Entering the Kansas City Renaissance Festival means going into a world of pirates, wenches, kings, queens and turkey legs. A new local film takes you beyond that façade — into the world of the people playing those wenches, queens and maidens.
"Rennie" is a feature-length mockumentary that follows a motley group of Ren Fair performers on a quest to save their small town from a flood — and maybe find themselves along the way, too.
The movie was filmed on-site last fall at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs, and features a cast of Kansas City actors. It premieres later this month at the Folly Theater on October 11 and 12.
Jessica Dressler is the co-director, writer and producer of the film along with Jen Frank Klenke.
Growing up as a Kansas City "Rennie" herself (she played the part of Juliet from Romeo and Juliet in her late teens), she says the concept of this film has always been close to her heart.
"It was the first place that I honestly felt I came to myself as a young adult. I felt respected. I felt like I had a group of people that were like-minded," Dressler says. "So I always wanted to have this project to just kind of lift up again that subculture that most people don't know."
- Jessica Dressler, director, writer and producer
- Jen Frank Klenke, director, writer and producer
Note: The Folly Theater is a financial supporter of KCUR. Our journalism is editorially independent of funders.
