The Guilde of St. Michael, founded in 1995 by Brian Brecht and Tom Charney, is a military living-history group, operating primarily at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, . Their primary impression is that of an English "Trayn'd Bande" circa 1574, mustered at the city of Bristol.
The group, currently directed by Christopher Last, trains with a variety of weapons, but musters primarily as heavy infantry, issued pike, often with harquebussiers marching at the head of the block. England did not have a standing army at that time, and relied on the strength of the "'Trayn'd Bandes", who acted as a sort of National Guard. These trained bands were made up mostly of the middle-class, who gathered together once a month to train as a unit, and to socialize with other town-folk.
In addition to their de facto base of operations at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, the Guilde of St. Michael takes part in other events, including Stronghold Olde English Faire, Janesville Renaissance Faire, and Military History Fest, with individual members have also participated in Early Modern Muster of Arms, Settler Days, and other events. Although they primarily represent a late-sixteenth century military unit, the Guilde of St. Michael occasionally portrays other groups and time periods, including late-seventeenth century colonial sailors, late-fourteenth century soldiers under Richard II, and a pre-Conquest Saxon warband.
Membership and primary personas, as of 2014[]
Director Emeritus: Richard Kakouris
Director: Christopher Last
Assistant Director: Chris Budnick
Richard Kakouris - Captain Sir Thomas Chester
Christopher Last - Leftenant William Gage
Matthew Hansen - Sgt. Phillip "Pip" Cooper
Chris Budnick - Sgt.. Nathanial Harker
Edward Dawson - Ensign Edward Mountford
Cody Kakouris - Drummer Michael Smith
Mike Hesek - Cpl. Thomas Chase
Thomas Frank, Jr. - Master Plunckett
Matthew Pollock- Gaspard Knoell
Zak Galiboff - Jonathan Courier
Rick Papandrea - Richard Todd
John Papandrea - Lucas Todd
James "Jim" Burns - John Flint
Dan Rosen - Roger Fleming
Kyle Cook - William Chandler
Evan Cook - Evan Chandler
Ryan Cook - Ryan Chandler
Maryann Cook - Goodwife Mary Longford
Jehoshuah Knapp - Matthew Fletcher
Fred Henry - William Eaton Drinkmor
Jeff De La Rosa - Jeffrey Rose
Chris Daniels - Miles Monde
Michele Kakouris - Mistress Maggie Grimm
Heather Last - Goodwife Morgan Gage
Elizabeth Dawson - Mistress Merry Tangleskein
Katie Kowbel - Mistress Anne Sawyer
Michael Lamble - Michael Pride
Matthew Giniat - Nicholai Valentine
Alexis Cohen-Pena - Mistress Jane Spencer
Stacey Riegel - Goodwife Isabel Hacker
Amy Carreros - Cecily Sawyer
Andrew Collins - Andrew Babbington
Scott Borlick - Thomas Church
Ryan Meehan - Richard Moreno
Steven Yandell - Joffrey Yudoll
Jonathen Tuttle - Pikeman Charles Lamb
The Next generation:
Avery Kakouris - Young Master Avery Carey
Sean Last - Young Master Sean Gage
Norelle Last - Norelle Gage