Renaissance Pleasure Faire Prepares For Opening Weekend, 1974

KPIX-TV news footage from August 17th 1974 with Pat O'Brien featuring a look at how organizers and contributers to the Northern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire, based at Blackpoint Forest in Novato, Marin County, prepare for their jobs and roles. As O'Brien puts it: "At this fair the people putting it on have to learn a special way of doing, moving and talking before opening day." Includes views of people taking acting and movement classes, rehearsing and an interview with co-creator of the Renaissance Faire concept in America Phyllis Patterson, who explains they mostly focus on people's speech, using the King James Bible and Shakespeare for a point of reference. She also points out that much of their time is spent insulting each other, courtesy of an old English dictionary which is apparently three quarters full of insults from the period. Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.