Tuesday, Sep. 29, 2009

Meet Dave Thomas of Myrtle Beach's Medieval Times

By Ashley Morris -

If the stadium-sized castle on Fantasy Way doesn't transport you to 11th century Spain, stepping onto the drawbridge entrance and into the candlelit lobby to be greeted by robed knights, lords and kings like Dave Thomas, who speak to guests in a baritone English accent with a grandiose sweep of a hand, certainly will.

Thomas, 28, has proudly been part of the Medieval Times Myrtle Beach cast for five years, moving up to cast manager status in 2006. We sat down with Thomas before the show - and before he transformed into either his roles as King Phillipe or Lord Chancellor - to chat about life in the 11th and 21st centuries.

Q: First tell us a little about your acting background and training leading up to your current gig with Medieval Times.

A: My acting goes back to my old days in Charleston, where I performed in various church plays and school functions, emceeing high school assemblies and even singing in a band, before I decided to take the next step by enrolling in college at Coastal Carolina University. I spent the normal four years there studying dramatic arts with an emphasis in vocal production and accent work and musical theatre, a brand new program of study at the time in 2000. While in college, I performed in 16 main stage productions, including "Little Shop of Horrors," "Violet," "City of Angels" and "Hamlet," as well as seven supplemental productions that were either student-produced or not part of the normal season schedule. I applied for the job of Lord Chancellor in April 2004 - a month before graduation - and have been here ever since.

Q: So you play Lord Chancellor in the show? Tell me more about that role.

A: I play the role of either Lord Chancellor or King Phillipe in the show. The king is the current ruler of Medieval Spain in the realm of Perelada, with six different knights from around the neighboring counties. He is a wise and genial ruler, wintering in his years, who has decided to send his son, Prince Tristan, to the warring kingdom of Leone in order to sign a peace accord with their king. Lord Chancellor is a much more comedic character. He is the High Chamberlain of the kingdom, has the ear of the king on all things diplomatic, and conducts the monarch's tournament that has been planned to celebrate the peace treaty. He exists between both worlds - those of the common people and the King's Royal Court - and uses those connections to rile the king's audience into frenzy as the knights take the stage to compete in games and the joust.

Q: What are the best and worst parts about the job?

A: The job is a wonderful experience. Very few people can say they really enjoy what they do for a living. It's a real honor to be an actor who rides a horse in a live production. To be able to come to work every day and make-believe, to pretend to lots of people that I am royalty, that I am the ringleader of a magnificent three-ringed circus created to entertain ages from 1 to 100, to see the excitement on a child's face when they smile to their parents and say, 'There's the king, Daddy!' that is the best part.

But not all days are perfect. The summers mean long hours and warm temperatures. Falling off my horse is always a real hazard - not only to my dramatic pride but to my body as well. But I manage the weather and hours, and our master of horse has trained me well enough to know how to stay in the saddle.

Q: Anything new folks can expect at the Medieval Times show this year?

A: We started a new show - different from the one that we had going for the previous five years. People can expect much more action. We've ramped up the swordfights and jousts, added new special effects and incorporated a highly-romantic storyline, all while keeping the wow effect that we're famous for, such as the live falcon flight and the beautiful Andalusian stallions.

Q: What do you like to do in Myrtle Beach when you're not in character?

A: I love spending my spare time with my wife, Leslie, and our two Pembroke welsh corgis, Troubadour and Lapine. We enjoy entertaining at our place, having family and friends over for dinner all the time.

Medieval Times is located at 2904 Fantasy Way, Myrtle Beach. Showtime is 6 p.m. For additional info and tickets, visit www.medievaltimes.com or call 236-4635.