raveling back to
celebrate harvest
festivities of Re-
, naissance times is a
lengthier trip for
Michael Kaufman
than it is for David
Ross.
Mr. Kaufman, a road magician
working out of a house trailer,
casts his spells at many historic
fairs around the country on his
way to the annual, Holly-based
Michigan Renaissance Festival.
Mr. Ross, a theater student liv-
ing and working in Oakland
County, has a relatively short
journey to make the transforma-
tion into a carnival street per-
former.
While both give a lot of thought
to the kinds of antics they will be
presenting every weekend Aug.
13 - Sept. 25, they also are
preparing to do a lot of daily im-
Ti
provisation from the time the
gates open at 10 a.m. with the ar-
rival of the make-believe king and
queen until they close at 7 p.m.
with the grand parade.
"What I like about the Michi-
gan Renaissance Festival is that
a lot of people come," said Mr.
Kaufman, whose stage name is
Magical Mystical Michael.
"There are festivals around the
country that don't get the big
crowds."
The Renaissance Festival in-
vites visitors back to 16th-centu-
ry Europe, not just as observers
but as participants. While they
can sit back during theater pro-
grams, they also can take part in
man-powered rides and games
such as dueling buckets.
Actors portraying King Ed-
ward, Queen Kathryne, a royal
court, peasants, musicians and
villagers set the mood as they
walk along and interact with
guests. Adding to the sense of the
era are more than 160 costumed
artisans selling handmade wares
and demonstrating their crafts
by creating jewelry, blown glass,
woven materials and many oth-
er items.
Authentic foods—soup in
bread bowls, turkey drumsticks
and fish and chips—help provide
the energy for jousting tourna-
ments, grape-stomping contests
and other activities from the pe-
riod.
Participating for about five
years in the event that is cele-
brating its 15th anniversary, Mr.
Kaufman works without formal
stage assistants, relying on the
audience to help with each trick
and adding some variations from
year to year.
"I change my act a little ac-
cording to where Fm performing,"
"Magical Mystical Michael" Kaufman
Transformation
David Ross Is a street performer.
PHOTO BY GLENN TRIEST
said the magician, who also en-
tertains at theaters and comedy
clubs. "I don't change for-the lo-
cation. I change for the orienta-
tion of the different festivals."
Magical Mystical Michael, who
likes to give the illusion of float-
ing people in air and opening
mysterious locks, reports that a
lot of what he does appears to be
from Renaissance times but is
toned down because research has
taught him that Renaissance acts
often were very crude.
Mr. Ross, who started working
the festival last year, also does re-
search to prepare his impromp-
tu act, building on what he learns
as a student in the three-year
academy operated by the festival.
"We've had some pretty de-
tailed history lessons, and they're
actually giving us homework, but
I like to go to the library on my
own and look into the costumes
and people from the times," said
Mr. Ross, a Groves High School
graduate who will study theater
The Renaissance
Festival transports
two Jewish
performers, and their
audiences, to the
Middle Ages.
SUZANNE CHESSLER
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
arts at the University of Detroit
Mercy starting this fall.
"What I learned from being in
the festival last year is that my
character and everything about
him develops as I go along. Right
now, Fm also planning to write a
skit with three other friends; we'll
be guys from the wharf, all wet
from throwing fish at each oth-
er and caught up in telling sea
stories."
Both entertainers will fashion
their acts around this year's sev-
en weekend themes: Childhood
Quest (Aug. 13-14), Renaissance
MAGICAL page 90