Explain the Stories Behind These 2010 Shows

[MikeN]

I think the most powerful shows are the ones that need little or no analysis on first viewing, whether there is depth behind it or not. With Spartacus, they hit you over the head with the story, and I think that was correct to do - they've got 10 minutes to sell you a start-to-finish narrative, and the 'actors' are over 40 yards from most of the audience. Nuance is not really a requirement here.

The Cavaliers "Machine" show - rather than a story, this was a theme that they hit you over the head with. "Look, they're robots! On the field!" ... that was about it. Of course there was more going on in there if you cared to look, but the overall "theme" was easy to grasp and they committed the total program to it.

Even The Zone in 2005 - the Cadets even said repeatedly that summer that once they added in the Twilight Zone reference in the beginning, the whole story pretty much clicked for everyone, and reached that level of "well, duh, I get it" that they were hoping for.

I think the challenge for championship contenders (or for that matter, any corps hoping to move up) is, how much can you cram in there while still achieving that easy balance? At some point you go over the edge - my prime examples are back-to-back shows in '04 "The Architecture of Life" and "A Celebration of Life" - neither of which can *ever* be made patently clear.

As for this year...

With the Cadets show, I think it's pretty clear there's a kid playing with his toy soldiers, no matter what else is going on underneath - that's pretty easy to take away on a first or casual viewing.

With Crown, I think they'd really benefit from a 'hard boot' after the ballad, with the finale being a reprise of the first 3/4 of the show - I think that would, again, hit you over the head with the "second chance" part. Maybe even a 'rewind'-type section in there.

The Cavaliers, I admit, I did watch the video explanation of, so I get it, but I did not on first viewing. The 'Joker' masks helped quite a bit with Smile, but I still think the 1 minute happy/shiny music in the closer is out of place.

And for Bluecoats - the theme is completly lost. There is no way to get "Metropolis" out of this on first or casual viewing, I don't think. Honestly, if you changed the title - any word would do. (It's still the best show they've ever created, don't get me wrong - I love it. But it's hardly married to the idea of "Metropolis.")

Anyways, those are my thoughts on it. Sorry for the armchair program design.

Mike

[IMcomguy]

Since convoluted narratives are "bad,", can somebody explain to me the actual narrative of Phantom 08? How did one DM overthrowing another factor in to the story of Spartacus? Where did the DM overthrowing the other DM fit into the rest of the program for the rest of the year, and how did the show's narrative work for the other 95% of the competitions they were in without that moment? Just curious because I'm one of the rare people who thought the whole narrative thing going on with Phantom was stupid....but the music program is among my top 3 all time, so I was happy to see them win.

Do you KNOW the story of Spartacus?

[crfrey71]

Madison Scouts - A drum corps fan's dream: Part tres

[oldsplash]

I don't think it's "prying" to ask - i don't think it's a secret - but I don't think I could completely explain it by typing. It goes back to an event on Bluecoats 2002 tour. A school in Wichita. A new security system in the school went off... over and over and over for like 2 or 3 hours. It had a repeated a voice message over the PA system. "Seven, Zero, Nine". It was the most annoying thing you've ever heard. Some kind of code i guess. It subsequently became a metaphor for ANYthing that was an emergency. "Get your stuff off the busses! 709!" Then it started to mean anything that was "serious". "Tomorrow is 709 in Murfreesboro". Then it became anything "awesome". "That tenor break is totally 709!" Then it just became ANYthing. "This potato casserole is 709". You know how tour is - something like that sticks with you and becomes a "hype".

I am HYPED right now.

Go BLOOO

7 - 0 - 9

I thought it was 01 and I heard a totally different description of it when I marched in 02

[corps-mudgeon]

...anybody?

and you call yourselves old school.

Yes. I for one have seen it.

[SF2K4]

I don't think it can get too complicated with marching around on a football field, really. I have yet to come across a show that was beyond understanding...some Magic shows came close.

And I agree that dissertation-type explanations of shows are obnoxious. I refuse to read them. Most shows have enough going on for me to fill in the gaps myself...which is what I think they were hoping for.

You say that but the concept you understand may not be the one the staff is trying to present. That's what I'm referring to, when the staff really over-complicates the concept beyond the show.

[Lance]

You say that but the concept you understand may not be the one the staff is trying to present. That's what I'm referring to, when the staff really over-complicates the concept beyond the show.

Yeah, I see what you're saying.

Almost never is a performance piece in any medium going to be successful if its designer is taking a didactic approach to what they're creating.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Except that i saw their show and had NO IDEA what it was about, other than some kid running around a field of toy soldiers.... that little story doesn't come across JUST from the show.... and that's part of the reason i didn't like it.... i didn't get it.

Really?! Wow. I wouldn't admit that to anyone.

[Granny Smith]

I haven't read but a couple pages, so this may be redundant, but let me say that my favorite theme this year is Madison's. I hope this becomes the trend.

[N.E. Brigand]

Do you know the story of Spartacus?

Would it make a difference? PR's storyline certainly varied from both the history (so far as it is known) and the famous 1960 film. I recently read a thread here from 2008 in which a poster, setting out for an early season competition, was wondering if the closer would feature a mass crucifixion.