TheBanyanTree: Last season as a "regular" performer

[Theta Brentnall]

What wonderful memories you will have of all the years you have played 
at the festival.  Every time you pick up your guitar (and I hope you 
pick it up often) you will think of the high points you've shared with 
your fellow musicians.  I'm not surprised the Bards honored you like 
that - you have been an important part of all the fun.  I can certainly 
understand the not bouncing back bit, and it's great that there are new 
adventures on your horizon.

Theta


On 6/7/2016 12:15 PM, Russ Doden wrote:
> As of Memorial Day, I hung up my title as a regular performer at the
> Oklahoma Renaissance Festival.  I had been thinking of this for a long
> time.  It isn't because I don't enjoy it, because it really is a lot of
> fun.  I just don't "bounce back" like I used to.  I'll keep having fun at
> various faires, but as a patron or maybe special guest from now on.  I've
> been messing around at Ren Faires for somewhere between 30-35 years so
> don't see any reason to stop having fun at them just because I won't be
> performing as a regular!
>
> So this last season was a bittersweet one for me.  The guys I've played
> with for over 15 years there - The Bedlam Bards - have treated me more than
> just kindly.  These two guy perform as a duo at various venues doing their
> Rennie music as well as their music inspired by the TV series and movie
> Firefly and Serenity.  I've been part of some of those gigs too.  I had
> been playing with other performers on the Ren Faire circuit for several
> years before I started playing with them off and on at two different
> events.  They always welcomed me and eventually I became the "third member
> of the duo" - a title I liked to play with because it made people think.
> I'll go back maybe one weekend next year as a special guest performer, but
> not as an every set every weekend thing!
>
> Time marches on though and new doors are opening to me that I really want
> to explore, and if this year and the next few go as I hope they will, I'll
> be super busy with my metaphysical teaching and such things as that.
> Between being asked to be on the faculty at a retreat center that I'll be
> helping open over the next few months (with a little luck), and being a
> mentor for an on line Toltec training package, I'm very excited.  These are
> opportunities that I still can't believe have dropped in my lap.  I guess
> you could say I'm starting my 3rd (or is it 4th or maybe 5th) career!
>
> Anyhow this year at the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival was fun as always,
> but in the back of my mind, I knew it was my last year as a "regular
> performer".  I had told the Bards of my decision before the season opened
> and they kept teasing me that they weren't going to accept my resignation.
> They understood though.  One of them is getting more busy with his
> non-music career as well.  I told a few people here and there about my
> decision during the first 4 weekends of the festival, and while everyone
> was surprised, they all understood.  Especially when they heard my
> reasoning.  There are so many memories that have come up over the years as
> a performer there, but this last year seemed to offer more.  Maybe because
> I was "paying attention" to all that was going on!
>
> The last weekend was a very emotional weekend for me since it was my last
> weekend for performing every weekend with The Bedlam Bards.  Also, Memorial
> Day is very special there with a special noon parade that honors the Vets
> and a special ceremony after the parade.
>
> The last day there overwhelmed me. I never expected one of The Bedlam Bards
> to make an announcement at Morning Meeting on Monday that this was my last
> year as a regular part of The Bedlam Bards at OKRF. I wasn't going to make
> any big general announcement as I didn't think it was that big deal.  He
> thought it was a big deal though and made an announcement about it.  I was
> stunned at the response. The outpouring that followed left me . . .
> amazed.  Several of the principles of OKRF told me that I had a lifetime
> free pass.  All I need to do is contact them and they will get me in!  That
> is not something that happens to many who have been there.
>
> Throughout the day not only cast members but patrons who have become fans
> of our act would ask me why I was quitting when I was so young!  I would
> tell them, "I just don't bounce back like I used to.  It takes me 2 or 3
> days to recover from the weekend of performing.  I'm not 40 anymore.  I'm
> not even 50 or 60, I'll be 69 this summer."  The response to that was what
> really surprised me.  Most thought I was somewhere in my 50's!  It was
> really funny with a few of the gals that are fans.  Several thought sure I
> was only a few years older than they were (and they are in their early
> 50's) and as we talked were wanting to get to know me better!  Ego
> strokes!
>
> I was also very surprised that many of the younger performers came up
> during the day to tell me I had been an inspiration to them and a few told
> me they considered me to be a mentor.  I had never thought about it as we
> would talk before opening ceremonies or before after hours events. We would
> talk about how to deal with different situations or how to keep going when
> you were totally drained.  All the cast helps the other members with things
> like that, I was no different.
>
> As I mentioned above, the noon parade and special ceremony that follows the
> parade on Memorial Day is always special, and I always lose it emotionally.
> I'm glad a specific fellow performer was beside during the ceremony me
> because we both are deeply affected, and he has become a good friend.  We
> were able to give each other support.  It was his last year as a cast
> member too so we were also sharing that realization.
>
> The bards pulled a break in routine during the last performance in the
> Black Boar Pub (the adult pub show).  Hawke and Cedric (who are the Bedlam
> Bards) honored me  with a few very kind words and paid me early for this
> years gig . . . well, I lost it. Totally.  I lost it again when Cedric
> slipped in a special verse in the last song.  That song is another of our
> quite bawdy songs with verses that rhyme, but this verse didn't - because
> Cedric wanted everyone to know how much I'll be missed.
>
> Then at the Pub Sing (the last event of the day), after our last song the
> guy that acts as MC of the set made one more announcement about it being my
> last performance as a regular.  Everyone in the audience stood up and gave
> me a standing ovation.  Yup, I lost it again.
>
> The walk through cast and patrons at the gate after closing took me 20
> minutes!  I was being handed from person to person for hugs, smoochies and
> well wishes.  The outpouring of love from the cast and patrons overwhelmed
> me.  One of the cast that I have known for a long time was giving me a
> wonderful long hug and whispered in my ear "If you had known you would have
> this many boobies pressed against you, I bet you would have announced your
> retirement from performing at the beginning of the fair instead of the
> end."  I had to laugh so hard at that because it was true!  It was just the
> thing I needed to lift me out of my teary farewell walk!
>
> I put a Facebook thing up a few days after the festival ended and have had
> a huge outpouring of well wishes.  Something like over 40 comments of well
> wishes have been added to that post!
>
> Now that OKRF is over, I'm going to clean up my camping trailer, and get it
> ready to put up for sale.  I haven't used it for several years other than
> at OKRF so I may as well let it go.  I just don't enjoy camping like I used
> to.  Camping from now on will be a cabin or hotel where I have flush
> toilets real close, air conditioning if needed, and other niceties like
> that!
>
> So this is your humble scribe, Andrus of the Bedlam Bards, signing off.
> Fare thee well wherever you may find your path leading you.
>
> I'll be telling you about my new adventures as they expand!
>
> Russ
>