View Award Nominee Profile- Katie Smith- Bard

Photo by Caitlyn LaPlante

How many times did you perform in 2015?
I have absolutely no idea. I love to sing, I love to sing with other people, and the Realms is full of

people who sing with me.

Why do you opt to perform in Realms?
A handful of reasons!
1. I love to sing. I might not be talented, but I sure am enthusiastic.
2. Other Realmsies are foolsome enough to join me in singing.
3. I feel like traditional music contributes to both the culture of the game, and the level of immersion. I like to think that it is some small way of contributing to the community.
4. We have a pretty boss history of bardic tradition. We love it when people tell stories of their past adventures- and we have Mahkta, Ladies Dee and Anne, as well as numerous others, who took pen to paper and set these tales to music- it would be tragic if we didn't keep our 20+ year oral tradition alive and kicking.

What do you do for performances and what are some things you keep in mind that you feel helps to make you successful?
Practice & enthusiasm. The more your practice, the easier it gets. Just like muscle memory for fighting. As far as enthusiasm goes, when you're having fun on stage, people are more likely to enjoy the performance. And when your cantankerous friends heckle you from the audience, you can keep rocking and rolling.

What are some of the challenges you face regarding performing?
Not everyone wants to be an audience. It's important to choose the time and place of your performances well.

Tell us about a memorable moment you had while performing?
A few Folkestone Questings ago, we had a *massive* party sing our way out of the Summerlands.
Other favorite bardic moments include:

Photo by Jesse Gifford

Running around Creathorne with a mildly inebriated company of fellow bards, singing at anything that moved, and some things that didn't.
Getting to drag my (OOC) performance troupe to Feast of Eagle's Rook this past year, and sharing the Realms with them. Super fun!
Anytime I get to sing with Kiira!
QoH Bridge Battle sing-alongs.

If someone wanted to get involved in performing in Realms what advice would you have for them?
Not every place is going to be receptive to your musical stylings, even if you sound amazing. Sometimes you have to tell people to shove off and continue the show, but other times you need to be aware of the fact that not every venue is an appropriate bardic one.
Group singing is awesome, and I'm always up for it, as are many other Realms Bards. If you're too nervous to sing all by your onesies, try reaching out, people are bound to respond.