Ring of Steel Action Theatre and Stunt Troupe

The Ring of Steel Action Theatre and Stunt Troupe was established in 1989 by Maestro Christopher Barbeau. Since then it has been teaching and performing theatrical combat with a specialty in swordplay and live stunts. Members come from a variety of backgrounds, from dance to theater to martial arts to sports, and are trained to the highest standards in theatrical swordplay technique. Because of the unique nature of our art, our performances and services are highly customizable to suit the needs of each client.

We are capable of performing within a number of themes and genres such as Renaissance, Medieval, Steam Punk, Musketeers, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Fantasy, Futuristic, and more. Our outfits, mannerisms, and even the tools of our performance can be made to fit the requirements of the venue.

Customizable services include:

Repertory shows- short comedic performances ranging from 15-30 minutes with varied amounts of audience interaction and casts of 2-15 people (and the occasional audience member!). Scripts can be altered to accommodate different themes, specific places or people, etc. Most shows are already family friendly, but any of our shows can be made child-friendly or racy and raunchy.

Custom shows- performances designed for a specific event or venue. These shows usually have a heavy emphasis on action rather than dialogue although this can be changed. Past examples have included tournaments for corporate parties and movie-specific shows for opening nights (Indiana Jones 4, The Dark Knight).

Workshops and Training- The Ring offers workshops year-round at our facility, which is also capable of hosting parties and group lessons. Workshops can be on a range of subjects such as weapons forms (rapier, broadsword, lightsaber, etc), tumbling skills, and gun spinning. Recent workshop venues include the World Steam Expo (Bartitsu, Sword Cane, Victorian Fisticuffs, Whip), the Michigan Education Theater Association, and the International Thespian Festival.

Games- Because nothing's more entertaining than watching two people wearing fencing masks and jackets dance around a ring with balloons on their heads waving foils at each other. "Bunny Fencing" (aka Code Duello) involves two people, each with a pair of balloons attached to their masks, trying to pop the other person's balloons first. This particular game has been popular at Ring events since 1998 and the setup can be simple or elaborate depending on preference. Other games we can provide include boffers, catapults (small ones for children), and star throw/knife throw.

Weapons Displays- Although we have an arsenal of more than two thousand weapons, two hundred is usually enough to entertain a crowd. We're not a museum- people are allowed to touch and even hold our props, which include broadswords, rapiers, guns, fans, dao, medieval weapons, armor, whips, daggers, and more.

Airbrush Makeup- Ring of Steel has its own airbrush unit and stencils to create temporary tattoos. Full face and body makeup are also available.

Kettle Corn- A hugely popular product, our popcorn is prepared in a cast-iron cooker and is a healthy, delicious snack at any event.

Educational and Professional Services- As a professional theatrical combat salle, Ring can provide expert training, choreography, stunt coordination, and rentals to schools, amateur theaters, professional theaters, and summer camps. We also run our own summer stunt camps for people ages 8-18 at our facility. NEW- our camp is now mobile! This year we ran our first guest camp located an hour from our facility and it was a huge success! If you have a suitable facility with plenty of wide-open spaces, then our summer camp program is willing to come visit!

Misc- Need a sword arch at your wedding or Blue and Gold banquet? Looking for some bandits to kidnap the bride? Want to fly in at your next appearance? Contact us to arrange to have Ring of Steel's action and excitement at your next event!