Volunteers

Hey Guys!

I hope you all had a smashing Holiday and a Happy New Years!

If you are going to be in town this summer and want a chance to see what STEAM Fest is all about from the inside out, and do it for free, come volunteer with us!  Dates are Saturday June 19th-20th

Because we are looking to expand this year and include several new ten minute plays in addition to our formal staged reading, animation screenings, chess/checkers tournaments, circus troupes, and sooo much more we are going to need a lot of help!

If you are interested in helping please email me at dread.pirate.lainey@gmail.com with an idea of how much time you can commit!

Thanks! And I will keep you updated! Winners of our 10 Minute Play contest will be announced February 2nd--hooray Groundhog's Day!

Thanks!

Plugging Along...

I hope everyone had a great time at Dragon*Con!  I heard the Alternate History Track was a smash success [as I knew it would be!]  Coming up next is Anime Weekend Atlanta! 

I and a few other compatriates will be in attendance enjoying the festivities and other mischief.  We will also have STEAM Fest postcards to hand out!  Can't wait, hope to see you there.

I've also heard through the networks that Outland Armor will be there doing panel discussions, and if you like steampunk props and costumes this is definitely a group to check out!

We will also be having our first organizing meeting for STEAM Fest sometime near the end of September [date coming soon!] 

If you are interested in volunteering please email me at dread.pirate.lainey@gmail.com

Thank you!!

Dragon*Con

Have fun everyone!!!

If you make it to the Alternate History Track you can pick of a STEAM Fest postcard!!!

We're Back!

And better than ever.  After a brief hiatus, and vacation [woot!] we are backing and planning STEAM Fest 2010!  If you are interested in helping with the festival in any capacity please contact Lainey at dread.pirate.lainey@gmail.com

We've got a lot of cool new ideas for this years [or next years rather!] festival including a writing contes, a themed costume contest, and a brand new full length steampunk play The True History of Henry Rayne and the Airship Pirates by local playwright  and festival coordinator Lainey Welsch, more music, more art and more steampunk theatre!  Details will come as we confirm them.  Until then, you should go to DragonCon and enjoy the all new Alternate History Track!

Writing Contest Rules:

CONTENT:

Because STEAM Fest is a theatre festival celebrating the alternate history and inventive science fiction of steampunk in both literary and visual aspects we do ask that all works be related thematically in some way.  For two good jumping off points for the genre we would recommend first: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk as it is a great overview and introduction to the wild world of steampunk as well as a good history of how it came to be.  

The second resource I would recommend would be: http://brassgoggles.co.uk/blog/ which has great information as well as a wealth of links to various steampunk related goodies. Even if you have never heard of steampunk before I encourage you to learn more and participate.  It is expansive as a sub-genre and there is a little something for everyone.

If you have any questions regarding content please email dread.pirate.lainey@gmail.com

LENGTH:

Each work must be no longer than 10 pages [not including the title page].  Anything longer will automatically be disqualified.

FORMAT:

Entrant may send up to 3 works.  Accompanying each work will be a Title page which includes the following information:

Title of Work

Full Name

Mailing Address

Email Address

Phone Number

Paragraph Synopsis

Please mail hardcopy manuscripts to: 

Lainey Welsch

536 Partin Road

Cleveland, GA 30528

Electronic copies will not be accepted. 

If sending more than one work, please use one envelope. 

DEADLINE:

All scripts must be postmarked no later than December 1st, 2009.  The winners will be announced by February 28th and a staged reading of the winners will be performed June 19th and 20th at The Academy Theatre's Second Annual STEAM Fest. 

For any questions regarding the contest please email dread.pirate.lainey@gmail.com

Thank you and I look forward to your works!

Please feel free to send this to any and all who would like to participate!  The more the  merrier!

Our Wonderful Film Crew!

Clayton and Jared rock!  And hopefully after a few weeks [and a lot of coffee!] we will have a documentary on the first ever STEAM Fest!

Jared's other film work as well as artwork can be seen HERE:

Whee!

MORE PICTURES!!!

Very Nice Write Up

Go see it HERE.

Pictures are HERE.

If you have any pictures from the event, PLEASE let me know I would love to have them to show!  Thanks for everyone who came I hope a good time was had by all!

Seeya next year!

More Tempest Preview!

The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword!

Haha!

We will be having a double elimination Chess Tournament Saturday starting at 7pm in the Classroom! Come test your wits and skill and possibly emerge victorious!!

Sneak Preview!

Just Added!

As of yesterday, we will be adding to Saturday's schedule a Steampunk Props and Armament Panel headed by the wonderfully talented Outland Armour Crew.  This hour long discussion will go through materials, methods and tips and tricks for creating your own unique steampunk accoutrements!

The panel will take place Saturday from 4-5pm in the Theatre.  

For more of their work please visit www.outlandarmour.com

Dancers, Hooray!

Friday night after the staged reading we will be graced by the lovely and fabulous Brookes and Company Dancers performing a piece entitled Used to be Gorgeous:

USED TO BE GORGEOUS: Five conflicting selves engage the traditional confines of performance with contemporary albeit unsettling solutions.  Antagonistic partnering dismantles the troupe, and soloists expose their physical limitations striving to fill an inhuman negative space. They rend the space with distorted, ballet-infused burlesque movements. They exhaust and destroy themselves in an attempt to impress an evanescent audience. The viewer is presented with entertainment that questions acceptable forms of pleasure. 

Saturday Schedule!

Theatre:

12-1 The Extraordinary Contraptions!

1-2 Open Mike, Steampunk Poetry

2-3  STEAMPUNK Parade down Frankling Street [we will be crashing the Art-B-Que, hurray!]

3-4 Mr. Friskett's Improv!

3-4 A High Tea [in the Lobby]

4-5 Open Mike, Steampunk Writings [have something particularly steamy, come share!And meet the playwright of HMS Tempest!] In the Lobby

4-5 Steampunk Props and Armament Panel with Outland Armour [Theatre]

5-6 DINNER BREAK [headin' over to the Joyce!]

7:30-9:30 Second Reading of HMS Tempest: A Steampunk Romance

10-1045ish Thimblerig and Mr Friskett Present the Closing Ceremonies

11-.... James Joyce Afterparty!

Workshop Schedule:  [in our Classroom]

12-1:30 Simple Bustle Making with Sasha Katz 

              Beg.-Intermediate sewing skills required, 10$ for materials, space is limited to 9         participants so sign up today!

1-1:45 High Tea Workshop

Learn to create your own British tea spread!

3-4  Steampunk in Literature

This discussion panel talks about popular 'steampunk' reading as well as elements that make up particularly steampunkian writings!

4-5 Down and Dirty Corset Making with Fiona Leonard

In this hour workshop you will be taken through the steps to make your own corset!

Our Artist/Vendor Market will be open from Noon until 7:30.

Writers!

Don't forget to bring any steampunk or Victorian writings you are working on!  We will be having a writers group discussion Saturday from 4-5 where you will get to meet the authoress of our play HMS Tempest: A Steampunk Romance as well as share some of your own work.

We will also be discussing what makes "steampunk" writing, as well as some of our favorite works by other authors.

Tickets and Schedules, oh my!

Hear ye, hear ye!  

Tomorrow, Sunday May 31st is the last day to get your free STEAM Fest T-shirt with the purchase of your passes! Of course you will be able to order tickets after Sunday, just no free goodies!  

Fridays Schedule: 

4-6 Registration and Mix and Mingle
6-7 Thimblerig! 
7:30-9:30 Premiere of HMS Tempest: A Steampunk Romance 
10pm Brookes and Company Dancers
10:30-11:30 Fashion show/Costume Contest 
12am Head to James Joyce, for afterparty!

Saturday [starting at 12pm]

Costume and Literature Workshops, Writing Groups,Mister Friskett's Improv Troupe, Speed Chess Tournament, Juggling,The Extraordinary Contraptions! Bad Steampunk Poetry Contest, 2pm The Grand Steampunk Parade down Franklin Street! A High Tea, and at 7:30 another reading of HMS Tempest, a Steampunk Romance if you missed it the first night, art, music and more! Exact times are coming soon! 

$20 each day or both days for $35 To get your passes today call 404-474-8332!

Woot!

TICKETS FOR STEAMFEST ON SALE NOW!!!!

One day Pass: 20$

Both days: 35$

And if you order your tickets before May 31st you get a free STEAM Fest T-shirt!!!

Call today, space is limited!

404-474-8332

Huzzah!

Sorry for the lack of posts I have been scurrying around Time Traveling!!  I spent last weekend with all of the wonderful people of AnachroCon!

In other news, tickets are on sale and if you buy yours before Memorial Day, you get a FREE STEAM Fest 2009 t-shirt!!  So please buy your tickets today.  Seating is limited!

In other, other news we have started rehearsals for HMS Tempest: A Steampunk Romance, as well as had our first costume design meeting!  Things are moving along!  We also have a pretty solid list of entertainment for our little festival:

The Extradordinary Contraptions  

Thimblerig Circus

Mr. Friskett's Players

Workshops Included So Far:

Simple Bustle Making [with Sasha Katz]

British High Tea

Steampunk in Literature

Other Events:

Fashion Show/Costume Contest [we still need entrants!]

Bad Steampunk Poetry Contest

Franklin Street Parade! [show off your finery to the citizens of Avondale!]

Writers Discussion Group

Artist and Vendor's Market!

More information to come, this is just the beginning!!  For tickets call 404-474-8332 today!

POSTER!!!

A Formal Staged Reading

One of the main events for the festival this year is a formal staged reading of a new, specifically steampunk theatrical piece. One of the goals of this festival is to help promote and further neo-Victorian and steampunk writing, especially theatrical writing because I believe there is a way to put an airship in a tiny blackbox theater: imagination!

And there is not a better piece for that than 'H.M.S. Tempest: A Steampunk Romance'. It is a Neo-Victorian, Science Fantasy play loosely inspired by Shakespeare's 'The Tempest.' In the mid-Victorian era, the ingenious (and slightly eccentric) British inventor, William Prospero, is shipwrecked on the coast of an as yet undiscovered tropical island. With only his two (yes, two) daughters and a marooned mad-woman named Juno to help him, Prospero sets about building a flying steamship in order to leave the island. To aid him in this endeavor he constructs two automatons, Caliban and Ariel; one is a clockwork man and the other a steam-powered sprite. The adventure begins when another ship crashes on the island, carrying with it a shifty and suspicious crew, a courageous if somewhat impulsive Spanish prince on holiday, and none-other-than Antonio Prospero (William Prospero's younger brother) who, as it turns out, was responsible for the original shipwreck!

Playwright Stephanie Ferguson had this to say about her story, "I think my favorite aspect of this play, or at least what I was trying to get at, is the question: what makes us human? What does it mean to be part of humanity? And I think some of the answers to that are our ability to love, our ability to empathize with each other, and our imaginations." To me that is a valid question no matter what the time period.

The performance will be given in a manner consistent with a staged reading, not a full fledged production. For those not familiar with a staged reading the actors will have their scripts in front of them on music stands, and will embody all aspects of the characters through voice and minimal movement. For an added polish all characters will be costumed as if it were a full fledged production, and there may be a few additional surprises as well, you never can tell with automatons!

WELCOME!!!

Hello,

My name is Lainey Welsch and in conjuction with The Academy Theatre are putting together The First Annual Summer Time East Atlanta Miniature Fest, or STEAM Fest for short at The Academy Theatre [just down the street from the James Joyce!], June 12th and 13th.  It will be a cornucopia of neo-Victorian fashion, steampunk gadgetry, music, art and a reading of a new specifically Steampunk play, by local playwright Stephanie Ferguson.

This is the official information board for the festival and will be updated twice weekly.  

Right now we are in the planning stages and are in need of several things:

1. Artists

       Are you a science fiction, or fantasy artist and would like to show your works in an intimate artists market?  Does not have to be steampunk themed necessarily we do encourage it!

2. Entertainment

Are you a steampunk/neo-Victorian band, improv troupe, poet, dancer, puppy juggler etc?  We are looking for acts for our main stage during the festival that can perform in thirty minute blocks or could even work the crowd.  With this being our first year putting this together we do not have money to pay you up front but will able to help promote any merchandise you have and want to sell through the theatre's advertising.

3. Volunteers

If you have are interested in volunteering to either help set up before the festival, during the two days of the festival, or clean up after please let me know.  We will need help with box office, ushering, organizing spaces, coordinating with the entertainment groups and many other things.  We do ask that you have a costume to be part of the atmosphere of the festival

4. Workshops

Do you have a particular skill with steampunk gadgetry that you would like to share? Costume sewing, Victorian music, or anything else steampunk related that you would like to teach others?  We are looking for individuals to teach workshops speak on a certain topic.  There will be additional charges for these events so that we can pay you for your time.  

If you are interested in any, several, or all of these please contact Lainey Welsch, the Festival Coordinator at lainey_welsch@yahoo.com for more detailed information.  Deadlines for signing up is April 31st as tickets will go on sale May 1st.

Coming soon: A basic schedule of events and ticket and workshop prices

Lainey Welsch

STEAM Fest Coordinator

lainey_welsch@yahoo.com