Channel3 Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 (edited) Here are some narrative show concepts that corps may consider for 2016. Each show concept has an underlying thematic argument, strong visual set pieces, plenty of depth of concept, along with kick-a## drum corps. Pines of Rome A narrative story set to Respighi's homage to the Roman Military, 1900's Italian townsfolk gather around their hometown fountain, but the Italian military appears and entices the town's young man to enlist. The young man goes to battle, but when he comes back, he appears traumatized and on crutches. The townsfolk welcome him back, they gather round the fountain again, remove his bandages, and show a commitment to rebuild and restore their hometown hero. It takes a village. La Mer Set to the story of Jonah and the Whale, this show animates the ocean with undulating wave forms. The color guard gathers together to create a living breathing whale, some form the head, the body and the tale, and animate the creature simply with collective movement. The whale becomes tangled in a huge fishing net, Jonah helps untangle it. Later, during a mighty storm, Jonah nearly drowns, the whale returns to save him, and drop him on shore-- the favor is returned. A powerful story of nature's karma. Parade, music by Erik Satie, ballet by Jean Cocteau Set in Italy in the 1920's, this comedia del arte-influenced ballet thumbed its nose at critics of the time by using circus like characters in cubist costumes which lampooned the stodgy critics of the time. In this depiction for drum corps audiences, DCI judges (as portrayed by guard members posing as DCI judges) become the target and are pursued and tortured by the comedia del arte corps during the show. The corps, as a performing circus/ballet troupe, does everything in its power to pummel, trample and otherwise comedically fillet the judges who travel the field with clipboards judging the show. Eventually the judges are forced to take on the qualities of the troupe, including stilts, bizarre costume pieces and, by the end, give up their clipboards, and join in wholeheartedly in the bizarre, joyous ballet. YS Bach and his son Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach Bandenburg Concerto III, Concerto in A Minor Fathers and Sons (Cavaliers, Madison) A modern take on these two concertos written by famous father and son composers, the corps depicts a father son relationship simply through a game of catch. From a young dad trying to teach his toddler to catch a ball, time progresses through adolescence where the kid becomes preoccupied and doesn't want to play, and then through adulthood when the father tires and grows old. The ball is thrown to the dad, as an old man he misses the catch, he retreats behind a screen, and returns as a toddler. A powerful depiction of the cycle of life simply portrayed, with possible tie ins to corps members' own dads. Edited December 26, 2015 by Channel3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 I love the first one. Lots of room to layer nuances and a relatively easy concept to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrontz Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Channel3 Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) Here are three more show ideas. My Favorite Things Jazz Improv A show that features classic Jazz tunes, with extensive, super-exposed and in-depth jazz trumpet and bariton/trombone solos. Real improv, not "I play it this way every time" improv. During the drum solo, the corps actually gathers in small circles and improvises their drill. For huge portions of the show, there is no drum major. Finally, near the end of the show, the corps spins a wheel on-the-fly to determine which ending they'll do. An homage to real, off the cuff, controlled chaos improv where no one knows what will happen next. Young Elvis - Rock n' Gospel In Elvis' youth, he was influenced by both Gospel and Rock. We see a young man, the featured dancer, bounce back and forth from the Gospel side of the corps to the rock and roll side where he lets loose. By the end of the show, the two sides come together, and a star is born. Elvis leaves his small town, never to return. Calliope Apollo musagetes, a ballet by Igor Stravinsky In this adaptation of the Russian ballet we see a young man approach the corps which is standing still in a tightly formed box formation on the 50 yard line. The box is a Calliope, a turn of the century steam engine-powered music and entertainment machine. The young man, Apollo, puts a quarter in the machine, and it comes alive, and whisks him away on a journey of unbridled, freakish, intense adventure where he is challenged by three muses, who test his strength, courage and identity, as per the ballet. A wild coming of age experience that costs a quarter. Edited December 28, 2015 by Channel3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrontz Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Here are three more show ideas. My Favorite Things Jazz Improv A show that features classic Jazz tunes, with extensive, super-exposed and in-depth jazz trumpet and bariton/trombone solos. Real improv, not "I play it this way every time" improv. During the drum solo, the corps actually gathers in small circles and improvises their drill. For huge portions of the show, there is no drum major. Finally, near the end of the show, the corps spins a wheel on-the-fly to determine which ending they'll do. An homage to real, off the cuff, controlled chaos improv where no one knows what will happen next. Young Elvis - Rock n' Gospel In Elvis' youth, he was influenced by both Gospel and Rock. We see a young man, the featured dancer, bounce back and forth from the Gospel side of the corps to the rock and roll side where he lets loose. By the end of the show, the two sides come together, and a star is born. Elvis leaves his small town, never to return. Calliope Apollo musagetes, a ballet by Igor Stravinsky In this adaptation of the Russian ballet we see a young man approach the corps which is standing still in a tightly formed box formation on the 50 yard line. The box is a Calliope, a turn of the century steam engine-powered music and entertainment machine. The young man, Apollo, puts a quarter in the machine, and it comes alive, and whisks him away on a journey of unbridled, freakish, intense adventure where he is challenged by three muses, who test his strength, courage and identity, as per the ballet. A wild coming of age experience that costs a quarter. These are better than the first four. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcorpsfever Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I could see Spirit of Atlanta with the Elvis show. Rock and Gospel would fit the motif of a few of their shows within the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Channel3 Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 These are better than the first four. Please post your own show concepts. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Spamalot. Rocky Horror Picture Show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrontz Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 I think a reboot of Walton's 'Belshazzar's Feast' with a more explicit story presentation than Star 1990 would be amazing for a corps like Phantom, Crown, or even Cadets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Please post your own show concepts. Thanks.I'm in love with the very first story line with the Pines of Rome especially since Cadets are using it this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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