We recently connected with Kryssi Jeaux Miller and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kryssi Jeaux, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Quite a few risks were taken along the road to founding the Knights of the Tempest in 2016. The sport of jousting is dangerous and hard. Performing with swords and other medieval weaponry similarly requires much training and practice to do it as safely as possible. Attempting to be paid for your work in a highly specialized form of theatre that incorporates big beautiful horses, stage combat, and stunts, is very challenging.

Kryssi Jeaux, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Kryssi Jeaux Miller. I have always been passionate about contact sports and horsemanship. I rode in wild west shows and the National Western Stock Show in Denver for many years. At university I got into polo. And then I discovered that jousting was still around as a sport. I took lessons and started training. I traveled around the country performing with a troupe for years, and then in 2016 I had the opportunity to start my own competitive and theatrical jousting troupe The Knights of the Tempest. We wanted to bring a troupe to the industry that offered a bit more variety in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation, so we’re a female-owned wicked gay troupe and we think that’s pretty cool. We bring shows together with a band of dedicated and talented stunt performers, actors, animal handlers, and writers that make audiences laugh and transport them to a lively fantastical world.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Jousting is a profession that requires a great deal of resilience. Physically and mentally, yes, but also the ability to continue doing it over the years even when life and pandemics happen and money runs out. Live theatre unfortunately makes almost no money in America. It is extremely costly to raise, train, keep, and travel with horses. It has been incredible to continue working with a loving and dedicated cast and crew who care enough about keeping this rare form of entertainment alive over the years and continue to support each other and grow together. We’re doing the biggest show we’ve ever done this fall and I am thrilled.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal/mission driving my journey with the Knights of the Tempest is to give audiences the rare, ephemeral, priceless gift of live theatre combined with the magic that horses bring to any environment they’re a part of. We want to dazzle crowds with stunts and a great comedic script, and we want to do it with a troupe that demonstrates safety, professionalism, inclusion and champions the dream of equality.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @knightsofthetempest
• Facebook: @Knightsofthetempest
• Twitter: @knightsofthetempest
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@knightsofthetempest404
• Other: Tik Tok @knightsofthetempest

Image Credits
Martha Wirth Amy Lee Mike Barry Kirren Leigh Seiler Mike Connolly (each photo file name has its photographer in it)