Stage and Street Act

To be considered as a Stage Act or Street Act for the 2025 Maryland Renaissance Festival, please send the following information via an EPK (electronic press kit)

• If including a highlight video, please make sure to also send at least 5 continuous minutes of an act where we can hear your patter.
• Please note: FIRE is not allowed to be used by performers at the festival. So, no fire eating or fire juggling.
• The use of pre-recorded music or sound effects is not allowed at the festival.
• your resume, references, and any PR (Public Relations) materials you may have
• your salary request per day (no hat passing). In general, Stage acts perform 4 twenty-five minute stage shows per day. Street performers are scheduled for 4-5 hours of street work with breaks. This is open to negotiation. 
• your availability. The MD Festival runs Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day Monday from August 23 until October 19, 2025. Full or partial contracts are available. If you are interested in a partial contract, please specify the best weekends for you.
• When applying as a duo or group, it is expected that the performers in the video will be performing at the Festival. No substitutions are allowed without the approval of Artistic Director of MDRF.
• Act merchandise (t-shirts, cds, stickers, etc...) must be approved by the Artistic Director of MDRF prior to performance. Acts may only do one 15 second pitch for merchandise per show. (This is a show, not an infomercial to sell merchandise.) 
• All stage and street acts are required to carry general liability insurance. 
• All performers must be fully vaccinated against Covid to perform at MDRF.

For serious consideration for the 2025 season, all materials should be received by January 11th, 2025. 

Proposals that do not include a salary request and availability information will not be considered seriously. Note: We are always willing to negotiate.

Please email to: carolyn@rennfest.com

Carolyn Spedden, Artistic Director

NO PHONE CALLS.

Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis. 

• Musicians:  The music should be appropriate to the Renaissance Festival venue. Acoustic instruments only. Please send a link to music. Must have a demo of at least 3 songs.
• Dancers: a video of your dance troupe. Please note that dance groups are expected to provide their own live music for the festival. The use of recorded music is not permitted at the show.
• your resume, references, and any PR (Public Relations) materials you may have
• When applying as a duo or group, it is expected that the performers in the video will be performing at the Festival. No substitutions are allowed without the approval of the Artistic Director of MDRF.
• your salary request per day (no hat passing, although musicians can sell approved merchandise at the end of each set). Musicians traditionally play 4 twenty-five minute sets per day (although more or less can be arranged). Dancers perform 3 twenty-five minute sets per day.
• If merchandise sales are approved, musicians must limit their sales pitch to ONE 15-second pitch per show. (This is a show, not an infomercial to sell merchandise.) 
• your availability. The MD Festival runs Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day Monday from August 23 until October 19, 2025. Full or partial contracts are possible. A partial run can be as short as one weekend or as long as six weekends. If you are interested in a partial contract, please state the weekends in which you are particularly interested.
• All musicians and dancers are required to carry general liability insurance.
• All performers must be fully vaccinated against Covid to perform. 

Proposals that do not include a salary request and availability information will not be considered seriously. Note: We are always willing to negotiate.

NO PHONE CALLS.

For serious consideration for the 2025 season, all proposals must be received by JANUARY 11th, 2025. Electronic Press Kits, containing all of the information listed above, can be emailed to: carolyn@rennfest.com.

If you are interested in auditioning for us in 2025, please visit this website again in January for information. Actors and dancers must be over the age of 18. All ROLES PAID. Note: There is no public transportation to the festival site. Ride sharing might be possible but all actors should have reliable transportation.

INTERNATIONAL MUSICIANS:
To be considered for the Maryland Renaissance Festival, please follow the instructions under 'Musicians and Dancers' for what to submit in your EPK. I MUST have your salary request per day to be considered!

Info from Carolyn Spedden, the Artistic Director:

I welcome bands from around the world. As part of my job as director of MDRF, I love bringing great new bands to our audiences, who love music!
Outside of my job at the Festival, I have also been a manager and booking agent for musicians from the UK, Russia, and the EU. And from that experience, I'd like to give you some hints if you have never performed in the United States before and what should be considered before applying to the Maryland Renaissance Festival.

QUICK INFO:
1. I no longer handle VISAS. It is expected that international performers either have their visas in place before sending in a proposal, or have a contact in the United States who will apply on their behalf. Unless you already have a following in the US, securing a P3 visa will be your easiest route.
2. We have campgrounds available onsite for performers, but we do not provide hotel or other housing. That should be factored into your expenses. I can help you find the best priced accommodations in the area, but we do not make the reservations ourselves. 
3. We are an outdoor performing venue with 12 stages/performing areas in addition to pathway performing (street performing). Performances are daytime only. We are Renaissance in theme and the stages vary in size. While sound systems are available, they are rather basic - we do not have full concert sound systems  as you'd find at concert halls or specific music events with a mainstage. 
4. The Festival is located near 3 international airports. However, the Festival is not accessible by public transportation so performers will need to rent a car/van during their visit.
5. When applying to the festival, it is assumed we are part of a larger tour you are planning. It will not be economically viable for you to fly from the UK or Europe for one or two performance weekends at the Festival. 

DETAILED INFORMATION: 

If bands are interested in performing at MDRF and are coming from outside the United States, please be aware of the following:

1. It is assumed that if you are applying to perform, the band will obtain the visa necessary to work in the United States. While the festival will provide the contract and a letter of support, we will not act as your agent and file the paperwork or pay for it. Your US agent, a legal representative or someone acting on your behalf in the US should submit the paperwork at least 5 months in advance of your first performance date in the US. Be aware of the cost. You will need either an O visa (really hard to get - you need to be known in the US), or a P1, P2 or P3.  A P3 visa is the one most bands should go for. It will be the easiest to obtain. The form is an I-129. https://www.uscis.gov/i-129. As of April 1, 2024, the filing fee ranges from $510 - 1015. PLUS an Asylum Program Fee of either $300 or $600 added to that. There is also cost when the performers go to the consulate in their own country for the interview and get approval. That varies. 
2. You will first need a consultation letter from one of the Musicians Unions. American Federation of Musicians, AFM: https://www.afm.org/what-we-are-doing/travel-resources/need-a-visa/#consultation which currently costs $300. You use AFM if instrumentalists form at least 50% of the band. You get your letter from American Guild of Musical Artists for singers (this would be most bands) https://www.musicalartists.org/about-agma/visa-consultation/ Their cost is $350.
   1. 1. To get their approval letter you will need to provided a filled out I-129 form, along with PR materials, etc... they all clearly explain what they need. In the 129 form it asks if you have provided that letter. Check off yes, and get the advisory letter first, so you can include it with your visa paperwork. They won't approve your visa without a letter from a union, so get that first.
3. The MDRF is located just outside of Annapolis, Maryland, and in easy driving distance of both Washington, DC and Baltimore. Because of the nature of our event, we are fine if you book a gig in the nearby area. We have no radius clause.
4. It isn't realistic to expect to come to the States just to play at our Festival. To make any economic sense at all, you'd need to secure additional work OR view this as a work/vacation experience. You have to figure in visa costs, airfare, local transportation, lodging and food. 
5. The US is big and public transportation varies city to city. You will need to rent a car/van when performing here. Because we are located in such a great area, there are many major markets within reasonable driving distance to each other to form a tour. (DC - 40 minutes; Baltimore- 30 minutes; Philadelphia - 2 hrs; New York City- 3.5 hours; Pittsburgh- 4.5 hours; Boston -6.5 hours, just to name a few.)
6. You will probably get more of a guarantee from festivals or cultural organizations. Booking clubs or bars - they might offer you a percentage of the door, but if you are unknown in the States they most likely won't give you much of a guarantee, if any at all. 
7. Most concert venues in the US will not be providing hotel. You are much more likely to get free or reduced housing via bookings in a music series, or concerts sponsored by churches, universities, or cultural organizations. Or, contact friends and relatives here in the states.
8. Be realistic in your expectations. Think seriously of what you hope to achieve by performing in the United States. Do you just want the experience? Hoping to build a fan base? Make industry contacts while you are here? All reasonable. But expect to lose money on your first tour - can you afford to do so? If you break even, that would be amazing!
9. I am happy to offer hints and be helpful, but I cannot be your US agent as I am not accepting new clients at this time.