Under the Friday night lights, it is a common tradition for the marching band to perform during half-time. While the teams regroup and fans disperse to the restrooms and concessions, the band and color guard take to the field and perform. What many spectators may not realize is that the performance is a result of months and months of preparation centered around a theme.
The band’s theme this year is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Band director Christopher Weddel decided to purchase Randall D. Standridge’s music and hired Ron Hardin to design the choreography. In his third year as band director, Weddel selected a theme that included an expressive narrative.
“I wanted to do something more theatrical, something that is more of a production than your regular stand-and-play kind of show,” Weddel said. “I mean, this one has a story. It has an art to it, and I thought it was really interesting and thought we could sink our teeth into it.”
Weddel begins his process of selecting a theme by listening to different compositions in February. He makes his decision and announces the theme for all band members to hear at the Fine Arts Banquet.
With a theme selected, the band students spend a week in the summer learning and reviewing the fundamentals of marching during an 8-hour-per-day band camp.
“I thought it was really successful,” drum major junior Claire Hughes said. “I think we definitely made a lot more progress than we have in the past years. I think that having band camp really helped because we were able to move along a lot.”
Band students continue to work on the theme when school starts Members wake up bright and early to attend mandatory practice at 6:30 to continue practicing for the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde showcase. They also practice Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30.
Not only are students trying to perfect the showcase with practice, they are preparing for competition against other schools and their band themes.
The first competition will be on Sept.28 at Columbus High School. Oct. 5 in Lincoln, Oct. 12 in Elkhorn, Oct. 19 in Omaha, and our last competition being on Oct. 26 in Kearney NE. For students and community members interested in seeing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the next performance will be held during halftime on Oct. 11 when the Tigers host Creighton Prep.
