Got my DSWE '07 official form today...

[D_Friedlander]

... So I guess those who already sent their SASE's have or will soon be receiving them... However, there are no new forms on the official website as yet (Monday, May 14.)

The only  guests listed so far are Mr. Frid, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and Marie Wallace, with others "to be announced."  Goodness, I certainly HOPE John Karlen can come-- it wouldn't seem right to commemorate JF's 40th DS anniversary without him, and I don't know when they saw each other last.... It would be VERY nice (and probably a bit teary for some of us) if they were reunited for the occasion.  Heck, if that happens, I'm bringing a whole box of Kleenex (or suitable generic substitute)!!!

Oh, well, whatever...  I know everyone wants to see the $$$ breakdown.  No real surprises here:

"Celebration Rate" (Friday August 17, Saturday Aug. 18)   $ 30  p/ Adult
"Celebration Rate" Friday (6 PM-- Midnight)  $ 15  p/ Adult
"Celebration Rate" Saturday (11 AM-- 7 PM)  $ 20 p/ Adult
Banquet with the Stars (Saturday,  7 PM-- 10 PM)  $ 60  p/ person
Lyndhurst Trip (Friday, 11 AM-- 4 PM)  $ 20 p/ person (includes shuttle transportation & admission to grounds & mansion)

Children ages 6--12, half price

"Above Festival membership payment must be received by mail by August 10, thereafter at the door only.  Please include 2 self-addressed, stamped envelopes with payment. (etc.)  Please include aname and address of each person for whom you are paying. (etc.)"   (You probably know the rest.)

(P.S., D.F. reminds you that postage is now 41 cents, as of today.  Grrrrrrrrr.....)

The rest is the usual list of DS products.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.... Hoping to see as many of you all there as can come, in spite of some of the reduced con-time.

[D_Friedlander]

I need to clarify one item, as the time to edit passed before I could finish one last correction.  (I have to wear different glasses to use the computer, without the bifocals, and sometimes it's hard to read things I'm transcribing.  However, everything else I copied is fine and in its place.)

 "Children aged 6--12,  half price" refers to admission to the Festival itself, not the daytrip or the banquet, according to the membership form

[Miranda]

Thanks for posting this Donna, so those of us who are not sure they can go to the Fest will only be out 30 dollars if you preregister..notice the banquet costs twice as much as the Fest registration for the whole weekend, so I suggest plan carefully, if one is not that sure you want to go to the banquet, perhaps wait, sounds like there will be plenty of chances to see JF during the Fest proper---as I said on another post, I hope John Karlen decides to come,too, maybe he will so he can see the "other" Johnny again....but I am just so glad Lara has been confirmed as coming....I think her daughter goes to college on the East Coast, did I read that in Shadowgram??

BTW, I checked the Marriott website last week and there were still rooms available, but only at a rate of around 200 a night unless you prepaid for 120 a night with no cancellation allowed.....i am glad I got mine reserved at the Fest rate...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I hope John Karlen decides to come,too

I honestly don't know what the situation is with JK - but this year, most probably because the gathering is much smaller, it's not simply up to the stars to decide to come. Some had wanted to attend but were politely told their services were not needed...

[Nancy]

This weekend is deliberately being kept small guest list wise as it is more of a weekend event than a full-blooded (no pun intended) festival.  My understanding is that KLS and Lara had plans to be on the east coast during that time hence they were invited. No other actors from the west coast will be attending to my knowledge.  The typical weekend event features about 6 actors or so.  Unfortunately, this means John Karlen isn't expected to be a guest.

nancy

The only  guests listed so far are Mr. Frid, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and Marie Wallace, with others "to be announced."  Goodness, I certainly HOPE John Karlen can come-- it wouldn't seem right to commemorate JF's 40th DS anniversary without him, and I don't know when they saw each other last.... It would be VERY nice (and probably a bit teary for some of us) if they were reunited for the occasion.  Heck, if that happens, I'm bringing a whole box of Kleenex (or suitable generic substitute)!!!

[arashi]

What a travesty it would be for JF to be there without JK!

[michael c]

john karlen not "invited" with jonathan frid on board?

i find this development to be quite shocking.

do the organizers of this event not understand that it's the actors from the show that are the primary draw for fans?we don't come for the mpi table.

for the actors from a forty year old soap opera willing to attend it's fan gathering to be told that their "services were not needed" is the crudest slap in the face i think i've ever heard of.

[ProfStokes]

for the actors from a forty year old soap opera willing to attend it's fan gathering to be told that their "services were not needed" is the crudest slap in the face i think i've ever heard of.

Indeed!  I wonder how such inconsiderate treatment might affect the actors' willingness to participate in future Festivals (I'm hoping there will be Fests in the future...) 

ProfStokes

[Nancy]

My understanding is that DS actors are always invited to a DS event but not everyone gets their airfare and accommodations covered by the festival, just those who have been asked to attend.  It is not at all unusual for non-Festival events to be very abbreviated in terms of scheduling and the cast list.  Jonathan Frid's presence does not make this event a DS Festival.  He was willing to attend a very scaled back DS event and that's what this August event is: a DS celebation.  Frid's attendance doesn't make the event anymore than what it is: a fan gathering with mostly local attendance in attendance.  These weekends or day long events are commonplace and the norm has been to have mostly east coast, local performers attend.

I know from speaking with Jim that he said he could not afford to have any east coast event flying in actors from the opposite coast anyway.

Nancy

[LdyAnne]

Since I got my flyer today I scanned it asa PDF file and have it on
http://www.cfdsfanclub.com , the Central Florida Dark Shadows Fan Club
 web site

LdyAnne

[Miranda]

Prof Stokes, you are absolutely right, how annoying if some of the DS actors wanted to come and were told "their presence was not required or some such."  I have always thought Jim Pierson had something of the meglomaniac about him, I am sure if they had wanted to have JK or some of the other actors to come they could have "found" the money.  Well, I guess it does make it easier for the David Selby fans to decide not to come.  As I said before, I am just very glad that Lara is going to be there, so us Jonathan and Lara fans will be in for a great treat!!

BTW, I got my DS Fest mailing today, too, and that was before I had sent an SASE, so hopefully anyone on the Fest mailing list will still get one.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

for the actors from a forty year old soap opera willing to attend it's fan gathering to be told that their "services were not needed" is the crudest slap in the face i think i've ever heard of.

That's really more the end of the story than the whole story. The actual organizers of the Frid fan weekend may be totally unaware of it, but, according to multiple and very reputable sources, some stars who inquired as to whether there was going to be an event this year were told that there wasn't - this despite the fact that negotiations for the Frid event had been in progress for months at the time and were nearing completion, and if the Frid event fell through, there was a backup plan to have an event in Brooklyn again. It wasn't until those same stars got wind that something was actually in the works (and after it was looking pretty good that the Frid event was going to gel) that they were then told this year is simply a "fan event," not a Fest, and then politely told thanks but no thanks this year.

Now, certain people may choose to deny all this - but one seriously doubts they would ever attempt to deny it in the presence of the actors who were given that story...

However, as has been mentioned elsewhere on the forum, it's mostly because this year is being billed as a "fan weekend" that there will be no fan run tables in the dealers' room, no costume gala, and there's an all-around abbreviated schedule of events. It's also possible much of the way this year is being organized will be the way most if not all future events will be done, with only certain guests being invited to certain events - and with everything (length, schedule, etc.) being based on which coast the events will be taking place. But that remains to be seen...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Well, I guess it does make it easier for the David Selby fans to decide not to come.

Unlike certain Frid fans, I can't say I've seen many if any Selby fans say they wouldn't be attending a Fest/fan event simply because Selby wasn't going to be there.    But maybe I just haven't been paying as much attention as I should...

[Miranda]

Thanks for clarifying things, MB, though it does not make how thngs were handled this year any better for the other stars that wanted to attend.  The ironic thing is that I bet Jonathan would have LOVED to have seen John Karlen again, no secret has been made over the years that JF and JK were quite close friends, as were JF and Louis Edmonds...

Another interesting thing is no matter how the August weekend is billed, it is still under the auspices of the DS Festival.

The more streamlined weekend is fine for me, I was never that big on the costume gala, though I am sorry there will be no fan dealer tables, you can get some interesing fanzines, photos and many other things from those...

I am of course one of those who said they really did not want to go to a Fest again unless Jonathan was there, but that is because seeing him and Lara at the 1993 Fest made everything else pale in comparison to me--I am very excited at this fan weekend, and do hope I will be able to go, but I am sad at how some of the other stars were excluded, makes one sorry that there really is not a Festival Commitee made up of a number of people any more, but then, trying to put on these events has to be a task that only a minority of people would have the stamina to do...

[michael c]

i'm sorry but this whole thing seems like a cocktail of snubs,ingratitiude and hurt feelings.

it's left a sour taste in my mouth and the darn thing hasn't even happened yet.

b.t.w. according to the festival mailing there is to be a costume party and other guests are "to be announced" whatever that means.