We will be having our wrap up board meeting Aug. 30th and most likely by the end of Sept. we will have our dates and location for next years event.

I have sat for a day absorbing everything and scrambling to take care of loose
ends, which I’m still not done with. I really don’t think that I can describe
how my wife and I feel about the first Barataria Faire, and those that were
involved, but I will try.

As with any venture there are ups and downs, and this Faire was no different. I
have been given congratz by so many, and I usually say the congratz should go to
everyone that was involved. We built it and they came. The #’s are always
something that people seem to be interested in. So here it is. 749 people paid
to come through the gates on Sat. and 666 people paid to come through on Sunday.
For a total of 1415 paid people total. We have guesstimated that there were
around 600 kids on Sat and 400 on Sunday so the total for our first year event
was around 2415 people through the gates.

Let me make sure that you all are OFFICIALLY aware that we are going to do it
again next year!! We will be having a board meeting and will go over everything
within the next 30 days. After that we will be announcing the dates and location
of next years event. We will be having it in Spfld. Mo. for sure.

We also have discussed taking Barataria to other cities as well, including
Eureka Springs, NOLA, and Hawaii. We have been approached by NOLA and Hawaii to
come, and we want to take it to Eureka Springs. I was also asked to take the
Faire to Florida. These are all wonderful ideas, but we will have to wait to see
if they are possible. Our target goal for Barataria 2010 was 4000 paid through
the gates. This did not happen and most likely there are several reasons why but
the #1 reason is probably the heat. So we will be looking at the possibility of
a different date next year.

I would like to thank so many people and this list will get very long so bear
with me.

Thanks to John Typaldos. He was so very professional and I have learned that he
is without a doubt one of my best friends in the world. He is my hero right now
for several reasons. He always treats people with the greatest respect and has
gained mine.

To our make up staff….Doll, Rachel, Sarah, Cat & the Paul Mitchell stlists,
you girls are without a doubt full of dedication and talent thank you for your
hard work and great attitudes!! You girls did a professional job, and thank you
for creating some truly mystical and fantastic visions of our fantasy
characters. One of the compliments I have received over and over has been how
wonderfully real and awesome our cast looked!! You All did a fabulous job thank
you so very much for coming in early as well.

To the volunteers….All of you!

The Lapis people were so supportive, and without you guys we could not have done
this. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!

To most of the stage acts…. Thank you for your hard work!! You kept the
patrons entertained at the stages even though the stages were not perfect. Our
next event will be managed in a way that will make the stages more inviting
including giving the patrons shade and also allowing the plugged in stages their
sound but not the ability to drown out the other stages at the same time. Let me
be the first to apologize for that mistake and promise that we will address that
issue and make sure it is solved for our next event.

To our sponsors… Sponsors are important and help bring a sense of validity to
an event, but are also very important in making things financially correct. To
those that stepped up and did more than you were asked…know that you have
gained word of mouth and some very loyal and supportive customers out of so many
of us!!

To the majority of our vendors, you guys were awesome and took advice as well as
helped make this event a wonderfully exciting shopping trip for many of our
patrons.

Thank you to our authors who supported the staff and worked hard to add to the
mystic energy of our first year Faire while promoting your books.

To the City of Spfld who allowed us a place to put on the event.

To the cast…….As I start to write this I am looking at each of your faces in
my minds eye and I see how far you came and how much you have all grown since
our first academy. The characters were so very memorable, and the ideas that
sprouted through out the Faire were wonderfully fun. I already have had 14
e-mails from people asking how they can get involved and become part of our
performance group. Some stated the the pirates were a riot and that they were
all so believable. A few e-mails described how intrigued they were by the Fae
and how could they become a part of cast for next years event.

Thank you to the Rogues!! I Love you my Brothers!!

Thanks to Mark Huey for doing an awesome job with the sound system. He set up
and tore it down all by himself for the most part and worked his butt off to get
the best sound for everyone that performed on stage.

Thanks to our photographers & Videographers!! They have documented our actions
in pictures and video so that it will last and we can remember how much fun it
was as well as help us to promote future events!

To my board members who have given me such sound advice and stuck by me through
this last year with support and help.

To Susi, our vendor coordinator, who went back on site after everyone was gone
and made sure things were in order for the city.

Which BTW the City of Spfld. is very happy with us, and we left the site better
than when we got there. Also the green room was spotless! We did a great job
cleaning up after our selves and I would like to thank you all for the group
effort.

To our GM, Di and the security we hired from the SPD to the private security
(Jeff and his volunteer) thank you for watching over our site through the night.

People are strange, but in Barataria that was a good thing!

I will be taking the next few weeks to finalize everything from 2010 and when
that is done we will look toward 2011!!

Thank you all for a great first year!!!! Julie and I are so very honored to call
you all friends!

There are fast ships
There are slow ships
There are ships upon the sea
But the best ships
Are Friendships
And may they always be

~Eric & Julie Williams

The commercials are live and running on a number of radio stations across the area. In case you’ve missed them (which we don’t see how you could have!) here they are for your listening pleasure.

Commercial 1

Commercial 2

Commercial 3

Commercial 4

There is a town in trouble…and it’s called Jean Lafitte near the Barataria Bay in La. The oil spill is wrecking the place. I’ve spoken to the mayor and sent him an e-mail as well….perhaps we can help some how.

Tim,

My name is Eric Williams…

We saw on the news what is going on and thought we could somehow help. Perhaps bringing more attention to what is going on down there from those that are here local. Maybe set up a fund or some sort of way to draw attention to the problem down there.

I’m the executive producer or a local Faire that is called Barataria Faire and a board member of Historic Arts Presentations. Barataria is a fantasy Faire that is taking place Aug. 7th & 8th in the downtown Springfield area that concentrates on Pirates and Faries as well as entertaining. Here is the link: http://www.baratariafaire.com/

We would like to make people aware of the problem and help all we can. I’m not sure how much we can do as this is a first year event but if you have any ideas (I know your a busy man now) let me know. We will try to think about things on our end as well. If we/you could develop or have already a way to send funds to your cause then that would be the easiest way. We can put you on the advertising for the Faire and also have a donation area that could help. We would prefer to have it done in a way that would go directly to you and not cross our hands.

Hang in down there I know your life must be crazy right now.

~Eric Williams

The 1st Orientation was a success. Everyone did a great job. We are blessed with a wonderful cast, and you guys will do great!! Next Orientation is April 10th from 10am to 6pm. This orientation is not mandatory. We will be doing dance instruction, weapon work, and costuming.

~Eric

This coming Saturday– March 13th– is our first mandatory cast orientation!

Orientation will have a lot of information for both the new and old performer, so you need to be there for more reasons than just because it’s mandatory.

We will start at 10 am and will go until 6 pm.  There will be a one hour break for lunch.  Orientation is located at 1223 S. National Spfld. Mo, and there is plenty of parking in the rear.

Please get plenty of rest the night before and come prepared to work.

Also, for those who have been thinking of auditioning, but have not, this is one of the best opportunities to do so, and may well be the last chance as well.

Please contact Robyn Omega at fullcirclestitches@gmail.com to schedule an audition on this day.

SUNDAY– There will be a sewing and designing day for costuming purposes.  If you come on this day, be prepared to work on something as a lot of hard work will be done and you might get pressed into service with one of our fine seamstresses or prop designers.

Sewing will also run from 10 am to 6 pm with a one hour break for lunch.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us using the link to the side or emailing me– fullcirclestitches@gmail.com– or Eric– eric@baratariafaire.com.

See you Saturday!

~Robyn Omega

Emails will start going today to everyone on cast asking questions
about hair and makeup. I’ll be using the emails you gave us when you filled out
the forms for your audition.

Please remember to check those emails– if they aren’t the same as this one– so
I can get the answers to those questions.

Also: Please remember that hair and make up are a part of your costume and must
me approved by Julie before you may go forward with them. If you haven’t given
a thought to hair or make up, now is the time. Remember: Unseelie are expected
to wear masks or have full face make-up. Pictures or sketches of the final hair
and make up design will make things significantly easier on the people who will
actually be providing these services, so remember that as well.

We do appreciate your cooperation in these matters, as they help the behind the
scenes stuff run more smoothly.

Thank everyone! I now return you to your regularly scheduled Thursday Afternoon!

~Robyn Omega

Midwest Family Broadcasting

KOSP/KKLH

KQRA/KOMG

website

… And we have some wonderful new additions to the cast! Welcome everyone!

Due to the weather this weekend, we did have a few people who were not able to make it to Auditions.  This is entirely understandable!  The next available date to Audition is March 13th. 

This will be a busy day, as it is also the date of the first mandatory Cast Orientation. As such, auditions will be by appointment only on the 13th of March.  Please email me, Robyn Omega, at fullcirclestitches@gmail.com for an audition appointment.

Please include the following information: your real name, your phone number, a valid email (preferably one you will actually check), your character name (or role), a brief character description, and the day and time you would like for your audition.  

Auditions will be scheduled on a first come, first served basis. If your requested time is not available you will be contacted to reschedule, therefore you may want to include any times you are absolutely not available.

There will be at least one other open audition date in April, and then the cast will be finalized– get an audition while you can!

More information will come later on about what you can expect from Orientation!

~Robyn Omega

This Saturday, Jan. 30th, from 10am till 4pm is the 3rd round of auditions!

We will have them at the same location as last time: 1223 S. National Spfld. Mo. Parking is located behind the storage buildings and there will be signs indicating that.

Sunday will be a costuming day and will take place in the same location with the same times. Bring any costumes that you have been working on for approval. We will be working on and discussing costuming all day and there will be plenty of help, so come with any questions you may have. There will be an informal sewing circle for those that wish, so bring fabric and sewing machines.

We will be taking an hour lunch on both days.

Note on the Weather: If it gets really bad– we know what the forecasters are currently calling for– don’t come.  We would rather reschedule and everyone be safe. To repeat: If it isn’t safe, don’t come.  We can see your audition/costume later.

~Robyn Omega