Join Our Team
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a theatrical re-creation of nineteenth-century London with all the charm and merriment of Christmas during the time of Charles Dickens.
The air is filled with enticing aromas of festive foods and the sounds of street vendors hawking their wares. The lively streets bustle with characters from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickelby, &c, not to mention Mr. Dickens himself. First-time vendors should be aware that this is a highly themed juried craft show, presented within a theatrically immersive environment. All booth workers are expected to maintain the theatrical illusion by staying in costume and learning a bit of Victorian speech/dialect. The magic of the Dickens Fair, and what sets it apart, is the highly participatory theatrical setting we create together and the sense of ensemble and Christmas spirit put forth by all participants.
Performing at the Fair
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a bustling theatrical environment, combining the magic of the traditional holiday season with the writings of Charles Dickens and a rich tapestry of Victorian England. The Fair is a giant environmental theatre, one of the largest and most complex in the world, involving a combination of stage performances, environmental areas, and improvisational acting in the streets of our “London.”
For those interested in performing at the event as an individual or joining a group, please email [email protected] to be added to the list for audition notification.
There will be two general auditions prior to the Workshops:
- Stage Shows & Roles auditions begin in July.
- Historical and literary characters auditions begin in September.
Entertainment Show & Group Proposals:
- Please fill out the proposal form located at this link: https://tinyurl.com/skjh7ctd
- Email it in to [email protected] before May 20th, 2023.
- Proposal acceptance notifications will begin in June.
Red Barn Productions (RBP) practices inclusive casting and welcomes performers from all races, ethnicities, gender identities, and abilities to audition for any role. Further, RBP seeks to tell the stories of people across the identity spectrum living in Dickensian England, one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in the world at that time.
Apply to Be a Vendor…
For Returning Artisans:
Please see the 2023 Returning Artisan Application (PDF).
For Returning Caterers:
Please see the 2023 Returning Caterer Application (PDF).
For New Artisans or New Caterers:
Before You Apply:
- Please note that you must have previously attended the Fair in order to be eligible for consideration as a vendor.
- Read through the application for rules and regulations: 2023 New Artisan Application (PDF) or 2023 New Caterer Application (PDF)
- Study the videos and photo galleries on our website for ideas and scope of the project.
- Make sure your product is in keeping with the handmade Victorian ideal by studying the images of vendor crafts on our vendor listings.
- Review the Victorian Costuming Guidelines.
- Review the booth building guidelines and the electrical guidelines.
- Read through our guide to Speaking with a Victorian Accent.
Please email [email protected] for further information.
Working at the Fair
Interested in working at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair?
There are a number of ways you can “work the Fair.” You can get a job in a catering booth, a beverage stand, a crafts booth, a games booth, or in event operations areas such as stage management, maintenance, security and customer service.
For jobs in Event Operations such as Security, Parking, or Maintenance, please email: [email protected]
For jobs in Production such as Carpentry, Design, Plumbing, Electrics, or Stage Management, please email: [email protected].
“What you want to ignite in others must first burn inside yourself.”
~ Charlotte Brontë