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History, Biographies, and Résumés
Swordsmen History | David Woolley | Douglas Mumaw (– all out of date but still useful)
Reviews of our shows are on the Booking Info page.
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A Brief Swordsmen History -
The history of the Swordsmen is one of seemingly random encounters which, when combined, amount to an extraordinary theatrical experience.
In the snowy winter of 1988, I received a call from Doug Mumaw in Omaha, Nebraska. He was coming to Chicago and our good friend, Drew Fracher, said we should get in contact...so he did. Our paths had crossed for years, always missing by days, hours, and sometimes minutes! I had an offer to teach at Brandeiss University in Boston, Doug was coming to town- fortune was served and after a fifteen minute meeting I was off and he employed as my sub for three weeks!
Within two weeks of my return to Chicago, he had been offered a gig and we created "the Swordsmen!" for Marc Smith and the Uptown Poetry Slam at the Green Mill Lounge in Chicago. [Read that Review and others.] We performed the Swordsmen around Chicago at Comedy Clubs for a few months and then, thanks to Dennis Johnson, set off to perform at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. There we lived in an abandoned barn abutting a state park, and wrote material by oil lamp light for 5 weeks.
In the fall of '89 a mutual friend, David Leong, introduced us to Benny Reehl (of New England New Vaudeville in Gardiner, Maine) who became our director, mentor, and friend. Benny and his family witnessed "flop sweat" of enormous proportions as he stripped us down and made us look at what we had done and what we needed to do. He also introduced us to the great state of Maine. His direction and support have allowed us to return to Maine 5 times over the past nine years to work on the show and perform in beautiful theaters all around that great state.
In 1990 we toured Maine and began our run at the Bristol Renaissance Faire (in Kenosha, Wisconsin) and the Texas Renaissance Faire in Plantersville (outside of Houston). Since then we have averaged 270 shows a year, playing theaters, universities and Renaissance Faires in Maine, Rhode Island, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and London, England . It goes something like this...
1990: Chicago, Maine, Bristol Faire, Texas Renaissance Faire
1991: Chicago, Scarborough Faire, Bristol Faire, Maine, Texas Faire
1992: Chicago, Scarborough Faire, Bristol Faire, Maryland Faire, Texas Faire
1993: Chicago, Scarborough, Bristol, Maine, Texas
1994: Chicago, Scarborough, Bristol, Maryland, Texas
1995: Chicago, Maine, Virginia Faire, Bristol, Ohio Faire, London
1996: Pennsylvania (College Tour), Virginia, Bristol, Ohio, Chicago
1997: Maine, Virginia, Bristol, Ohio, New American Theatre (Rockford)
1998: Virginia, Bristol, Ohio, Rockford
1999, 2000: We got busier and busier, doing more shows in more places.
2001: take a look at our calendar page to see where we are. You'll notice that in between Faires or even during Faire weeks we are out and about in various parts of the country, conducting workshops, acting in shows, and working on fight choreography for other stage productions.
Most of the above history and chronology was written in 1998, and some numbers of things have not been updated, such as average number of shows per year or the number of times we have been to Maine. Would you do the math? We are too tired from all this running around to add and subtract! Thanks.
- David Woolley
a.k.a. Guido Crescendo
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Swordsmen History | David Woolley | Douglas Mumaw
Reviews of our shows are on the Booking Info page.
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| David B. Woolley as Guido Crescendo |
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Fight Master
Actor
Instructor |
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David Woolley is a veteran of Chicago theatre; both as a performer and a fight director. His is one of ten Fight Masters with the Society of American Fight Directors and an Artist in Residence at Columbia College of Chicago.
A graduate of the Goodman School of Drama/DePaul University, he has directed, acted or choreographed for over 150 theatrical productions - from Shakespeare to Children's Theatre.
He was the recipient of a Joseph Jefferson Award for Excellence in Stage Combat Choreography (1988) and was awarded an Ollie (OIT-Loop Theatre) Award for Best Fight Direction (1991).
David combines his improvisational skills with his vocal and physical training to create GUIDO CRESCENDO, Swordsman and Orator Extraordinaire!!
Awards:
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| Off-loop Theatre Award, 1991, Best Fight Direction - Les Liasons Dangereuse, Interplay Theatre |
Joseph Jefferson Award, 1988, Consistent Excellence in Stage Combat Choreography
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Positions / Titles:
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| Fight Master, Society of American Fight Directors |
| Artist in Residence, Columbia College of Chicago |
Guido Crescendo, Dirk & Guido: The Swordsmen, Comedy Swashbuckling Duo
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Film:
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| Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer | Fourth World Productions |
Modern Theatre:
(* denotes Equity Theatre)
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| Edmond | Gregory Mosher | Goodman Theatre* |
| Fuente Ovehuna | Richard E.T. White | Court Theatre* |
| Les Liasons Dangereuse | David Perkovitch | Interplay Theatre |
| The Golem | Arnold April | National Jewish Theatre* |
| Class Enemy | Harriet Spizziri | Next Theatre |
| Corpse! | Joseph Sadowski | Body Politic Theatre* |
| Stage Stuck! | Tom Irwin | Steppenwolf Theatre* |
| Benno Blimpie | Harriet Spizziri | Next Theatre |
| Crackwalker | Harriet Spizziri | Next Theatre |
| A Cry of Players | Kyle Donnelly | Getz Theatre |
| Dark of the Moon | Travis Stockley | Thorton College |
| Forty Deuce | Harriet Spizziri | Theatre Building |
| Innocent Thoughts... | Harriet Spizziri | Next Theatre |
| Irish Coffee | Maier Ribelow | Next Theatre |
| The Luck of Jesse McCorker | John Bettenbender | Chicago Cooperatice |
| The Madman and the Nun | Terry McCabe | Stormfield Theatre |
| When Ya Comin' Back Red Ryder | Harriet Spizziri | Next Theatre |
| The Rainmaker | Kyle Donnelly | Pegasus Players |
| Reign of the Child | David Woolley | Moose Productions |
| Small Craft Warnings | Michael Menendian | Raven Theatre |
| The Time of Your Life | D.W. Moffar | Goodman Theatre* |
| Tripych | Harriet Spizziri | Next Theatre* |
| Vicious | Paul Fagin | Steppenwolf Theatre* |
| House of Blue Leaves | Michael Murray | Brandeis University |
| Purloined Poe | Meryl Friedman | Lifeline Theatre |
| Royal Family | Pauline Brailsford | Body Politic* |
| Vampires! | Judy O'Mally | Immediate Theatre* |
| A Flea in Her Ear | Michael Maggio | Goodman Theatre* |
| Bloody Bess | Ivory Ocean | Getz Theatre* |
| Exact Change | Bradley Mott | Immediate Theatre* |
| Two Character Play | Michael Menendian | Raven Theatre |
| I'm Not Rappaport | Sheldon Patinkin | Briar Street Theatre* |
| Ragged Dick | Jeff Ginsberg | National Jewish Theatre* |
| For Love of a Nightingale | Susan Padveen | New Studio, Columbia |
| Lips Together, Teeth Apart | Judy O'Mally | Halsted Theatre Center* |
| I Hate Hamlet | Trent Smith | Getz Theatre |
| Rise and Fall of Little Voice | | Steppenwolf Theatre* |
| Escanaba in da Moonlight | Guy Sanville | Purple Rose Theatre - Chelsea, MI |
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Classical Theatre:
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| Anthony & Cleopatra | Barbara Gaines | Shakespeare Rep |
| Cymbeline | Barbara Gaines | Shakespeare Rep |
| Falstaff | Tom Mula | Oak Park Shakespeare |
| Falstaff & Hal | Pauline Brailsford | Body Politic |
| Julius Caesar | Patrick O'Gara | Oak Park Shakespeare |
| King John | Barbara Gaines | Shakespeare Rep |
| King Lear | Joseph Ehrenberg | Chicago City Theatre |
| Macbeth | Roman Polack | Shakespeare Rep |
| Macbeth | Nicholas Pennell | Court Theatre |
| Macbeth | Byrne Piven | Piven Theatre |
| Macbeth | Jim O'Connor | Purdue University |
| Othello | Josephe Ehrenberg | Chicago City Theatre |
| Othello | Steve Billig | Illinois Theatre Center |
| Romeo & Juliet | Eric Simonson | Steppenwolf Theatre |
| Shakespeare's Assassins | David Woolley | Getz Theatre |
| Shakespeare Sampler | Tom Irwin | Steppenwolf Theatre |
| Twelfth Night | Michael Murray | Brandeis University |
| To Shakespeare With Love | Barbara Gaines | Shakespeare Rep |
| Troilus & Cressida (1987,95) | Barbara Gaines | Shakespeare Rep |
| The White Devil | Kathleen Perkins | Getz Theatre |
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Musical Theatre:
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| Phantom | William Pullinsi | Candlelight Dinner Theatre |
| City on the Make | Michael Maggio | Northlight Theatre |
| State Street | Sheldon Patinkin | Getz theatre |
| Man of La Mancha | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| Sweeney Todd | Travis Stockley | Apple Tree Theatre |
| Singin' in the Rain | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| Grease | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| Kiss Me Kate | Estelle Spector | Getz Theatre |
| Pacific Overtures | Victoria Bussart | Pegasus Players |
| West Side Story | Travis Stockley | Thorton College |
| Fiddler on the Roof | Travis Stockley | Loyola University |
| Something's Afoot | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| West Side Story | Eileen Boevers | Wilmette Bowl |
| The Sacrifice | H.E. Bacus | Getz Theatre |
| Summerstock Murders | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| The Elvis | Michael Menendian | Raven Theatre |
| Singin' in the Rain | William Pullinsi | Candlelight Dinner Playhouse |
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Children's Theatre:
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| Puss in Boots | Christine Adaire | Blackstone Theatre |
| Sleeping Beauty | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| Rumplestiltskin (x3) | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| Alice in Wonderland | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| Cinderella | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| Hansel & Gretel (x3) | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| Pinnocchio | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| Snow White(x2) | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
| The Nutcracker (x7) | Travis Stockley | Drury Lane Children's Theatre |
E-mail David Woolley
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Swordsmen History | David Woolley | Douglas Mumaw
Reviews of our shows are on the Booking Info page.
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| Douglas R Mumaw as Dirk Perfect |
| Actor / Entertainer / Stage Combatant / Instructor |
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Douglas Mumaw is a veteran theatrical performer, choreographer and teacher.
A member of Actor's Equity Association for 12 years, Douglas has performed in Regional Theatres and at Universities.
As a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat with the Society of American Fight Directors, he has taught hundreds of students the Art of Stage Combat. Mr. Mumaw also received The Society of American Fight Directors, "Most Promising Teacher of the Year" Award.
He has been recognized as an "Advanced Actor/Combatant with Merit and Recommendations" by the Society of American Fight Directors, the Society of British Fight Directors and Fight Directors, Canada.
For fifteen years Doug has performed, taught and choreographed Staged Violence at Professional Theaters (St. Louis Repertory, Seattle Opera, Second City Chicago), Universities, and High Schools from sea to shining sea.
Mr. Mumaw has co-conceived, written, choreographed, and starred in over 3500 performances of Dirk & Guido: The Swordsmen!, a vaudevilian knock-about act featuring rapier wit and split-second timing.
Dirk & Guido: The Swordsmen! features "...the finest sword play in the nation." (Renaissance Entertainment Company's Entertainment Director, Rikki Kipple).
Mr. Mumaw is also co-writer, director, choreographer, and actor in the "Theatre in the Ground" production, The Wyldmen!. Now in it's 6th season, The Wyldmen! has done over 400 performances to date and is contracted for 150 more in the coming two years. Visit www.wyldman.com for more info on this unusual perfromance piece.
6 foot, Hazel eyes, 180 pounds.
Born on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, OH
B.S. from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.
One Semester at University of London; was resident advisor to 29 students.
Equity Roles
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| Narrator, Marley, Present | A Christmas Carol | New American Theatre | Richard Raether, Director |
| Captain Hook | Peter Pan | New American Theatre | Bill Gregg, Dir. |
| Jussac | The Three Musketeers | Reperatory Theatre
of St. Louis | Ed Stern, Dir. |
Tamburlaine
the Great | Tamburlaine | James Madison University | Dr. Roger Hall, Director |
| Baron Gondremier | Robin Hood | Seattle Children's Theatre | Linda Hartzel, Director |
| Dr. Lanyon | Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Seattle Children's Theatre | Linda Hartzel, Director |
| Walt Dwarf | Snow White | Seattle Children's Theatre | Linda Hartzel, Director |
| The King | Rumpelstiltskin | Drury Lane, Oakbrook | Travis Stockley, Director |
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Non-Equity Roles (selected)
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| Mercutio | Romeo and Juliet | PA Ren. Faire | Dennis Johnson |
| Macbeth | Macbeth | PA Ren. Faire | Michael Donahue |
| Bottom | A Midsummer Night's Dream | PA Ren. Faire | Brian Belge |
| Pommel Peterworthy | Fools of Defense | Cayman Island, UK | David Leong |
| Black Beard | Pirate's Week | Cayman Island, UK | David Leong |
| Jacob Marley | A Christmas Carol | Nebraska Theatre Caravan | Charles Jones |
Accreditation
| Actor/Combatant, Society of American Fight Directors, 1983. |
| Certified Teacher of Stage Combat, S.A.F.D., 1989. |
| Most Promising Teacher of the Year, S.A.F.D., 1989. |
| Advanced Actor/Combatant with Recommendation, Distinction and Merit with the British Society of Fight Directors, Fight Directors Canada and the Society of American Fight Directors, 1995 |
Skills
| Professional high falls performed total well over one mile. |
| Equestrian skills include western and bare back riding techniques. |
| Advanced in the techniques of Unarmed Combat, Rapier & Dagger, Broadsword, Smallsword, Sword and Shield, Quarterstaff, Native American weapons (Tomohawk, Knife, Warclub), Black Powder Firearms. |
| Skilled Weight Trainer and Physical Conditioning Specialist. |
| Sings in a fetching Baritone. |
| A darn fine puppeteer. |
| Cooks a mean traditional Indian Curry from scratch. |
| Has drivers licsence and is adept at towing trailers up to 40 ft. and 12,000 GVW. |
| Has co-authored 90% of the material he has performed in the last 12 years. |
| Has grown wise enough not to high fall for a living anymore! |
Teaching Credits
| Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. Asst. Professor of Stage Movement. 1990-1991, 1991-1992. Taught Certification Program to Graduate students and basic movement to undergraduates. |
| Longwood College, Farmville, VA. 1993. Guest Artist. Teacher of Stage Combat. Lecturer on Sword play and related topics. Fight Choreographer for Peter Pan. Performed the roll of Capt. Hook. |
| Columbia College, Chicago, Il. Guest Artist. Teacher of Stage Combat for Winter Semester, 1994 |
| James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. 1995 Equity Guest Artist. Teacher of Stage Combat and Guest Lecturer. Performed roll of Tamburlaine the Great. |
| Private classes. 1996 to Present. Private classes, usually small, have comprised an important segement of Mr. Mumaw's professional teaching career for the past 6 years. Douglas has taught private classes at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, The Arizona Renaissance Festival, The Ohio Renaissance Faire, and odd points in-between these locations. |
Choreographic Credits (selected)
| Man of LaMancha, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Chicago |
| Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Seattle Childrens' Theatre |
| Peter Pan, Longwood College, Virginia |
| Romeo and Juliet, Seattle Opera |
| Tamburlaine Parts 1 & 2, James Madison Univ., Virginia |
| The Penn. Renaissance Faire, Mt. Hope, Pennsylvania |
| Snow White, Seattle Childrens' Theatre |
| Romeo and Juliet / Macbeth, Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, VA |
University Workshops on Stage Combat
| Columbia College, Chicago. | U of Washington, Seattle |
| U of Arizona, Tucson | U of Illinois, Champagne,Ill. |
| U of Maine, Orino | U of VA, Charlottesville |
E-mail Douglas Mumaw
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Swordsmen History | David Woolley | Douglas Mumaw
Reviews of our shows are on the Booking Info page.
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