t Robin Hood's Bridge, Sir Guy of Gisbourne confronts Fanny Little (Robin Flanagan) and rants about what he's going to do to Robin next. Fanny, having heard it all before, would rather dunk the villain into the pond 'neath their feet.
(Personally, so would I; but I'm just another bloomin' spectator! What I wouldn't give to be in on all the action for real!)
Boogie, forsooth! Rosemary Birardi (for presumably that is indeed her) entices this unsuspecting Mortal to let loose the inner belly dancer within him.
Watching the audience at the Swan Stage as they watch the Flaming Idiots has long been a pastime of mine during these Sterling Forest adventures. Pyro, Gyro and Walter --- Jonathan O'Connor, Kevin Hunt and Bob Williams --- have dared to be stupid for close to a decade now, bringing their wild and crazy methodology about juggling to the Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Texas Renaissance Festivals; as well as King Richard's and Scarborough Faires. That, says I, is plenty to do --- when there be just the three of you!
Brother Donald, Teller of Tales (a/k/a Donald Heller), once more recounting his epic version of the Frog Prince legend, "The Tale of the Well at the World's End." Ribbit, ribbit. Oh, don't mind me, Mortals. Of late I've ceased to be passionate about frogs. (The WB's Michigan J., however, is another story.) No offense, mind ye, but there are other tales in Brother Donald's vast repertoire. Alas, I simply haven't had the time to listen to them all.
Big, burly Nicholas Cutter (Ed Gildersleeve) has plenty to smile about. Well, you'd smile, too, if you took extreme pride in your job! It's just that Nick's job happens to be Her Majesty's Royal Executioner and Gravedigger! Imagine --- chopping off all those heads, having all that blood on your hands.... oh, my, it is a bit grotesque, isn't it? I recall reading several years ago about another Royal Executioner, in another faraway Kingdom, who likewise found his version of happiness in chopping off folks' heads! Well, as you Mortals are so fond of saying, to each his own. Ah, me.
Lady Charity Faith Willoughby (Matty O'Shea), wife of the Lord Mayor of Sterling Town, striking one of those gorgeous poses only true fashion experts are familiar with. And I must admit, Lady Charity qualifies as a true expert on fashion!
Then again, so does this beautiful specimen: Gloria de la Mova Brocabo, Senorita in King Phillip's Court (Margarita Ruiz), who not only posed for your Dragonmaster's camera, but was nice enough as well to compliment me on my own style of wardrobe!
Continuing to peek at the Ladies of the Spanish King's Court, we now are confronted by the lovely smiles of, on your left, Dona Infanta, or Princess, Isabella Juanna Katarina Dolores (Victoria Soyer, with parasol); and, on your right, Senorita Dona Duennadonna Inez (Brigid Buchheit). They certainly knew how to behave like ladies --- even on a very hot day (I did mention, did I not, that it was quite a scorcher when I went out there?) Then again, I suppose, Princesses will pose for ANYTHING!
Hail the mighty man in black! Pat Battista, the most powerful blacksmith in our Shire, ponders the next pound of his awesome hammer. From his Magikal Forge Foundry in Monroe, NY, Pat brings his many tools, his years of expertise, and, naturally, his faithful female apprentice (Oh, bother! Me short-term memory has apparently struck again! Well, I guess I'll just get her name when I see them again at Fort Tryon.). Believe me, Sterling Forest's real power belongs to one incredible blacksmith! Huzzah!
Poor Dolly Elizabeth Faith Hallowbee (Kelley McKinnon)! Her fellow Puritans, as you see here, have sentenced her to wear the Scarlet D-minus! I can't imagine why. She's also been condemned to join the Sheriff's motley crew in the Living Chess Game, which will take place toward the end of the day. Oh dear, I do hope she survives the ordeal!
Y'know, when you're a Mage, somehow you find that there are always two kinds of beings you want to spend the rest of your life being around: Faeries and children. My adventures at Sterling gave me the opportunity of spending a few moments with both beings .... and, in particular, a reunion of sorts with Her Serene Highness Emerald Myst, Princess of the Wish Faeries (Tracy Lee Holden), whose services I heartily recommend if you or your young ones desire wish-fulfillment. 'Tis been said, my friends, that the most wonderful wishes one can make are those that come from the heart; and it surprises me not that Princess Emerald Myst is indeed quite capable of making her case in that regard.
Now here are some folks I remember fairly well (even if, as I mentioned a moment ago, I happen to have a bit of a short-term memory!): Lord Edward and Lady Penelope Devereaux of Oxford. Lady Penelope's sister joins them here; while I know not her entire name, I can guess that she is of Devereaux blood. They were exchanging a friendly conversation or two with the Blacksmith. Luckily, they obliged my request for very big smiles!
Here's a bold-hearted Scottish warrior flexing his powerful muscles as he shows us the pride of his heritage. Hey, that tartan cloak he's wearing ain't bad, either! Know you this about Scotland's warlords: they're big, tough and burly; they love to defend their family honor --- and their national pride; and they very likely will beat you to a pulp if you're not nice to them. Besides, they're excellent dancers, too!
Master Bray, the Kingdom's Towne Crier (J.P. Gulla), rings the bells for his own fan club. [Oh, bugger --- I can't believe I just said that! I HATE bad puns!] Anyway, another of Master Bray's duties involves leading the array of popcorn-sellers you see strolling all about the Kingdom. (As usual, I remind you that I'm merely guessing.) Though I knowst not what motivates these popcorn-sellers, I'm sure that they love what they do.
She is Morgan Killmore (Candace Kendall-Browne). She is one of the Sheriff's mercenaries. We see her stupidly using the Towne Crier's bod to make like she's about to chop off his head. She, if you ask me, has spent way too much time watching Xena!
Before I take you to the Living Chess Game, let me show you the two individuals whom I had the pleasure of greeting whilst I was at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, at the start of these adventures. This, they said. was their first time in costume; and more, they'd styled themselves as Emissaries in King Phillip's Service (no doubt, they had a message for His Majesty). I should mention, by the way, that this time, the NYPD's warriors had the good sense to leave your Dragonmaster alone! [Not to sound ferocious, mind ye, but should any of New York's Finest dare cross paths with a 4800-year-old Wizard ..... well, let's just say that being a toad with a badge doesn't exactly amount to 'protecting and serving.'] But enough trivial nonsense. On to the Living Chess Game!
In these next 6 photos, we witness a truly joyous occasion: the Wedding of Will Scarlet and Jenny Wren! And best of all, both Queen Elizabeth and King Phillip have been invited to take part in all the festivities! Presiding over all the shenanigans is Sterling Forest's favorite man of the cloth, Aubrey Llewellyn, m'Lord Archbishop of Canterbury (Dan Harkins). The Alta Band, as expected, provides the music for the ceremony as well as the tunes for the Living Chess Game itself.
And the Ladies of the Court are all aglow with merriment as the Altans serenade the merry couple, their guests of honour, and the several hundred or so Mortals dressed in Mundane garb who just happened to be witnessing the party. "Will ye, won't ye, will ye, won't ye, will ye join the dance?"
Her Majesty is certainly no slouch at sword-wielding; indeed, she has been known to kick her share of Renaissance butt here at Sterling --- but only when Robin and the Sheriff end up taking their bickering to extremes! Lesson to be learned, my Mortal friends: always behave yourselves whenever you're in Her Majesty's presence --- or else!
Alas! on this particular occasion, nobody takes that advice; and soon, weapons, witticisms and one or two insults are toss'd hither and yon --- making it quite difficult for even the most blase of spectators to figure out all the goings-on!
More often than not, it's the ladies who wind up having their way with the Lords, and vice versa, during the course of this battle of wills known as the Living Chess Game......
But inevitably, Good and Bad Lords and Ladies triumph! (Renaissance Faires, as a rule, always end up doing that.) As for Mr. and Mrs. Will Scarlet, as much as I would like to say that they lived happily ever after, I think I'm better off leaving that one to your imagination!
And finally, here's me! As you can obviously surmise, all my adventuring --- including no fewer than six unexpected encounters with Her Majesty! --- left me thoroughly exhausted.... so I did the one sensible thing that I could do: I completely flopped out! Yes, Mortals, though I wield the secrets of over 4800 years' worth of Good Magic, the truth remains that not even Blackwolf the Dragonmaster can escape from the onslaught of tired feet! (Besides, I think I needed to take a nap anyway!)
Luckily, I managed to squeeze out one last shot before properly surrendering to my aforementioned tired feet: the sun glowing magically amongst the trees near Roselawn, as it prepared to set --- which, of course, meant that the time had come for some of Her Majesty's faithful subjects to rejoin the Mundane universe. In my case, that could only mean one thing: back to Manhattan and my humble hovel. Ah, me.
That's it, then, my Mortal friends: Sterling Forest as seen through the eyes of New York's Unofficial Wizard. Thanks to all whom I encountered for permitting me to freeze them in time (including you, of course, Your Majesty); and if I can return again, I shall be most pleased. Meanwhile, to find out about next year's adventures at Sterling Forest, you may write to: The New York Renaissance Faire, 600 Route 17-A, Tuxedo, NY 10987; or to their parent company, Renaissance Entertainment Corp., 275 Century Circle, Suite 102, Louisville, CO 80027 --- or, better still, just log onto www.renfair.com.
Now click hither for Book III of Blackwolf's Home Faires: The Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival 2000!
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