Ascendio Scroll #4

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In this Issue:

Formal Programming Update
Accio StarKid Fans!
Harry Goes to Hillywood
Mischief Managed, the Musical
Wands by Wands Musical Review
The Quill Track

A Scroll From the Minister of Magic

Can you believe it’s already 2012? That means Ascendio is just a few months from now (170 days, but who’s counting!?). I’m impressed, as always, by the level of dedication and fan creativity that is out there — from fan-written musicals set to premiere at Ascendio to thought-provoking programming. I can’t wait to share this unique experience with all of you.

Even if you’ve been around the con block before, Ascendio will bring new things to the fandom experience, and we hope to contribute to the on-going conversation of where Harry Potter fandom has been and where it is going. Above all, Ascendio will be a celebration of the limitless heights of fan creativity: writing, crafting, drawing, singing, acting, dancing, inventing, reinventing, etc. etc. etc. Harry Potter fans do it all, and do it best, in our humble opinion.

This January, we’ve heard back from a gaggle of special guests and received many submissions for proposals and meet-ups. This newsletter contains just a taste of what’s to come. In February and March, we will be announcing even more special guests, and will have more concrete programming information for you, too. Stay tuned!

Magically Yours,
Flourish Klink
Minister of Magic

Call for Formal Programming — Deadline Soon!

Ascendio programming is by the attendees, for the attendees — so we need YOU to submit proposals for our formal programming slate! We’re seeking proposals of all shapes and sizes, to discuss/probe issues in Harry Potter and beyond.

Our formal programming deadline has been pushed back to February 29, in order to give everyone a little more time to work out their schedules, topics and panels, but all proposals submitted by the original deadline of February 1st will be considered by our vetting committee right away.

What kinds of things should you propose? Here are just some examples:

Content for our Quill Track: writing workshops, e-publishing how-tos, hot topics in publishing & YA.
Workshops, including but not limited to crafts, fanart & writing techniques (knitting, crocheting, drawing characters, jewelry making, scrap-booking…)
Discussions of fanfiction and shipping(both het & slash pairings)
The real-world implicationsof Harry Potter, transformative works and fan culture (LGBTQ, religion, politics, feminism, privilege, etc.!)

Want to know more? Check out or Call for Papers, or jump right here to submit your proposal!

And if you have any questions, you can always email us or ask us on Facebook or Twitter. Many new proposals have come from discussions on our social media sites!

Accio Team StarKid Fans!

They performed in the round at Azkatraz. They premieredA Very Potter Sequel atInfinitus 2010. And they’re coming back for Ascendio!

Yes, that’s right, on Friday & Saturday (July 13/14) Team StarKid members be participating in panel discussions, special viewings of their shows, signing autographs and hosting a special meet & greet for about 150 Ascendioattendees! Love the Potions Master? That’s Absurd! No, that’s Totally Awesome! Join us for The Potion Master’s Corner: The Live Experience.

All panels, discussions, autograph sessions, photo ops and the Meet & Greet are open to Ascendio registrants only! Please note that if you are Merlin’s Circle, you will need to RSVP for ticketed events & to get an autograph ticket.

Click here to view the full list of all the Team StarKid events.Note: some events require additional tickets.

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Harry goes to Hillywood!

It’s Friday at Hogwarts – we gotta destroy a Horcrux! Ascendio welcomes the internet sensations Hilly and Hannah Hindi, creators of The Hillywood Show® for a special panel on their work along with a showing of theirDeathly Hallows 2 parody, which featured Infinitus’sAV Chair Andrew Bates as Mad-Eye Moody.

Mischief Managed, the Musical

Ascendio is VERY excited to be hosting the premiere of a new fan-written Harry Potter musical!

On Friday, July 13, a new Harry Potter-inspired musical will be put on on the Ascendio main stage! Mischief Managed is a fan-written musical by Jessica Milne & Stephanie Falcos, which sees the Next Generation discovering James Potters journals, and learning all about the Marauder’s story — all set to original music!

Mischief Managed is currently a two-act musical, so while it will involve some rehearsals at Ascendio, the time commitment is not huge. So if you’d like to get involved, and plan on attending Ascendio, check out MMtM’s Facebook page! or Click here for more information

Wands by Wands by Wizards Musical Revue

We’re celebrating Harry Potter and its influence on music with a musical review! The Wands by Wands by Wizards Revue will be on the main stage on Saturday night. The revue is being coordinated by fan and composer Lena Gabrielle, who put on “The Final Battle” at Infinitus. We can’t put on this musical revue without YOU, the attendees!

Ascendio seeks talented singers and musicians to help assemble a program of music inspired by Harry Potter. Here is your chance to perform your favourite Wizard Rock song, create an original dance with HP music, present a short theatrical sketch of HP-inspired material, or put together an ensemble of “Double Double” complete with croaking frogs!

The Wands by Wands by Wizards revue will be a mainstage event, requiring a couple of rehearsals. Acts may not last more than 6 minutes, including any setup or teardown required.

To participate, please read over our website and fill out the updated short form! Audio files will be accepted for group performances, and video files for solo performances. This help will accomodate groups that are coming together from all corners of the globe.
For more information including requirements and rules go to our website or email Lena with any questions!

QuillTrack

If you’re a fan of YA, general book geekery or an aspiring writer (original or fanfiction!), Ascendio has the programming track for you!

The Quill Track will be an entire track of programming (both formal and informal!) dedicated to all things books and writing. Best of all, as long as you have a registration to Ascendio, you have access to Quill Track programming! Here are some of the great things you can look forward to:

“book club” readings/signings/discussions with YA authors, such as Beth Revis, Veronica Roth & Aimee Carter
panel discussions on hot topics in publishing, including commercial publishing vs. self-publishing, LGBTQ in YA, how to get an agent, and more
practical presentations by successful fans-turned-published authors on how to go from fanfic to pro writing, as well as how-tos on self-publishing ebooks
workshops on writing (fanfic and original) and critiquing
the opportunity to give a one page pitch & receive feedback from a real live literary agent! We have not one, but THREE literary agents who will be in attendance.

For bios of our Quill Track special guests, click here!

Of course, Ascendio is still all about Harry Potter, but we realize that many fans — including many of us on staff! — love books in general, and have been inspired by Harry Potter and fandom to move on to our own original writing. Hence, the Quill Track was born, by Harry Potter fans, for Harry Potter fans… who also love books and writing! You can expect most, if not all, topics on the Quill Track to relate to Harry Potter, though some will also discuss other titles in YA, middle grade and adult contemporary canon. All of the authors, agents and presenters on the Quill Track are Harry Potter fans, and many of them either wrote Harry Potter fanfic or have actively participated in HP geekery in the past.