Photo
by Beckewl |
Josephine Marie Thane has been
involved with music all her life. While
growing up, she was occasionally asked to join her parents, also
performing folk musicians, in performance. She also was in school
band, school choir, and church choir. She caught the Renaissance
Faire bug when she was asked to participate as a member of the Court
at the Thorntown (Indiana) Renaissance Faire. The following year,
after being a patron only, she discovered that merely attending a Faire
was not as enjoyable as performing in one, so she auditioned for the
Bristol Renaissance Faire for following year and was accepted as a
member of the Court. Two seasons later, she asked Tasha, Wendy, and John
if they would like to form a musical group to perform at the
Faire. Thus was Minstrosity formed.
Josie appeared as a guest musician on Femme Messiah's Orchids In The Arctic. She is a former member of Moebius Theatre and is a professional DJ, radio broadcaster, and television broadcaster. Josie is also a member of the International Wenches Guild and the Bard's Guild. You may find out more about Josie at josephinemariethane.com. |
Photo by Ray Cole |
Wendy Zdrodowski has a long and
varied performing career, as befits someone who has a degree in theatre
from Northwestern University. Her Renaissance Faire experience
began as a teenager at the New York Renaissance Faire, and she has
participated in Renaissance Faires every year since then. She
started with the Bristol Renaissance Faire when it was still King
Richard's Faire, and has been a performer or merchant's assistant at
the Faire ever since. She, too, was at the Thorntown Indiana
Renaissance Faire, but as a street performer. It was here that
she met Josie and Tasha. She has also appeared as Queen Arianna at the Silver Leaf
Faire, as well as performing with History Repeats Itself and the Ring of Steel.
In addition to performing at Renaissance Faires, Wendy is also a former member of Moebius Theatre. She has also appeared at the Six Flags Great America Fright Fest. Besides her acting and musical abilities, she was also the Children's Choir Stage Manager at the World Cup Opening Ceremonies in Chicago. She is also a member of the Society of American Fight Directors, specializing in unarmed combat and swordplay. She also holds a Master Ranking in the International Costumer's Guild, and is the owner and sole proprietor of a custom costume and sewing business called WenchWear. Wendy, in fact, made most of the clothing that Minstrosity wears. She is also a member of the International Wenches Guild and is a regular poster on alt.fairs.renaissance. |
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John C. Wiseman also has a long
history of performing and a degree in Speech and Theatre from Wichita
State University. He has nearly twenty years of
high school, college, and community theatre experience in various
capacities, and has been singing and playing guitar for even
longer. He
began Faire life with the Bristol Renaissance Faire, spending three
years in the Reveler's Guilde (now the Guild of St. Ives) playing
guitar and performing street theatre before joining Minstrosity.
To date, John is the only member of the group to write original music
and have it performed. His songs include a sea shanty
called "The Ballad of Tommy Gibb", "Advice From The Animals", and "The Lady In Puce". :
John was awarded Honorable Mention by the John Lennon Songwriting Contest
2003 for The Future Isn't What It Used To Be".
John has also performed in a training film, on radio, and on television, as well as many live venues, including the Renaissance Repertory Company, LiveWires Children's Theatre, Theatre II, Live Theatre, and Music on Stage. One of John's favorite memories is appearing with the Chicago Medieval Players when that troupe performed in Girona, Spain. And not only has John appeared with Moebius Theatre, he also directed the Moebius Production of "R.U.R." at Chicon. John also posts on alt.fairs.renaissance. was a founding member, working with us through 2000. She returned to the world of punk music for a year. She is now seeking to do studio work with both her bass and her voice. Tasha came up with the name Minstrosity. |