The sound of swords and arrows ripped through the air while plaintive bagpipes serenaded peasants and royals. The swords weren’t sharp and the arrows were aimed at a pile of hay, but they were as real as they could get in the first Renaissance Festival of the College of Southern Maryland this spring. Starting at 9 a.m., the two-day festival took place at the La Plata Campus as a way “to expose the theater kids and music majors to the Renaissance Era theater and music,” said Therese Theideman, ticket and event sales specialist during the festival. More than theater and music students were interested in the festival; teacher education major Kaylin Beach, 17, was there to juggle and entertain the public with her old English accent. “Here in the Renaissance I am a performer of sorts. I am an outdoor performer, I don’t get to be on stage, that’s the actors’ job, but I get to entertain little children and make them smile,” said Beach. “Being involved means wearing wonderful costumes and playing fun new parts.” All around the lawn, people were watching arrows being shot, palms being read, a magician doing tricks and the “queen” bestowing titles of nobility. There [...]
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