The Pirate Known as Captain Drake - Nick Sampson
Where did the idea of Captain Maxwell Drake originate? The answer is, professional wrestling. Nick had spent a few years training to be a professional wrestler in the 90’s and then spent a number of years on the independent circuit in the Midwest. One year a promoter had asked him to play a crazy Scottish character that was based on a really bad, but funny Scottish accent that he had heard a few times. The promoter wanted Nick to wear a kilt and be a character that was fun, entertaining, yet completely out of place in the modern wrestling world. Nick didn’t like the Crazy Scottsman idea but instead suggested a crazy pirate character instead. That was the creation of what was at the time known as The Mad Captain, who eventually evolved into the character people now know as Captain Drake.
Eventually slipping away from the professional wrestling industry, Nick tried out for a small renaissance festival to return to his theater and acting roots and was immediately accepted to the small renaissance festival. The performers there put in a good word and then got him into the larger more well known festival in the area where he can most often be seen.
Since then he has been seen at the Treasure Adventure event during Duluth’s Tall Ships event, The Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Siouxland Renaissance Festival, Olde World Renaissance Festival, The Buchanan Buccaneers Annual Halloween Pirate Adventure, as well as other public and private events.
Recently, Nick has started to branch out his performances and released his own website at www.captain-drake.com . He also currently is working a full time job, and going to college for a Bachelors in Communication, but ultimately hopes that he can eventually be a pirate full time.