Become Part of the Show
The Festival at the Friars' Gate is more than a collection of scheduled performances. From the moment our gates open, the Festival itself becomes the show.
We are looking for performers, players, musicians, entertainers and behind-the-scenes creators to help bring the Friars Gate to life.
Opportunities range from stage hands and technical crew to puppeteers, interactive character partners, costumed players, stilt walkers, improvisers, musicians, storytellers, specialty performers and full stage acts. Some roles are carefully scripted, some are built around an established character or skill, and some depend on the ability to play with whatever happens when thousands of people wander into our magical little world.
There are three primary ways to join us:
Friars Gate Production Company • Volunteer Players
The Friars Gate Production Company is our resident volunteer company and helps create the characters, stories and interactive experiences unique to our Festival.
Company opportunities are varied. You might portray a member of one of our courts or factions, operate or partner with an interactive character, perform in a skit, work with puppets, help create a procession, assist backstage, work with sound or production, or become part of something we haven't invented yet.
Experience is welcome, but not required. We are interested in actors, musicians, theatre students, cosplayers, improvisers, makers, puppeteers, technicians and enthusiastic people who want to learn.
Volunteer Players receive a verifiable theatrical or production credit for their Festival work and an opportunity to build their theater portfolio through performance photography, video and original content. Our goal is not simply to fill volunteer shifts! We want to give emerging performers and creators a place to practice their craft, develop characters, make interesting things and have work they can proudly claim for future endeavors.
Some Company roles require advance rehearsals, workshops or virtual meetings. Expectations will depend on the role.
Visiting Lane Performers
Lane performers bring their own established characters, personas and performance styles to the Friars Gate. They roam the festival, interact directly with patrons and turn ordinary moments into part of the entertainment.
We welcome experienced renaissance faire performers, interactive characters, stilt walkers, specialty performers, comedy characters and other entertainers whose work thrives outside the boundaries of a stage.
Pre-festival preparation is limited to a small number of virtual orientation and planning meetings rather than in-person rehearsals.
Compensation is negotiated individually and may include a performance fee, hotel accommodations, a Festival merchant booth, or a combination of benefits. Camping onsite is allowed.
Featured Acts
Featured Acts provide scheduled entertainment on our festival stages and performance areas. We welcome musicians, comedy acts, theatrical groups, storytellers, demonstrations, specialty acts and other performances suited to the world of the Friars Gate.
Compensation and accommodations are negotiated according to the act, schedule and needs of the Festival and may include a performance fee, hotel accommodations and/or merchant space.
For 2027, we also plan to livestream and record selected stage performances, creating content with a life beyond festival weekend. When possible, participating acts will have opportunities to use performance footage to promote their own work, while helping us introduce their work to the Friars Gate audience.
A Note for Performers Requesting Compensation
When the Friars Gate pays a performer or provides significant benefits such as lodging or merchant space, we consider that engagement a partnership.
We are not only looking for wonderful performances on Festival weekend. We want performers who are excited to tell their audiences where they are going, invite them along, and share the experience while they are here.
Compensated Visiting Performers and Featured Acts should expect to:
Actively promote their Friars Gate appearance through their established social media channels before the festival.
Tag and identify the festival so their audiences can find event information easily.
Create and share original content from the Friars Gate during festival weekend.
Maintain the agreed performance, stage or lane-presence schedule while on site.
Participate reasonably in festival photography, video and promotional opportunities.
Specific performance and promotional commitments will be included in the final engagement agreement.
Social media reach is not the only factor we consider. A smaller, highly engaged audience of renaissance faire fans may be every bit as valuable as a much larger general audience. We are interested in what you perform, what you bring to the Friars Gate, and the community that comes with you.
Come Play With Us
Whether you are looking for your first acting credit, have spent years making strangers laugh in faire lanes or would rather run a sound board than stand in front of an audience, there is a niche for you at the Friars Gate.
Choose the path that best describes how you'd like to join the show, and tell us what you can bring through the Gate.