Auditiong for my Namesake

As an added bonus in 2001, I auditioned to replace one of the primary players in the independent fight troupe The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (GBU). The troupe was made up of three performers from MERF and one of them was leaving the group for multiple reasons, including health. So they were holding auditions for the role of "Ugly". Let's leave out the "type casting" and "born for the role" jokes for now. I was convinced through both myself and one of the two remaining members to audition for the role. I don't know how many people actually auditioned, but four people were considered. One was chosen and the other three of us were asked if we'd be interested in "backup" or "understudy" roles. The other two backups were woman and cast as "Good" and "Ugly". I was cast as the backup for "Bad".

Now, the primary "Bad" is a 6'6" man who plays a landskenecht mercenary named "Gustav." I'm 5'9" but decided I'd play in a similar role as "Wolfgang." Along with "Amanda" and "Marie" we formed GBU 2.0. The new "Ugly", "Connor", made his debut at the 2001 Vermont Renaissance Festival (VTRF). "Amanda" and I were there as the characters we had auditioned as to just kind of watch the shows and get used to them. "Marie" performed once with "Gustav" at a show at Hammond Castle while the rest of us were doing prep for MERF's 2001 season. During the run of The Connecticut Renaissance Faire (VTRF), "Amanda", "Marie" and I got to perform one of GBU's trademark shows, "History of the Blade" on two mornings in the same weekend.

It was this weekend where GBU really shone. During the last performance of the day, "Connor" accidently connected with a double fisted punch to the face of "Gustav". The light had got in his eyes and he got too close. "Gustav" went down like a ton of bricks. They had been about to do "Jailbreak" another GBU show. I didn't know this show. Not well enough to perform it. But "Devon" looked at me and said, "Want to do 'History'?" I stepped on stage and performed with "Devon" and "Connor" and we were able to show that we were professional and nothing would stop the show.

I went on to step in for "Gustav" at a Hammond Castle show when he was going to Germany for the weekend. It was also the first time I got to marshall for The Autumn Tree Armored Combat Company (ATACC). I had got involved with ATACC shortly after GBU as "Gustav" was the founder of the group and "Devon" was another member. ATACC specializes in full armored combat, unchreographed, live steel. So I was training and as part of my training, I would squire. I was a squire for the first time at ARISIA in 2001. I was a squire and marshall at the show at Hammond Castle.

Things get Ugly