A and S — Russian Garb — Sunday, June 10th

It's the Art-Signal! Quick, to the Science-Mobile!
Arts & Sciences Meeting

June 10th!
Washington Blvd practice site!
1 PM!

This time our meeting will focus on early period Russian garb. Luceta DiCosimo, our instructor, will post links in advance, and bring her laptop to show examples, and will translate info as needed. She is very knowledgeable, and is a very popular and engaging instructor.

Location: Washington Boulevard martial practice site
Address: Allegheny River Blvd and Washington Blvd.
Directions: http://www.debatablelands.org/martial/fight_directions.php
Time: 1 PM.

Standard disclaimers here:

We are now accessible to our less mobile friends, have free parking, and a pet-friendly site. Yay!

However, keep in mind that you should bring everything you need for your comfort including a chair, a beverage or snack, bug spray, sunscreen, hat, cabana boy, musical instruments, sun umbrella, etc., etc., etc. Also, the site has a porta-john and no running water should you wish to make appropriate preparation.

I will have a table and a jug of water so that you can refill your water bottles or mugs.

If you need assistance or have questions, please call or text me at 724-759-3333.

Thank you for asking! These meetings are free and there is no materials charge, as we are generously supported by the Barony and the teachers themselves.

See you there!  Elss Augsburg

Youth Practice for June

Hi everyone! Youth practice for this Sunday, June 10th will be canceled. Sorry I have a personal commitment that I have to be at that afternoon.

We will be having practice on Sunday, June 17th at 2pm at Washington Blvd. Hope to see everyone then.

Jasmine

Pennsic Pre-Reg Ends June 16th!

Hello Debatable Lands!

Pre-Registration (paid) for the Great Pennsic War ends JUNE 16th!!

All are welcome to camp with the Barony, but PLEASE NOTE:

If you are planning to camp with the Debatable Lands (camp name: “Debatable Lands”), including our sub-camp, you MUST pre-register (paid) by June 16th! Note that unpaid pre-regs do not count for land allocation, so you must submit a paid registration to camp with us.

Our camp name is “Debatable Lands” for both the main camp and our sub-camp.

Here’s the link: http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/

Also, if you register to camp with the main Debatable Lands camp, and we don’t know you, please do drop me a line (need to get your tent dimensions and add you to camp info dissemination): baroness@debatablelands.org.

In Levitate et Caritate,
~Baroness Hilda

A and S — Bardic Circle — Sunday, June 3rd

Bardic Circle!

June 3rd! Washington Blvd practice site, 1 PM!

Everyone is invited — bards, wanna-be bards, new people, choir members, band members, drummers, I-don’t-know-the-goddamn-words singers, loud singers, cowbell players, yes, you should come too. Can’t sing? Sit next to me, you’ll sound great! Instruments welcome, singers welcome, everybody welcome!

I will be bringing some printouts from here and elsewhere:   http://www.aebards.org/songs/. Alas, I will not be able to set up a campfire for us to sit around, but that means we can be free-form instead of circular!

Location: Washington Boulevard martial practice site
Address: Allegheny River Blvd and Washington Blvd.
Directionshttp://www.debatablelands.org/martial/fight_directions.php
Time1 PM.

Standard disclaimers here:

We are now accessible to our less mobile friends, have free parking, and a pet-friendly site. Yay!

However, keep in mind that you should bring everything you need for your comfort including a chair, a beverage or snack, bug spray, sunscreen, hat, cabana boy, musical instruments, sun umbrella, etc., etc., etc. Also, the site has a porta-john and no running water should you wish to make appropriate preparation.

I will have a table and a jug of water so that you can refill your water bottles or mugs.

If you need assistance or have questions, please call or text me at 724-759-3333.

Thank you for asking! These meetings are free and there is no materials charge, as we are generously supported by the Barony and the teachers themselves.

See you there!  Elss Augsburg

 

 

 

 

A and S — T-Shirt Design Contest

As was announced at the Barony meeting yesterday, we are having a contest to find a new  design for T-shirts!
The rules are:
  • Designs may not be for a black or white shirt.
  • Designs may not contain offensive images or text, no matter how period or funny.
  • Designs can be one, two, three, or four colors. One possible design consideration may be the effect of multiple colors on the ultimate price of the T-shirt.
  • Designs must be Barony-related, not kingdom or guild or other group.
  • The winning design will exemplify the best attributes of the Barony: We are approachable, fun, open, friendly, and we value camaraderie and community.
  • Entries can be submitted as .jpg files or .doc files to ansminister at debatablelands.org, or on actual paper to Elss of Augsburg, Minister of A&S or to Ishiyama Gen’tarou Yori’ie, Deputy Minister of A&S.
  • Entries must be received by 11:59 PM EDT on June 30, 2018.
  • The decision of the judges is final. Winning entry becomes the property of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands.
  • Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate your entry. Do not hold the wrong end of a chainsaw. Dremels are not intended for use as a dental drill. Do not eat.
If you have any questions about the contest, please contact me at ansminister at debatablelands.org 
Good luck to everyone!
Elss Augsburg

A and S — Making and Doing — May 27th

Are you illuminating a thing? Or weaving a thing? Are you finger-looping or knitting? Are you embroidering or sewing something?

Bring it to A & S tomorrow and get in a little work on it. Show what you are doing to all of the folks gathering for the SUPER-EXCITING meeting tomorrow!

NEW Standard disclaimers here:

Location: Washington Boulevard martial practice site
Address: Allegheny River Blvd and Washington Blvd.
Directionshttp://www.debatablelands.org/martial/fight_directions.php
Time12 PM-ish

We are much more accessible to our less mobile friends, have free parking, and a pet-friendly site. Yay!

However, keep in mind that you should bring everything you need for your comfort including a chair, a beverage or snack, bug spray, sunscreen, hat, cabana boy, musical instruments, sun umbrella, etc., etc., etc. Also, the site has a porta-john and no running water should you wish to make appropriate preparation.

I will have a table and a jug of water so that you can refill your water bottles or mugs. Probably a snack, too. Brownies are speaking to me this week.

If you need assistance or have questions, please call or text me at 724-759-3333.

Thank you for asking! These meetings are free and there is no materials charge, as we are generously supported by the Barony and the artists who teach the classes.

See you there!  Elss Augsburg

It's the Art-Signal! Quick, to the Science-Mobile!
Arts & Sciences Meeting

 

 

Who’s Who in Commedia del Arte

Who’s Who in Commedia del Arte – Maighstir Liam MacantSaoir

If you have attended some commedia del Arte performance at Pennsic or another event, you have probably noticed that some of the characters in different performances have the same names, no matter what commedia troupe you are seeing. Commedia del Arte has a set of stock characters that are essential to the art form. Commedia del Arte performances themselves are largely improvised but based on a structure written in advance.
The first group of stock characters are called the “Vecchi.” The Vecchi are the people of the upper class in Venice. These characters are usually the master of two different households. Pantalone is a shrewd business man who never wants to let money go. Pantalone is also known for being rather lecherous, chasing young women and visiting the local house of ill repute. Dottore is often a doctor and sometimes lawyer. Dottore is known for his vast knowledge that he gained in University, which may or may not be factual. Occasionally, Pantalone has a wife but most often he is a widower, or the wife does not appear in the play.
The second group of characters is the “Innamorati” (the lovers) these are characters that are the sons and daughters of Pantalone and Dottore. They are often very important to the plot, often looking for love, marriage and sex. The male characters are technically called “Innamorato” and the females “Inamorata.” The story of the lovers may be that they are looking for love, have ended their love affair, or are in competition with another for someone’s love. The story of the lovers may be complicated by siblings, their parents, or their servants. Both the Innamorato and Inamorata can vary in names and how they act. Some Innamorato are very masculine and virile, and some are the exact opposite, some may be very intelligent, and some may be incredibly unintelligent.
The third group of characters are the “Zanni.” The Zanni are the servant class, usually poorly clothed and perform menial jobs for the Innamorati and the Vecchi. The Zanni are the clowns of the show. The Zanni include such characters as Arlechino, who can be a servant for either household, he is usually dimwitted and food driven. Francheschina, who is usually a house maid for either house and often very frisky towards other Zanni characters. Brighella, who is often known as a freelance servant who will take care of things for anyone for a price, he can be the muscle, the thief or the murderer. The Zanni can have other names and serve in other roles to include the person that runs the local brothel, or other street urchins.
Commedia del Arte characters are still prevalent in many modern comedy television shows and movies today. Now that you understand who the characters are and what they do, I hope that you will see some commedia at Pennsic. The Pennsic University has a Commedia tract for anyone that is interested in learning more about commedia. In September, the forst ever Known World Commedia Symposium will take place in the Shire of Ballachlagan, less than an hours drive from the BMDL and it will host classes on Commedia and “All Things Italian.”
References
2013. Descriptions of Commedia Dell Arte Characters. Accessed May 2018. https://www.italymask.co.nz/About+Masks/Commedia+dellArte+Characters.html.
Felix, Talia. n.d. La Commedia del Arte – La Commedia Inglese. Accessed May 2018. https://sites.google.com/site/italiancommedia/the-characters.