This blog will be a repository of the many ideas for the upcoming Corpus Cristi Festival 2008! If you have further ideas, or responses to ideas here, feel free to respond below!
- Dancing in-between the plays
- Informal skits between the plays
- We need to start advertising early this year (if you have ideas, please let them be known!) Newspaper press releases, fliers, posters, and many other things could be done.
- Auditions will probably be the second week of school in January. We need to get the word out about it! Talk to friends, professors, and family. Corpus Christi probably will fulfill something for class credit for most people.
- We need to also figure out ways to keep this fun for those participating because in the past the festival has been more stressful than fun for most people
- More banners would be nice
- Have a booth before we begin auditions; perhaps list examples of roles and plays involved – perhaps perform “The Feast of Saint Sabine”
- Could we wheel a wheelbarrow around for advertising?
- Get the Honor’s Program to say something about it in Honor’s classes
- Have a Corpus Christi quest? Perhaps it could involve the labyrinth?
- Things to work on:
- Previous years were too empty and slow; a slow layout
- Lack of Scheduling hampered previous years
- Advertising was poor
- In previous years many ideas were brushed off by those in authority; we need a way to ensure that people know that their ideas have been given serious consideration even if they aren’t used
- Foreign plays require a LOT of work (as anyone in the previous years can attest!) so be certain you have enough time and effort to make them work
Also, to quote a previous commentator:
“I think it is a good idea to have the plays chosen before Fall term ends: that way, the directors have at least an idea of what they want to do and what their needs are.
However I don’t think it’s necessary to have auditions before Winter semester starts. Remember that at whoever auditions needs to be able to commit to the day of CC, and before January or so it would be too soon for people to be able know what their plans are.
Knowing a little something about how to run rehearsals, I’ll provide some insight. The ideal amount of time a show should be rehearsed before either performance or technical rehearsals should be an hour for every minute of stage time. That means that before auditions take place, the directors need to actually *read* the plays, time them, and plan their rehearsals accordingly. It sounds like a lot but when you consider that most of the cycle plays are in fact quite short (15-20 min) and that a good evening rehearsal can be 2-3 hours, that’s just a few rehearsals a week for a few weeks.
At the beginning of Winter Semester there is a big Audition push. The later mainstage shows, and the advanced directing classes all start doing their auditions in January or February for shows that will go up from February to May. It would be expedient to lump the CC auditions with those, and if AT ALL possible to have them in the HFAC or at least the Wilk.
Remember that DEADLINES ARE IMPORTANT. DEADLINES WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE. Make a calendar, pick a date for CC (preferably not the Saturday right before Easter as people tend to be out of town). Make the date PERMANENT and UNCHANGING. If for some reason BYUSA hates you and won’t give you the JFSB courtyard plan a backup (the castle, anyone?), but EVERYTHING, from auditions to costumes to advertisements, will be easier if there is a definite date to work towards. Plan backwards from that blessed immovable date, and create deadlines based on what is needed. Have a deadline for directors to give scenic needs, costume needs, etc, pretty early on, then have deadlines for when those needs should be filled, when ads should start going out, when products to sell should be finished, etc. This prevents the mad late-night dash to get everything done by CC, and divides the work to make everything far less stressful on everyone involved.
Remember: All the ideas in the world will only be implemented if you actually put in the work and preparation to accomplish them.”
Like anyone else could do it better (with help of course:])…I mean really, who else owns a large, functioning trebuchet? That is if its alright with the powers that be that I participate again. But I thought about doing something different this year (1st year-the crusades, 2nd year-labyrinth of life dealie, 3rd year-viking raid of a monastery? avoiding death in the medieval ages obstacle course? ?). Though I really would like to set up a period mediation labyrinth (one made out of tape like the ones set in stone on the floors of several medieval cathedrals-a very religious and Easter appropriate activity).
Has anyone thought about a medieval history based game show for fun during down times?-could be very fun and educational:]. The wandering jesters (if there are any still alive) could do impressions of bear-baiting or cock-fighting (very period entertainment). Oh, and a canopy for the seats of the audience would be a very good idea this year!!!
And I believe that involving several other clubs (experimental theatre club, as well as the stock juggling, storytelling, chess, go, masque club-comedia del arte, even *gasp* HACKA ARMA OFFA, rebel swords, (do they still have the belly dancing club-a side workshop) or SCA guest preformers, etc.) would increase advertising and attendance.
Lowering the price or getting rid of the initial emission fee and only charge for certain activities (and the yummy food) would also help. The musicians guild could do an introduction to medieval instruments booth. There could also be an dance instruction booth. The cooking guild could have an introduction to medieval cooking booth (medieval cooking show/workshop) and sell very reasonably-priced cookbooks of our favorite recipes or make your own bread (they pay for the materials).
For banners I suggest buying paint, old colorful DI sheets, its MUCH MUCH cheaper and more noticeable (especially if they’re very long and hung from the cougareat courtyard area).
I’m just throwing ideas out, I realize what I say doesn’t have very much clout with most.
But if you guys ask me to do the obstacle course again this year, it will get done and done well.
By: Genevieve de Bracewell on December 12, 2007
at 10:41 pm
I think that Advertisement should be the biggest thing to focus on. The more we advertise the more people will come. I did abysmally last year and some how we still turned a profit.
The problem with not charging admission is that we have little other ways to make money at the event. I realize it would be great if we could do it all for free but the plays cost money even though we’ve been able to do them for less than you could expect them to.
I agree though we could find ways to lower the price some. However we cannot depend on Food to pull us through as you will remember food is the very reason that we could not do Feast a fund raiser.
I still think the event should be kept at the JFSB courtyard. I also suggest renting a PA system. This will help with sound and projection.
I like the idea of the Foreign Languages or the old languages. They give a flavor to the plays and the subtitle machine has worked well before.
Actually we did have the scheduling fine last year but it was the approval from the BYUSA that got us in trouble they kept pushing it back until we could not be sure when to do the event.
I thought he classes went well last year and perhaps we could have more. You could also reach out to the community to find local artisans such as the spinning shop who might want to demonstrate.
My other suggestion may be to move it off campus and use another site like the Castle I realize we would have to rent it but I think if we advertised to the community we could get better attendance. We could also legitimately involve other groups like the SCA or Arma or others.
(Careful though some of these groups don’t get along)
Also remember the festival is about Theatre not just medieval stuff .
Many of these ideas are great.
I have one final thought
Since our festival is not taking place during Corpus Christi perhaps we could call it a York Play Festival or York Cycle Festival instead that way it is not confusing. Just a thought.
Remember you can get the Grounds department to turn off the fountain.
Okay I just rambled a lot but take the ideas with a grain of salt.
By: Ramon de Javier on December 18, 2007
at 3:39 pm
New Thoughts.
You can rent Kiwanis Park which is across 9th and behind the Elementary School for $40 Bucks. This gets you access to their big covered pavilion and you can set stuff up in the park.
Pros: Covered place to do Plays should weather turn sour.
Can sell food with out BYU Catering in the way. Still need Food Handling permit though.
Lots of Space for Booths and you can invite Merchants to sell their goods there too.
Close to campus
No Fountain to turn off or grounds crew to worry about.
Visible and you could advertise in the community and Drum up Community support for the Club.
No need to hire Guest Services($10 Per Hour per person 3 necessary to take money and watch event)
No need to worry about Campus Scheduling
Cons: Unlikely we could charge admission as the park is rather open.
Weather could get bad of course this could happen anywhere.
Not as much ambience’s as the Courtyard but still you can decorate.
Anyway if we can do it off campus Myself and Heather we can come and sell some foods and stuff and give club a cut of the money.
More thoughts
By: Ramon de Javier on December 28, 2007
at 8:11 pm