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David W. Peck, Information Booth
David W. Peck

I started as a patron attending 2-3 times per season as guest of my daughter Jennifer. In 1999, became a playtron, and in 2000 started working at the Information Booth, with my wife Kathy.
[submitted 8/21/2007]

davidpeck@zz.net

I have worked in Games and Street, Guinevere the Apothecary Healer and Maid to their Royal Highnesses Puph and Phluff. I have been involved with Fest since '95. I started in Games(Sliding Joust, Jacob's Ladder, Off With Your Head), was there for three years. Went thru the Academy in '98. Worked for Front Gate and Pavilion Stage my first year. "I am Guinevere the Apothecary Healer and since my husband died due to the plague and I having no living male relatives to support me, Their Royal Highnesses, Puph and Phluff, gave me employment as their maid and healer." I enjoy being a part of Fest.

ktishma@hotmail.com

I started working at MRF in 1996, as Kathy Nelson, at the Information Booth.( This is run by volunteer workers from the Chaska Civic Theater.) Before that I was a playtron... coming to Fest in costume as many times as I could afford. Six to eight times a season and staying at the super8 Motel on the last week end. My favorite costume was an Upholstery Velvet with pearls and gold trim. I made this special for a wedding on the Festival grounds in 1994. You may know them, James and Malinda Melin. This past November, I Married the father of Jennifer Peck. (David) who now also works at the Information Booth.

sosnioy@2z.net

Eric Pedrotty, Former Festie
Gnaught (Not)

An off-and-on patron of the MRF for the last 16 years, I enticed my friend and blacksmith teacher William Wiedemer to the 2001 festival with free tickets. After walking around for the better part of the day and not finding a smithy, we decided to remedy that. We can be found between Jester's (Chester's) and the First Aid booth. Anyone who wants is more than welcome to show up at our booth after hours to play with the forge and share stories.

ravensmiths@mchsi.com
http://ravensmiths.home.mchsi.com

My brother and I started out at fest in 1997 working for Dave A. in games. I moved on to become a Jaycee in 2003. Hoping to move into a musical act sometime in the future. I picked up my guitar again about a year ago after a 10 year hiatus. I am also currently learning to play the mandolin. I am currently practicing in a trio called the Drunken Uglies. With any luck and a lot more practice we are hoping for a contract next year.
[submitted 8/16/2004]

dravengrimm@yahoo.com

Hello there! I have been working at MRF since 1998, when an ex-girlfriend helped me join with All Pun and Games. I have since worked for trilogy and the Jaycees. In 2005 I will venture out with my brother, Shane, and a great friend, John S., to hopefully create something special with our band, The Drunken Uglies. We hope to meet many new! people, and have many years as musicians at MRF.
[submitted 6/9/2005]

darlingpepe@yahoo.com
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Drunken_Uglies/

Chris has spent time as the artistic director of the stage act "Terpsichory", a 14 member Renaissance dance troupe. "In real life I tend to dance quite a bit as well, in fact, I have never tried a style of dance that I didn't like (square dance, country western, ballroom, swing, belly dancing, Lindy Hop, English country, Renaissance court, modern, you get the picture.) I don't currently get to do ALL of those, but I have done them at some point. Right now my lessons are focusing on Lindy Hop and beginning ballet."

AmberAvaln@aol.com

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Chris has spent time as the artistic director of the stage act "Terpsichory," a 14 member Renaissance dance troupe. "In real life I tend to dance quite a bit as well, in fact, I have never tried a style of dance that I didn't like (square dance, country western, ballroom, swing, belly dancing, Lindy Hop, English country, Renaissance court, modern, you get the picture.) I don't currently get to do ALL of those, but I have done them at some point. Right now my lessons are focusing on Lindy Hop and beginning ballet."

I began as a CKC Wine Wench in 2001, and came back again for another season in 2003. In 2004, I entered the world of street entertainment and became Charlotte De Berry of the Pyrates of Portobello. I spend most of my time as Captain Jack Barbarosa's mistress, trying to convince him to part with his treasure to keep me in baubles and silk. I sail on the Portobello Rose (when we can remember where it's parked) with the Captain, First Mate Jib, Cabin Boy Robair, our Bonesetter and Musician Brigid, the Captain's dear friend and fellow pyrate Gray Beard, and our half-mermaid stowaway maiden, Bella. I have also played at SRF in 2004 and 2005, assisting Captain Barbarosa with the drum jam and performing on the street.

Our shining moment to date (other than being recognized at cast call by Carr) was when her lovely and gracious Majesty granted PoP with a letter of Marque at the end of the 2004 season. 2005 will find PoP back at MRF, bigger and better than ever!!
[submitted 7/8/2005]

Ladymicki_03@yahoo.com
http://www.theatreofthenorth.org/

I have been a playtron for many a year and finally started working for Lajean Runnels the Psychic near Fencing Booth. I eventually started volunteering at the Music Kiosk at Troubadour stage and have finally become a wandering Street character. I also managed to marry the Younger Bill Peltzman in 2008 and am contributing my share of children to the next generation. You'll most likely see me following the group O'Brennan along to their shows with several children in tow.
[submitted 8/11/2008]

zephalinda@gmail.com

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I was drafted as an area manager many years ago. I appeared as Master William (notice a lack of imagination in names) who was utterly unable to complete a thought around any nobility. In this time frame, I worked once with George at his rehearsal where I tried out an old noble who couldn't keep daughter and dowery straight when courting the in training princess.( she was supposed to bounce of my miswordings.) To make a long story short, I was relieved of my area duties (I actually thought I was being "pink slipped.") and told that I was to be lord mayor. Since that time, I have raised the inability to speak a complete thought to a new low, as it were. "And I promise to be what so ever I may be to as many people who may be with that promising and glorious future that will guide us to our past. For lest we forget, we really should attempt to remember. And I stand firmly in close proximaty to all who have attempted, or not, that honorific goal."
Vote Cooper,
William Cooper, your L.M.

danpatch@netscape.com

I started at the Festival way back in '82, when I was 6 years old. I had wanted to go see what Daddy did on the weekends, since he seemed to have a lot of fun, and I just got sucked in by the mystique of the place. I was tucked away at the Irish Cottage for safe keeping and was given the name of Conor O'Brennan, and still carry it today. I was at the cottage for many years, where I (mostly) taught myself to play bodhran so that I could participate in the music playing that was always happening around me. A couple of years after the Muldoons moved in, I left to join the remainder of the O'Brennans in a band named Bedlam, played with them for many years, had a brief stint with Fiery Waters, and a few years with O'Brennan. Next came a two year stint with a band called King's Shilling along with James Swanson, Peffa, and John Gladman (with others sitting in occasionally). After King's Shilling broke up, Peffa and I reformed O'Brennan and were later joined by Frank Runyon.
[submitted 6/25/2008]

Bedlamboy_42@yahoo.com

Dan Peltzman, Tatterdemalions
Philip Cooper

pelt0055@umn.edu

I started the MN Ren Fest in 1990 and have worked at the Irish Cottage, street, the band Old Man's Goat, and the Front Gate. You can find me at the Pet Gate checking in adorably vicious dogs, cats, ferrets, bunnies and birds. My father and two brothers also work at the MN Ren Fest so we get to spend wholesome quality family time together!

busanna@yahoo.com

My fiancé and I are longtime renaissance addicts who managed to find a very good reason to play at faire each and every weekend! We're playful makers of bodily indulgences (soaps, massage oils, etc.) and truly take joy in what we do. We've been coming to the MN faire since 1992 with some of our most cherished courtship memories being made at fest. We also participate in the Bristol Renaissance Faire as shoppe owners (likewise called Seventh Sojourn) so we get about 20 or so weeks of festing in each year. Huzzah!
[submitted 07/29/2004]

bdpenney@yahoo.com
http://www.soapmagic.com

I started doing Fest in 1997 working in a leather shop. It wasn't until the next year with McGregor games that I started getting to know lot of people and started doing bits on the street in front of our shop. Then thing got really fun. After hours I can often be found playing speed chess at the BLT (games all day games all night) and giving head rubs. When not at show I am a lowly Ph.D. candidate at the U of M. My thesis is in artificial intelligence, robotics and computer vision and is almost done (famous last words). Some of the nick names I have acquired are little fuzzy heathen bastard, past tense of dig, dig dug, mega doug, and one I cant repeat in public ;)

dperrin@cs.umn.edu

David.M.Perry-1@tc.umn.edu

Been selling beer and showing off my cleavage for 18? 19? years now- the last 12 at Jesters next to the Fencing booth. General obnoxious and busty beerwench having fun!
[submitted 4/12/2006]

nlpdvmwench@yahoo.com

Nicki Petersen, Realm of the Fae& Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Sorcha Morgance Maclean w/furry companions Tia & Willow I joined MRF in 1994 with Jaycee's working the Queens Pub. In 1995 I joined the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. To find me, listen for the bagpipes. Character bio is in process... but so far, my father was Maclean of the High Seas, a "sailor" by trade. (Piracy, who said anything about piracy?) The past couple of years I have also helped with shops: Mid Summers Knight Dream & Silks with Attitude.

crystalmoss@earthlink.net

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Scott Petersen, Royal Court
Sir Horace Willet Ranier-Snow, Knight of the Garter, Equerry to His Majesty

I have worked for MRF/MAF in some form or another since 1983, starting with dueling buckets and then progressing through CKC, Site Crew, Shakopee Jaycees and finally Street Entertainment, where I have been having the most fun. What do I do? I'm glad you asked; I wander the streets (at Fest, silly) and meet and greet the general public and do my best to make the festival experience for our guests as enjoyable as I can.

tundramonkey_961@hotmail.com

dit@noquarter.org

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I started @ renn fest as a patron and fell in love with everything about fest. From the help of a friend I got in to dressing in costume and being a Playtron. I did that for several years but I needed more. Much more. So I became a Wine Wench for CKC, for a few years, but wasn't my calling. So I landed upon the Jaycees selling beer and found it to be my nitch. This is the place for me. So you will find me selling beer to people. To the right of the stocks yelling "Beer and Bondage" to help "The stockman and stockwomen" and of course enjoy ourselves. So again it is never to early to buy a beer and enjoy a little bondage with it. Again hope to see you all very soon. Blessed Be. Friends.
[submitted 12/29/2003]

hearts17_99@yahoo.com

James Peterson

manwithaxe@aol.com

Jim Peterson, Owner ~ Mid-America Festivals

Mid-America Festivals
1244 Canterbury Rd Ste 306
Shakopee MN 55379
952-445-7361
Fax: 952-445-7380
http://www.renaissancefest.com

In addition to the puppet troupe I do street as squirrel with my friends Mush, Nuts, and Zip (and ocassionaly Nicholas, the chef for the Guards). I love art, music, biking, and telling people I'm 15 when they hit on me (because I really don't like it). I love meeting people and talking, so don't be afraid to say hi.
[submitted 9/6/2005]

femaleyenor@yahoo.com