- What is it that you do or sell?
Promo
Wotan the Fairy Smasher is a friendly giant from the Emerald City who performs on both coasts of United States, for the last 16 years at Midsummer Renaissance Faire the silly barbarian loses every fight to children and faeries of all ages. As an antagonist it is his goal to let the children be the heroes of their own fairy tale story and go home bragging they defeated the giant. Wotan hates all things beautiful and magical, he is allergic to fairy dust and blown kisses send him running away
I perform at several different types of events, wherever a fairy may flap their wings you will find Wotan the Faeriesmasher. From Renaissance festivals to EDM concerts I have been there.
If I have a dedicated guild yard I can work with either my own or a fantasy glade, I bring several props that include a human sized half cauldron to pretend to cook patrons “OK STOP ONE OF YOU HAS TO BE DINNER, ON THE COUNT OF 3 EVERYONE POINT AT WHO TASTES THE BEST!” we even have a dinner bell to let people know soup is up.
I do Wotan’s story hour where I tell the kiddos a fairy tale from the villains perspective, trying to win them over. Then there is 1 to 2 fairy tales where the children are the characters in these stories, did you know that Goldilocks is a master criminal? Okay little guy you are gonna be pappa bear, can you give everyone your best I AM PAPPA BEAR GRRRR.
At the end of the story time we have the kids and parents join us for a fairy hunt, where we arm them with fly swatters and march to Children’s song going on a bear hunt but changing the words to fairy. We swarm around a patron or fae actor and then smash the grass around them. If I have my crew with me I modified a garden cart to be a barbarian prison cage, we have kids pretend to be bait asking the faeries to free them. I work with the fairy guilds and we usually have an actress get captured. IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF THERE WAS A SECRET SPY THAT FREED THE FAIRY WHILE MY BACK IS TURNED. Let a kiddo betray us and the fairies win.
My goal is that the kids go home as the heroes of their very own fairy tale.
- Where are you located?
Gig harbor, Washington - What got you interested in starting out in this business?
I have expanded to working city and state contracts recently, as Wotan I have been in Christmas parades, 4th of July festivals, I work with two different circus’s as a variety act. I also have expanded into another gig ‘Bubble Farmer’ dressed more like Tom Bombidill, a fantasy medieval farmer and I blow giant bubbles for kids.
- When did you start performing? In general or at ren fests?
I started Wotan in 2007 as a pro cosplayer competing in sci fi and gaming conventions.When I won best in show and master class award at GenCon in 2009 I reached the height of where I could go with that path and started doing stage acts for the conventions to get the crowd warmed up. I was scouted by Tracy one of the three owners of Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire and asked if I would be an independent lane performer for the festival at 2010. Funny thing is she didn’t tell the fairy guild so they thought at first I was a patron who was chasing them and were relieved when they saw me in the green room. - What was your local faire or home faire?
Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire - How are you compensating for this strange time we are in now?
They pay me in fairy wings
- What advice do you have to give to others that are just starting out in this business? Or how to stay in this business?
Be ready to adapt and know how much you are worth. I have sent out contracts for gigs letting them know what it takes for gas, food, lodging for myself and the crew. I work with the producers if they can’t afford the proposal so that they can compensate us for the costs of doing this. - How do you handle thefts or copying of your works?
flattered, it has happened. I tell other performers that copy part of my gig that they are part of the faeriesmasher guild and we let them use our logo. We see it more as a franchise. Other artist and vendors have used Wotans likeness, I am in Children’s books and even a character race ‘troll’ in white wolfs changeling the dreaming book. I just ask for a print! - Are you doing any online sales or virtual performances?
I did during Covid, we had ‘cooking with Wotan’ where i made candy sushi and told stories. also did a Christmas special online. This was to support other performers whose income depended on festivals. I am a software engineer in Seattle area so I was not impacted by remote work. For the following 2 years I had festivals pay me in gas cards and I passed them out to other performers who were impacted during Covid. It was a work around since they wouldn’t let me just give my contract paycheck to others. - Why Renaissance Faires or theme? What is it that made you so interested in this period?
Its not the time period but the people, everyone is very welcoming and it is a collection of theater geeks having fun with improvisation.
At faerieworlds a large fantasy music festival in Oregon I had a horde of children following behind me, trying to get me to chase them. lots of antics. The ice cream vendors at Ben and Jerry’s came out and gave me a free ice cream, i was talking to the adults and told the kids HEY BUZZ OFF FAERIE FRIENDS! Two kids found a rope and they ran around me and i was tangled up like the AT AT from star wars, so here i am bound with hammer and ice cream cone in hands. then the butterfly net went over my head. the kids then tried to topple me. I got into a wide horse stance from karate to gain my balance and with 6 kids pulling on me like a tug a war and two kiddos sitting on my feet and hugging my legs I managed to slowly get to the tavern where the kids couldn’t go. every adult was cheering and the kids were telling the bouncer to send me out. After this I was given a back stage pass for the concert so I could hide from the kids when they get that wild.
- In five years (or less) my goal is to: ___________________
Partner with a food vendor so we can have ‘Wotan’s wings” and sell magical themed bbq. fairy wings, pegasus wings, dragon wings for extra spicy - At faire, what was your garb/attire your usual go to?
Fantasy Barbarian
- What makes your act/wares unique or different?
I am a giant who loses to kids, I tell people i am not a barbarian but I am a recess bell, when you see me come out and play! - What makes you stand out?
I have been told that you can hear my voice a mile away. Its easy to find me at a festival because of the loud war cry. It is a challenge with stage acts so I try to make sure I don’t interrupt with my energy and loudness. - What was your very first experience at a renaissance festival? What education or training if any do you have that led to what you do?
I went right in as a performer, was never a patron or a guild volunteer. No education or training for this. I am too fantasy for some renaissance fairies and that is fine. - What would you say to a new person looking to try out or vending?
it’s hard to break even as a vendor, make sure you have an Etsy and business cards because a lot of patrons don’t always buy when they want it. So help them reconnect with you later. - What is your go to for food at faire? You can name a food vendor or if you are a food vendor, what is your most sold item?
meat pies with my friend Oscar, I need fuel and not something that is going to be greasy. I just set up an account and pay him at the end of the show, at least two meals a day. - What’s your idea for the future of faires?
Give the patrons what they want, they are showing up as Deadpool, star trek characters, cosplay, etc. I have watched some other shows struggle with trying to stay in period and fire performers because they didn’t fit within a specific time frame. Patrons want to see vikings form a shield wall and at the same show watch a joust. There will always be faeries at shows, blowing bubbles for kids.Give the. - Plug your website or fan page here (or both)
https://www.facebook.com/WotantheFairysmasher
