Kids Kingdom (Bristol)
From Renaissance Faire Wiki
Kids Kingdom (or KK) is a troupe at the Bristol Renaissance Faire that performs puppet shows, stage shows, organizes treasure hunts and is the home of the Knighting Ceremony where any child can be knighted by Queen Elizabeth herself.
It is located on the west end of Bristol, across from the Midsummer Stage on High Street.
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[edit] History
Until the end of the 1989 season, the area where KK lies now was a merchant area and the home of the Minstrels' Glen and Scots Camp.
KK began in 1990 as an idea by Judith Antill, who had done renaissance faires for a long time. She was tired of seeing kids dragged through the faire--bored and unincluded.
The stage was constructed to house Histopolis Puppet Theatre and a shop was moved across the inner circle to make way for the maze (the shop is now Ladies in Braiding, but used to be Thatcher Leather). The Histopolis troupe had had another stage down near where Thistle Croft and the Cheshire Chase Action Theatre are now. Performances were based largely upon storytelling, at which Judith and her cast were expert.
The Good Ship Roland Brown was built in 1991.
In 1996, the cast was joined by a group known as the Greenchildren of Bristol, who practiced storytelling and Irish step-dancing. This only lasted three years.
In 1999, after the Virginia Renaissance Faire closed, director Alison Moss took attained many of the decorations from that Faire to "dress up" the Kingdom, giving it much of the look it retains today.
In 2004, new director Jennifer Spridco took KK in a different direction, making it a home for classic fairy tale characters.
In 2005, the large swing in front of KK was removed to open up the space.
2007 Kids Kingdom Cast
Director: Stefanie Dowell
Assistant Director: Alice Hammers
Mistress Catherine Dudley- Stefanie Dowell
Traveling Puppeteer - Alice Hammers
Penelope Yadda - Kelly Cook
Jonathan Friddle - Stefan Cook
Mistress Mary Thyme - Emily Gardner
Master Roger Ralegh - Jeremy Gardner
Leah DaVinci - Carrie Graham
Bonnie McGlass - Sandy Memmel
Dona Maria - Alyssa Murphy
Duchess Ana De Mendoza - Ivelisse Murphy
Mother Goose - Charlene Paulbicke
Yasmina - Nikki Pill
[edit] Shows
Each year, Kids Kingdom has a series of shows they perform for the patrons.
For a list of past KK shows, see KK show list (Bristol)
2005 Kids Kingdom Shows
The Robin Hood Show
Trickster's Turn
Sleeping Beauty vs. the Evil Powers of Evil
Be In The Show (feat. Cinderella, Rapunzel & Katryn Boots)
Treasure Hunt (feat. Captain Grace Underfyre & Jane the Phoole)
Rumpelstiltskin (Puppet Show)
[edit] Knighting Ceremony
Knighting Ceremony occurs in Kids Kingdom every Faire day, usually beginning at 4:30. Before Queen Elizabeth arrives at 5:00, the children are given instruction on proper manners. After she arrives, the Queen asks the children on manners and then makes each child an honorable Knight or Lady of her Court.
[edit] Trivia
The largest cast of Kids Kingdom was fifteen members, set in 2005.
Beatrice Pickles was the longest-running character, lasting from the 1998 season until 2001.
