Star of Indiana

[sday88]

I wonder if anyone has ever really tried to get Star of Indiana going again. There is so many people who really want it. I know most say it is impossible, but you never know.

I don't know how this stuff works, but does Jim Mason, Bill Cook, or someone "own" the rights to "Star of Indiana"? What I mean is, could anyone just restart the corps or would someone have to give up the "rights" or give permission to restart Star of Indiana as it was?

[sday88]

The drill for Medea was very close order since we were trying to compress a full DC show onto the floor of a basketball arena and in many ways it was more difficult than '93.

I guess I don't know/remember what Brass Theater was. So are you saying that you took 100-110 members and did a "drum corps" show for two hours on a basketball court? Where/how did Canadian Brass come into play?

[notelvis]

I believe that. You don't announce layoffs until the day they happen. They had to keep the morale up so they could finish the season.

Going back to that place and time - 1993 Star of Indiana was embroiled in the heat of a battle for the DCI Championship and they darned near pulled it off.

Leaking word of the impending Brass Theater plans might have totally fractured that organization at the worst possible moment.

Let me add that I really, really did not like what Star was putting on the field in 1993. I was not ready to consider that as a direction drum corps ought to go. I would still have trouble with it today.

HOWEVER - I have now seen BLAST three times and absolutely love what they have done with Medea as part of that production. I'm older now and could better appreciate the artistry. I would not mind having the opportunity to do some time travel and see 93 Star live (not on DVD) again. I do miss having that corps around now.

[Jeffe77]

1) Not too many people immediately left to go to other corps in '94. I can think of 1 snare drummer to BD (I think he died in a motorcycle accident shortly thereafter)

Aaron Moline is the name of the snare drummer who went on the march BD in 94. He marched with Arizona Sun prior to Star. Cool thing is that he marched with 2 different Corps that won High Drums. Could have been 2 rings.

[mchromik]

I guess I don't know/remember what Brass Theater was. So are you saying that you took 100-110 members and did a "drum corps" show for two hours on a basketball court? Where/how did Canadian Brass come into play?

Brass Theater was a really interesting experiment, and was surprising even for us bitter members who could not come to grips with the corps not being on the field. The first year was probably best described as one third Canadian Brass performance, one third Star with G bugles and drill, and one third Star on concert brass performing with the Canadian Brass. A solid two hours of music. As it continued to evolve, the bugles quickly went away, and eventually even the Canadian Brass themselves were no longer involved. By then Brass Theater truly lived up to it's name, with interesting stage performances with genuine acting of music such as West Side Story and Stravinsky's Firebird. It laid the foundation for what became 'Blast!' and it's variants produced by the Mason Entertainment Group.

As for starting up another Star of Indiana, that name might best be left for the history books. As a founding member I want to see that name out there as much if not more then anyone, but I also would not like to see anything tarnish or spoil the memory of that special group. When a group of us Star vets started our DCA Minicorps, we named it Star United, as it was made up of SoI, Brass Theater, and Blast! members. Just having the connection with the original SoI and it's later ensembles was fair amount of weight to manage. We feel the pressure of living up to that heritage everytime we practice, let alone perform. We have been lucky enough to have won three DCA titles in a row now and have made a name for ourselves outside of our previous connections with Star. That pressure has helped shape us into what we have become, but could be very detrimental to a new DCI corps whose youngest members would probably have been born after the original corps left the field. They could and should use our experience and memory as an inspiration, but shouldn't be burdened with it's weight IMHO.

[mingusmonk]

That pressure has helped shape us into what we have become, but could be very detrimental to a new DCI corps whose youngest members would probably have been born after the original corps left the field. They could and should use our experience and memory as an inspiration, but shouldn't be burdened with it's weight IMHO.

And that folks, is why Crown is the new Star.

What? Wait.

Blue Stars are the new Star.

Oh crap. I'm not very good at this game.

[27/soa]

Star is Star.

Crown is Crown.

Simple, yes.

[BigSnareline]

Simple - yes. Thread over? I hope?

[Jared_mello]

I know of a lead baritone that went to BK in 94 to age out.

me too, thats what i was going to say

[Medeabrass]

I don't know how this stuff works, but does Jim Mason, Bill Cook, or someone "own" the rights to "Star of Indiana"? What I mean is, could anyone just restart the corps or would someone have to give up the "rights" or give permission to restart Star of Indiana as it was?

Mason owns the name "Star of Indiana." He won't release the name. This is why our alumni mini-corps goes by "Star United."