Boston Crusaders 2016

[BRASSO]

Excellent point B. I guess my only gripe if you allow me that is these places are fairly remote and difficult to get to. But I guess that applies depending on where you are coming from.

True. There are more cows than BC fans and Alums combined where BAC practices in May now. ... its 3 -4 hours drive from Greater Boston, but I can understand fully that it makes most sense to go here to practice outdoors and play to their heart's content there. They do come to Ashburnam, Ma in mid June before heading out on tour, and thats about an hour or so drive from my Couch, so it does get a bit easier. I hope to go to their Spring Fling again. I do most years, and relish the opportunity there to embellish and exaggerate the stories we tell one another from BITD. (... haha)

[LabMaster]

True. There are more cows than BC fans and Alums combined where BAC practices in May now. ... its 3 -4 hours drive from Greater Boston, but I can understand fully that it makes most sense to go here to practice outdoors and play to their heart's content there. They do come to Ashburnam, Ma in mid June before heading out on tour, and thats about an hour or so drive from my Couch, so it does get a bit easier. I hope to go to their Spring Fling again. I do most years, and relish the opportunity there to embellish and exaggerate the stories we tell one another from BITD. (... haha)

What? Embellish? Only the truth is ever told. Haha. The truth as we remember it. When was your BITD with BAC?

[BRASSO]

What? Embellish? Only the truth is ever told. Haha. The truth as we remember it. When was your BITD with BAC?

60's for a bit, then again when they started up again as an exhibition Corps in the early 90's for a couple of years. Had the same horn instructor, Ed Denon.. rest his soul.

[craiga]

I have spent time--usually several visits of several days in a row-at every spring training the corps has used for more than a decade (with the exception of Cali in 2012). The Castleton Vermont location is probably the most user friendly for the corps members and staff. While it's a haul for me personally (about 4 hours by RV), it is a beautiful location. Multiple fields including the turf stadium with full field lighting and a large, high GE Box. There is nothing around the campus except for mountains, and while New Hampton , NH was similar, the noise complaints from a few neighbors there were problematic.

Typically, the weather in Vermont is relatively cool, with most days being in the 70s and low 80's during the day, and its seclusion provides a great focus for everyone. There is also a huge covered gazebo-type structure which is big enough to allow the hornline to rehearse outdoors even in times of rain (during brass sectionals, at least) :)

It is a great location, and Castleton seems to give the corps the run of the place. I can't believe that move-in is now less than three weeks away!

[BRASSO]

Craiga here is a former marcher at BAC,... a current Marching Band Director for a school in Maine, and has had quite a few of his students march with the Boston Articulate Corps over the years ( as former brass line instructor Ed Denon once explained what BAC meant to a mother of a prospective marcher ) He freely volunteers his time there most years, and he's just one of the hundreds of adult volunteers in DCI that behind the scenes do the myriad of helpful things, that without them, all these Corps probably could not exist.

[Ghost]

I have spent time--usually several visits of several days in a row-at every spring training the corps has used for more than a decade (with the exception of Cali in 2012).

Covered for you that year Craiga.

[Ghost]

Well, the latest new is on line with the usual request for donations, some great stories by age out members, etc. What really interested me is an explanation of this years show. 12 windmills that reach 18 feet! Hope you can pull it up with this link. You have start at the upper right corner and drag down the black (nice going guys) box.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxi_a3E9Gk9MRTFQbUJ3bVEzWXVvMXowMWpyUDdzTENGVnlR/view?mc_cid=de1b498356&mc_eid=021bda7d35

Edited May 3, 2016 by Ghost

[Ghost]

You better read this thread BRASSO before you hug your pillow. You've made comments on most of the other current and busy topics. Got to love Mountain Time!

[Liahona]

Source: 2016 Annual Fund found here

About the show...

The Boston Crusaders bring the masterpiece, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha to the field in 2016. Considered one of the most influential works of literature from the Spanish Golden Age, Don Quixote has been called “the best literary work ever written” by the Bokklubben World Library. Authored by Miguel de Cervantes, published in two volumes in 1605 and 1615, the novel is just pages shy of 1,000 as Cervantes takes the reader through the adventures of Mr. Alonso Quixano. Quixano reads so many books he loses his sanity and sets out to revive chivalry and bring justice to the world. This ‘knight errant’ is a visionary, defining his own reality, on a noble quest so real in his imagination.

“When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”

– Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote

According to Professor Ilan Stavans, the central tenet of “Don Quixote” is that “One must live life in a genuine way, passionately, in spite of what other people think.” It is this central tenet that inspired program designer Jay Murphy to present the Crusaders with this creative vision. The 2016 Boston Crusaders will explore the spirit of Don Quixote through a modern lens and with a modern twist. The setting is not Medieval Spain. The setting is 2016 and beyond. The show will be an adventure for the staff as they explore this unique creative process; an adventure for the membership both in terms of the learning process and the performance opportunities; and ultimately an adventure for drum corps fans throughout the summer. Just as the text of Cervantes does not limit the imagination of the characters Don Quixote, Sancho Panza or the reader…..we will not limit the imagination of our performers or our audience.

Audiences will hear familiar refrains and thematic material from Broadway production of The Man of La Mancha, again with a modern musical and visual approach. During the La Mancha production the corps will travel the entirety of the field, reflecting Don Quixote’s mission to “travel the world, righting all wrongs.” This journey will present to the audience different visual and sound perspectives. Jay Murphy, Brian Murphy and Tony Smith have worked to create a visual aesthetic that will draw the audience into this unique experience— through staging, imagery, and twelve larger than life “windmills” (or are they giants?) . These “giants” will not only help set the stage on the field, they will also be an integral part of the design, identity, and general effect of the production.

We all know what Dutch windmills look like...We all know what modern wind turbines look like... What would a windmill look like in 2050? Windmills are functional and artistic and at times striking. Without question the twelve windmills created for the 2016 Crusaders- which span well over 18 feet in height and have three counterbalanced rotating blades - will indeed be “striking.” These windmills, designed by the visual designers, were ultimately “brought to life” after they were engineered and constructed by Darren Stack. The abstract windmills present the marching activity with a first of its kind use of integrated and coordinated kinetic sculpture. True to form, these windmills are both functional and artistic - and fans will be allowed to speculate and imagine if what they are seeing and hearing is really happening.

Author and Historian Stavans concluded that quixotic is the only word coined by the actual title of a novel. He found it to be “just extraordinary…..the name of the character has become an adjective….you can be quixotic without having any understanding of who or what Don Quixote does.” Quixotic is defined as “exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical; Utopian; visionary; romantic.” With this inspiration, the familiarity of the thematic La Mancha material will give way to event driven “Quixotic” moments throughout the middle portion of the program, quixotic moments that reflect the various quests and adventures of Don Quixote. This middle section of the 2016 Crusader program will present musical and visual vignettes; “events” taking place on the large and expanded stage as the windmills are reset. Solo performers, small ensembles, mixed large ensembles and the use of percussion will be layered with the intent of creating a full sensory quixotic experience throughout. Look for the staging, guard costuming, flag designs, drum wraps and guard design of Rory Duffy to be fresh, edgy and indicative of the quixotic adjective. The Quixotic section of the program culminates with the reshape and resetting of the stage, using the twelve windmills, to create an epic “battling of the windmills” which will prove to be spectacular in terms of sight and sound -- an unforgettable moment on the 2016 drum corps stage.

From the very beginning of the show, and throughout, original soundscaping work of Marty O’Donnell will add a layer of effect to that of arranger composer Ryan George and arranger Ellis Hampton. Consistent with our history of innovation - and the design of these unique windmills - Marty will be using electronic techniques and sound manipulation new to the Crusaders and the marching activity. Perhaps you will hear what you see, but not necessarily see what you hear? Or better put, not all will hear and see the Crusader show the same way.

“Still strove with his last ounce of courage, to reach the unreachable star.” Don Quixote’s spirit and journey - completely idealistic and unrealistic - is best captured by “The Impossible Dream.” The message is incredibly uplifting and noble, and the Crusaders will complete their own 2016 journey by bringing that spirit alive musically, visually, and emotionally with the iconic “The Impossible Dream.” Author an

Edited May 3, 2016 by Liahona

[Liahona]

Here is what the windmills look like as described in the article above.

Source: 2016 Annual Fund found here

Edited May 3, 2016 by Liahona