PLOT SYNOPSIS: 

Resident Bigfoot enthusiast Jack Taylor Jr. presides over Harmony Hill’ quirky annual Bigfoot Festival, with elusively fun contests and activities, unfortunately-named food and beverages, and definitely not an actual Bigfoot.

 

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION:

JACK TAYLOR, JR. – PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY FOR UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENON AND MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE 35TH ANNUAL HARMONY HILL BIGFOOT FESTIVAL

Jack is a delightfully nerdy Dad-bod rocking thirty something who is Master of Ceremonies of the 35th Anniversary Bigfoot Festival. As the son of known Bigfoot-sighter, Jack Taylor Sr., Jack Jr. has perpetually lived in his father’s shadow until Jack Sr.’s mysterious disappearance during a hike five years ago. Now determined to carry on his father’s legacy and prove Bigfoot to be real, Jack is loveably obsessed with cryptozoology. Jack Jr. founded the Society for Unexplained Phenomenon (S.U.P. for short), after his father went missing. He is admittedly a bit socially awkward, and is always in on the joke because he doesn’t try to get the joke, whose unabashed enthusiasm is infectious albeit a bit bizarre.

 

STORY TREATMENT:

 

Backstory

 

Harmony Hill is Front Range-famous for its fascination with Bigfoot, which began when local Veterinarian and Outdoorsman Jack Taylor Sr. alerted residents of sightings in the forests surrounding Harmony Hill in the early 80’s. Though some attributed the sightings to the area’s black bear population, Harmony Hill’s reputation stuck, and the report created a sensationalistic flurry of attention surrounding the small town, which soon attracted conspiracy theorists and believers of the unexplained.

Jack Sr. founded the festival 35 years ago out of his love for the season, the outdoors, and belief in the existence of Bigfoot. Every October, this otherwise sleepy town comes alive in an 80’s-tinged celebration of everyone’s favorite big-footed friend.

 

Experience

​

Guests arrive at the Harmony Hill Recreation Center. There is an advertisement for the festival posted to a fence. A small-town stage is set up across the road from the rec center. At the other end of the festival, a banner is stretched across the pathway that reads “Harmony Hill Bigfoot Festival”. As festival attendees wait for the annual kick off, a mix of 80s rock and folk music and commercials for fake products that are Bigfoot-themed play on the radio. Intermittently, a radio announcer thanks the audience for listening and reminds them that tonight is the annual Bigfoot Festival. The announcer dedicates the next song to the man that started it all, “To Jack Taylor Sr., who leaves behind the biggest shoes and feet to fill, wherever you are out there. This one’s for you, bud.” “Don’t Stop Believin’” begins to play. As the song ends, S.U.P. president, Jack Jr., hurriedly runs in. He welcomes guests and begins to talk about the Society, and how even though the festival is meant to be all fun and games - that Bigfoot is indeed real and on the loose around Harmony Hill. Jack informs the crowd that he has noticed an uptick of Bigfoot activity and sightings northeast of the hill over the past week or so. 

He brings up one of his friends from Denver Zoo to speak about how the physiology of primates and bears relates to our idea of Bigfoot as he attempts to indulge the audience in his sincere belief in Bigfoot’s existence. Once the question and answer session is over, Jack formally opens the Harmony Hill Bigfoot Festival to all. The area surrounding the Rec Center comes alive with festive strung lights that highlight decorations and giant Bigfoot display. A “Bigfoot Bites” food stand serves gourmet versions of classic county fair food, as well as a “Bigfoot Buzz” huckleberry vodka-infused drink that gives a nod to bears’ favorite fruit. 

As the festival atmosphere picks up, Jack gets up onstage and thanks everyone for coming to the festival. He asks for volunteers to join him for a Bigfoot Callin’ Contest. Winners receive a behind-the-scenes tour of Denver Zoo! 

After the contest, Jack receives an alarm notification on his “Foots Finder” App that one of his “Bigfoot Cams” has detected some movement. Just as he leaves, we hear strange sounds and rustling around the festival. Suddenly, a real life Bigfoot appears! This strange, lifelike creature seems just as interested in us as we are with him. Accompanied by someone that plays Jack Sr., Bigfoot pops up periodically to surprise guests. After a brief time exploring the festival, he seems comfortable enough to pose for photos as guests enjoy their night in Harmony Hill.