The Renaissance Symposium brings the 1500s to life at the San Jose Hyatt

Renaissance Productions hosts its 2nd annual, three-day conference to explore and expand various aspects of Renaissance performance at faires and festivals

San Francisco, CA – Jan. 6, 2004 – Renaissance Productions, an organization dedicated to theatrical and authentically astute development of quality Renaissance-themed events, today announced that it will host the second annual three day Renaissance Symposium, January 30th through February 1st in the San Jose Hyatt Hotel. The cross-disciplinary conference will feature a series of historical and theatrical seminars that will uniquely prepare faire re-enactors for the intellectual and aesthetic challenges of the West Coast Renaissance faire circuit.

Throughout California there are about 40 Renaissance themed events taking place during each calendar year and over 300 in the whole of the US. In California alone, there are 2000 – 3000 actors performing at these events.

�Renaissance faires are designed to teach and entertain patrons by transporting them into a time and place that until now they�ve only studied from books and movies. Whether they come for education, pageantry, for the fighting, dancing, feasting, or to wear exotic clothes, it takes passion, time, education and significant training to present a glimpse of history in an authentic manner that will both entertain and teach them � this takes some doing.� said Bill Watters, president of Renaissance Productions. �We�ve brought together some of the best theatrical, costuming, swordsmanship, and history instructors to educate re-enactors on how to bring the Renaissance era to life.�

The cross-disciplinary conference will explore character development and characterization, costuming, history, basic renaissance accent, religion, fashion, manners, dancing and education during the reign of England’s Henry VIII, Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I, and Scotland’s Mary Stuart. In addition to a full schedule of classes, a series vendors, guild representatives, and producers of Renaissance themed events will be on site with various wares and information to get members and guilds ready for the upcoming season.

The second annual gathering is open to the public especially history and theater students of Bay Area high schools and colleges. The conference will be held January 30th through February 1st 2004 at in the San Jose Hyatt Hotel. The conference registration fee before January 1st is $20 a weekend and $25 thereafter. A Friday evening reception will kick off the gathering and provide an elegant, relaxing setting for participants to meet the speakers and to orient themselves for the upcoming event. For more information on the event, comprehensive schedule of events and registration please visit the Renaissance Productions website at www.renaissance-web.net or call (415) 334-1469.

Marti Miernik
Public Relations Director
Renaissance Productions
Marti@Miernik.com