Answers to Common Questions:

Below you will find the answers to many of the most common questions that people ask about participating at the Renaissance Festival.
Read on to find out some basics about being a part of the cast and crew.
Are there Backstage Crew and Roles Available?
Absolutely!!
If you are not ready to be a featured character, or if you are not interested in being a featured character, there are opportunities to be a part of several crews that help run different areas of the department.
There is even the rare possibility for departmental manager positions.
All crew positions are still visible to our patrons, and are all costumed participants that need to be able to answer basic questions about the festival.
Is Previous Acting or Faire Experience Required?
Previous experience is not needed.
We will teach you what you need to know to be part of the faire and help you build an engaging character that will fit your personality and experience level.
Am I allowed to Smoke or Drink Alcohol as a Cast Member?
Cast and crew members are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages while on festival property. Smoking tobacco is limited to specific backstage areas only.
Illegal substances are never allowed.
Are Cast Members Allowed to Camp on Site at All?
Festival participants are allowed to camp onsite Friday evening ONLY.
A refundable deposit is required for each person who will be camping on site during the festival season.
All other camping rules & details will be available after the cast list is posted.
Do I have to Perform as a Character Everyday to be on Cast?
You do have to commit to the 2 days of the Faire as we add more days, we will make exceptions.
Full-run commitments are preferred for most roles/crew positions and are required for any featured characters, but we do have some part-time positions available.
How Much Time Will I need to Commit to the Faire before Opening Day?
The Festival has workshops/rehearsals on 2 Saturday mornings in March.
The weekend workshops are approximately 2- 4 hours long each.
We ask that you attend 80% of the workshops leading up to Opening Weekend.
Additional rehearsals and events that are needed will vary on a case-by-case or character basis.
On the application (at the end of this page) there is a list of specific dates that are set aside for workshops and other festival events as we prepare for the next season.
Am I too Old or too Young to be part of the Cast?
There is not an age limit to be a performer.
However, if you are 15 or under we will ask you to participate with a parent.
If you are 16 or 17, you will be paired with an adult performer on show days.
--Additional rules apply to any minors who are camping onsite during the festival.--
Does the Faire provide the Costumes?
Each character is responsible for providing their own Festival approved costume.
Costuming is a detailed process that involves several steps before actually cutting into fabric. Those guidelines are much too detailed to list them all here.
If you wish to discuss costuming further, please contact us with specific questions and we’ll be happy to answer them.
What types of Crew positions will be Available?
If you have experience with sound equipment, timing of events, line control, props/running crew, and event or people management we have a place for you on our running crew!
There are openings for stage managers & stage crew, pirate crew, and with the Front Gate team.
There may also be openings for the 2024 season on the team that helps run the Live Battle Arena and with the Production Team that manages the show on performance days.
I Need a Job, is this a Paid Position, what is the hourly rate?
If you are looking for steady income there will be a couple of departments at the Faire that hire seasonal and/or hourly employees on a large scale, but the Entertainment Department is not one of them.
With the exception of a few roles/crew positions, the majority of the roles in the Entertainment Department receive a small stipend to help offset the expenses that come with being a part of the cast and crew.
How much will a new costume cost to make or buy for my role?
Costuming expenses for the festival are widely varied.
Our cast and crew build costumes that will last several years with proper care, they can survive all kinds of weather, and their design can be as simple or ornate as you may wish to make our character appear.
Costume cost is influenced by so many individual factors that it is impossible to give specifics about the cost of costuming.
A good general estimate for a basic peasant costume (including shoes and props) is in the $50-$300 range.
A good general estimate for a basic noble costume (including simple shoes and props) is in the $800 range.
You can spend more or less based on personal choices and skill level. If you can sew, it will be cheaper than hiring someone to sew for you. We can provide names of women who are experts in period costuming.
Will I Make New Friends if I join the Cast?
We do this for the love of performing, but more importantly for the community we are building.
We have no doubt that you will walk away at the end of the season with some really great new friends!
Even better, you will become a part of our awesome hamlet's family.
Can I wear the Costume I already own as a Character?
More than likely the costume that you already have may or may not be approved to wear as a cast member.
However, we will be glad to look at existing costumes to see what may be usable as a character or crew member at the festival. If you wish to discuss costuming further, please contact us with specific questions and we’ll be happy to answer them.
Is the Faire open on Rain Days?
We are very proud to be a rain or shine event. We are prepared for weather, and we will teach you how to be!
What are the Paid positions in the Entertainment Department?
The only hourly positions inside the Entertainment Department are on the Front Gate Crew.
You can read a more detailed description of that area of the cast/crew on the application.
Are there Scripts for all of the Characters?
Most of the roles open for audition are going to rely heavily on improvisation with our guests, so each interaction will be unique and unscripted. There will be very few areas of the Entertainment Department that have traditional written scripts and staging. The workshops/rehearsals that you will go through before Opening Day will give your character the tools and confidence needed to walk up and talk to anyone that passes.
Read on to find out some basics about being a part of the cast and crew.
Are there Backstage Crew and Roles Available?
Absolutely!!
If you are not ready to be a featured character, or if you are not interested in being a featured character, there are opportunities to be a part of several crews that help run different areas of the department.
There is even the rare possibility for departmental manager positions.
All crew positions are still visible to our patrons, and are all costumed participants that need to be able to answer basic questions about the festival.
Is Previous Acting or Faire Experience Required?
Previous experience is not needed.
We will teach you what you need to know to be part of the faire and help you build an engaging character that will fit your personality and experience level.
Am I allowed to Smoke or Drink Alcohol as a Cast Member?
Cast and crew members are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages while on festival property. Smoking tobacco is limited to specific backstage areas only.
Illegal substances are never allowed.
Are Cast Members Allowed to Camp on Site at All?
Festival participants are allowed to camp onsite Friday evening ONLY.
A refundable deposit is required for each person who will be camping on site during the festival season.
All other camping rules & details will be available after the cast list is posted.
Do I have to Perform as a Character Everyday to be on Cast?
You do have to commit to the 2 days of the Faire as we add more days, we will make exceptions.
Full-run commitments are preferred for most roles/crew positions and are required for any featured characters, but we do have some part-time positions available.
How Much Time Will I need to Commit to the Faire before Opening Day?
The Festival has workshops/rehearsals on 2 Saturday mornings in March.
The weekend workshops are approximately 2- 4 hours long each.
We ask that you attend 80% of the workshops leading up to Opening Weekend.
Additional rehearsals and events that are needed will vary on a case-by-case or character basis.
On the application (at the end of this page) there is a list of specific dates that are set aside for workshops and other festival events as we prepare for the next season.
Am I too Old or too Young to be part of the Cast?
There is not an age limit to be a performer.
However, if you are 15 or under we will ask you to participate with a parent.
If you are 16 or 17, you will be paired with an adult performer on show days.
--Additional rules apply to any minors who are camping onsite during the festival.--
Does the Faire provide the Costumes?
Each character is responsible for providing their own Festival approved costume.
Costuming is a detailed process that involves several steps before actually cutting into fabric. Those guidelines are much too detailed to list them all here.
If you wish to discuss costuming further, please contact us with specific questions and we’ll be happy to answer them.
What types of Crew positions will be Available?
If you have experience with sound equipment, timing of events, line control, props/running crew, and event or people management we have a place for you on our running crew!
There are openings for stage managers & stage crew, pirate crew, and with the Front Gate team.
There may also be openings for the 2024 season on the team that helps run the Live Battle Arena and with the Production Team that manages the show on performance days.
I Need a Job, is this a Paid Position, what is the hourly rate?
If you are looking for steady income there will be a couple of departments at the Faire that hire seasonal and/or hourly employees on a large scale, but the Entertainment Department is not one of them.
With the exception of a few roles/crew positions, the majority of the roles in the Entertainment Department receive a small stipend to help offset the expenses that come with being a part of the cast and crew.
How much will a new costume cost to make or buy for my role?
Costuming expenses for the festival are widely varied.
Our cast and crew build costumes that will last several years with proper care, they can survive all kinds of weather, and their design can be as simple or ornate as you may wish to make our character appear.
Costume cost is influenced by so many individual factors that it is impossible to give specifics about the cost of costuming.
A good general estimate for a basic peasant costume (including shoes and props) is in the $50-$300 range.
A good general estimate for a basic noble costume (including simple shoes and props) is in the $800 range.
You can spend more or less based on personal choices and skill level. If you can sew, it will be cheaper than hiring someone to sew for you. We can provide names of women who are experts in period costuming.
Will I Make New Friends if I join the Cast?
We do this for the love of performing, but more importantly for the community we are building.
We have no doubt that you will walk away at the end of the season with some really great new friends!
Even better, you will become a part of our awesome hamlet's family.
Can I wear the Costume I already own as a Character?
More than likely the costume that you already have may or may not be approved to wear as a cast member.
However, we will be glad to look at existing costumes to see what may be usable as a character or crew member at the festival. If you wish to discuss costuming further, please contact us with specific questions and we’ll be happy to answer them.
Is the Faire open on Rain Days?
We are very proud to be a rain or shine event. We are prepared for weather, and we will teach you how to be!
What are the Paid positions in the Entertainment Department?
The only hourly positions inside the Entertainment Department are on the Front Gate Crew.
You can read a more detailed description of that area of the cast/crew on the application.
Are there Scripts for all of the Characters?
Most of the roles open for audition are going to rely heavily on improvisation with our guests, so each interaction will be unique and unscripted. There will be very few areas of the Entertainment Department that have traditional written scripts and staging. The workshops/rehearsals that you will go through before Opening Day will give your character the tools and confidence needed to walk up and talk to anyone that passes.