Steampunk photo shoot!

"Bring Your Camera!" If you're going to go to STEAMFest, you're probably going to be wearing your best antiquated expressions of Victorian fashion. You're going to the Festival to get transported to another fantastical time that never quite existed. You may as well get some snaps to send to the folks at home.

Using the Harryhousian approved process of "rear projection" we will project a scene onto a screen behind you and from there you can pose for a friend or a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot representative with a camera that can shoot you in your attire atop a blimp, inside a fiery inferno, or exchanging blows with an automaton.

Bring an image file or a great idea that we can look up and we'll put you in that scene.

SteamFest 2011 at 4:30PM in the Classroom

Wilco Tango Foxtrot, as already mentioned, will also be presenting Journey to the Center of the Earth!

This year at STEAMFest, those droll chaps from "The Game Is Afoot" will be mocking, callbacking,and generally steampunking the 1959 

steampunk classic, Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth." 

Join them for a campy, yet watchable film where James Mason undertakes  the daunting task of reaching the center of the Earth while Pat Boone  undertakes the more difficult task of trying to come off Scottish. Put  on your goggles and load up on smarm and join us at 8:00 at the Academy  Theater in Avondale Estates.

All the fun and excitement begins tomorrow so be sure to arrive in time to get your tickets 

before all the fun begins 4:00!

Venusian Trading Company

I am pleased to announce that one of the finest builders and purveyors of all manner of steampunk finery will be joining us once more at STEAMFest this year. Bill, Cat, Becky and Gail have displayed their talents at such fine establishments as Chattacon, Anachrocon, Dragon Con, Anime Weekend Atlanta and more! They make such wonderful items as weapons (most creatively constructed), clothing, accessories, jewelry, and of course goggles. You simply must see them!

Here is a link to their website: http://venusianairshippiratetrading.com/

Also, returning after a delightful performance at The Midwinter Fling, Wilco Tango Foxtrot will feature Sketch MacQuinor, Brian Troxell and co. in a hilarious but loving commentary on the classic Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Please get your tickets now!

Krystalyn Formations at STEAMFest!

Krystalyn Norton will be presenting a workshop on Henna tattoos at STEAMFest! She has previously displayed her talents at the Arts and Crafts Spring Garden Festival and numerous other venues all about Atlanta. At this link you can see some of her beautiful work! She will be discussing henna tattoos, their tradition, as well symbolism on the body of the healing process.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bullet-proofmonk/3453727665/lightbox/

ARTC at STEAMFest!

The Atlanta Radio Theatre Company (ARTC), renowned for their live performances of audio drama, will be performing at three shows at STEAMFEST!

The Adventures of Rafe Rathbone: "The Adventure of Sir Isaac's Monocle" by Ron N. Butler,

"Sarabande for a Condemned Man" by Kelley S. Ceccato, and The Game is Afoot: "The Phantom Chippendale" by Sketch MacQuinor!

You can read more about ARTC at their website: http://www.artc.org/

Remember to get your tickets! STEAMFEST is only days away! We look forward to seeing you there.

Notice the updated times: The festival now begins on Saturday April 9th at 4:00pm and April 10th at 9:00pm.

NEW STEAMFEST

STEAMFest has been reimagined this year due to some scheduling and other such conflicts, but will still be just as fun!

The Fest will take place only during the evening hours but there will still be performances by the ARTC, Thimblerig, The Game is Afoot, and Karma Lingo!

See the previous blogs for links to order your tickets! It's coming up soon!

Third Annual STEAMFest!

There is more information in about STEAMFest 2011!

There will be a performance by the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company: a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the art of audio theatre. Since their founding 24 years ago they have been performing live audio theatre at wide variety of such notable venues as DragonCon, Stone Mountain, the World Fantasy Convention, and now STEAMFest!

There will be a Victorian style wrestling match presented by Platinum Championship Wrestling (PCW). PCW presents crowd pleasing excitement and I'm sure their Victorian presentation will be no exception.

Also, there will be a staged reading of the new play The Adventure of the Capercaillie Bridge by Maegan Mercer-Bourne. This play explores the family life of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes while the two brothers team up to solve one of their most baffling crimes!

And of course there will be an artist gallery with the best in Steampunk clothing, jewelry, weaponry, and artwork, a high tea, many exciting workshops, and panels!

Be sure to get your tickets now!

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/145160

Steampunk Merriment!

Just in time for the wonderful warm weather comes Anachrocon 2011! It's only a week away, so book a ticket now. Pre ordering is only available until the 22nd before prices go up!

http://www.anachrocon.com/home-2/

They will have such remarkable guests as The Vauxhall Garden Players, Pixie Bruner, Talloolah Love, and Thomas Willeford of Brute Force Studios; fan tables for such notables as Emilie Bush, Frolicon, Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, and of course, the STEAMFest Players.

Don't forget to preorder your tickets for STEAMFest in April! The fun doesn't have to end with Anachrocon.

Oh, and DO pick up an Anachrocon T-shirt!

http://www.cafepress.com/anachroconshop

STEAMFest

Greetings everyone!

Thank you to all of you who joined us for the Midwinter Fling which was a roaring success.
The next thrilling steampunk event at the Academy Theatre is STEAMFest! Complete with music, costumes, plays, contests, vendors, and more. But, since that is not until April 8-9, you might want to get your dose of steampunkery from AnachroCon: February 25-27th. AnachroCon is the place in the South for science fiction, alternate history, history, and the most amazing costumes you'll ever see. Some of the featured events and visitors are Steampunk Boba Fett; historical reenactors J.D. Sutton, Bill Pacer, Scott Hodges; musicians The Extraordinary Contraptions and The Vauxhall Garden Variety Players; and The Gaslamp Gala, a neo-Victorian Dance, offered by the Artifice Club, who recently brought us the Mechanical Masquerade.

You do not want to miss this exciting weekend full of information and entertainment!

Visit www.anachrocon.com for pricing, location, and a full list of performers and events.

Good News for All

New Year's Greetings,

I hope you are all well and not too tired out from New Year's celebrations to join us for the Midwinter Fling. It is only four short days away! I have a few last moment announcements to make in regards to the Fling: Sadly, the Thimblerig Circus will no longer be joining us, but instead we will have the talented Jennifer Teeter: Ukelele playing singer-songwriter! We will the the fantastic art of Jason Thomas, and the possibility of a Victorian wrestling match.

I also have some exciting news of a personal nature: At last, after all these weeks of waiting, my brother has finally repaired the time machine! He will be able to come for me within a couple of days, then the two of us will embark on a tour of Europe before heading home. I look forward to seeing him again and introducing him to all the wonders of 2011.

Enjoy the Midwinter Fling, one and all,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

4th of January, 2011

Coming Soon

Salutations Loyal Readers,

The Midwinter Fling is nearly upon us, only 10 days away! I hope you're all planning to get your tickets soon. I want to remind you that the ticket price will go up on the 1st of January, so you had better hurry.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/141655

I wish you a warm and cheerful New Year,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

29th of December, 2010

Poster

Holiday Greetings,

The poster has arrived for the Midwinter Fling! It is rather exciting for everything to be coming together so nicely!

Here is a complete list of all the festivities which will be occuring:

A Steampunk Writers Slam

Karma Lingo

Vauxhall Variety Players

Reading from the brand new play The Adventure of the Capercaillie Bridge

Thimblerig Moldavian Circus

A Steampunk Wedding

Save the Date

Saltutations!

The date for the Midwinter Fling is January the 8th from noon until eleven o'clock in the PM. I hope we will see you there! All the aforementioned activities will be delightful so I hope you will get your tickets soon.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/141655

Please visit the exciting page on Facebook (fantastic invention!) to learn more about the Midwinter Fling and to RSVP.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159213974125131&notif_t=event_invite

Sincerly Yours,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

21st of December, 2010

Salutations on this cold day,

I hope you are all well. I have several exciting tidbits of information for you today about some more of our performers for the Midwinter Fling as well as a link to purchasing tickets.

Firstly, I would like to tell you about another splendid band who will be playing for us. You may have heard of them: Karma Lingo. Karma Lingo is an eclectic band who performs classic rock styled songs both of their own writing and reinterpretations of existing songs. All the performers play multiple instruments and have a strong base in acting. They are honored to have opened for the band Kansas at Atlanta's Centennial Park to an audience of 80,000 people!

Secondly, I am excited to say that Thimblerig, the inescapably amusing circus troupe from Moldavia, will also be joining us. They are known for their death defying feats of hilarity and their interesting cultural heritage. Composed of Molotov Itsacocktail, Kisska Youraska, and their silent compatriot Zoloft, they bring plenty of laughs and a surprising amount of thrills as well.

To get your tickets to the Midwinter Fling to enjoy these entertainers and more please go to this following page link:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/141655

Happy Holiday,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

15th day of December, 2010

More to Report

Greetings,

I hope you are all having a marvelous Season. I have been busy with preparations both from Christmas and our exciting lineup of Steampunk festivities, but sadly at this time of year I am missing my family most sincerely. I hope my brother will find some way to make contact with me shortly. I have great faith in him and know he will prevail.

It is nearly time for our Midwinter Fling and would like to inform you that we only have 10 slots left for our Steampunk Writer's Slam so you had best hurry and reserve your spot! You will have 7 minutes to present your best Steampunk poetry or prose to the audience and judges--but if you go over time you will be gonged off the stage. It's all very exciting!

Additionally, I have some information to report about one of the fabulous musical performers who will be joining us at the Fling. The Vauxhall Garden Variety Players are fantastic actors and a stringed sextet who specialize in modern reinterpretations of Victorian music. I must say, from experience they are quite extraordinary. They have performed at such prestigious venues as Anachrocon, SCAD, Frolicon, and will be returning to our own STEAMfest.

Don't forget to send in your plays for our contest!

Wish you well,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

9th of December, 2010

Hello Everyone,

I trust you are well. I have been helping my room mate prepare a meal for that celebration you call Thanksgiving. It is such a delightful holiday and I cannot wait to participate in all the festivities associated with this marvelous time of year.

On a business note, we will be extending our deadline for the play submissions, so if you thought you would not have time to send it in, now you do. So please send in your plays.

In other news, Midwinter Fling is fast approaching as the season progresses and I have just received news about the play which will be performed at STEAM Fest in April. The play is a steampunk mystery based upon the Sherlock Holmes stories of Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle (favorites of mine) and a scene from this will be performed at the Midwinter Fling. You would hate to miss that, so you had best be there.

I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving Day.

Best,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

Eleventh day of November, 2010

Greetings Friends,

I hope this message finds you well. I would just like to thank you all for sending in your plays for the contest. I'm sure they are all going to be marvelous! Also, there will be more information about the schedules of performances, workshops and other activities in STEAM Fest very soon. We are still ironing out details and we will let you know the final schedule soon.

My communicator has run out of power and so, I have finally decided to invest in one of those cellular phones. I thought I would have been woefully insufficient in the area of funds, but I find that gold coins go further than I thought. The cellular phone is not as difficult to operate as I first thought, but I find that when I have it in my pocket I often ring people when I do not intend to! Most frustrating.

Oh, I have something else of a personal matter to report: I have found a tiny dog in the woods behind my room mate's house. I have named her Electra and she is sleeping beside me now. Perhaps I ought to take her for a walk.

I wish you all well, and hope to see you soon at the Midwinter Fling.

Love,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

10 November, 2010

4th day of November, 2010

Greetings Friends,

I hope you all are well. This week has been quite a busy one. We are hard at work on the upcoming Midwinter Fling (9th of January is fast approaching!) as well as eagerly accepting submissions to the playwriting contest for STEAM Fest. If you would like to enter, you can see the previous entry here which includes all the details.

My brother and I have been corresponding via our communicators, but sadly the voltaic battery in mine is almost dead. For all your outstanding advancements in this time, you have no way for me to charge it and your alkaline batteries do not fit the device. It was recommended that I get a telephone to replace the communicator and, though I would not be able to speak with my brother, I suppose I should try to operate one of these cellular phones. It is quite different from the telephones of my time, but the principles are fascinating and I'm sure I will be able to pick it up in no time. I also have recently discovered my inability to drive automobiles. I am skilled enough at maneuvering my airship, but attempting to drive on "highways" is beyond me. I fear I gave my room mate quite a scare, but all is well, and from now on she shall be the driver.

I must bid you farewell for the night, for I am busy at the moment dismantling a cellular phone in order to better understand its components. I much hurry and piece it together again before my room mate returns.

Good Evening,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

27th day of October, 2010

Salutations Faithful Readers,

Happily I can report to you that I have restored my communicator to working order and have contacted my brother. He was, understandably, concerned for my well-being, but was pleased to hear that I have met such wonderful people in this new time. He is avidly working on the time machine, but it seems that it will not be operational any time soon. He said that it was very fortunate I made it to 2010 unharmed, for there are a lot of “kinks” he has yet to work out of the machine. I told him that if only he were here, there would be ample technology, and many people knowledgeable about time machines, who could help him repair it.

However, I do have some very good news. I am delighted to tell you that this Saturday night, the 30th of October at 7:30 PM, the band Emerald Rose, a Celtic band with a flair for the mechanical, will be performing at the Academy Theatre. You can find tickets here: http://atlanta.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=307069 . Emerald Rose is quite a prestigious band in this area, I am told, so I am sure you will not want to miss this performance.

Additionally, Doctor Q will be holding his Mechanical Masquerade at the Academy Theatre on the 6th day of November at 7:00. There will be music, dancing, lectures, purveyors of steampunk goods, and steampunk revelry all around. You can learn more about the event as well as find out how to get tickets here: http://culturemob.com/events/6271797-doctor-qs-mechanical-masquerade-ga-avondale-estates-30002-the-academy-theatre

I hope you will join the Academy Theatre at both of these events. I know they will be fantastic!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I do believe I need to figure out how to operate what my room mate calls a microwave. I am starving and all the icebox has to provide is a box of Chinese food. I do like this “Chinese food.”

Ta,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

Writing Contest

19th of October, 2010

Greetings Friends,

I hope this correspondence finds you well. I have been very busy this week putting together more details of STEAM Fest and I am pleased to announce that there will be a writing contest which all of you may enter. You may submit ten-page plays that will then be produced as stage readings at STEAM Fest!

Now, I must briefly tell you of the rules:

Firstly, 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. Here are some helpful websites that can inspire you. I have been introduced to Wikipedia and found that it is a wonderful starting point for research: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk This page provides introductory information and an overview of how the genre of steampunk came to be. I found it most enlightening. Another page which can provide you with interesting links and hints is: http://brassgoggles.co.uk/blog/ . And finally here is a list of common steampunk themes that can help you get started on a brilliant plot: http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1249132-SteamPunk-A-List-of-Themes

Don’t be discouraged if you have never heard of or worked with the steampunk genre, it is so much fun to learn about and because it has such a vast array of sub-genres there’s something for everyone. If you have any questions regarding content please email dreadpiratelainey@yahoo.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, 2010. The winners will be announced by December15th and a staged reading of the winners will be performed April 9th-10th as part of The Academy Theatre's Third Annual STEAM Fest.

For any questions regarding the contest please email dreadpiratelainey@yahoo.com

I do hope you will enter because it will be every so much fun, and imagine, you will get to see your play performed onstage!

At the moment, I have little to report on my brother. Sadly, my communicator was broken when I arrived here, but I hope to have it fixed soon. I wonder if it will work across time? I should greatly love to share my adventures with Peter. I will have more to report to you next week, until then, I must go and continue my repairs on my communicator.

Congenially Yours,

Caroline Francesca DeFontaine

PS-- Please join the Academy Theatre for the Performance of Emerald Rose on October 3oth!

https://atlanta.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=307069