Pleasure is a very personal book by a very personable author, Billy Scudder, and includes stories inspired by his friends, poetry relating to his fae and spiritual nature, and artwork contributed by Brian and Wendy Froud, Linda Ravenscroft, Helena Nelson Reid, Jen Delyth, and Alan Katz.
In truth, it is more than a book; it is the essence of a rare and wondrous human.
These are things that Billy Scudder believes in: Boundless Mirth, the power of Joy, the healing rays of the Sun and Moon, the Fae, the Spirit of the Woodland, the untrammeled spirits of children, and an excellent cup of coffee every day at 4 o' clock.
He is a most inventive, elven and sprightly fellow, given to jollity and warmth and smiles and the Saying of Wise Things. Truly, he is one of the most delightful, imaginative, heartful, magical, and inspiring folk you may encounter in this life.
In Southern CA in 1982, the Renaissance Pleasure Faire was at the pinnacle of its magicality. Billy, portraying the Green Man, would stroll through the massive throngs, greeting them with mustard fronds and from time to time surprising them by leaping from the boughs of Mighty Oaks.
Billy has played the Green Man for over 35 years, ever more perfectly growing into the Spirit of Springtime. His great love for the Natural World has only increased over that time, and has made it ever-easier for him to impart that love unto others. He continues to visit the Faire in his Green Man persona, a widely appreciated living link to the halcyon days of the original Renaissance Faires and all those fine old memories. He can also be found as the Green Man at Faeryworlds.
Being the Aquarian that he is, he has the gift of clear communication and his discourses are built upon delightfully spiritual foundations. As a teacher, he can lead you to numerous and profound new levels of understanding about yourself and the world.
It is hoped that you, gentle reader, will now have similar experiences at his hand, as you come to know him through his prose, his poetry, and his ideas about life. Through the pages of this book, he will relate to you stories and poesy inspired by his friends (Elin's Cakes, Jackamo), the passing of his sister (Veleta's Eulogy), as well as his takes on the seasons, childhood, the realms of the fae, what it means to be the Green Man, life and love, and the general structure of Everything.
These are some of the things that you should know about Billy: he's an excellent mime, and started at the Faire as one- working with Robert Shields; he's played Charlie Chaplin for decades, and was the PC Tramp for IBM's first PC commercials; he can really sing - at one point, his ambition was to be a crooner; he's good with power tools and can build things; his memory is astonishing - he can remember being born, and what it was like before he was born...
He also has a great affinity for Arlecchino, the archetypal trickster in the world of Commedia del Arte, and has played this character on numerous occasions with his troupe, Salami del Amore, most notably in their production of Boomba Boomba in the mid-eighties at Faire. At one point in the show, Billy would jump from a 2nd-story platform down onto the stage and do a forward roll into a standing position, all to ecstatic applause; he is also an accomplished actor and has appeared in many films and TV shows, including Grinch, where he was the Mayor of Who Town.
Children are especially drawn to him, sensing an extraordinarily friendly and amusing new friend, a child-like kindred soul. For even though he has faced all the vicissitudes that life can throw at us, he has courageously remained a child-at-heart.
You are urged to go forth and frolic in the fields of his verbiage. Much delight awaits you; or as Billy would say YIPPEE!
BILLY SCUDDER has been performing since the age of two. He is a singer, actor, mime, writer, director and teacher. His television appearances include The Dom Deluise Show, Babylon 5, Days of Our Lives, and The Red Skelton Hall of Fame Special. His Film Credits include Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, The Grinch starring Jim Carrey, AI, and The Pirates of the Caribbean. Billy's portrayal of Charlie Chaplin for IBM won eleven Cleo's, (the advertising worlds equivalent of the Oscar) and the Mobius award for best actor at the Chicago Film Festival two years in a row. He appeared in over one hundred commercials for IBM all over the world. Billy has lent his versatile talents to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire for several Comedia Del Arte productions as writer-producer, director. He also played the character "Arlecchino" in those productions. Billy wrote and directed many other shows for the Faire. He has particularly enjoyed portraying the mythological character "The Green Man" while teaching folklore to the children of the Los Angeles school system. He helped introduce street theatre to the California area in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Billy was an instructor at Camp Bravo in California for seven years teaching Mime and Commedia. He has tutored and trained performers for over thirty years. Currently he is performing at Faerieworlds and Faeriecon as the Master of Ceremonies.
