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Dickens Christmas Fair 2008 November Missive #2 - Workshops
(sent November 5th, 2008)


Please read this information carefully and save and/or print it for further reference.

Workshops start this coming Saturday morning, November 8th 10:00AM at Sunset Ridge Elementary School, in Pacifica. (see below for more info) The third weekend (aka dress rehearsal weekend) will be at the Cow Palace. Please do not go to the Cow Palace on these first two weekends unless you are building a booth or environmental area as we have limited build time and there will be much construction equipment, power tools, etc. The Green Room areas will not be available until dress rehearsal weekend.

The workshop and rehearsal schedule for the first two weekends (available now) and workshop descriptions (available shortly) can be downloaded from http://www.cattaylor.com/missives.html as .pdf ("portable document format") files, which can be opened with the free and downloadable Adobe Acrobat Reader. Remember to chose "landscape" if you print the schedule. The printed copies handed out at workshops will be black and white as color printing is much more expensive when doing hundreds of copies. The schedule for the third weekend at the Cow Palace will be forthcoming.

Important Note: Since life often happens without consulting us, there may be changes between now and the weekend. I will update the files on the website as the changes are given to me, so please re-download the files later in the week to make sure you have the most recent information. I will also send out a missive if there are any major changes. Please also check in at Area 51 (see below) for posted changes or special notices.

Another Important Note: Please do not bring animals to workshops. We are not allowed to have them there. Please do not endanger our relationship with the school by bringing them.


In This Missive:
Workshop Locations
Area 51 (Registration)
The Morning Meeting!
Parking Passes & Participant Tickets
Breakfast & Lunch at Workshops
Dark Garden Workshop
A Request of Those Who Will Attend The Makeup Classes
Costume Rummage Sale
Performer Requirements
I'm New - What Do I Do?


Workshop Locations
As I mentioned in a previous missive, workshops will be held at Sunset Ridge Elementary School in Pacifica (address below). We'll be using various multi-purpose type rooms and a few hallways that are blocked by doors, so the sound issues shouldn't be too bad, except perhaps on the first day, which is always pleasantly insane since we have so many folks there. There are also lots of outdoor areas if the weather is nice.

Note: The rooms at the school are numbered as on the schedule, allowing us to pick the most appropriate classrooms for classes with specific needs.

Please park only where you are instructed to by security personnel.
Please do not move furniture if you can possibly help it. In order to disrupt the school functions as little as possible everything must be exactly as we found it *after each class or rehearsal*.
Please pick up after yourself and the people around you.

Workshop Weekend #1
November 8th and 9th
Saturday & Sunday 10:00-5:00
Sunset Ridge Elementary School
340 Inverness Dr.
Pacifica, CA 94044

Workshop Weekend#2
November 15th and 16th
Saturday & Sunday 10:00-5:00
Sunset Ridge Elementary School
340 Inverness Dr.
Pacifica, CA 94044

Note:  The school is right at the top of the hill before you gone down the big hill into Pacifica, don't go down the hill or you've missed it, just like I did the first time. Click here for map


Workshop Weekend#3 (Dress Rehearsal Weekend)
November 22nd & 23rd
Cow Palace
2600 Geneva Ave.
Daly City, CA 94014
Click here for directions and public transit information http://cowpalace.com/cpinfo.html

Workshops and rehearsals will be held on Saturday and dress rehearsal on Sunday. The schedule for the third weekend will be forthcoming. Please check with your director for specifics on rehearsal times and locations.
There will also be a mandatory morning meeting on dress rehearsal Sunday at 10:00AM in Fezziwig's


Area 51
We will once again be manning Area 51, our affectionate name for our on-site registration office. This is where you will pick up your paperwork, pay your fees, buy Cow Palace parking passes and participant tickets (see below). Cash or check only at workshops, we won't have a credit card machine.


The Morning Meeting!
The beginning of workshops, first day morning meeting is always a lot of fun and a little crazy. Staff, directors and teachers will be introduced and announcements made. It will be in the multi-purpose room at 10:00AM Saturday November 8th and will take the place of the first workshop period. There will also be a big meeting at 10:00AM on dress rehearsal day at the Cow Palace. Your attendance is seriously requested at both of these meetings.


Parking Passes & Participant Tickets
We will be selling both parking passes and participant tickets at Area 51 this weekend. Parking passes will be $45.00 (saving you $35 for the run over the Cow Palace daily rate) and participant tickets at our very best rate of $15 each.


Breakfast & Lunch at Workshops
Patrick Morris will once again have food for sale at all three workshop weekends. Expect many tasty treats for both breakfast and lunch.


Dark Garden Workshop
The Dark Garden corset modeling workshop this year will be required of "new" models only.  If you are interested in modeling for us this year, but did not model last year, or if you modeled for the first time last year, please plan to attend the workshop on Sunday, November 9, at 1:30.  Our experienced models need only turn in a completed model worksheet to Miss McAvoy at the Dark Garden booth in the Cow Palace on dress rehearsal Sunday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

The information pamphlet and application is downloadable from the missives page at http://www.cattaylor.com/missives.html


A Request of Those Who Will Attend The Makeup Classes
Makeup Class participants are asked to bring a portable, freestanding mirror if they have one, as well as their own makeup and brushes IF they have them.  Instructors will have supplies for the participants to share, but some may prefer not to share skin products.  (Note:  brushes will be sterilized between uses).


Costume Rummage Sale
(from Liz Martin)
Once again the Costume Rummage Sale returns to the Dickens workshops!  We invite you to clean your closets of all your Dickens appropriate fabric, excess clothing, patterns, trims and accessories - just imagine what you can buy with the money you make!

If you would like to sell your wares, please contact myself - Liz Martin at  costumes@redbarnproductions.org for specifics and fees.
 
Some of the participating vendors will be:

Lynn Combs and her mercantile,
Joann Peterson from Laughing Moon  Patterns & Sac CIty Dry Goods
Tara and her bloomers
Annie Lore - Hair & Hoops


Performer Requirements
#1 A completed registration form which includes:
#2 Your director's or booth owner's signature
#3 Costume Approval from the official costume department
#4 Sign off's from three workshop teachers
#5 The $10.00 registration fee. (We accept checks, but cannot accept credit cards at Area 51 as we won't have a credit card terminal there. )

New Folks
New folks are required to take Orientation plus either Victorian or Cockney language and Physical Characterization (and a Character Lab or Improv workshop if possible)) Please note that Physical Characterization is a prerequisite for the Character Labs (Character Lab  and Character 3D). Please do not try and take the labs if you haven't yet take the Physical Characterization workshop.

Dickens Fair Veterans
Dickens Fair Veterans please take a language class, either Physical Characterization or Character Lab, (preferably both, as they work as a set this year) and another workshop of your choice. Please note that Physical Characterization is a prerequisite for the Character Labs (Character Lab  and Improv I & II ). Please do not try and take the labs if you haven't taken the Physical Characterization workshop.

Note: Some classes can only accept a limited number of people at one time in order to functionally teach their class. Please arrive at that class early if that is the only time you can take it. If any of the teachers turn you away because their class is  full, please do not argue, but come back at another time.

We encourage you to take as many workshops as possible, they are meant to be both fun and educational and will help you make your way more credibly and enjoyably through the streets of our London.

I know it may seem like old hat to some of you, but to have a real ensemble cast, we all need to work together and remember that we really are creating our version of Victorian England and should be representing our characters *ALL THE TIME* when in front of the audience. Workshops are the best way to make that happen and we are offering some new ones to keep it interesting.


I'm New - What Do I Do?
Come to the morning meeting at 10:00AM on November 8th, where all of the workshop teachers and directors will be introduced. Some of the directors will still be looking for people, they will announce whether they are. Read the missives and look for groups that interest you. You must be part of a group to work at the Fair, whether it's caroling, dancing at Fezziwig's or being a Dickens character. Don't be shy, ask questions of the directors and see if it's what you want to do and might be good at. We are also adding a group called "Christmas Keepers" this year that might be just the ticket. Please check the missives for more information.





To sign up for the missives, please email missives@redbarnproductions.org, and request to be added to the missive list.


Link to Cat Taylor's Homepage