lanehog Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I was at Whitewater, and absolutely loved their show. Really disappointed with the uniforms, thought. The comparison with VK is pretty close, and Troopers aren't supposed to be hipsters. It would be like putting PR out on the field wearing Shakos & spats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Good lord. You know, Troopers could hand out $100 bills to everyone in the stands, and some people would criticize them for not having the obvious foresight to make sure the serial numbers on the bills were in sequence. Everyone knows you get the serial numbers in order. Actually, for the sake of uniformity, they should have all been the same serial number. ...Go Troopers! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gak27 Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I was at Whitewater, and absolutely loved their show. Really disappointed with the uniforms, thought. The comparison with VK is pretty close, and Troopers aren't supposed to be hipsters. It would be like putting PR out on the field wearing Shakos & spats. No spats but... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 No spats but... yes Regiment over their 60 years have worn many colors and many styles; check out their 60th anniversary video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopers1 Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I really fail to see how the uniforms have any relationship to VK's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Channel3 Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) Apparently the Troopers are no longer beholden to the board member who requested they play the Yellow Rose of Texas and Battle Hymn of The Republic every year. The corps has completely transformed by creating a sentient, humanitarian, socially aware production that grabs your heart and doesn't let go. They should get huge kudos for creating a show with deep personal meaning, not only for the audience, but for the marching members as well. The production is instantly accessible and tugs on every heart string imaginable. Congratulations to the brave corps members who adopted a completely new style centered around conscientious and sensitive portrayals of family members who have crossed over. The rest of this commentary is for the designers. Designers, this show is way, way too "on the nose". There, I said it. The tragic elements are sometimes conveyed in a super literal way, and the entire production can use an ounce of abstraction, just to make it less documentarian and heavy handed, and instead more interpretive. For example can you think of a way to convey the fireman's character, other than the obvious accoutrement of wearing a fireman's hat and traversing real ladders? Can ladders be represented, instead, with an abstract object, say, maybe a flagpole with partial steps jutting out from it, or a step ladder represented by ribbon cross bars that he climbs and breaks through? Can you retreat slightly from the literal allusions like the flags that say "hero" on them, as she called him-- how about something less on the nose-- "brave" or "rescued" or his first name, "Cullen". For another example, can the breast cancer section not be replete with flags with the obvious standard pink ribbon logo on them, but instead, an interpretation of the ribbon logo? Maybe a pink partial swoosh instead? Something unique, maybe designed by the person whose relative was lost to breast cancer? We'll still get it, and we'll be thankful for some respite from the obvious. And we'll relish that this is your interpretation, and no one else's. It's your interpretation of the symbol, and thereby so much more powerful because it is unique to you. The show is unrelentingly sentimental and except for some cheese in the fireman's section, (which if humor was what they were going for with the fireman, they didn't go far enough because honey we need some more humor in this thing), the whole show is pretty much heavy and humorless. Is there any brief dialogue that you could add to any section to add more range to the emotion other than complete sorrow and painful remembrance? Any detail that can add humor, frivolity, or tongue in cheek memories to increase the range of emotion? If there are some of these, they're not clear enough and we need more. The bravest performer is the black dance soloist who is featured during the AIDS segment with passionate, heartfelt dance. This activity has been hit so hard by the loss of members and designers to this epidemic, and this is a welcome, meaningful but painful acknowledgement of the fight against the devastating disease. The drill movement during this segment seems a little bit cluttered and needs a bigger set piece moment. Would it be too obvious for the corps to create a triangular wedge featuring the dance soloist at its tip? Perhaps he moves as if he's pulling the entire massive wedge with all his might, or at times running away from its path. This might be too powerful an image. The issues that are brought up are pretty heavy duty-- AIDS, breast cancer, and the death of a fireman hero. But the in-your-face topics may be more sophisticated if designers substitute some slightly more oblique visual references. I cried anyway. Edited July 3, 2016 by Channel3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 What an excellent post. I have no idea whether the artistic suggestions have merit, but I am impressed by the depth of insight and the generous tone. You made me think. Well done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 To the DM, that was hilarious and adorable tonight. Earned a lot of points with me. 10/10. Sure those kids will remember that for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 To the DM, that was hilarious and adorable tonight. Earned a lot of points with me. 10/10. Sure those kids will remember that for a long time. You'll have to explain what happened for those of us who didn't get to see it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) You'll have to explain what happened for those of us who didn't get to see it! I mean we all expect the DM to be super serious and stuff. After he did his intense salute, the kids from the MFA camp handing out awards came over to him, and it looked like they were trying to decide where to stand around him, and he just broke the serious pose and put his arms around both of them and brought them in for the picture. It was awesome. The little things. Edited July 2, 2016 by DrumManTx 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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