We Are Oktoberfest

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Lord Robert

Lord Robert

Lord of Entertainment
Apr 18, 2014
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Since the new 2025 Das Festhaus show is coming in about a month, I thought I would start discussion/speculation on it. From what Kevin spoke of in the lookback presentation on the 50th anniversary of the park, he gave the following details about "We Are Oktoberfest".

1. It will have a Burgermeister MC for the entire show, making it the first time since 2002 that the Das Festhaus shows have had the role filled. The most well-known actor who played the Burgermeister was the beloved Robert Bauman who played the role since the inception of "This is Oktoberfest!" back in 1976 until he had to retire in 2002. Whoever is going to play the Burgermeister in the new show will have some big shoes to fill.

2. It will contain traditional German songs and dances alongside ones with a "German twist" which references the 50 years celebration part in the show's title. It could go either way but one will hope that that it will be more respectful and charming and makes sense rather than aggravating and condescending which is what happened with the previous show "OktoberZest".

3. It will have a live band for the entire show; now how big the band is will be anyone's guess, but I sincerely hope it's a good number of them. Again, this is a far cry from "OktoberZest" which only had a violin player and an accordion player, which even then didn't happen in the last two years or so. The canned music they had sadly wasn't good enough.

So that's all we know about it so far but I'm going to have very low expectations since we all thought that "OktoberZest" would fill the void left behind when "This is Oktoberfest!" ended. Well, we all know how that turned out. I will say I love the logo they came up with which has a very classic feel to it.

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Two weeks left until "We Are Oktoberfest" begins performances on Friday June 13th. Someone told me about who is going to play the role of the Burgermeister for the new show, and I won't name names as per the Forum Rules. But I will say that he has performed at BGW for a little while now and he's a pretty talented guy who's been in a few shows in the past. After looking at the lookback video some more, maybe what Kevin meant by "Celebrating 50 years with a German twist" is that the show will celebrate the park's golden anniversary in its own classic "Old Country/German-tribute" kind of way.

I'm slowly raising expectations but not at a high level, more like a nice place somewhere in the middle. Honestly, after 13 years of the new Das Festhaus shows not living up to the original shows' legacy, it will be nice to have a revival version of "This is Oktoberfest!" for once if this is exactly what the new show will be.
 
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Oh shit! These stage improvements actually... look really good...?!

The return of a rising stage was tragically likely always unrealistic, but this definitely pays homage to it in a way that I think really means a lot to people like me who believe the removal of the original was legitimately sacrilege.

It's also the first time since the removal of the original stage that I feel like this new stage as made an effort to fit within the thematic context of Das Festhaus.

My hopes for this show are definitely on the rise...
 
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As someone who won’t be able to visit the park this summer, I beg of anyone, please record a high quality version of the show so I may watch from many miles away.
 
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Zachary said:
Oh shit! These stage improvements actually... look really good...?!

The return of a rising stage was tragically likely always unrealistic, but this definitely pays homage to it in a way that I think really means a lot to people like me who believe the removal of the original was legitimately sacrilege.

It's also the first time since the removal of the original stage that I feel like this new stage as made an effort to fit within the thematic context of Das Festhaus.

My hopes for this show are definitely on the rise...
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100% agreed! My hope for this show being good is certainly rising as the days go by, and we'll find out next Friday for sure.
 
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I wonder if it would be possible (maybe with some infrastructure rework) to create a version of the stage that keeps the existing one, but allows them to easily assemble and disassemble something like the old stage. So, basically I’m thinking a rising stage that would be constructed on top of the current one but easily broken down like a carnival ride. I mean, they have a huge warehouse door for access, right?

That’s the best I could come up with other than just building a new rising stage. I loved the rising stage, but I do have to admit that the current one is pretty versatile for seasonal shows.
 
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GAcoaster said:
If only Gasparich hadn't ripped out the original stage. While this is an improvement, the space worked best when it was "in the round"
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Too true.

I'm not sure he was responsible for the original stage being deemed due for replacement, but he certainly seemed to have a lot to do with the configuration of the current stage.

It's too damned wide. It steals shamelessly from the flow and grandeur of the place. It cuts the park's largest interior architectural gem in half with a sightline barrier that feels almost as high as a partition wall. It forces "good" vs. "ok" viewing angles near the stage which were never an issue before, deliberately sacrificing the primary advantage of a theater in the round configuration. Sitting in the back half of the Festhaus now feels almost like being in a different room, and there is a completely unnecessary foot-traffic pinch point near the exits of the primary food checkouts as two major walking flows collide at right angles.

Versatile or not, I kind of hate it.
 
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Couldn’t agree more with the posts above. I understand that the rising stage will probably never return, but I would love just a circular stage again. It doesn’t need the rising element or any other technicals features, it just literally needs to be a stage like the one they have now, but circular. Maybe add some poles and decorations that make it look like the old This Is Oktoberfest stage, even if it doesn’t have its old function.

That couldn’t be that expensive, right?
 
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The old stage truly had a unique kind of magic to it in comparison to most of the stages in BGW, that yes I was quite sad when it was taken out in 2012. But I will say, the effort to transform the current stage into what is now for "We Are Oktoberfest" deserves recognition for at least trying to fit in with Das Festhaus thematically. Especially considering what previous shows attempted to do.

The ring of lights and the blue and white banners is perfect. I just hope the content of the show also fits in perfectly with the new set. Sure don't want another "OktoberZest" situation on our hands.
 
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Not sure about the costumes, but it looks promising. I said it before and I will say it again: please let this show be good!

Edit: Is anyone going to see the first performance tomorrow? I would love to hear some first impressions of it.
 
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Very nice! I enjoyed how remarkably similar the opening and exit was to the original This Is Oktoberfest, as well as many of the musical numbers. I believe the arrangements used are also originals. Good show , mix of old and new but done well and got the audience revved up
 
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