DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
Members' Mausoleum => Calendar Events / Announcements Archive => Calendar Events / Announcements '24 I => Calendar Events / Announcements '07 II => Topic started by: borgosi on August 30, 2007, 09:05:58 PM
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Some friends and I were talking the other day and the idea came up for a Dark Shadows Cruise. It would be a three day festival / cruise to Martinique. We also talked about including one of those "mystery weekends" where someone is "killed" and the guest have to find clues to discover who/what the killer is. Of course it would have to have a Dark Shadows twist.
I decided to e-mail the idea to Pansy Faye at the festival. I suggested it for the 2009 or 2010 festival. So what do you think? Is it something you all would want to do?
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I just wanted to add that if you include the price of rooms, the festival and travel the coast of a 3 day cruise could be less per person than a regular fest. :)
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:D
This has been done before, and should be done again!
In 1988, I and about 20 other fans joined Diana Millay for a three week tour of Egypt.
It was an amazing trip!
J Frid led a cruise in the early 90s, and Diana led another cruise a few years ago.
David
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Wow! I had no idea there had been anything like that happening...I came back to the fold in the mid/late 90's so apparently I missed hearing about a lot of good stuff. I'll bet you had a blast. Martinique would be great - I know I'd try to make it if at all possible.
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I'd go in a second! My two obsessions are Dark Shadows and passenger ships (I'm a very good historian about them). To combine both into one would be a dream ome true! Ironically, my first, and so far one-and-only attendance at a Festival was the 2003 one right after docking in NYC at the end of a cruise to Bermuda. We went straight from the ship to the hotel in Brooklyn.
My last time on a ship was on the Queen Mary 2 in 2004 during her maiden season - spent a month on board. I'm already booked for a cruise on the new Queen Victoria next year; she's still being built! Now that would be the ship for a DS cruise/festival! Her library is a two-deck affair, both levels connected by a Victorian-style cork-screw staircase. Imagine the fun we'd have in there!
Gerard
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:D
For a trip to Martinique, I wonder if
KL Scott & Lara Parker would consider going?
David
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OMG this would be soooo cool! I've never been on a ship before either so combing DS with a new adventure? Schweet!
~Rachel
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Sounds like fun. Unfortunately however those in charge of the Festivals lack any sort of imagination (they can't even conceive of the concept of having the Fest in a city other than NY or LA-and this is after THEY initiated a fan survey asking us where WE'D like to go instead ::)) so don't hold your breath about them hosting it. It's probably something fans should just do on their own, sorta like Ed Lambese did w/his Halloween partys. There is a fan who has her own travel agency (at least she did, I'm guessing it's still around) and they specialize in cruises I think. That might be the place to start and they could no doubt use the business in this 'book online' world. Her name is Helen Samaras and the company name is Classic Cruises and Tours, it's in Long Island NY.
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I'll drink to that.
I went on a Star Trek cruise years ago. It was one of the best times of my life. Not only did the actors do thier stints on stage every day, we got to dine with them, snorkle with them, dance with them, and work out with them. It was a lot of fun.
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I would definitely do this! Taking a cruise of the Caribbean and the Mediterannean is something that's been on my list for a while now. Even without DS stars I'd do it.
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Been on ships before, if done in the fall we would need to stay away from the hurricanes. . Depending on how big the ship is you can feel them move with the sea.
If we were at sea for 19 days we could see the show back to back episodes. I know that I am Evil.
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I would be interested. Could we get Johnny Depp to take the helm? And could we have a re-enactment of the yachting accident that was so unfortunate for parallel time Sam Evans?
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I always assumed the festivals were held in NY and LA due to the majority of the guests living in those areas (or some owning homes in both places) but some variety would be nice. While I'm sure they'll never come to New England it does seem unfair that Chicago or Dallas or SOMEWHERE not on the coasts get a fest once.
I do agree that these sorts of conventions did some fresh blood (pun more or less intended) involved in the planning every now and again.
One idea I had was that instead of a skit, the 1988 stage production of the 1795 flashback be recreated with LP and KLS in character.
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it does seem unfair that Chicago or Dallas or SOMEWHERE not on the coasts get a fest once.
Believe it or not, there was a Fest in Dallas in July of '86.
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The Dallas '86 Fest had only two guests~~Frid & Terry Crawford.
And Crawford was living in Dallas at the time.
It seems the stars themselves prefer NY or LA.
And some of the stars who live in LA won't go to New York anymore~~and vice versa.
David
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some of the stars who live in LA won't go to New York anymore~~and vice versa.
Like who?
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Been on ships before, if done in the fall we would need to stay away from the hurricanes. . Depending on how big the ship is you can feel them move with the sea.
Gotta mention this. When my spouse and I ventured on the cruise ship from Boston to Bermuda - I think it was 1995 - there were five hurricanes following us. We watched the weather report every morning. I recall watching from my room the ship's stabbilizing wings come out. I loved every minute of it. We had a competant crew, plenty of good food, and a bartender. If we were going down, we were going down in style, let me tell you.
All in all, it was a grand time. Had lunch and breakfasts with George Takai, snorkeling...just a lot of fun. I reccomend this type trip to anyone.
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It will be a cold day in hell before I ever set foot on another cruise ship. Did a day cruise off the coast of Florida a few years ago, and I have never been so sick in my entire life. [puke]
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It will be a cold day in hell before I ever set foot on another cruise ship. Did a day cruise off the coast of Florida a few years ago, and I have never been so sick in my entire life. [puke]
Get the patch! I use it all the time when I'm at sea. Despite my fanatical love for being on a ship, I am one of the unfortunate ones who gets mal-de-mar when I stir my coffee too fast. With it, I've never experienced a moment's queeziness, and I've been through some rough waters (including one transatlantic crossing with 40-foot waves). It works perfectly at exorcising that demon in the inner ear!
Gerard
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Get the patch! I use it all the time when I'm at sea. Despite my fanatical love for being on a ship, I am one of the unfortunate ones who gets mal-de-mar when I stir my coffee too fast. With it, I've never experienced a moment's queeziness, and I've been through some rough waters (including one transatlantic crossing with 40-foot waves). It works perfectly at exorcising that demon in the inner ear!
Had it at the time. Didn't work. Perhaps if I had wound myself in them as though I were a mummy . . . ::)
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It will be a cold day in hell before I ever set foot on another cruise ship. Did a day cruise off the coast of Florida a few years ago, and I have never been so sick in my entire life. [puke]
Doesn't also depend on how big the ship is? I just remembered that I spent a lot of time hold to the high rails and bars or holdings they put on the sides.
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some of the stars who live in LA won't go to New York anymore~~and vice versa.
Like who?
The two Donnas, McKechnie & Wandrey, appear in NYC only.
Lisa Richards appears in LA only.
Sharon Smyth, who seems to have dropped off the radar, also appeared in NYC only.
Chris Pennock/James Storm used to appear in NY, but don't anymore.
David
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last night they aired the agatha christie classic "murder on the orient express" on tcm.
what if instead of a cruise it was a trip on a grand old fashioned train with sleeper cars and the requisite mystery on board?
they have a very nice one that leaves from new york,travels all the way up the new england coastline and ends at niagra falls...i've always wanted to do it but it's quite expensive.it could be glamorous and fun.
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Felix is now forming in the Carribean, if we were on a ship would be be able to out run it? A train sound great. We could do a train that starts in Seattle and goes down the west coast. It could stop in Portland and I could get on. I have an motive in this suggestion.
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a cruise could be taken in winter.
aren't there no hurricanes then?
a coastal train trip, re-creating Victoria's journey to Collinwood, would be
GRAND!
David
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There is a fan who has her own travel agency (at least she did, I'm guessing it's still around) and they specialize in cruises I think. That might be the place to start and they could no doubt use the business in this 'book online' world. Her name is Helen Samaras and the company name is Classic Cruises and Tours, it's in Long Island NY.
I will try and make contact with the above person next week and ask her to come here and let us know what this would take. I hope we can make it happen.
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The two Donnas, McKechnie & Wandrey, appear in NYC only. Lisa Richards appears in LA only. Sharon Smyth, who seems to have dropped off the radar, also appeared in NYC only. Chris Pennock/James Storm used to appear in NY, but don't anymore.
Okay, as far as I know, Donna McKechnie's first and only Fest was last year in Brooklyn. Has she appeared at any others? Donna Wandrey HAS appeared in LA before, she was at the 1991 Fest for sure and I'm pretty sure she was there in 1994. Lisa Richards was, IMHO, such a *minor* chararcter who even cares if she ever appears again? LOL! >:D From what I understand from a friend who is on the committee, Sharon is no longer invited, not sure why she was so sweet. Jim Storm was at the Brooklyn Fest in 2003. I'm told, w/the exception of this year since none of the LA stars, save for Lara and KLS, were invited, that the past couple Fests he's been priorly committed and that's why he hasn't come. Chris Pennock was in Brooklyn last year.
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Get the patch! I use it all the time when I'm at sea. Despite my fanatical love for being on a ship, I am one of the unfortunate ones who gets mal-de-mar when I stir my coffee too fast. With it, I've never experienced a moment's queeziness, and I've been through some rough waters (including one transatlantic crossing with 40-foot waves). It works perfectly at exorcising that demon in the inner ear!
Had it at the time. Didn't work. Perhaps if I had wound myself in them as though I were a mummy . . . ::)
I'm surprised it didn't work for you, Crisey! Like I said, I'll get sea sick watering my lawn, but when I put the patch on, I'm good as gold. One time, while crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2, we hit that storm with forty foot waves and the ship pitched like a bucking bronco. I had the time of my life. I had supper in the dining salon with only 50 other passengers (it seated over 1,000 in two sittings) and then went to a "pitching party" in the ship's disco and had a blast. My friends who were in our shared cabin ended up in the hospital getting a shot in the poop deck with hundreds of others.
Try the mummy treatment with the patch! You can be like Krusty the Klown on The Simpsons who tried using the nicotine patch to quit smoking. He had them all over his body and had to keep licking them! (Hysterical scene!)
Gerard
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Chris Pennock was in Brooklyn last year.
Ran out of time to modify, Chris was all set to come to this year's event (this was before he got that acting gig) when he learned the LA stars were not invited.
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The Dallas '86 Fest had only two guests~~Frid & Terry Crawford.
Yeah, well, all the early Fests had only a few guests - and most weren't even stars but production personnel like writer Ron Sproat or producer Robert Costello (both of whom I'd love to see attend again some year).
I don't think a lot of stars started attending until the '86 NJ Fest. And that was probably because DS had been showing on the New Jersey Network (though, sadly, it was canceled and ended right around the time of that Fest >:().
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Not that this makes a bit of difference, because she probably would've come ANYWAY, but while waiting at KLS's table this year at the fest, someone was talking to her hubby, confirming that they had a place in NYC. And he said that one of the reasons they were there this year was because they were already going to be in town for something else, and were staying at their NYC place.
Anywho, a train trip sounds awesome. I'd do that too. But I like the cruise better. We could do it during the winter. Down in the Caribbean it's hot year round.
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Believe it or not, there was a Fest in Dallas in July of '86.
I believe the 1986 Dallas Festival was the third one held in that city. I attended it and besides Jonathan Frid and Terry Crawford, Diana Millay was also a guest. They were able to have the Fests in that city due to DS being shown on a local TV station (I think it was an independent station rather than a PBS) and there was a large fan following in that area of Texas. Jim Pierson and Dave Brown pretty much arranged these Fests, this being prior to Jim's taking over the helm of the East/West coast DS Festivals. :)
SDP
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From what I understand from a friend who is on the committee, Sharon is no longer invited, not sure why she was so sweet.
I don't think that she's no longer invited. I am sure the Fest and Shadowgram stay in touch with her. I think that the Fests might have to limit the number of their guests due to today's higher expenses and/or a smaller number of Fest attendees as compared to the large crowds that they had in the 80s. Since DS is currently not airing on a national cable outlet, the numbers of attendees is relatively low. If DS has another surge (very likely with the Johnny Depp project) then perhaps the Festivals will grow to 2000 - 3000 attendees again. Then they will likely be able to invite as many DS actors as they can. :D
SDP
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The two Donnas, McKechnie & Wandrey, appear in NYC only. Lisa Richards appears in LA only. Sharon Smyth, who seems to have dropped off the radar, also appeared in NYC only. Chris Pennock/James Storm used to appear in NY, but don't anymore.
Okay, as far as I know, Donna McKechnie's first and only Fest was last year in Brooklyn. Has she appeared at any others? Donna Wandrey HAS appeared in LA before, she was at the 1991 Fest for sure and I'm pretty sure she was there in 1994. Lisa Richards was, IMHO, such a *minor* chararcter who even cares if she ever appears again? LOL! >:D From what I understand from a friend who is on the committee, Sharon is no longer invited, not sure why she was so sweet. Jim Storm was at the Brooklyn Fest in 2003. I'm told, w/the exception of this year since none of the LA stars, save for Lara and KLS, were invited, that the past couple Fests he's been priorly committed and that's why he hasn't come. Chris Pennock was in Brooklyn last year.
I know that Terry Crawford has not been invited to the last 2 fests because of "budget" restrictions. She's been told she's welcome to attend if she pays her own way!!!!!!
Sharon Smyth lives about 3 hours from NYC by car.
Why wouldn't they invite here, she is a delight!
I want to know what's going on!!!
David
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That's not accurate, David. I know because I asked Jim how the guests were determined and now, because of budget restrictions, the bigger draws get their way paid and the lesser draws do not. As I have said many times here and elsewhere, the DS Fest or event in August was kept deliberately small in terms of guests. It is true that all actors are invited to all DS events and fests but not all get their way paid. Getting their way paid is a big factor for DS actors in deciding whether or not to attend a fest on the opposite coast. Those who live on the same coast of the fest and are relatively nearby may want to stay overnight and that expense is not going to be covered. So that may mean that actor will decide it's not worth the trouble to go back and forth for a single, long day.
KLS has an apartment in NYC (I know because I was asked to pick her up there) and Lara was on the coast for August. They were able to attend. Who knows, KLS might have paid her own way there anyhow. :-X
There will undoubtedly be more money available to fly in actors etc. if DS gets picked up again by a local station and/or the Johnny Depp proposed DS movie happens.
Nancy
It seems the stars themselves prefer NY or LA.
And some of the stars who live in LA won't go to New York anymore~~and vice versa.
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Hey Nancy:
how goes it?
When I lived in Manhattan from '96-'99, I ued to run into Kathryn & her hubby on 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave all the time~~that was fun!
Kathryn is the only DS star who actually saw me carrying my groceries home!
If there are budget restrictions, them Jim P should decide who he wants to invite to each fest and invite them only.
I feel it's very unprofessional to tell actors
"I can't pay your way, so you pay."
David
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Getting their way paid is a big factor for DS actors in deciding whether or not to attend a fest on the opposite coast.
Perhaps it's a big factor some of the time, but certainly not the only one. You brought up the recent "Celebration 2007" Fest, where it was made clear to the actors and fans that it would be Fridcentric and different from previous events, and for those actors who did choose to step back and let Frid have the spotlight, cost was not a factor. I'm sure professional and personal commitments are huge factors. And it seemed to me that all the actors who chose attend the Tarrytown event anyway were selling merchandise. I imagine it impacts one's decision to attend when personal expenses happen to be tax write offs.
There will undoubtedly be more money available to fly in actors etc. if DS gets picked up again by a local station and/or the Johnny Depp proposed DS movie happens.
Really? I thought the Festival organization/Official DS Fan Club is financially independent of DCP.
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why does the almighty god of the festival have to bless this idea? the cruise can be organized independently and the 2 stars can be contacted through their websites. if the stars want to attend they will decide on their own.
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donna mckechnie made a surprise visit to a shadowcon way back in 1982!
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From what I understand from a friend who is on the committee, Sharon is no longer invited, not sure why she was so sweet.
I don't think that she's no longer invited. I am sure the Fest and Shadowgram stay in touch with her. I think that the Fests might have to limit the number of their guests due to today's higher expenses and/or a smaller number of Fest attendees as compared to the large crowds that they had in the 80s.
Oh, I didn't mean to imply she had done something wrong and was banished by Jim or anyone! No, no, no! I definately DO think it's a budget thing as you say as the crowds definately HAVE gotten smaller, at least since I started attending in 1990. The hugest crowd I saw was 1997, mah don (Soprano-speak ;D), there must have been 3,000 ppl, seemed like it anyway. I was just trying to offer up to David a reason why Sharon hadn't shown up in a while, 'cause I didn't want anyone to think she didn't WANT to come (and hey, who knows, maybe she doesn't, LOL! ^-^) But yes, I think that IF Depp does the movie and it does well and fandom and the Fests get a new shot in the arm (and subsequently the budget goes up) then yeah, I'm sure they'll put out a blanket invite to whomever wants to come! ;)
Not that this makes a bit of difference, because she probably would've come ANYWAY, but while waiting at KLS's table this year at the fest, someone was talking to her hubby, confirming that they had a place in NYC. And he said that one of the reasons they were there this year was because they were already going to be in town for something else, and were staying at their NYC place.
I heard that too Brandon, I thing that is correct. 8)
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mah don (Soprano-speak ;D)
I despise The Sopranos with every fiber of my being, but if you hear an Italian say what sounds like "madon" or "maron" (depending on their dialect), they're saying Madonna, which is as common as Americans saying, "Oh my God!" :D
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for those actors who did choose to step back and let Frid have the spotlight, cost was not a factor.
For at least one actor who didn't attend, cost wasn't the issue. As you note, it was a choice to go along with the spirit of the reconfigured event and stay away from it, thereby keeping the event small, even if the actor in question was, in fact, on the East Coast at the time.
I can say no more. :-X
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I feel it's very unprofessional to tell actors
"I can't pay your way, so you pay."
I have to agree here. I'm not sure how I would feel, were I one of the actors, and I was told "Well we're paying for KLS, LP, and AM (were she to attend) but not for you, because those other three always draw big crowds." I mean, I'm sure that it's worded a little nicer than that, or maybe not, but I think I'd feel slightly snubbed.
But, that doesn't mean that I don't see WHY JP and the fest committee are doing that. I mean, if they paid for the transportation and housing of each star that wanted to attend every year, it WOULD become quite expensive, and seeing as there is a financial side to all this--at least wanting to break even--it's not exactly a horrible business practice. Then again, they could just say "we're not paying for any of you, so those of you who want to come and peddle your business, c'mon."
why does the almighty god of the festival have to bless this idea? the cruise can be organized independently and the 2 stars can be contacted through their websites. if the stars want to attend they will decide on their own.
Abso-friggin-lutely!
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There will undoubtedly be more money available to fly in actors etc. if DS gets picked up again by a local station and/or the Johnny Depp proposed DS movie happens.
Really? I thought the Festival organization/Official DS Fan Club is financially independent of DCP.
The fest is a non-profit organization but clearly it does better financially when DS is on the air and in syndication. The festivals traditionally attract larger crowds when the show is playing somewhere. That translates into taking in more money and being able to spend more money. If the Johnny Depp movie pans out that will attract new people into the fandom and maybe fans whose interest dropped off will come back into the fold.
Nancy
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Most of the actors who attend fests hear when the fest is going to be so it's not a matter of their waiting to be invited. Whether or not they are getting their way paid is what they might wait to hear.
Frankly, I think the DS actors are long since aware of the pecking order of their popularity and drawing power at the fests. They were aware of their popularity with fans from the time the series was on and who was getting the most fan mail.
Nancy
I feel it's very unprofessional to tell actors
"I can't pay your way, so you pay."
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The fest is a non-profit organization but clearly it does better financially when DS is on the air and in syndication. The festivals traditionally attract larger crowds when the show is playing somewhere. That translates into taking in more money and being able to spend more money. If the Johnny Depp movie pans out that will attract new people into the fandom and maybe fans whose interest dropped off will come back into the fold.
Okay, I understand about higher attendance translating into larger revenue. I thought you might have been saying in your original statement that money would come directly from those outside ventures. Thank you for explaining!
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why does the almighty god of the festival have to bless this idea? the cruise can be organized independently and the 2 stars can be contacted through their websites. if the stars want to attend they will decide on their own.
Yes, indeed! I'd go on a Dark Shadows cruise to Martinique whether or not any of the stars came along. I'm envisioning a room showing Dark Shadows episodes 24/7 (with a 2am break for House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows), another room with people playing Dark Shadows Charades, and Dark Shadows Shuffleboard out on the deck. I'm not sure how you play shuffleboard, but I think it involves a hoelike implements, disks, and a grid. We could have squares on the grid marked "phoenix" and so on, and when your disk hits "phoenix" you have to torch yourself.
And what better way to see Martinique than with a bunch of fellow Dark Shadows fans? Are there any old mansions left there to tour? "This was Josette's room, this was Natalie's room, and this was where Barnabas met secretly with Angelique..."
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But, that doesn't mean that I don't see WHY JP and the fest committee are doing that.
Hi Brandon,
Just to let you know, there is no Fest "committee". There is the chairman and then there are the Fest "staffers". There are and never were any committee meetings where group decisions were made. I say this with no malice... the chairman has done a fantastic job. I do, however, continue to hope that he will be more open to constructive criticism/suggestions as there is always room for improvement. :-
SDP
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why does the almighty god of the festival have to bless this idea? the cruise can be organized independently and the 2 stars can be contacted through their websites. if the stars want to attend they will decide on their own.
Yes, indeed!
I think what borgosi meant was getting in touch w/that travel agent I mentioned who specializes in cruises to get the ball rolling as they say. I don't think he/she meant contacting Jim or any of the Fest ppl to either have them organize it or sanction it or whatever. None of us needs permission from Jim and company to organize our own fan events. None of them have exclusives on ANY of the stars. Ed Lambese didn't work w/them for his Halloween partys. ;)
Just to let you know, there is no Fest "committee". There is the chairman and then there are the Fest "staffers". There are and never were any committee meetings where group decisions were made. I say this with no malice... the chairman has done a fantastic job. I do, however, continue to hope that he will be more open to constructive criticism/suggestions as there is always room for improvement.
Yes, this is true and I must say I'm glad they've started referring to themselves, at least in this year's program, as STAFF rather than COMMITTEE. That was confusing. 8)
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I think what borgosi meant was getting in touch w/that travel agent I mentioned who specializes in cruises to get the ball rolling as they say. I don't think he/she meant contacting Jim or any of the Fest ppl to either have them organize it or sanction it or whatever.
Yes, you,re right. I'm going to try and make contract with the cruise people. I'll try and have them come here and let us all know how something like this would work. It's my guess that a cruise line has entertainment booked on each cruise. If that is the case I don't see why they couldn't book a couple or more Dark Shadows stars and/or crew as entertainment. Then we just sign up as we like. Anyway that's how I plan to go about it. :) Wish me luck.
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Wish me luck.
That I do!
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I made the call and Helen Samaras will be stopping by here to let us know what we need to do, if anything to make this happen. She did say that this has been tried before and it didn't work out. She's a fan like the rest of us so I'm sure she'd be as happy as we would be if we could work this out. Even if it's a Dark Shadows theme cruise without the stars.
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Now, I don't know if this would apply; probably not, but maybe something along the lines can be accomplished in a roundabout way, so here goes. I've been involved in, or participated in, cruises that were done as fundraisers for non-profit groups, such as church groups, charitable groups, etc. The entire ship wasn't booked, but a certain portion of a particular cruise would be allocated for the organization's participating passengers. When this was done, the cruise lines (everything from Princess to Celebrity to others) was very receptive. Apparently, many of the lines do this. The cost of the cruise was very inexpensive, much lower than what the other passengers paid, and a percentage went to the non-profit group sponsoring it (it was, after all, a fund-raiser). There were many perks, such as having some public rooms, or sections of them, reserved for the participants at certain times for various activities. The main organizers received their cruise for free (or, in one case, I and a friend who coordinated a fund-raiser cruise were given the option of getting the lowest grade stateroom for free, i.e., a free cruise, or pay the lowest fare stateroom and get upgraded to the one of the highest - we did that on that particular cruise and got a suite with separate bedroom, living room, dining room and marble-lined bathroom with its own jacuzzi...wow!). There were some stipulations, the main one being that there had to be a minimum number of people participating and this flucuated with the cruise lines; one required a minimum of thirty, another required more than a hundred. The thing is with that, the "kick-back" of money going to the non-profit only started with the passengers over that number. If thirty were required and only thirty sailed, the non-profit got zilch. If ninety went with a thirty minimum, then a chunk of money from the sixty-more passengers went back to the group.
I doubt if that would work with a DS cruise (saying it was to raise funds for homeless vampires probably wouldn't cut it), but maybe a cruise line would still offer a discount, such as when a hotel has a conference rate, maybe not as much if it were a fundraiser. Who knows? It would be worth looking into.
Gerard
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I doubt if that would work with a DS cruise (saying it was to raise funds for homeless vampires probably wouldn't cut it), but maybe a cruise line would still offer a discount, such as when a hotel has a conference rate, maybe not as much if it were a fundraiser. Who knows? It would be worth looking into.
Perhaps the cruise could be held on behalf of the Women's Care Cottage or the Alzheimer's Foundation or one of the other charities that the DS Fest has supported in the past.
I'm really getting excited about this now that the wheels are turning and it seems like more of a possibility rather than people merely saying, "I wish the Fest would do a cruise". :D I certainly intend to book a passage.
ProfStokes
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I was going to "cut and paste" the entire reply that I got from Helen but the board either won't let me or I don't know how. If anyone would like to read it send me an e-mail and I'll send it to you. Anyway, in short, she doesn't think this can be done. I'm in a bit of a hurry and may post more about what she said later but what's the point? You know?
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If anyone would like to read it send me an e-mail and I'll send it to you. Anyway, in short, she doesn't think this can be done.
Why does she say it won't work?
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She's says that it was tried in the past and they weren't enough people that wanted to go to make it worth it. She said that less than 20 people signed up last time.
If you'd like to send me your e-mail address I'll send you a copy of her entire reply.
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The following is the complete reply that I got about the cruise.
"The information that I could give you to post is this. It would be diffcult to get a group together with actors. One of the big things is that rooms would have to be provided for whatever stars you wanted to take. The cruise line would charge for them. The actors would expect not to pay for this as they would be invited quest. So the price of the rooms would have to be tagged on to each person's ticket, it's great if you have alot of people going as the tag would not be that much but if there were just a few people it would be alot of money.
I had mentioned (on the phone) that there was a DS cruise a number of years back and if they got 20 people that was a lot. I don't know how the actors would feel about being on a boat with fans. You can't sign up under an assumed name like you can at a hotel. There are legal manifests and with terrorism as it is those list are scrutinized. You have more freedom in a hotel to escape people but even on the biggest ship there isn't any place you can really "hide". Don't misunderstand, the actors do socialize. I have spent many an evening over drinks in the lounge with them, but there comes a time when they do need time to themselves or for private conversations and many fans don't understand.
You had said that you wanted a cruise to Martinique. There are itineraries that do this but it is only 1 day out of 7. There isn't a shorter cruise that would take in this port. You would only be spending hours in this port. Plus on the show there is no specific destination on the island where you would go to visit. It isn't like in Tarrytown and going to the masion that they used in the two films. Or going to Essex and see what was used as the Evans Cottage, The Collinsport Gaol or Collinsport Inn. Or go to Newport and see Seeview Terrace that was used as Collinwood., so there is no physical place in Martinique that you could do."
Of course any of you are free to try other people that you know and I'd be pleased if you found a way to do this. I'd still love to go.
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Thanks very much for posting that, borgosi. After you originally said the answer was no, I googled on Martinique to see what there was in the way of cruises there, and of points of interest on the island. I didn't find all that much to interest me. If there's interesting historical stuff to visit, I didn't come across it, so I guess there would be no fantasizing about "It was right in this very spot that Barnabas and Josette had tea together" and "It was right in this very spot that Barnabas and Angelique had sex together" and "It was right in this very spot that Barnabas and the Countess had...well, something together".
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I keep seeing this topic and mis-reading it as "Dark Shadows Curse" and hearing Julia scream: "WILLIEEEEEE!!! get me the stake, NOW!"
*cheeky grin*
G.