It's a New Year so where might we bring the laughter in 2026?

Though our calendar is still being decided and more events are likely to be added, here is where we hope you can find us in the coming months:

➤Commedia dell'Arte Day in February
➤Zipcon in February
➤Cleveland ConCoction in March
➤Cleftlands Not So Regular Event in April
➤OSU Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies in April
➤Our 20th Anniversary celebration in April
➤Confluence in July
➤Pennsic War in August
➤One World Day in August
➤Barrington Elementary School Medieval Day in November

And hopefully much more! Come laugh at us!

#CommediaDellArte #Commedia #Improv #Improvisation #Theater #Midrealm #Pennsic #PennsicWar #SCA #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #MySCA #Midrealm #ClevelandConCoction #Zipcon #OSU #OhioStateUniversity

For National Word Nerd Day we'll geek out about some modern words derived from commedia dell'arte!

➤"zany" is from zanni, commedia's foolish male servants, including one named Zanni
➤"scenario" is because commedia actors would pin their brief outline of the play on the back of the stage scenery
➤"slapstick" as a genre of physical comedy comes from the wooden smacking prop used by Arlecchino and other commedia characters
➤"harlequin" is a later evolution of the name Arlecchino
➤"pants" is the short of "pantaloons" which were named after the harlequinade character Pantaloon a descendent of commedia's Pantalone...

... Meaning without commedia dell'arte... we would all be PANTSLESS! 🤣

#CommediaDellArte #Commedia #Improv #Improvisation #Theater #Midrealm #Pennsic #PennsicWar #SCA #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #MySCA

Turning #Inktober into a Commedia dell'Arte Scenario Writing Challenge! Again!

Day 20 Prompts: Valuable & Rivals

Because his son loves Flaminia, Dottore Gratiano sends Flavio off to university so he can court Pantalone's daughter instead with the promise the miserly merchant can marry his daughter Isabella. Flaminia fears Flavio betrayed her feelings and left her to marry an old man. However, Flavio, having befriend Capitano Testosteroné has snuck back home in disguise to woo his beloved - and though she doesn't recognize him she's desperate to escape an arranged marriage with Dottore and wants revenge for Flavio's supposed betrayal. Meanwhile Capitano has fallen in love with Isabella who returns his feelings but to avoid revealing their affair to her father claims the Spanish captain is Dottore's long lost son Silvio! However, when Capitano fears he may actually be Silvio and that he may have courted his own sister, he's driven mad and believes he's Flavio so he must love Flaminia. Seemingly spurned by Capitano, Isabella disguises herself as Silvio to woo Flaminia away from Capitano and her traitorous brother Flavio (who brought Capitano into her life). Meanwhile, to distract Pantalone, Pedrolino tricks the down-on-his-luck swindler Furbo there's buried treasure in the old merchant's garden - and everyone is surprised when Furbo actually finds treasure which may be the key to unlocking the mystery of the long lost Silvio! Of course, it all makes sense now!

#CommediaDellArte #Commedia #Improv #Improvisation #Theater #Midrealm #SCA #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #MySCA

Turning #Inktober into a Commedia dell'Arte Scenario Writing Challenge! Again!

Day 18 Prompts: Rain & Deal

A massive train storm has hit the town for days. Unwilling to wait any longer, Pantalone meets Brighella for a business deal. However, not only does the rain damage the signed contract but the goods are at risk when being moved off Capitano's ship. Under the cover of the storm, Isabella disguises herself as a magician to meet her beloved Oratio but they get lost in the fog. Meanwhile Vittoria worries that the rising waters will potentially compromise certain... "items" she wishes to stay buried. With the storm raging, chaos and confusion is in the forecast!

#CommediaDellArte #Commedia #Improv #Improvisation #Theater #Cleftlands #Midrealm #SCA #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #MySCA

Turning #Inktober into a Commedia dell'Arte Scenario Writing Challenge! Again!

Day 10 Prompts: Insight & Sweep

When the Doge sends Capitano Testosteroné to investigate a crime, Pantalone disguises himself as his maid Colombina, fearful some of his past exploits have been exposed. However, Brighella is the current culprit and he wants to take the opportunity to disguise himself as the miser but is beaten to the punch by Colombina herself who pretends to be her own boss as a scheme to let Pantalone's daughter avoid an arranged marriage with the Doge. But Isabella doesn't know this yet so has disguised herself as the mercenary Fabritio to team up with Capitano to apprehend Pantalone. Will the two investigators fall in love? Will Colombina escape their sleuthing? Will Pantalone be happier as a maid and cooking for Arlecchino? And who will Brighella try to disguise himself as now?!

#CommediaDellArte #Commedia #Improv #Improvisation #Theater #Midrealm #SCA #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #MySCA

The Royal University of Midrealm (RUM) is this Saturday, October 11 in the Barony of Ayreton (near Chicago) for a day of learning and teaching on a variety of SCA topics!

More info on the event: https://ayreton.midrealm.org/royal-university-of-the-midrealm-fall-2025/

#CommediaDellArte #Theater #Bardic #Music #Teaching #MiddleKingdom #MiddleKingdomSCA #Midrealm #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #SCA #MySCA

Northern Oaken War Maneuvers XXVII hosted by our home Barony of the Cleftlands is this Saturday, June 7 in the Shire of Falcon's Quarry (Wellington, OH)! Though we as a troupe are not attending several Players of the Patchwork will be enjoying a day of SCA fun in prep for Pennsic later this summer!

See more: https://events.cleftlands.org/nowm/

#Cleftlands #MiddleKingdom #Midrealm #SCA #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #MySCA

#sca #midrealm #willow

I was granted the award of the Willow at the Midrealm Kingdom Arts and Science!

The Royal University of Midrealm (RUM) is returning for a day of teaching on Saturday, October 11 in the Barony of Ayreton (near Chicago) and teachers are needed on all SCA topics - but we're especially interested in performing arts classes!

Sign up to tech commedia dell'arte, theatre, bardic, music, and more: https://rum.midrealm.org/register-to-teach/

More info on the event: https://ayreton.midrealm.org/royal-university-of-the-midrealm-fall-2025/

#CommediaDellArte #Theater #Bardic #Music #Teaching #MiddleKingdom #MiddleKingdomSCA #Midrealm #SocietyForCreativeAnachronism #SCA #MySCA

Happy Clean Comedy Day!

While the Italian Renaissance theatre commedia dell'arte is often quite bawdy, we take pride in being able to tailor our humor for our venue, audience, and cast. When the need calls for it (especially when youth are involved) we can take the ridiculous masked characters and farcical plots of commedia into a family friendly direction.

Ribald humor has it's place but so does all ages zany fun!

#CommediaDellArte #Commedia #Improv #Improvisation #Theater #Midrealm #MySCA