Nottingham Festival turns back time in Simi Valley By Robyn Flans November 15, 2014 SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - John Dantona with the Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi used the word “edutainment” to describe the second annual Nottingham Festival, which transformed Rancho Tapo Community Park in Simi Valley into a 16th century Elizabethan fair Saturday. The Renaissance was brought to life by volunteers from the performance group along with the nonprofit Simi Valley Cultural Association, who filled the expansive park with artisans, craft workers, strolling musicians and actors portraying the era. Dan Will McCann, the director of public relations and marketing for the event who also portrayed William Shakespeare, said about 8,000 visitors were expected during the event, which continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. McCann said proceeds from the festival go to smaller nonprofits in the community and toward youth art programs. Susan Siebel from Henderson , Nevada , who was making women’s dress trim on a period loom, stressed the educational aspects of the event. “We miss a lot of the hands-on education in school,” Siebel said. “When you’re learning about any time period, all you can rely on are books and movies. Here, you can come out and see what it is really like to live in Elizabethan times.” Siebel said it took about a year to get a dress made during that era. Mikee Ritter, of Carlsbad , demonstrated the spinning and weaving of Elizabethan clothing on a period spinning wheel. “The assembly that twists the yarn is called a flyer, and it was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in 1542,” Ritter said. “He was frequently inventing devices to save time.” Geni Waltz, 6, was playing a 60-piece Jenga game with her uncle Sebastian Waltz outside Brotherhood of the Bottle Tavern. “She’s way better than I am at this,” he said. “I beat my dad twice,” Geni said as she successfully pulled out a block from the bottom. “I like this game a lot. I also like dressing up.” Several actors took the stage to give visitors background on some prominent historical figures, such as Sir Francis Drake, Amerigo Vespucci and Niccolò Machiavelli. Dantona brought Michelangelo to life by presenting a monologue in first person. He told the story of how upon his completion of his sculpture of David, the mayor of Florence complained that the nose was too big, so he climbed back up with a chisel and threw some dust down to the mayor, tricking him to believe he had changed the masterpiece. “That story is remarkable because it says to us in all generations, there are those who don’t appreciate what years later those of us will come to recognize as being astounding works of art,” Dantona said. Tammy and Allen Albright brought their 9-year-old daughter Katie from San Diego to support her fourth-grade curriculum in Renaissance history. “We wanted her to experience some living history in a real way,” Tammy Albright said. “I discovered this event online, so we got up early and made a family field trip out of it. We are so excited to be able to see the characters and artisans and ask questions.” Katie said the educational goal was being accomplished. “I’m learning how the people didn’t have as many nice things as we have now,” she said. “They had different class systems — peasants, lords and ladies — and the costumes show all that. Coming here, it makes what I’m learning in school make sense.”
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 07:22:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015