Interview With Project Specialist Maria Rago

Thanks to a new spin on the original “Bear-y Tales: Journey to the Fair,” guests can now enjoy a fun new adventure through Frog Forest, Gypsy Camp, Thunder Cave, and The Very Weird Woods. But stay alert, Crafty Coyote has a family of his own now, and they are all after your pies! In the new “Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair,” Knott’s has incorporated new technology with video animation and brought all of the original characters to life!

Located in the same show building as the original 1975 dark ride, the new version closely follows the storyline of the original 1975 attraction created by Legend Rolly Crump. The artistry behind Bear-y Tales is expansive, and many of the creative decisions were rooted in it. The art direction in this ride is light-hearted and whimsical. And one can really appreciate that you don't have to play the game in order to appreciate the attraction.

Maria Rago, the project specialist who helped this amazing dark ride come together did all of the scenic paintings for Bear-y Tales. Here is an informative Q & A with Maria where she answers some of the questions about the artistry behind this nostalgic ride:

Key: FRG= Family Review Guide | MR: Maria Rago

FRG: I noticed that many people on the Knott’s Berry Farm team refer to you as “Pasta”. Can you tell us how you inherited that name”?

MR: My best friend in High-School started calling me Pasta and it just stuck! Most people mispronounce my last name so it was like a joke for a while and I ended up liking it.

FRG: Did you ride the original Bear-y Tales Ride When you were younger?

MR: I actually didn't but I've seen plenty of footage of the old ride thanks to YouTube.

FRG: One of the most impressive aspects of Bear-y Tales is the detailed mural on the loading dock. How long did this take you to paint?

MR: From beginning to end it took almost a month to complete. The mural had its own set of challenges especially when it came to painting above and on the stairs and making sure it was sealed properly when finished.

FRG: Did you also paint the murals on the brick walls outside as well as the broiler on the roof?

MR: I did not! The outside of the building was done by an outside vendor.

FRG: There is a bit of a steampunk theme at the beginning of the indoor queue. How did you convert the imagery into a pie factory?

MR: The indoor and outdoor queues were looked at as two different places. The outdoor queue was to be kept in the "real world" and very ordinary. The indoor queue was supposed to be the very first introduction Into the fun-filled world of the Bear-y family. The previous ride’s indoor queue (which I also painted) only had light theming vs the indoor queue now, which is intended to show you the Bear-y family's world.

FRG: It appears the Coyote repellent used by Knott’s doesn’t seem to be working as there are purple coyote tracks leading into the factory. Are these Crafty’s pups paw prints that you painted?

MR: They are! There are close to 300 paw prints located throughout the Factory!

FRG: The ride’s imagery is really vivid and colorful. How does this color theory compare to the original version of the ride?

MR: Rolly's use of color is absolutely iconic. I tried to bring as much of that unique color pairing back into the new attraction. The ride goes from practical lighting to black light and each section was treated and looked at differently.

FRG: Being a dark ride there is a heavy use of blacklight. Did you have to paint in the dark using a blacklight or did you paint with the lights on?

MR: I painted under the black lights. It was a bit of a challenge but I'm thankful for my very helpful headlamp.

FRG: I have mycophobia (an irrational fear of mushrooms) but the mushrooms in frog forest are super cute! How did you learn Rolly Crump’s design aesthetic to get the expressions on all the characters just right?

MR: A lot of the design aspect was working with Trio-tech on the gameplay content. We were lucky enough to have access to a lot of old photos of the original ride. Having access to those really helped with the development of the characters.

FRG: Tell us about the chuga-chuga machine at the beginning of the ride! What is it made of and how does it work?

MR: The entire machine was all made in-house. It's a combination of PVC, wood, gears, plexiglass, internal motors, sculpted frogs, and lights. The original Chuga machine made such a unique clacking sound when it turned so it was really fun to be able to figure out how to recreate that sound.

FRG: What if any historical research did you do to make sure you captured the back then with the today and now?

MR: I was privileged enough to have been in touch with Chris Merritt and Eric Lynxwilder who were able to show me original drawings from when Rolly was designing the ride. I spent a lot of time learning how to mimic those designs. Lots of patterning. I sketched a lot and had an absolute blast recreating them.

FRG: I love that Knott’s found the original truck/wagon used in 1975 and refurbished it. Did you get to paint the gold leafing on it? If so, did you freehand or use stencils?

MR: I did not, but it was painted by one of our graphic artists Tom Clark who works on the Farm. He is incredibly talented and he is known for his pinstriping and hand lettering. He's very famous in the hot rod community.

FRG: What were some unexpected challenges you faced on this project?

MR: I think one challenge we really faced was the unknowing of when we were going to open. Every section of the project had to be fully completed just in case we were allowed to reopen. It was always kind of looming on the horizon. There was a lot of time management needed in this project the list of wants vs the practical list of do's

FRG: What was your favorite thing to paint in Bear-y tales and why?

MR: I think my favorite thing to paint was all the barrels. It was fun to design each one. They were all designed, sketched, and painted by me. They are a fun source of pride for myself.

FRG: If a guest just wanted to ride Bear-y tales without playing the game what are some Easter Eggs they should look out for?

MR: The easter eggs start in the queue from the hard hats outside the Factory entrance to the paw prints leading into the Factory. I think the best Easter Egg has all the frogs trying to make it to the Fair.

FRG: How did the pandemic help you refine the ride prior to opening?

MR: It allowed us to keep going back. I was told to walk away from the project at least three different times. The shutdown allowed me to continue to knock things off of my list. There are still things I would have loved to have accomplished but I am very pleased with the overall attraction.

FRG: What is your schooling as an artist and when did you first become interested in art?

MR: I actually was not trained as an artist. I went to school to be a costume designer. I've always been a painter though. My mother is an art teacher. I learned how to hold a paintbrush before I could write. A lot of costume design is sketching things from your head so the transition into scenic artists wasn't all that complicated for me.

FRG: What advice would you give to a budding artist who is interested in working at an amusement park on set design and/or as a scenic artist.

MR: Always believe in yourself. Take the risks. Listen and learn from all. The internet is a great place to learn things and to keep learning. Never consider yourself a master of your craft. I draw and doodle a lot and always try to challenge myself with different styles and different kinds of art.

FRG: I hear you also have a large role at Knott’s Scary Farm? What do you do?

MR: Yes, I also help out with Scary Farm. That event actually takes up most of my year. Before Scary Farm opens I not only help with planning the scares, creating new characters, casting the talent, training the talent, and rehearsing the talent. During the run, I upkeep show quality, manage the supervisors of each venue and handle any guest concerns. After the run, I write up all my notes for next year and put them up on a shelf, and wait for the cycle to start all over again. I cannot take credit for it all I work with an amazing team that brings this event to life.

Fun Fact #1: The frog that buried the original vehicle appears as a physical figure in almost every scene of the new attraction.

Fun Fact #2: All the hand-painted signs in the ride are hand-painted replicas of signs that were in the original Bear-y Tales.

Fun Fact #3: The boiler and the fan were actual set pieces in the Iron Reef attraction.

Fun Fact #4: Hidden throughout the attraction are the initials of all the people who helped bring this project to life.