Living History

Alena and Stephen interview Dan Crowther and his daughter Syd about recreating Iron Age Celtic life in Upstate New York. We talked about:
· How Dan started down the living history path and starting a new group: Ancient Celtic Clans
· Syd’s experience growing up doing living history
· Why they recreate Iron Age life and about all the items they have created and use in the LH demonstrations
· How to research ways of life that were not written down, including the Celtic Living History Forum.
·         Working with kids in Living History presentations
·         Events they have participated in including timeline events.

Musical Interlude: Cluck Old Hen performed by Savanah Cotton Exchange off Skirmish Presents: All in Tune With History.

Download: Recreating Iron Age Celts
Listen here  

Jeromy, a member of RIPP

Join us on a pirate adventure in episode 34 as Alena and Stephen get a tour of Newport, Rhode Island and learn all about Newport’s piratical history from the folks at Rhode Island Pirate Players. We also interview two members of RIPP and find out:
·   How RIPP got its start
·   Recruitment techniques
·   Casey’s business model for running RIPP
·   Jeromy’s long term love of pirates
·   Telling the real stories about piracy in the 18th century in many different environments.

Musical Interlude: General Taylor performed by Great Big Sea

Download: Walking with Pirates

Listen Here Listen here  

Casey, founder of RIPP

Elizabeth as Polly Wanton

This week Alena interviewed Elizabeth Sulock, Marketer and Historical Interpreter at the Newport Historical Society. They talked about:
• Elizabeth’s start in living history
• Working for the Newport Historical Society
• portraying historical personage, Polly Wanton
• sewing and costuming
• Interpreting pregnancy
• Polly on Facebook
Also included this week is a review of the book: I Believe in Yesterday.

Musical Interlude: Over the Hills and Far Away performed by 3 Pints Gone

Download: Interview with Elizabeth Sulock

This week is a nice long episode on cookfires. We were asked for more detail on the making and keeping of fires for cooking so we’ll tell you about:
• fire starting, and building a bed of coals
• Equipment including wood types, bases, tools and more
• keeping a fire going, and putting that fire out
Musical Interlude: Buttercup’s Air by Night Heron Consort

Download:Cookfires
Listen here  

So many Living History enterprises happen in front of the public. In this episode we’ll let you in on our methods to make your encounters more fun and engaging. We’ll cover tips and tricks like:

• confronting strangers
• Rehearsing what it is you are going to say
• Using improvisation
• using endowments to draw them into the story
• Keeping it positive – Not negating
• playing off other members of your group/team.

Musical Interlude: Southern Girl’s Reply performed by Jeff Warner

Download: Public Interactions
Listen here