The Great Dickens Christmas Fair Missive |
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Great Dickens Christmas Fair 2021 – July Missive #1 |
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Notes from your Missive Maven: |
It's been some time since we last had a regular missive, and I hope you're all doing well. Today's the day for the big news, so I hope we'll be talking more in the near future.
Affectionately,
Cat
Please remember to contact the folks referenced in each notice below, rather than hitting “reply”. Contact information for various departments can be found at the bottom of the missive.
If you wish to unsubscribe from the missives or update your email address, those links can be found at the bottom of the missives.
Cat Taylor
Entertainment Director & Missive Maven
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- GO Announcement
- Message from Co-Producer, Kevin Patterson
- An Acknowledgement of Inclusivity
- An Invitation to Participate (Show Proposals, Vendor Applications, & Job Openings)
- Upcoming Survey from Hummingbird Humanity
- Social Media Posts - Request for Civility and Process
- See You at the Fair!
- Red Barn Contact Information
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It’s a GO! After careful consideration, we have made the decision to move forward with producing a live, in-person event this Fall. For guests and participants alike, the Fair provides much needed interaction, playfulness and celebration. It is also an important source of income and creative expression for performers, crew, staff, caterers, and crafts people. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is important to so many people. However, safety remains our number one concern.
The Dickens Fair is defined as a “mega event” (an indoor event with 5,000+ capacity). In addition to general public health recommendations, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has outlined specific requirements and recommendations for events such as ours.
These requirements and recommendations for negative testing or vaccine verification will be in effect through October 1st, 2021. The State will reassess conditions by September 1st, 2021, to determine whether updated requirements or recommendations are needed beyond October 1st, 2021. To maximize safety, the Dickens Christmas Fair will require at least the current State of California requirements for indoor mega events. We will provide more details in the next Missive scheduled for Thursday August 5, 2021
We do not expect everyone to make a decision regarding their participation at this time. We are sharing our decision today for the vendors, crew, directors, and others who need to begin planning as early as possible.
We are happy and grateful to be moving forward with our planning process, however we can and we will cancel the event if necessary. The tremendous efficacy of the vaccines, local vaccination rates, and the return of other large events throughout our community, provide hope for an inclusive, safe, and interactive Great Dickens Christmas Fair this holiday season. As we near September 1st we will have the benefit of more information and guidance from our professional colleagues and Fair community in addition to the above agencies. We will share more details as they become available and welcome your thoughts and considerations. We want your decision to participate to be based on the most up to date and pertinent information.
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Message from Co-Producer, Kevin Patterson |
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The process of deciding to hold the Fair this year has been difficult. We have taken our time, watching and studying what is happening in the world, consulting with our community, event industry experts, scientists, and government officials. We are also painfully aware of the critically important and ongoing issues surrounding social justice, personal safety, equity, inclusion and diversity. We would not be making the decision to move ahead without a firm commitment to addressing these concerns, and creating real progress in the short term.
Producing large events in the 21st century is a challenge. The world has changed and it demands we change with it. Everyone who wishes to participate will be expected to raise their level of cultural competency, personal understanding, and the way we treat and interact with one another. Red Barn will do its part in all of this. We will provide new systems of support and safety, plus quality training and educational resources to assist in your learning.
Making art, producing events, and creating theater is not easy. In fact it has always been a challenge. We recognize the quality and integrity you, and your cast or team bring to the show each and every year. We believe the “magic” of the Fair is the coming together of the creative spark each of us contributes. Thank you!
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An Acknowledgement of Inclusivity |
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Red Barn Productions acknowledges the systems of oppression and socioeconomic and cultural inequities in the world and our responsibility to use our leverage as a company to create change. Red Barn commits to support and uplift historically excluded groups when it comes to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our community unique. We pledge to increase the representation of all those who have felt excluded or invisible in all aspects of our operations, from staff to vendors to participants, and we welcome opportunities from applicants from these backgrounds.
We cannot realize our potential as a welcoming and inclusive community without your guidance and suggestions. Please reach out to us at diversity@dickensfair.com if you know of any performance troupes, clubs, community theaters, or under represented theatrical or artistic groups we should reach out to and invite to participate. Our current list is long but there is always room for your recommendations!
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An Invitation to Participate (Show Proposals, Vendor Applications, & Job Openings) |
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Entertainment Group/Show Proposals: We invite all past directors, and those wishing to propose new shows, or concepts, to complete our new show and group proposal form. If you have any questions or need further details after reviewing the new form, please contact Cat Taylor at dickensfair@cattaylor.com. Submission deadline: August 13th.
Note: Audition notices for theme characters and other individual roles will be announced in an upcoming Missive.
Vendor Applications: Applications for new and returning vendors are now available on the Dickens Fair website here. We realize that the last year and a half has been especially difficult for both working artists and performers. We want to hear from you and as always, will work to provide support, and creative solutions, including with regard to booth fees, that can help in your decision to participate. Submission deadline: August 13th.
Fair Operational Staff Openings: RBP will be looking for experienced theater production people to fill two important positions: 1) An Entertainment Administrator position primarily tasked with paperwork and digital office work. And 2) An Event Stage Manager responsible for scheduling and supporting Stage Managers and Sound & Lighting Technicians throughout the show. Full job descriptions will be posted on the Dickens Fair website soon after being reviewed by our HR consultant, Martin Bell. The jobs will also be posted on industry websites. Those interested may email their resume to talent@dickensfair.com at any time.
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Upcoming Survey from Hummingbird Humanity |
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Assessing an organization through the lens of DEI is an essential step towards creating an environment where everyone feels seen, valued and heard. Next week, Hummingbird Humanity, our DEI partner firm, will be emailing a letter of introduction and survey to all 2019 Participants as the first step in their connection and assessment process.
Housekeeping item: We hope you have had an opportunity to update and/or add additional family members’ email addresses since our Covid Survey circulated in June. If you are a 2019 Dickens Fair participant and didn’t receive the June survey, please contact Drew Patterson at drew@redbarnproductions.com. (Please note that the survey/2019 participant list is different from the missive list)
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Social Media Posts - Request for Civility and Process |
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We acknowledge that we must lead by example, as we are an integral part of making sure our spaces are respectful and inclusive. Our behavior dictates what is acceptable and what does not align with our values. We have a responsibility to foster a welcoming culture, as well as ensuring our community members abide by this commitment.
We encourage you to share your good thoughts, feelings, useful resources, delicious recipes, etc., along with your heartfelt frustrations and concerns.
Please remember to be kind and respectful of other participants and their opinions.
We will take necessary action regarding conduct within our spaces that is not aligned with our values or commitments.
As part of our work to create a safe, respectful and inclusive environment in all of the spaces we create and moderate, we are also formalizing ways for you, our community, to raise concerns and for us to carefully and thoughtfully manage concerns that are raised. These materials will be shared through the Missive and available through the Participant Portal in the near future.
If you want to contact the producers, email is the preferred method (see below). If you don’t receive a response within 72 hours please call or resend your email. We have also recently discovered that pasted-in text and other items from social media can cause the email to be rejected by some servers, so please send a separate email without those items to verify receipt.
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Always more to be done. And this year, like every year, we have the chance to make our show even better, while still keeping everyone safe. Here’s to making London even better - in many new ways! |
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Red Barn Contact Information |
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RBP Year-Round Staff
RBP Seasonal & Part-Time Participant Management Staff
Living History Centre Participant Management Staff
DEI & HR Consultants
The above, as well as additional resources and Red Barn Progress Reports, are currently available on the Red Barn Community page, and will be available through our Participant Portal in the future. Thank you.
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Quick Links and Contact Information |
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Quick Links:
Contact Information
For questions regarding performing at the Fair, please email Cat Taylor
For questions about the Living History Centre and workshops, please email Robert Young
For questions regarding vending at the Fair please email Vendors
For questions the beverage department please email Beverage
For questions regarding costumes, please email Costumes
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