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Festival Organizer/Head
Honcho/Bottle Washer, Stuart Hall: 407-898-8298 (Halsey@aol.com)
As I write this, it
is 8 AM, day of event. I'm heading out to the venue as soon as
I'm done typing. The next time I sit at this desk, it will be
over. Right now, I don't know if there will be 5, 50, or 1500
people there. (If you're reading this between the hours of 11
AM and 11 PM on Saturday May 26--get the hell up out of your seat
and get yourself to the Faux Fest!!!)
However, even if only
5 show up, I KNOW the show will be great because of the artists
that will be performing. I want to thank them, especially the
"Daughters of Florida Folk": Amy Carol Webb, Mindy Simmons,
and Jeannie Fitchen. When they were called, they each just wanted
to know how they could help, period. That attitude was spread
out among everyone that I called. Almost woprd for word. "What
can I do, and when do you need me?" was heard over and over
again. Nobody worried about money. I truly hope that lots of people
come so that their trust is rewarded, not only with the gratitude
of a big, happy audience, but with a fistful of dough being given
to them by your humble narrator, afterward.
I also want to thank
the Plaza Theater. They gave of their venue and of themselves
to a group of total stranger. This is a beautiful venue, folks.
It has it all. Thanks to Russell, George, Mason, and the rest
of the gang there for all of their help & patience. We'll
be back with more, guys.
I also want to thank
United Arts of Central Florida. I called them asking for advice
and not only did I get several of the names that led to us going
forward with the Faux Fest, but a few bucks to get us started
on our way. T & M--many thanks.
Thanks also need to
go to our biggest Angel: Central Florida Folk. All I had to do
was threaten BB with serious bodily injury for him to open up
the CFF wallet and give us the money that allowed us to have the
FlaFauxFest. I take back everything I've said about you, BB. Except
that one thing. And, that other thing...well, except for all of
the...nevermind. I don't take any of it back, But thanks a million!!!
THis festival would not have happened without you.
Thanks also go to the
Orlando Sentinel for getting behind the fest. Within 24 hours
of the inception of the idea, the Sentinel had contacted me and
had promised to do a "Spotlight Feature Box" in the
Friday Calendar section. That box equals a couple of hundred people
attending and was the final straw in the decision to go ahead
with the fest. Basically, it meant that after the show, I would
still have a shirt on my back. That made it easier for me to say,
"OK, kids, let's do a show!!!"
Thanks also go to Bruce
Hartman & the Orlando Contra Dance Community. I made one phone
call and Bruce took care of everything after that. When I told
Bruce that I had a budget of, um, zero, he didn't blink. He just
mad it all happen. The tent is beautiful, Bruce. Have fun kickin'
up yer heels today!
My final thank you
goes to Cap Spense. He is the idiot that called me from the Plaza
Theater on 2:30 PM Monday afternoon with the same idea that I
had 2 days earlier but had dismissed as too totally ridiculous
to truly consider for reality. Cap is the guy who told me that
it could be done, in spite of only having 4 days to do it. I would
have laughed in anyone else's face but Cap's. After our initial
talks and walk through with Russell at the Plaze Theater, we decided
to take 24 hours and try to put it together, then reconvene and
see where we were and decide. We did. Make no mistake, if Cap
said it couldn't happen, we would not be here. He trusted me to
get the artists and I trusted him to take care of the venue. We
have both gotten results above and beyond what we could have hoped
for.
Now, it's up to you.
Come to the show. Find me. Tell me what an idiot I am for doing
this, then tell me how good a time you're having. I'm going to
be having a ball, the work part of it all is over--it's time to
par-tay. Let's jam!
Stuart
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