Pacific Crest Exec. Dir. Stuart Pompel Interview
Stuart Pompel and Program Coordinator Dale Leaman are leading Pacific Crest into a 2007 touring season that will end near home at the DCInternational Championships in Pasadena in August. Pompel is the executive director of this fine Division I corps that will feature the show "What Happens in Vegas…." During the DCInternational meetings in Atlanta in late January, sans any blackjack tables, Pompel shared his vision for Pacific Crest’s "Vegas" season.
Cozy Baker: What are your plans for Pacific Crest in 2007?
Stuart Pompel: We are expecting to march 130 again. Recent camps are going great. We’ve seen over 350 kids since December. The most amazing thing is the level of marching, which is a sign that the schools are teaching better. Always, when you see some of these kids, they are amazing players and great kids.
CB: You are lucky to have the (DCI) Championships in Pasadena. What is the plan for the 2007 tour?
SP: Ironically, we’ll be touring more than ever, then being home for the championships — Two weeks at home, two weeks on the road, two weeks home and two weeks on the road. The students will have an opportunity to achieve that much higher to justify all that time on the road. Adjudicators in the East and Midwest will have a chance to see us early.
PC to fly into Chicago, fly out of Newark
CB: Where all can fans see Pacific Crest?
SP: We’ll be in Glendale, AZ; Oswego, IL; and Fourth of July, performing in the Chicago area. Our major event will be in Atlanta (Georgia Dome Regional). We’ll fly into Chicago and fly home from Newark. When we get home, we’ll be able to practice, then Denver, New Mexico, Texas, Phoenix and more.
CB: Will you be in the Bellflower, CA, and Newbury Park, CA, shows July 14 and 15?
SP: We’ll be in those two shows for sure.
Fackler, Sterrett are on staff
CB: What about your staff?
SP: We’ve always had strong brass and percussion sections. We expect an improvement in our guard and visual design. Our drill designer is Jeff Fackler. Jeff Sterrett is the visual coordinator. (DCI Hall of Fame member) Michael Cesario is wrapping up the whole package as an advisor. He is a wonderful human being, so caring and emotional. Having that level in the room with us, it has been a huge growth in the visual design of our show. Add great musical and tie it all together.
The visual design part is the most important thing we are pushing. We want to move in line with the types done by other touring corps. Most of our staff has been retained. Even our color guard staff is from the year before. We can provide a consistency, something for our kids to hold onto, that level of consistency.
CB: What would you like to add?
SP: One of the things I’m proudest of is the quality of our staff.
