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Visions '91 update & basic info

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Don Ducharme

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Aug 11, 1991, 2:39:31 PM8/11/91
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For those of you who aren't familiar with Visions '91, or
for those of you who are but are lacking some specific
information about this year's convention, here's some
important basic information:

First off, when and where is it?

Visions '91 will take place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare,
located at the junction of Interstates 294 and 90 (10
minutes from the O'Hare International Airport) on November
29, 30 and December 1, 1991.

Second, who are the guests?

In alphabetical order, they are:

Tom Baker (the fourth Doctor)

David Banks (Cyberleader and author of the definitive
Cyberbook)

Glynnis Barber (Soolin from Blake's 7)

Jeremy Bentham (Who historian & author of Doctor Who: The
Early Years)

Brian Blessed (well known for his numerous appearances,
from shows like Doctor Who & Blake's 7, to movies like
Flash Gordon and the soon-to-be-released "Robin Hood:
Prince of Thieves")

Paul Darrow (Avon from Blake's 7)

John Freeman (Editor of Doctor Who Magazine)

Nickolas Grace (Robert de Renault, the Sheriff of
Nottingham in Robin of Sherwood)

David Jackson (Gan from Blake's 7)

John Levene (Sergeant John Benton from Doctor Who)

Steven Pacey (Del Tarrant from Blake's 7)

John Peel (Doctor Who historian and author of several
books, including Genesys, the first book in the Timewyrn
series)

Michael Praed (Robin Hood from Robin of Sherwood)

Frederik Pohl (well known science fiction author)

Mark Ryan (Nasir from Robin of Sherwood)

Mark Strickson (Turlough from Doctor Who)

Mary Tamm (Romana 1 from Doctor Who)

Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield from Doctor Who)

Timothy Zahn (well known science fiction author)

Third, how much does it cost?

3-day memberships are $45, 2-day memberships (your choice
of Fri & Sat or Sat & Sun) are $35, and 1-day memberships
(your choice of Fri, Sat, or Sun) are $25. Cabaret Tickets
are an additional $20 each. Incidentally, the Cabaret,
according to the Visions newsletter, will start "...at
approximately 7:30 on Saturday evening."

Fourth, who do I write to for more information or tickets?

For tickets (make checks or money orders payable to "Her
Majesty's Entertainment, Ltd.") or more information, write
to:

Her Majesty's Entertainment, Ltd.
P.O. Box 1202
Highland Park, IL 60035

Be sure to enclose 5% additional for foreign money orders
and bank drafts, and a SASE (Self Addressed Stamped
Envelope) for replies, flyers or a copy of your receipt.
Incidentally, prices will increase $5 per ticket after
November 15, 1991.

Fifth, what activities will they have?

Some of the activities listed in their newsletter include:
A charity auction (to benefit Lambs Farm of Libertyville, a
live-in facility for mentally and/or physically challenged
adults), two video rooms (the program will be the same in
each room, however, video room 2's show times will be three
hours later than video room 1), a masquerade ball (on
Friday night, with a DJ, and judging will take place before
the DJ's first set), art show & auction, and a cabaret
(which will include Tom Baker's rendition of Dickens'
classic, "A Christmas Carol").

Other items of interest include: a brunch raffle (chances
for this event will be sold at the registration desk; the
brunch will occur late Sunday morning & winners will be
asked to pay one-half of the cost of their meal),
autographs & photographs (though Mr. Baker will not be
signing autographs in person, he will be signing the
program books ahead of time so that when you register you
will automatically get his autograph -- an opportunity to
greet him and have a photograph taken with him will be made
available each day) and, of course, a dealers room (which
the promoters describe as "tremendous!").

In addition, I have written to the organizers of Visions
'91 to see if they can schedule, as part of the
convention's planned (and listed in the program book)
activities, a USENET gathering -- preferably at a time when
nothing much is going on. I've also talked with David
Blaise about the possibility of a Doctor Who fan clubs
gathering -- at which, representatives of various Doctor
Who (and Blake's 7) fan clubs could get together and
exchange information. It would also give clubs (and the
people involved in them) the opportunity to get to know one
another a bit better. David liked the idea and is going to
see what he can do to arrange it.

Well, that's about it, further details forthcoming, if
anyone needs more specific information that I haven't
covered here, feel free to e-mail me for more details.

--
Don C. Ducharme -- d...@jwt.UUCP (uunet!jwt!don)

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrabbits

unread,
Aug 11, 1991, 6:50:33 PM8/11/91
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In article <1991Aug11.1...@jwt.UUCP>, d...@jwt.UUCP (Don Ducharme) writes:
>
> Visions '91 will take place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare,
> located at the junction of Interstates 294 and 90 (10
> minutes from the O'Hare International Airport) on November
> 29, 30 and December 1, 1991.
>
> Second, who are the guests?
>
> Tom Baker (the fourth Doctor)
>
> autographs & photographs (though Mr. Baker will not be
> signing autographs in person, he will be signing the
> program books ahead of time so that when you register you
> will automatically get his autograph -- an opportunity to
> greet him and have a photograph taken with him will be made
> available each day)

O.K. so what is the deal with Tom Baker not doing autographs?
That pretty much blows that you travel all that distance
and pay all that money and then one of the mian attractions won't do
an autograph session. C'mon, even Jon Pertwee does autograph
sessions. I hate getting presigned programs. It takes away a
bit of the fun getting things like photos, books, etc. signed.
Grrrrr. I assume that everyone else is doing autograph sessions.
It can't be for security reasons, although I would imagine
Tom is most likely to be the victim of some bizarre chick assaulting
him claiming she wants to have his children or something like that.
But on the other hand, last year Sophie Aldred did autographs and
I figured that she was most likely to be attacked by some obese,
greasy, coke-bottle glasses computer geek from hell. She made it
through the autograph sessions o.k. though. Anyway, that whole deal
bums me out. Oh well.

I hope for those of you who are going to pay that $20 to see the
Cabaret that it is worth it. I hope the Visions '91 people can get the
actors' shit together and start on time. Last year, they started an
hour or so late and then, in my opinion, the cabaret pretty much
sucked. I'll go if they are included in the cost, as in the
Whoosiercon I, but I for one refuse to pay that much money for
the Cabaret. $10, maybe, $20, NO WAY!

--
Steven C. Salaris We're...a lot more dangerous than 2 Live Crew
sal...@niblick.ecn.purdue.edu and their stupid use of foul language because
we have ideas. We have a philosophy.
Geoff Tate -- Queensryche

Vidiot

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Aug 11, 1991, 11:24:03 PM8/11/91
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In article <1991Aug11.1...@jwt.UUCP> d...@jwt.UUCP (Don Ducharme) writes:
<
<Visions '91 will take place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare,
<located at the junction of Interstates 294 and 90 (10
<minutes from the O'Hare International Airport) on November
<29, 30 and December 1, 1991.
<
<Second, who are the guests?
<
<In alphabetical order, they are:
<
<Glynnis Barber (Soolin from Blake's 7)

Has had to cancel coming to the convention.
--
harvard\ att!nicmad\ spool.cs.wisc.edu!astroatc!vidiot!brown
Vidiot ucbvax!uwvax..........!astroatc!vidiot!brown
rutgers/ decvax!nicmad/
INTERNET:vidiot!brown%astroa...@spool.cs.wisc.edu

Vidiot

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Aug 12, 1991, 11:44:13 AM8/12/91
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In article <1991Aug11.2...@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> sal...@niblick.ecn.purdue.edu (Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrabbits) writes:

<O.K. so what is the deal with Tom Baker not doing autographs?
<That pretty much blows that you travel all that distance
<and pay all that money and then one of the mian attractions won't do
<an autograph session. C'mon, even Jon Pertwee does autograph
<sessions. I hate getting presigned programs. It takes away a
<bit of the fun getting things like photos, books, etc. signed.
<Grrrrr. I assume that everyone else is doing autograph sessions.
<It can't be for security reasons, although I would imagine
<Tom is most likely to be the victim of some bizarre chick assaulting
<him claiming she wants to have his children or something like that.
<But on the other hand, last year Sophie Aldred did autographs and
<I figured that she was most likely to be attacked by some obese,
<greasy, coke-bottle glasses computer geek from hell. She made it
<through the autograph sessions o.k. though. Anyway, that whole deal
<bums me out. Oh well.

That is a question that you are going to have to ask Tom Baker. It is nothing
that Bob wants either.

<I hope for those of you who are going to pay that $20 to see the
<Cabaret that it is worth it. I hope the Visions '91 people can get the
<actors' shit together and start on time. Last year, they started an
<hour or so late and then, in my opinion, the cabaret pretty much
<sucked. I'll go if they are included in the cost, as in the
<Whoosiercon I, but I for one refuse to pay that much money for
<the Cabaret. $10, maybe, $20, NO WAY!

The problem with the delay in starting the Cabaret was NOT with the actors.
Try the hotel staff. On the first day they didn't get started setting up
the lighting until it was late. Because of that, it wasn't right. To get
it right for the Cabaret, the lighting had to be adjusted and reset.

If the hotel staff would have let the lighting crew do it themselves, the
extra wait before the Cabaret wouldn't have been necessary. Hopefully we
will learn from last year's event and push the hotel staff better.

Janis Maria Cortese

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Aug 13, 1991, 4:45:53 PM8/13/91
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In article <22...@vidiot.UUCP> br...@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot) writes:
>In article <1991Aug11.2...@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> sal...@niblick.ecn.purdue.edu (Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrabbits) writes:
>
><O.K. so what is the deal with Tom Baker not doing autographs?
><That pretty much blows that you travel all that distance
><and pay all that money and then one of the mian attractions won't do
><an autograph session. C'mon, even Jon Pertwee does autograph
><sessions. I hate getting presigned programs. It takes away a
><bit of the fun getting things like photos, books, etc. signed.
><Grrrrr. I assume that everyone else is doing autograph sessions.

Etc. From what I understand, Tom Baker has a tendency to spend minutes at a
time discussing stuff with each person; he gets wrapped up in the fans.
This is nice, but it means that the autograph sessions generally last until,
oh, Armageddon or so. I think he decided that it would be easier just not to
give autographs what with the number of people he draws. Understandable -
how would you like it if your hand were cramped and unusable for days?

Janis C.

Don Ducharme

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Aug 13, 1991, 8:40:35 PM8/13/91
to
In article <1991Aug11.2...@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> sal...@niblick.ecn.purdue.edu (Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrabbits) writes:

>O.K. so what is the deal with Tom Baker not doing autographs?
>That pretty much blows that you travel all that distance
>and pay all that money and then one of the mian attractions won't do

>an autograph session. [stuff deleted]

According to the Visions '91 newsletter, the reason the
convention's promoters are doing it this way is because Tom
Baker requested it. Let's face it, Tom's a pretty popular
guy, and probably almost everyone who is planning on
attending Visions this year would like to have his
autograph (and probably more than one). I don't know what
Mr. Baker's opinion of his fans is, but I don't think he
really enjoys doing mass quantities of autographs -- a few
he probably wouldn't mind but...

Of course, while I wouldn't mind having Mr. Baker's
autograph, I don't really consider it THAT important. I am
looking forward to seeing him and, I hope, meeting him in
person.

>I hope for those of you who are going to pay that $20 to see the
>Cabaret that it is worth it. I hope the Visions '91 people can get the
>actors' shit together and start on time. Last year, they started an
>hour or so late and then, in my opinion, the cabaret pretty much
>sucked. I'll go if they are included in the cost, as in the
>Whoosiercon I, but I for one refuse to pay that much money for
>the Cabaret. $10, maybe, $20, NO WAY!

I believe the convention's promoters are very much aware of
some of the problems that plagued last year's convention.
The first part of their newsletter addresses these problems
and the complaints that they had received regarding lines,
events starting late, overzealous volunteers, etc. The
newsletter certainly gave me the impression that Visions
'91 will be run more smoothly than its predecessor. As for
whether the Cabaret will be worth the cost of its
admission, I guess we'll have to wait and see (though I'll
certainly agree that it would be nice if it were included
with the membership).

Kevin R. Grazier

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Aug 14, 1991, 2:23:15 PM8/14/91
to
In article <1991Aug11.2...@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> sal...@niblick.ecn.purdue.edu (Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrabbits) writes:
><I hope for those of you who are going to pay that $20 to see the
><Cabaret that it is worth it. I hope the Visions '91 people can get the
><actors' shit together and start on time. Last year, they started an
><hour or so late and then, in my opinion, the cabaret pretty much
><sucked.

But Steve, what about the wonderful FAN performances? :-)


In article <22...@vidiot.UUCP> br...@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot) writes:

>The problem with the delay in starting the Cabaret was NOT with the actors.
>Try the hotel staff. On the first day they didn't get started setting up
>the lighting until it was late. Because of that, it wasn't right. To get
>it right for the Cabaret, the lighting had to be adjusted and reset.

>If the hotel staff would have let the lighting crew do it themselves, the
>extra wait before the Cabaret wouldn't have been necessary. Hopefully we
>will learn from last year's event and push the hotel staff better.


This is true. They wouldn't let anybody with the con touch the lights
because it HAD to be union people. When the union people showed up,
some of them had the biggest cases of anal/cranial insertion I've ever
witnessed. No, it certainly wasn't anybody involved with the con or
any of the acts which caused the delay. In fact, the guests were pretty
P.O.ed. What was really amazing was the fact that the "amateurs" had
all their sound, lighting, and video equipment set up in advance and
set up correctly, while the "pro" union people were, for the most part,
a bunch of putzes.

Kevin R. Grazier
Purdue University
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
INTERNET: gra...@maxwell.physics.purdue.edu or gra...@gphys1.geo.purdue.edu

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