The Devil's Carnival Road Show, is a place like no other. White, fat, socially awkward, possibly even homicidal..everyone is welcome here! Following the last tour, I had been on a high. Trying to support and promote the tour and the movie anyway I could. Doing this, I discovered a group called Little Sinners on Facebook. A group dedicated slowly to the promotion of The Devil's Carnival. I was asked to be the Wisconsin street team leader, and gladly accepted. Shortly after this occurred, my dreams came true, not only did Darren and Terrance announce an encore tour of the roadshow, but they had a show coming to Madison, Wisconsin!
As I bought my ticket, I immediately started planning. What would I wear? How could I promote the show more? Was there anyway I could help out? Soon, all my questions (aside from the outfit, of course!) were answered. I talked with an awesome chick, who would be with the group for the entire tour, and got set up to be a volunteer at the show. I would be helping out with posters, merch, and checking fellow Sinners in!
The weeks leading up to the show were torture. My anxiety grew with each passing day, nervous to meet all the new carnies. Soon though, the day came, August 4, 2012. I had driven out to Madison, unpacked at my hotel, and started my (surprise!) drive to Lake Geneva. Though the show was publicized as Madison, the ticket actually said Lake Geneva, which was another hour and twenty minutes away! No matter, I was ready to enter the Carnival once again.
I arrived early, and was granted entrance to the theater before the other Sinners, set my stuff down, and met up with my other fellow volunteers. I was immediately granted the task of helping pass out posters to those who had purchased "Carnie" or "Ringmaster" tickets, and got a special pre-signed poster from Darren and Terrance. I loved getting to greet each attendee, and getting to know them a little bit.
Following this, I got to go through tickets, and check everyone in, making sure ever Sinner was accounted for! Once my tasks were complete, I had the best task of all, enjoy myself, take pictures, and wait for the show to start.
One beautiful thing about TDC, is the costumes. Everyone is allowed to dress however they want. Some, dress casually. Some, like me, dress up some, but lack the budget (or skill!) for a more grandiose outfit. Then, there's the true freaks, those who put hours into their outfits, and it shows. These are the people I truly love taking photos of the most!
Soon, it was time for the show to commence! Everyone flooded into the theater, and took their seats. But before The Devil's Carnival can truly commence, what is a show...without a side show? Sadly, our side show (for unknown reasons) backed out of performing at the last second. Lucky for us, one of our volunteers happened to be very skilled with her hooping skills, and she performed. What an amazing job she did, with such short notice! All while a large mohawk graced her pretty little head!
Following a sideshow, we got yet another gem, never before seen footage of behind the scenes clips from Repo! the Genetic Opera. I won't even go into detail, because I dare not spoil the goodies that lie within those clips. Last, before the show, a contest was in order. Who had the best costume? As the freaks lined up, I readied my camera. Sadly, they didn't turn on the house lights, so photos were a bit of a tricky feat, so I settled for a video instead. By the time all the Sinners had finished running across the stage, flashing their pushed up chests, breaking out whips, and looking so innocent, a victor was to be crowned. An innocent little Tamara (a character from the movie) was chosen, and awarded a theatrical poster.
Finally, the lights dimmed, the music cued, and the movie started. I was transported from a theater in Lake Geneva, back into The Devil's Carnival. To finally see all the characters on the screen again, to be able to quote the lines, and to sing along with each song, was truly an awesome experience.
As the movie winded down, the lights came back on, and Terrance Zdunich and Darren Lynn Bousman entered the theater. It was Q&A time. Oh, Q&A, a magical time, where one can ask the directors whatever they wish. I managed to get a question in this time around, asking "How did you get into the goth opera genre, as opposed to the typical musical?" Darren and Terrance both explained how they had both been a bit of a loner back in highschool. Whether they found comfort in the drama club (Darren), or alone (Terrance), they had always had a bit of an inclination to have a bit more of a macabre style to their artistry.
Announcing that they were done with Q&A, the guys headed out to a table set up in the lobby, and readied themselves for the swarm. We all had our opportunities to walk through, have a few minutes to personally chat with the guys, and take a group photo. When my turn approached, I quickly explained my personal story with The Devil's Carnival. How because of this roadshow, I met my current boyfriend, we've been dating ever since, and we couldn't be happier. Terrance and Darren wished us both the best of luck, and said they'd hoped to see us still together by the next roadshow. Taking that group photo, concluded yet another amazing night.
As always, The Devil's Carnival, is truly where I have fit in the best. From the fans, the costumes, the roadshow experience, the directors, and the movie itself..I truly fit in. I guarantee, when TDC2 comes out (which won't be for a while!), that it will be worth your while to buy yourself a ticket, and head on out to the show. A wonderful experience awaits you at the end of your travels!
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