYRF is currently owned and operated by Renaissance Entertainment Productions, who also own the faires of Southern California and Bristol, Wisconsin. They were previously owners of the Virginia Renaissance Faire, and the Northern California Renaissance Faire, now both defunct.
The first Artistic Director of the NYRF was Richard Klees, who helmed the production fron 1979 - 1989. He was followed by Artistic Director Sherry Nehmer, from 1990 - 1997. With the sale to Renaissance Entertainment, a succession of managing directors were hired. The current Director of Entertainment is Christopher De Troy.
The NYRF is held annually each weekend from the beginning of August to the third weekend in September. Once the faire is over, the grounds are used for The Forest of Fear, a Halloween attraction from the same operators.
Just 45 minutes from New York City, it has become a training ground for stage and screen actors, honing such skills as improvisational comedy, stage combat, and classical theater.[1] Notable alums of the New York Renaissance Faire include Broadway fight choreographer Rick Sordelet, the acclaimed voice actor and fight choreographer David Brimmer[2] and comedian Jon Lovitz.
Current popular events at the Faire include the Living Chess Game and jousts. Singing and specialty acts include The Crimson Pirates, Three Pints Shy, and Philip Hole the Singing Gravedigger. The current storyline of the Faire involves Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and the court of Queen Elizabeth I. In addition to the smaller performances, there is usually one nearly full-length Shakespearean play performed per season on a daily basis. A contract with Actors Equity for a full-length play ended in 1996 with the sale of the faire to Renaissance Entertainment.
[edit] Scenes From the Faire
 The Merry Band Retreats. |
 The Guardsmen of the Sheriff of Nottingham. |
 The Maypole Dancers. |
 The Sheriff of Nottingham addresses the Queen and her Court in the Morning Address. |
[edit] References
- ^ Minor, E. Kyle (2000-08-20), "The Performers Behind the Costumes" ([dead link] – Scholar search), The New York Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E6DE143EF933A1575BC0A9669C8B63
- ^ "Faculty Profile - David Brimmer". http://admin.tisch.nyu.edu/object/BrimmerD.html.
- Graeber, Laurel. "The 20th Annual New York Renaissance Faire". New York Times; 09/12/97, Vol. 146 Issue 50913, pC16.
- New York Pulse. "A Little Knight Life". New York Post (New York, NY), August 3, 2002 p24.
- Terjanian, Harry. "A Knight to Remember: Renaissance Faire Revives Days of Yore". The Record (Bergen County, NJ), August 11, 2000 p030.
- Winter, Metta. "Bring History to Life". Boston Globe. Boston, Mass.: Jun 12, 1983. pg. 1
