King Richard's Faire (Wisconsin)
From Renaissance Faire Wiki
This article is about the Wisconsin faire. For the Massachusetts faire, go to King Richards Faire (Massachusetts).
King Richard's Faire, an Illinois/Wisconsin renaissance faire existed from 1972 until 1988.
In 1972, inspired by the Minnesota Renaissance faire near Shakopee, "Company 7" rock concert promoter. Richard Shapiro, and his wife, Bonnie (Harris) Shapiro first produced a small event in a corn field near Chicago, Illinois.
In 1973 the Faire moved to a wooded farm property near Gurnee, IL, west of 45 on Edwards Road. (This early faire (1973-1975) included a "slave market" concept where volunteer participants were "sold" to patron bidders to lug their packages or fetch their food.
1975 and 1976, the Faire was located next to Midlane Country Club , Delany Road, Gurnee, IL. One of the street performances included a sketch called Dante's Inferno. Among the cast members was Michael Dvorak who later became KRF's Music Director, Special Events Coordinator and was responsible for performer scheduling. Also in the cast were members of the original Jongleurs.
In 1977, Greathall, Dick Shapiro's Faire production company, leased the property north of State Line Road. Bristol Renaissance Faire is currently held on the same site.
[edit] The early years
From 1972 to 1978, Richard, King Richard, and Bonnie Shapiro dressed in elaborate royal attire, opened the gates, wandered the site and greeted patrons. John Mills was Artistic Director from 1973 to 1987 (with the exception of 1974)
In a transition toward more theatricality as well as a PR move, actor Jim Belushi was contracted to portray the King. He lasted one weekend.
In 1977 and 1978, the early equestrian Jousts were performed by a southside Chicago group named "Knights of the Silver Sword." The Hanlon-Lees Action Theatre was hired to joust after 1979 and has continued (with one interruption during the Bristol take-over) to this day.
The Chicago Branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) also performed scheduled Tourneys on foot, with the combatants wielding rattan swords in full contact, unrehearsed competitions. Among that cast were Dean Calin (Robin Balagan), Eric Forsberg (Erik the Dark), Andrea Dubnick (Sonja of Prague), and Maria Kumpf (Maria the Mad).
