ESC'S DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON NOTES THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS OUTDOOR THEATRE PERFORMANCE DEBUT AS HIS EMINENCE, TOMAS DE TORQUEMADA, THE GRAND INQUISITOR OF SPAIN IN PATTY MCKENNY'S AND DOUG FREW'S "MURDER, THEY QUOTH!", THE MUSICAL COMEDY GRAND SCENARIO OF THE 1986 14TH ANNUAL KING RICHARD'S FAIRE OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN!
There's Nothing Like A Good Role On Stage In A Musical Mystery!:
One of the true pleasures of having spent some 52 years in The Arts is looking back on some of one's favorite stage roles. Though this stage actor, play director, intimate house producer and classics text adaptor has been blessed to appear in established comedies and dramas and musicals and original new works and several noted classics, there were only three occasions ( over a span of 250 productions and presentations at multiple locations around the country ) in which this stage actor played A Principal Role in A MUSICAL MYSTERY. All three of which were were quite memorable.
THE 1986 14TH ANNUAL KING RICHARD'S FAIRE OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN PRESENTATION OF PATTI MCKENNY'S AND DOUG FREW'S MUSICAL COMEDY MYSTERY GRAND SCENARIO "MURDER, THEY QUOTH"
During his early professional stage career, specifically the 1980s,Chicago-born and stage-trained Joseph Jefferson Citation Award Winner Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( for Outstanding Actor In A Play for his critically-praised performance as Sam Semela in Excaliber Shakespeare Company's 1997 production of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold And The Boys" presented at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre of Rogers Park ) appeared multiple summer seasons as A Comedic Renaissance Faire Performer and served as an Instructor of Performers at the popular outdoor venue known as The King Richard's Faire ( later, Bristol Renaissance Faire) of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
And it was at this rural and rustic location that your humble servant, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, appeared for the second time in A Principal Role In A Musical Mystery.
In 1986, playing on stage weekends from July 3rd through August 15th, he appeared as the historic and infamous Tomas de Torquemada, The Grand Inquisitor of Spain ( who in this comedic storyline was a bit of both detective and suspect attending A Royal Wedding where a visiting high noble gets horrifically dispatched ) in "Murder, They Quoth," the musical comedy mystery WHODUNIT Grand Scenario that starred Chicago Emmy Award-winning producer, actor, singer, comedian and master puppeteer the late, great and beloved Ray Nelson as King Richard of the Faire that year.
Improvisation ( and Improv Comedy ) was the standing directorial order of the day in performing and acting a character of the Renaissance Era on the grounds of the expansive and lively southeastern Wisconsin KRF fairesite, visited by thousands of guests per day.
YES, THERE WAS RELENTLESS TORTURE, MURDER AND MAYHEM, TO BE SURE! BUT BACKSTAGE IS WHERE THE INQUISITION STARTS!
With a very funny base script and storyline by skilled comedy writers Patti Mckenny and Doug Frew ( who also wrote clever adapted lyrics to apply to Broadway and pop tunes and classic rock and roll, and for Mr. Robinson's Torquemada, a riff on Bizet's "Carmen", it was hilarious stuff )! And with Artistic Director John T. Mills' command: "If it's not funny, I don't want to see it on my stage!", all concerned knew they had to step up their game.
And writer / scene director Patti Mckenny gave the best advice ever to a musical theatre performer: "If the joke's not all the way done, if the punch line's not perfect...VAMP UNTIL READY!".
The summer of 1986 may have seen MORE VAMPING than in The History of ALL THE GRAND SCENARIOS presented on the grounds of King Richard's Faire COMBINED!
But, when THE VAMPING WAS OVER, and the joke scored laughs and applause from The Guests, That Moment Was Pure Gold!
And, no matter where you were, what stage on the fairesite, what open area, what village street, if KRF Artistic Director John T. Mills caught you getting a big laugh, he would say: "That was good. That was really funny...I guess you can come back and work next weekend."
Even if you were already under contract.
GOD, HOW THIS OLD STAGE ACTOR MISSES THE FAIRE!
Featured here in this article are photos of your humble servant in The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, as His Eminence Tomas de Torquemada, The Grand Inquisitor of Spain in the 1986 musical comedy mystery Grand Scenario "Murder, They Quoth" at the 14th Annual King Richard's Faire of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The part of Grand Inquisitor Tomas de Torquemada of Spain in Patti Mckenny's and Doug Frew's 1986 Grand Scenario Musical Whodunit "Murder, They Quoth" represents The Second of this stage performer's experience of Three Principal Roles In A MUSICAL MYSTERY.
LONG LIVE THE FAIRE!
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