Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival

Mark your calendars for January 12th and 13th 2008. The Boar's Head Festival is back at 1:00 4:00 and 7:00. Ticket Order forms will be sent out mid-October.

Boar's Head Casting Call

Always wanted to be a star on stage? Your deepest dream is living in Medieval times? Have we got a part for you! We're looking for performers young and old to participate in this year's Festival. We need young adults to play Ladies in Waiting, Shepards, and staff of the Lord and the Lady of the Manor. It's been two years since our last performance and young folk's have grown significantly! We'll need an entire new group of King's Pages! Any questions about specific parts or costumes - contact Jan Gera 610-941-6636.

The Sign up sheet for Casting this year's Boar's Head will be available on the Coffee Hour Counter Beginning September 30th. Please sign up for the part you wish to have, and remember to write down your phone number and email address. Plan on committing at least one entire day. (No cherry picking performances - it drives the costumer and director crazy!)

Boar's Head Dancers

The Boar's Head Committee gratefully "Thanks" Ben Nead for his tireless roll as coordinator of the Boar's Head Dance ensemble. Ben led our dancers for many years and we are so very thankful. David Littlejohn will be coordinating the dancers this year. If you would like to join in the fun - please contact David.

Boar's Head Planning Dinner

Boar's Head Cast and Crew are cordially invited to join us for dinner November 8th at 6:30pm for a buffet dinner in the Fellowship Hall. We'll eat, share some fellowship and have a brief presentation about the exciting changes we expect for 2008. Dinner at 6:30 - General Meeting at 7:30. Please plan on attending. Initial Costume fittings will begin at this event.

BOAR'S HEAD IMPORTANT DATES!

Planning Dinner November 8th 6:30
New Participant Orientation for New Cast members January 6th immediately following 10:00 Service
MANDATORY DRESS REHEARSAL THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10TH 5:00
Performances January 12th and 13th 1:00, 4:00 7:00

History

The history of the Boar's Head reaches back into days of the Roman Empire. The boar was the first dish served at great Roman feasts. In Norman England, the boar was the sovereign of the great forests, a menace to man and a symbol of evil. The serving of the Boar's head thus represents the triumph of good over evil, begun with the birth at Christmas and manifested as Savior of the whole creation at Epiphany. By the 12th century, the symbolism and ceremony of serving the Boar's Head at Christmastide was fully developed.

The Yule Log--lit from last year's embers, representing the warmth of the family fireside and the continuance of human life and concern--has from the earliest times symbolized the rekindling of love. The old year passes, the new is born: yet the same Love lights each.

No one knows who planned the Boar's Head procession. Queens College, Oxford, records the Festival shortly after the founding of the University in 1340. After three or four centuries at Oxford and Cambridge, to the ceremony of the Boar's Head and Yule Log were added the mince pie, the plum pudding, the shepherds, the Waits, the Wise Men or Three Kings, King Wencelas, the Pipers, Drummers and the Beefeaters, the fabled ceremonial guards of the Tower of London. The festival was a popular Christmas event of the great manor houses of England in the 17th century. The custom of the Boar's Head and Yule Log was carried to colonial America.

May this offering of praise to Jesus Christ at his Epiphany recall us to the great gift of love given us in the person of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

The above history was extracted from The Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival website. Please visit this great website for a more complete explanation of the festival, with costumes, documents, music and photos.