The Famous, New, Exciting SUNSET CEREMONIES, St. Lawrence Parks Commission, Fort Henry, Will Baird

www.forthenry.com

Will Baird, Manager, Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks Commission

www.parks.on.ca

Ontario Visited interview Mr. Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks continues …

The Famous NEW, EXCITING Sunset Ceremony … A GAME CHANGER …

The Fort’s famous Sunset Ceremonies have expanded to two nights a week, with a new 3-D projection technology, that will bring the walls of the Fort to life. Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry - St. Lawrence Parks Commission says “this is a total game changer for us”. The Fort is re-branding its look from just a narrative presentation to more theatrical performance, including the use of a 3D wall projection.

During our past visits to the Fort, the Sunset Ceremonies were exciting to Gary and me. The music was captivating! There was precision marching and firing drill demonstrations! Excitement was in the air! The Fort Henry Guard, dressed in its crimson uniforms, performed highly technical drill maneuvers and then demonstrated mock battle re-enactments. All, demonstrating what friends and foes must have experienced in the 1800’s. "The Sunset Ceremony started off with a bang, drums beating, rifles firing and cannons booming! The receding sun brought magnificent colours to the western sky! As the night grew darker, the noise and colour caused by the re-enactment intensified!" You can read more about our visit in our past article (Please see LINK).

Today, Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry - St. Lawrence Parks Commission describes the NEW technology as a “game changer”… “The new 3-D projection technology will bring the walls of the Fort to life”... “The concept is to use the wall like a canvas” says Will. “The 3-D technology will be a central part of events such as the Sunset Ceremony".

As I described our visit in the past to Mr. Baird, he points out to me that much of the experience was based on our imagination! The Guards were firing at an invisible enemy with invisible shots. The “new game” may look like this … While the artillery is firing at a Sunset Ceremony, a scene may be projected on the walls to show what an attack on the fort might have looked like. The part played by the guard may be the same, but the images will bring it into the 21^st century. The ceremony will still contain the core elements, focused on the guard, but presented in a much more theatrical way. For example, while the guards are firing artillery, a scene will be projected on the walls showing what an attack on the fort might have looked like.

As Will described to me … Can you imagine the British Flag flying high and fluttering on the Fort wall during the demonstration. It changes the ambience and entire feel. The power of the projection also has Optical Illusions. That will enhance the experience.

Stay tuned for my upcoming Blogs, Articles and Newsletters. In the meantime, please check out Fort Henry website at (LINK) for the Sunset Ceremony details; Upper Canada Village at (LINK) and the St. Lawrence Parks Commission at (LINK).

Scoop ~ Who said History was Boring ~ St. Lawrence Parks Commission ~ Fort Henry ~ Will Baird

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Will Baird, Manager, Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks Commission

www.parks.on.ca

Ontario Visited interview Mr. Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks continues …

Who said History was boring? ….

While to some history may be perceived as not very exciting, but to Fort Henry and its staff, it is! Fort Henry’s fresh outlook, as Mr. Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry tells me, will portray the “Real Picture”, not fiction, the real thing, the real life!

Will tells me... History, as it is being taught in our educational systems today, he feels that it is being taught in a form of disservice.  How students and citizens had to learn history in the past was based on “facts”, memorizing them without putting into context. Will states, it’s not a judgment on school curriculum, but he feels if more teachers were passionate in “painting the history picture rather than just facts, history might not be so boring”. Today Fort Henry has the opportunity to bridge the gap and help create a new passion for our youth and citizens of our society today.

Stay tuned for my upcoming Blogs, Articles and Newsletters. In the meantime, please check out Fort Henry website at (LINK) for the Sunset Ceremony details; Upper Canada Village at (LINK) and the St. Lawrence Parks Commission at (LINK).

St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival ~ Maid for a Musket ~ Keeping Everyone Happy!

www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

Lucia Frangione, International Award Winning Playwright

“THE INSIDE SCOOP” is excited continue with the “SCOOP” from the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Prescott, Ontario about their upcoming performance “MAID for a MUSKET”, a brand new comedy by Lucia Frangione, Original music by Melissa Morris. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has kindly introduced us to Ms. Lucia Frangione, internationally produced award winning playwright and actor, we continue …

SPONSORS, FUNDRAISING & KEEPING EVERYONE HAPPY! … ST. LAWRENCE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL gives back … “BIG BANG for your BUCK”…

With the economic challenges today, it would seem it critical to obtain/maintain Sponsor funding and Other Sources of funding. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival shares with us …

“At the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival we have been blessed with a number of local businesses who have been supporting the work we do for many years. There's something about a small town and the pride they feel in the community which means that it's not always about "me, me, me". It's often about having a passion for their community. Of course, the pool of potential sponsors is much smaller than if we were in a big city, so we are always looking to expand the sponsor base.”

Ontario Visited wondered how the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival keep the Sponsors “Happy” … Farthing tells us … “Most sponsors want to get bang for their buck. They want to be seen to be associated with success and the fact that the Festival is growing each year, winning awards and becoming a major presence in the tourism economy of the region are all very attractive. We offer a range of benefits for sponsors, from signage at the event, free tickets, media exposure, chances to mingle with the cast on their sponsor night, etc. We also love finding new, fun ways of recognizing key sponsors. One of the benefits of being in a small town is that many sponsors have opportunities to get to know the actors on an individual basis. This connection is a great bonus, because there's an excitement about hanging out with the cast, getting some of the backstage stories and insight into what it takes to put on a show.”

This has been the “SCOOP” from Ontario Visited with Lucia Frangione and Ian Farthing, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival! Check out their website for the details (www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca), plan on a fun, and great, memorable time!

Scoop ~ Why is History Important ~ St. Lawrence Parks Commission ~ Fort Henry ~ Will Baird

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Will Baird, Manager, Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks Commission

www.parks.on.ca

Ontario Visited interview Mr. Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks continues …

Why is History important? …

Fort Henry feels that Canadian History and “living history” is important, so I wanted to know how important the history is and how do it impact our society today?

Will replies … The Fort provides the ability to connect history to Canadians, both new Canadians and Current Canadians, and visitors from around the World.  Fort Henry helps connect a cross section where we have been to now. Mr. Baird tells me a lot of where we are going is determined a lot by where you have been. Fort Henry is an exciting part of the connection of the Rideau Canal, and is able to connect to the public the relevance of the large part of why it was created.

Why is that important … Mr. Baird says … The Canal is a significant part of history, as it greatly affects our ability to travel today. We need to remember that travel was not easy in the United States, especially for a British Citizen. He goes on to say about history, that we can learn to understand the value of small inventions, such as electricity. Can the youth of today imagine a world without e-mails, i-pods, computers, cell phones and so much more? Baird reminds us that being mindful of that (history) is important.

Stay tuned for my upcoming Blogs, Articles and Newsletters. In the meantime, please check out Fort Henry website at (LINK) for the Sunset Ceremony details; Upper Canada Village at (LINK) and the St. Lawrence Parks Commission at (LINK).

St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival ~ Maid for a Musket ~ Career of a Playwright ~ Festival Secrets to Success

www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

Lucia Frangione, International Award Winning Playwright

“THE INSIDE SCOOP” is excited continue with the “SCOOP” from the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Prescott, Ontario about their upcoming performance “MAID for a MUSKET”, a brand new comedy by Lucia Frangione, Original music by Melissa Morris. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has kindly introduced us to Ms. Lucia Frangione, internationally produced award winning playwright and actor, we continue …

IMPORTANCE of the ST. LAWRENCE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL … IMPACTING the CAREER of a PLAYWRIGHT …

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, is also an accomplished Director/Actor/Singer/Performer. He is also “witty” “cleaver”, kind, generous and thoughtful! Once again, I called on Ian for his input with the next question for Lucia Frangione. Ian asked … “How does working with a Festival, such as the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, impact the career of a Playwright. Lucia tells us …“Ian has given me to the opportunity to write for a new audience, a large cast (a rare luxury, most theatres tend to produce new Canadian plays with a cast of six or less) and delve into a piece of history I didn’t know much about beforehand. I also had the opportunity to study one of Shakespeare’s lesser known plays, Love’s Labour’s Lost. I am able to write a play that is, in a way, a love letter to the people of Prescott. Not only to honor the people in the town’s past but to celebrate the particular things that make that little corner of the world beautiful and unique: the river, the wild flowers, some of the historical buildings…that sort of thing. The royalties go to a living breathing Canadian writer, a single Mom who really needs the pay cheque, unlike, say, Noel Coward’s estate.”

IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS … ST. LAWRNECE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL SECRETS TO SUCCESS …

For many festivals and events, historical sites, attractions and museums, it is critical to have Volunteers! For this edition of THE INSIDE SCOOP I asked Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival if he could share with us some techniques on managing so many volunteers, performers? Mr. Farthing tells us …“Organization is key! At the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival we hire a full-time outreach coordinator each summer whose job is partly to recruit, train, schedule and retain volunteers. The key to having a successful team of volunteers is to ensure that each person knows that their contribution is valued and vital. And to make it fun! If people are giving their time and talents voluntarily, we want them to enjoy themselves! In a way, it can be very similar when dealing with an ensemble of actors. You'll get the best out of a cast if they feel their contribution is essential to the production.”

Stay tuned for more exciting “SCOOP” from Lucia Frangione and Ian Farthing, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival! Check out their website for the details (www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca), plan on a fun, and great, memorable time!

Call For Vendors ~ St. Lawrence Parks Commission ~ Fort Henry ~ Will Baird

www.forthenry.com

Will Baird, Manager, Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks Commission

www.parks.on.ca

Ontario Visited interview Mr. Will Baird, Manager of Fort Henry, St. Lawrence Parks continues …

 “CALL FOR VENDORS”

New for 2013... Fort Henry is excited to announce The Trade Square. The Trade Square is Kingston's newest shopping district inside the walls of the Fort. Shoppers will enter the Upper Fort free of charge, shop the rooms and outdoor stalls and have lunch or dinner on Kingston's newest outdoor patio which overlooks the beautiful city.

The Trade Square will operate Wednesday - Sunday from June 29th - September 2nd, plus run throughout Fort Fright. Core hours will be 10:00am - 5:00pm, with extended hours occurring on holidays, special events and Sunset Ceremony nights throughout the summer. Vendors will include artists, crafts people, retailers, museums, organizations, and food & beverage providers.

Call for Vendors

“The Trade Square will include indoor spaces and outdoor spaces, seasonal and monthly options. In total there are 7 casements and 20 outdoor spaces. Space will be allotted and booked based on space requirements of vendor. Seasonal rentals will be given preference on booking. Indoor monthly or seasonal spaces can operate as a studio / retail space where artists and vendors are encouraged to work as well as sell. The main season will be June 29 - September 2, which includes the Canada Day Market and Civic Holiday Market as well as other special events during that time period at no extra charge.”

Get in touch with the Fort today to join in the fun! In the meantime, please check out Fort Henry website at (LINK) for the Sunset Ceremony details; Upper Canada Village at (LINK) and the St. Lawrence Parks Commission at (LINK).

St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival ~ Maid for a Musket ~ Greater Opportunities for our Next Generation

www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

Lucia Frangione, International Award Winning Playwright

“THE INSIDE SCOOP” is excited continue with the “SCOOP” from the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Prescott, Ontario about their upcoming performance “MAID for a MUSKET”, a brand new comedy by Lucia Frangione, Original music by Melissa Morris. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has kindly introduced us to Ms. Lucia Frangione, internationally produced award winning playwright and actor, we continue …

GREATER OPPORTUNTIES FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION …

Lucia Frangione, continues on telling what she felt was the importance of the performing arts in our society today.

“A Canadian playwright will understand the Canadian experience and it is different from other places in the world. I will speak your language. I will have your sense of humor. I do know the color of your sky. I have tasted the first strawberries in Ontario and picked them with my father. I have been bitten by horseflies. I have walked along the St Lawrence River as the sun sets. I have been so humidly hot in the summer I want to jump into a bath full of ice cubes. I have been in love with a boy who plays lacrosse and have kissed his face, his face with the tiny bit of ice crystal snot around the nose, hoping it doesn’t melt too fast…you might be chuckling or wincing right now reading this, why? Because you’ve done the same thing! I watch you and listen to you and put you up on the stage and share your voice with the rest of the world. You think Beyonce is going to do that? You think Tarantino can? No. They’re great novelties and amazing artists. But we tell each other who we are. We inform each other what we believe in, who we love, what we live for, what we strive to be. That is irreplaceable.”

GREATER OPPORTUNTIES FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION …

As our society changes with technology, I asked Ms. Frangione is she had any suggestions on how to encourage the youth today to participate in such a unique “field” that requires passion, talent, dedication and devotion. Lucia tells us …“I think my generation was the “TV generation” and the fear was that technology would replace all the live arts. I do see the youth today obsessed with their ipads, video games, itunes, etc, sure. But I also see the returned pleasure and value being found in taking dance, music lessons, drama…all the live arts. I think there is greater opportunity for this next generation to share their talent with the world through utube, social networking etc. A teenager now has the technology and networking available to them to shoot their own film, their own music video, their own live poetry reading, their dance routine, their piano concert, get it on line and share it with the world electronically or market a live event. It’s really amazing.”

Stay tuned for more exciting “SCOOP” from Lucia Frangione and Ian Farthing, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival! Check out their website for the details (www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca), plan on a fun, and great, memorable time!