By C.J. Carnacchio
Leader Editor
If the Lady cannot come to the festival, then the festival will come to the Lady.
The Michigan Renaissance Festival’s Queen Elizabeth Glorianna, played by Caroline Jett, and three members of her royal realm paid a surprise visit to the home of 36-year-old Oxford resident Kelly Morrison on Sept. 3.
‘I love doing things like this,? said Jett, a professional actress from the Tampa Bay area in Florida who’s played Queen Elizabeth at the festival for the past eight years. ‘There is a magic out at fair and there are times when we have opportunities to take the magic elsewhere.?
Morrison, who’s a quadriplegic, is unable to attend the Renaissance Festival because the uneven rural terrain is simply too difficult for her wheelchair to maneuver and all those bumps would put too much stress on her current physical condition.
The last time she attended was at least five years ago and she’s longed to return ever since, according to her mother Sue Morrison.
‘She loves that period of history so much,? Sue said.
Although Morrison is unable to communicate verbally, her eyes lit up as the Queen and her entourage entered her bedroom.
‘She looked so stunned,? Sue said.
The Queen presented Lady Kelly with a small gold ring, a memento received by only those fortunate enough to visit with her Highness, and a special rose-shaped pin to symbolize the Tudor family, which ruled England from 1485-1603.
‘Oh, my dear Kelly, I am so glad that we had the opportunity to come and visit with you,? said Queen Elizabeth.
Her Highness let it be known how much everyone at the festival has missed Lady Kelly over the years and how often she’s in their thoughts.
‘And know you that we have many, many subjects, but you are the one flowering heart of them all,? said the Queen as she touched Lady Kelly’s face and looked into her eyes.
As if being visited by the Queen wasn’t enough, Lady Kelly also chatted with a wonderfully wacky Washing Well Wench named Winnie (played by Kerri Slavin) and Countess Junabell Saffron (played by Michigan native Joni Nathan), one of the Queen’s lovely ladies in waiting.
Lady Kelly was then serenaded by a troubadour named Winston, played by Peter Suarez.
Suarez also plays a character named Manolete, who performs the Pyro Gyro Show at the festival.
When Winston was finished performing, he presented the Lady Kelly with a shiny magic disc that contained many of his songs.
Sue Morrison, who got all choked up by the visit, was extremely grateful to the Renaissance performers for taking the time to visit her daughter.
‘I just know what it meant to her. It will keep her going for so long,? she said. ‘You could just tell how it touched her heart. It’s just something she’s going to savor for an awful long time.?
The Renaissance performers were thankful for the chance to spend time with Lady Kelly and bring some joy to her life.
‘Love is universal,? Slavin said. ‘The more opportunity you have to give and touch and connect with others, it comes back to you tenfold.?
Being able to earn a living by playing and having fun is quite a blessing in Suarez? opinion, which makes it all the more important to make visits like this.
‘It’s a way of giving back a little bit of what we’ve been allowed to have,? he said.
Jett, who’s been acting for 24 years, said seeing the joy on Lady Kelly’s face allowed the performers to ‘understand love in a way that is totally different? and experience a form of it that’s ‘true, deep and abiding.?
‘We’re all blessed when we have an opportunity to experience that,? she said.
When she’s not acting, Jett publishes a monthly anti-crime newspaper based in Tampa, Florida called The Crusader. Since the paper’s founding in 1992, it’s helped authorities capture 3,289 fugitives from justice and find 438 missing children. To learn more about it, visit www.usacrusader.com.
The Michigan Renaissance Festival runs every weekend from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dixie Highway in Groveland Twp. (Holly mailing) through Sunday, Sept. 28. For more information visit www.michrenfest.com.
Because Kelly requires 24-hour care and monitoring, the Morrisons are always looking to hire Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. To apply, contact Bob or Sue Morrison at (248) 693-9671.