ANOTHER GREAT FESTIVAL

BOOFest 13 was another terrific time with terrific stories.  Tnanks to all who shared their time, talents and appreciation with us at Bran.  AND we raised L$2800 for War Child North America.

Here's some snaps the the day courtesy of becca draele, Dubhna Rhiadra, and Caledonia Skytower:

 

Lycanthia Wolfhunter

Bhelanna Blaze

Kayden Oconnell

Dubhna Rhiadra

Corwyn Allen

Crap Mariner

Freda Frostbite

BOOFest 2013 - Sunday, October 27th beginning at 10am SLT

More fun, more stories!  Make yourself a warm cuppa, and put on your comfiest sweater to join us around the blazing autumn fire for eight hours of great stories ...

10AM - ASIAN GHOST STORIES with Lycanthia Wolfhunter
Always macabre and challenging, Lyca brings dry British humor, wit, and the questing mind of an eternal student to all her stories.  Her speciality?  Tales of horror with a righteous sense of justice. See what Lyca has for us this time?

11AM - BHELANNA BLAZE
Bhelanna is a Playwright, fiction writer, Voice Actor, Director, Dramturge, and founder of the Founder of Cold Shot Play Readers and Cold Shot Flash & Dash for Writers.  Additionally, she is author of "A State of Affairs and Imaginings", available as a Kindle eBook, on Amazon.com.  http://preview.tinyurl.com/lmrmqpl
Today she shares two stories: SUNBIRD By Neil Gaiman, and THE WITCH DOOR by Ray Bradbury.

11:30AM - CLASSIC TALES with Kayden Oconnell
Dubbed by Crap Mariner as "The Voice" this talented Actor, Director, and Writer shares two classic stories of suspense: Nathaniel Hawthorne's THE MINISTERS BLACK VEIL, and Edith Nesbit's JOHN CHARRINGTON'S WEDDING.





  
NOON - Mavromichali Szondi (Unconfirmed)

12:30PM - HALLOW'S EVE: A HALLOWEEN FAIRY TALE with Dubhna Rhiadra
Dubhna shares this wonderful tale by author Sarah Diemer. Laluna is a reluctant witch.  Her dream is to open a cupcakery, but her beloved grandmother has just willed her the family magic shop, and she’s determined to do her proud.  On her very first day in charge, the young witch’s generous nature leads her to make a big mistake, and setting it right may cost her everything.

1:30PM - TALES OF LORD DUNSANY with Corwyn Allen
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (24 July 1878 – 25 October 1957) was an Irish writer and dramatist, notable for his work, mostly in fantasy, published under the name Lord Dunsany. More than eighty books of his work were published, and his oeuvre includes many hundreds of published short stories, as well as successful plays, novels and essays. Corwyn shares selections from his works in the spirit of the season.

2:30PM - SPOOKINESS, 100W AT A TIME  with Crap Mariner
If we've said it once, we've said it whole bunches of times, and we REALLY mean it!  Long ago, he swore an oath to write a 100 word story every day until the day he died. He's not dead yet.Always unpredictable and irreverent, no subject is too sacred, no cow too holy for Crap not to pull it out, examine it, and bang it on the table a few times before putting it back where he found it - albeit slightly crumpled.  He's a man with a mission!
http://oneadayuntilthedayidie.com/  

3:00PM - ORIGINAL SPOOKY STORIES with Fred Frostbite
Freda (aka Stephanie Mesler) will be performing, THIS ONES FOR THE GIPPER  a new spooky story and A DIVA SCORNED which premiered at the very first BooFest.  Maybe a Halloween poem or two if there is time.Check out her fresh new website at http://www.apoetsprogress.com

4:00PM - HER OWN WORDS with Caledonia Skytower
Caledonia (aka Author Judith Cullen) presents her own words, but actually, that is the title of her most recent short story as well.  Have you ever been haunted by your own words after the fact?  What if you were haunted by them, literally?  HER OWN WORDS was written as a haunting tale for several online ghost story contests this month, one of which is reader voted!  Click Here for more about that and to visit her site.

4:30PM - THE TELL TALE HEART with Caledonia Skytower & MadameThespian Underhill
We wrap up our day of spookable story-ness with a classic from the Master of Macabre himself!  For what would October be without something from Edgar Allan Poe?  These ladies add an unsettling twist to the tale, whose original narrative voice is a man - are they mad?  You be the judge.












http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bran/78/141/24

All presentations live in voice.  BOOFest is free to all SL residents.  Donations accepted to benefit War Child North America  

COUNT DOWN: It's Coming! It's Coming in One Week!!!!!

Stranger Nightfire gracing the very first BOOFest

Here's the preliminary line up of performers  and stories for this year's festival. Times and stories subject to change. All times SLT:

10am - Lycanthia Wolfhunter, Asian Ghost Stories

11am - Bhelanna Blaze - TBA


11:30am - Kayden Oconnell selections from "All Hallows Eve"

12:00pm - Mavromichali Szondi, Jägermeister

12:30pm - Dubhna Rhiadra "Hallows Eve" by Sarah Diemer

1:30pm - Corwyn Allen selections from the Ghost Stories of Lord Dunsany

 2:30pm - Crap Mariner with Spooky 100w Stories

 3:00pm -  Freda Frostbite with a new original story "This Ones for the Gipper"

 4:00pm - Caledonia Skytower with a new original story "Her Own Words"

4:30pm - MadamThespian Underhill, Ada Radius, & Caledonia Skytower with Poe's "The Tell Tale Heart"

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bran/78/141/24

All presnetations live in voice.  BOOFest is free to all SL residents.  Donations accepted to benefit War Child North America 

AND THAT'S NOT ALL! . . . Saturday, October 26th Branwen Arts is hosting their Second Annual BOOStock.

Bran Estate welcomes Boofest with an evening of music and fun by some of SL's best live musicians and DJs. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bran/251/246/3022

All times SLT:

12 noon ~ DJ Dub playing unusual tunes in a chilling set designed by Fae Varriale.

1pm ~ Deceptions Digital playing her own original compositions of electronic music:  a mix of dubstep, minimal house, trance and ambient.

2 pm ~ Juchu aka Echo Starship.  Echo Starship plays live improvisational music with ambient, experimental and electronic elements using synths, guitar and loops inspired by Brian Eno, bvdub, Tangerine Dream etc...

3pm  ~ The Killer Waffles: Tiny tribute band playing all your fave Alice Cooper, The Dead and other tunes. Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid! 

JUST UNDER A WEEK TO GO! Submission Deadline October 14th!

There are some great stories and storytellers already lined up for this year's event! (not listed in any particular order)

Crap Mariner with Spooky 100w Stories
Freda Frostbite with a new original story This Ones for the Gipper
Bhelanna Blaze and Roberic Unplugged
Corwyn Allen
Lycanthia Wolfhunter, Asian Ghost Stories

Mavromichali Szondi, Jägermeister
Caledonia Skytower with a new original story Her Own Words

The deadline for submissions to present for this years BOOFest is the end of the virtual day, Monday, October 14th. See the Call to Performers post for details and send your submissions by notecard to Caledonia Skytower.

TIME TO GET YOUR SPOOK ON!

Soon it will be time again to gather round the crackling fire as the air crisps with Autumn, and tell ghosty-ghouly tales.  We'll gather at Bran on October 27th for the 3rd Annual BOOfest.  The region is once again planning on holding BOOStock the day before on Saturday, October 26th, so it will be a big weekend. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bran/78/141/24

CALL FOR PERFORMERS:
Submissions for story presentations will be accepted for 30 minute and 60 minute time slots and there will be a mid-day break.  Tentatively, stories will begin at 10am SLT and conclude at 5pm SLT, but that may be subject to change.  Story presentations must be live, not pre-recorded.  Those interested in Presenting should contact Caledonia Skytower or Dubhna Rhiadra in world via notecard (PLEASE!). 

Include the following information in your notecard:

    ~ The size time slot you need (30 or 60 minutes)

    ~ Your name. Whether you are performing solo or with others (please include their names),

    ~ The piece you intend to present if you know it (not required till we actually get to October).

    ~ Time of day preference or any time constraints we need to consider when scheduling you.

As with StoryFest, there will be no stream available, and limited rezzing.  Just your voice in the dark . . . Mwwwwahahahahahahahaah!


Submissions to present will be accepted through the end of the Virtual Day on October 14th.

Tips from BOOFest will benefit War Child North America, and Branwen Arts.

BARD 2013 In Pictures!

Thanks to Everyone who came and performed, and to all the great audience members who clapped and enjoyed!  Huzzah!

Thank You Crap Mariner for the photos! 

 Thanks to Crap and the Citizens of Nowhereville for letting us part out Weenie Wagon on your beach for a summer's day of Shakespearean merriment!

THE PLAYERS AND THE PLAYS: Bard 2013 Gets Ready to Trod The Boards!

(All times and slotting subject to revision before the event begins because, well, you know that real life happens while you are making virtual plans!)

Beginning Sunday, August 25th at Noon SLT - Pacific Time

Approximate running time: 2 Hours  
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nowhereville/75/177/22

Donations benefit War Child North America

~~ Scenes from The Merry Wives of Windsor (Act II, Scene 1) and King John (Act II, Scene 1):  with Ada Radius and Avajean Westland 

~~ Sonnet Break!:  with Freda Frostbite

~~ "The Duke of Bridgewater presents his interpretation of Hamlet's Soliloquy" from Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn:  with BigRed Coyote 

~~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act II, Scene 1):  with Ada Radius and Avajean Westland

~~ The Merchant of Venice (Act I, Scene 2):  with Ada Radius and Avajean Westland

~~ The Merchant of Venice (Act I, Scene 3): with Yunus Nyn (In Spanish, English translation provided) 

~~ Sonnet Break!:  with Freda Frostbite

~~ Titus Andronicus (Act III, Scene 1): with Kayden Oconnell

~~ Hamlet (Act III, Scene 3): with Caledonia Skytower and Em Jannings

~~ As You Like It (Act III, Scene 2)"Rosalind and Orlando Make  Deal": with Bhelanna Blaze and Roberic Unplugged

~~ MacBeth (Act I, Scene 7): with Gyro Muggins

~~ Scenes from Much Ado About Nothing "How Two Wayward Wits Fall in Love":  with Caledonia Skytower and Kayden Oconnell

~~ Prospero's Epilogue from The Tempest : with Crap Mariner

Followed by THE WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SONNET CHALLENGE

Audience will be invited to shout out a random number from 1 to 154, and the panel of thespians will cold-read the corresponding sonnet.

Then, the audience will choose who performed it the best. The thespian who scores the most wins shall be... THE MASTER THESPIAN! 

(No big prize other than applause, and a whole lot of fun!)

NO Gift Shop, but we have a Snack Bar!

ADA RADIUS & AVAJEAN WESTLAND bring their considerable professional experience from FL to the virtual world as members of the Avatar Repertory Theater and in other creative projects across the grid.

This year they share a banquet of great two-handed scenes from several plays:

Merry Wives of Windsor:  Mrs. Page (AJ) and Mrs. Ford (Ada) discover that Falstaff wrote the same love letter to each, and vow to take revenge.

King John:  The catfight between Queen Elinor (Ada) and her daughter-in-law Constance (AJ), over whether Arthur, Constance's son, should succeed to the throne. 

Merchant of Venice: Portia (AJ) whines and old Nerissa (Ada) scolds while they talk about Portia's suitors and her father's will.

Midsummer Night's Dream:  Puck (Ada) and a Fairy (AJ) wax poetic about his exploits and talk about Oberon and Titania's quarrel. 

FREDA FROSTBITE  is Stephanie Mesler in The solid world.  A life long person of size, she shares a love of Shakespeare as this year's festival by presenting sonnets form the huge canon written by the Bard.  She is also a published author, most recently having published a book of her own poems, Soul Hill Lullabies, and a modern re-envisioning of the traditional princess story, Ermengarde the Expansive.  Her newest work, Adventures and Confessions of a Fat Lady Who Sings, is scheduled for release this fall.

BIGRED COYOTE is the Second Life  Name for a retired high school math teacher.  The Big Red part is from the First Infantry Division in which he served at Ft. Riley, Kansas.  The coyote part comes from the animal spirit traveler that has been with him since he was 15 years old.  He collects and tells coyote stories.

After 20 years in the United States Army, 10 years as a computer consultant and programmer, and 10 years as a teacher he now devotes himself to writing and telling stories.

YUNUS NYN is a writer, actor, director, and artist from the South of Spain. In Second Life (c) he is the co-founder of the TALIA Theatre Group, along with actress Malli Ansar.  In 2012 he created and performed in TRES VIRTUDES Y UN DESEO, a drama in two acts based on the adventures of three misses in the 18th Century.  He continues his work as a dramatist and performer with his work in progress CELIA Y SUS VISITAS, and has taken part in the ROUTE OF COMEDY event as well as plastic artist Noke Yuitza's TEARS IN RAIN. Amidst his many other accomplishments, he continues to work with the Brothers Alvarez Quintero as an actor and director, representing them in SANGRE GORDA, GANAS DE RENIR, and most recently in EL CUARTITO DO HORA.

 KAYDEN OCONNELL is an experienced voice and machinima actor, who also adds significant stage time in FL to his many theatrical accomplishments.  In addition to being a member of Avatar Repertory Theater, he also makes frequent appearances at the Seanchai Library in Second Life (c).  This year he will be performing singly a selection from Titus Andronicus, in addition to sharing a scenes with Caledonia Skytower (a frequent reading partner at Seanchai Library - listed separately) from Much Ado About Nothing.

EM JANNINGS is a member of Avatar Repertory Theater where he serves the company as an actor, director, adapter of scripts, and a dramaturge.  He adds to his experience on the stage virtual, and considerable wealth of knowledge and experience in FL as a scholar and teacher.  He will be sharing a scene from Hamlet with Caledonia Skytower (listed separately).

BHELANNA BLAZE: Flash Fiction Writer, Playwright, Voice Actor, Director, Dramaturge, and Founder of Cold Shot Play Readers and Cold Shot Flash & Dash for Playwrights in Second Life (c).

Current Weekly Projects in 2nd Life:

- Cold Shot Play Readers--Cold table readings of 10-minute plays & short scenes

- Cold Shot Flash & Dash for Playwrights--Dash for writers of all kinds to experience speed writing Flash plays and scenes

- Open Mic Performer of Prose Poetry & Flash Fiction at many venues in 2nd Life, including the Blue Angel Poet's Dive on Kolor

Upcoming Productions:

Open Mic Performance of her Original Flash fiction & Prose Poetry at DNA, Art & Music Fusion in 2nd Life, 9.15.2013, coming out as an eBook in FALL 2013

Other Projects:

Founder & Host of Study Buddies in SL, a weekly motivation group for writers, artists, students, and business professionals for breaking through productivity and creativity blocks.

Personal Productivity and Personal Development Coach in 2nd Life.

Follow on Twitter @BhelannaBlazeIC

Behlanna will be performing a scene from As You Like It with scene partner Roberic Unplugged (bio and photo unavailable)

GYRO MUGGINS is a frequent contributor as a member of the staff of the Seanchai Library, where he shares his enormous library of, and love for Classic Science Fiction.  But that's not all!  A steampunk inventor and irrepressible explorer, Gyro is always discovering something new, and enthusiastically learning each and every moment. It's a big metaverse out there!  So much to find out!

CRAP MARINER is best known for his 100W Stories Podcast and his Weekly Challenge. Long ago, he swore an oath to write a 100 word story every day until the day he died. He's not dead yet.Always unpredictable and irreverent, no subject is too sacred, no cow too holy for Crap not to pull it out, examine it, and bang it on the table a few times before putting it back where he found it - albeit slightly crumpled.  Yet Crap is a man of many talents, and brief writing is only one part of that.  He has been a constant supporter of StoryFest Events and the Seanchai Library, as well as many other artful endeavors in Second Life (c).  Crap tells it like it is, usually in 100 words or less.  There is Beauty in brevity!

CALEDONIA SKYTOWER is certifiably insane!  What on earth was she thinking in starting StoryFest three years ago and thinking it was just a one time thing?!  Seriously, Cale has a knack for organizing, as well as for writing and a certain skill at performing.  A twenty five (plus) year veteran theatrical designer, production manager, and producer, she has learned a thing or two about presentation over the years.  She is the staff lead at the Seanchai Library, and member of the Avatar Repertory Theater, Independent Ballet, as well as the owner of the Stories Unlimited! subscriber group and StoryFest Events. In FL she is also a budding indie author/publisher of short stories and other fiction.  You can learn more about THAT part of her life by Clicking Here.

The sun sets on a day of sand-raking preparations for BARD 2013

War Child North America is based in Toronto and is part of the War Child International network of children’s advocacy charities.  War Child’s mission is to work with war-affected communities to help children reclaim their childhood through access to education, opportunity and justice. War Child takes an active role in raising public awareness around the impact of war on communities and the shared responsibility to act.

War Child's vision is for a world where no child knows war.

NOTE: Bard on the Virtual Beach is not endorsed by, nor an official representative of War Child North America .  Donations collected are made as a private donation on behalf of the event, and other similar activities in Second Life (c).  For further information, Contact Caledonia Skytower.