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Local fulfills dream to perform at the Renaissance Faire

| 22 Aug 2013 | 01:26
    Photos by Mark Vanderhelm Hampton Township native, Lena Chilingerian, shows off her lucky coin, which she won at the Renaissance Faire in a costume contest when she was two years old.
    Photos by Mark Vanderhelm Hampton Township native, Lena Chilingerian, shows off her lucky coin, which she won at the Renaissance Faire in a costume contest when she was two years old.
    Photo by Mark Vanderhelm Lena Chilingerian in costume as Lady Bess Throckmorton.
    Photo by Mark Vanderhelm Lena Chilingerian in costume as Lady Bess Throckmorton.
    Photo by Mark Vanderhelm Lena performs in the Jousting Spectacular at the end of the day.
    Photo by Mark Vanderhelm Lena performs in the Jousting Spectacular at the end of the day.
    Photo provided Lena and her mother Stephanie Chilingerian at the Faire in 1989.
    Photo provided Lena and her mother Stephanie Chilingerian at the Faire in 1989.
    Photo provided Lena, 2 at the time of this picture, won first place in the costume contest at the Renaissance Faire.
    Photo provided Lena, 2 at the time of this picture, won first place in the costume contest at the Renaissance Faire.
    Photo provided Chilingerian in costume at the Faire.
    Photo provided Chilingerian in costume at the Faire.

TUXEDO PARK — Travel back to the Renaissance era, well not exactly that far, maybe just to 1989. This is when Lena Chilingerian, a Hampton Township native was given her first taste of the New York Renaissance Faire.

Dressed in period clothing and standing a mere few feet tall, Lena, who was two at the time, was awarded a small coin as her prize for winning the New York Renaissance Faire's Children's Costume Contest.

Winning the contest, was Chilingerian's first time at the fair but not her last. She would continue to come back with her parents Stephanie and Raffy and her brother Harry to enjoy the atmosphere as patrons. She eventually began working at the Hearts Delight Clothier for a few years. Then her dreams came true this year, when she was cast to play Lady Bess Throckmorton.

"This my first year not as a patron and sometimes when you do something that you enjoy but then it becomes your job, it loses so much," Chilingerian, who is now 24, said. "It has not happened yet. Nay. The magic is just as grand and heartwarming, there is too much that is special about this place to me."

Complementing her large gown, Chilingerian still proudly displays the coin she won many years ago around her neck to this day.

"This represents my first time acting at Faire and my first time going to Faire," Chilingerian says as she holds up her coin. "It's very special to me.”

It take about 45 minutes for Chilingerian dress in costume, which account for the additional time it takes to put on her vast array of jewelry and accessories. Her costume, which was formally the queen's, consists of three skirts, one shirt, one bodice, detachable sleeves, a goblet, a leather strap, belt, pouch, pearls, brooch, rings and some costume jewelry from Chilingerian's grandmother.

However, if she has to rush and with the help of others, Chilingerian can change in about five minutes.

Always staying in character, Chilingerian explains her role at the fair.

"Good Day to thee, I be Lady Bess Throckmorton. Lady in waiting to her Majesty the Queen," Chilingerian says at the fair. "I take care of her every need and at 2:30 of the clock at joust one, I shall be presenting her with her meal. I go about my day, I sing with the Sirens of Sterling, I fight and play in the first chess match."

Chilingerian also takes part in the The Battle of Bosworth, the Joust Spectacular and two improvisations with Sir Walter Raleigh, whom she later marries.

Even before the Faire, Chilingerian knew she wanted to be an actor. She began following her passion at Hilltop Country Day School in Sparta where she acted in all of the musicals and plays there. She then went to Pope John High School where she continued to participate in all of the plays there, before graduating from Montclair State University with a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts and Acting.

She has since performed with the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey in Madison in their apprentice company. She now works at the Theater's ticket booth.

“I’ve always known I wanted to be an actor," Chilingerian said. "I never wanted to be anything else. This is the only profession that I would dream of doing and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s very hard and not very lucrative unless you know what you are doing. Or very, very lucky. But again it’s the greatest profession I could of chosen.”

The New York Renaissance Faire will run through Sept. 22 and be open every Saturday and Sunday and Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Sterling Forest in Tuxedo Park, N.Y. For tickets or more information on the Faire call 845-351-5171 or visit www.renfair.com/NY.