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View Full Version : What is Blast: the Musical?



merlinjones
09-12-2001, 03:27 PM
I didn't see the Variety article, but apparrently they reported that this is coming to Disneyland Resort in January. Anyone know what it is?

AVP
09-12-2001, 04:48 PM
Blast! is, hands down the best theatrical experience I have had in years. Sorry Les Mis, sorry Rent, sorry, Lion King - none of your performers made me *sob* within just a few notes.

I was lucky enough to be dragged to one of the final performances of Blast! last month at Epcot. (It was late, I was tired, and the person describing the act to me called it "The Magic Kingdom Corps on stage". My reaction was "been there, seen that, where's my pillow?")

The show was simply amazing. It is like a DCI field show, set on a stage, with much more theatrical influence than you ever see on a football field. I was in tears after just a few moments - they opened with Bolero, which is one of my favorite songs. When they played Land of Make Believe near the end of the show, I completely lost it. The artistry and musicality of the group is astonishing.

Immediately after the show, bought the DVD and the CD, and haven't stopped playing them since I returned.

The short story is that they started as an adult corp branch of the Star of Indiana. Of their 70 memebers, I think only 3 are still young enough to march DCI. Some are in their 30's. I've since learned that they won a Tony award, and were the subject of a PBS special.

For more information, they have a website:

Blast! Homepage (http://www.blasttheshow.com )

They will also be at the Orange County Performing Arts Center December 25, 2001 – January 6, 2002
Tuesday–Saturday at 8 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday at 2 p.m.; Sunday at 7:30 p.m

Tickets are not yet on sale, so I don't have prices. For more info on those performances, visit:

Orange County Performing Arts Center - Blast! (http://www.ocpac.org/onstage/broadway01-02/blast.html)

Good grief, between Nightmare, LuminAria and Blast!, I may never leave the park this winter.

Adrienne VP

WizKidRyan
09-15-2001, 10:39 PM
Should Blast! come to the DLR, I think it's fairly safe to say that it will appear in the Hyperion in place of Steps in Time.

Nigel2
09-15-2001, 11:43 PM
its a good replacement show sine it has no sets (I think) all it needs are the lighting rigs.

SimpTwister
09-16-2001, 12:20 PM
Originally posted by AVP
The short story is that they started as an adult corp branch of the Star of Indiana. Of their 70 memebers, I think only 3 are still young enough to march DCI. Some are in their 30's. I've since learned that they won a Tony award, and were the subject of a PBS special. [/B]


What is 'DCI'?

Andrew
09-16-2001, 12:39 PM
Originally posted by SimpTwister
What is 'DCI'?

My new favorite site, Acronym Finder (http://www.acronymfinder.com/), has 21 possible meanings of DCI:

Data Collection Integrator
Data Communication Interface
Data Communications Interrogation
Decompression Illness
Deep Computing Institute
Defense Capabilities Initiative (NATO)
Defensive Counter Information
Department of Corrections and Institution (Alabama prison board, 1939-52)
Design Change Instruction
Detective Chief Inspector
Digital Carrier Interface (telecommunications)
Digital Constant Image (Sony TV technology)
Direct Cryptographic Interface
Director Combat Intelligence (US Army)
Director of Central Intelligence
Director/Directorate for Corporate Information
Display Control Interface
Distributed Computing Integrator (Tangent)
Drum Corps International
Duelist's Convocation International
Duplicate Coverage Inquiry

My guess is that in this context, we're talking about the Director of Central Intelligence. "CIA, live on stage!"

AVP
09-16-2001, 01:20 PM
In this case, DCI is Drum Corps International (http://www.dci.org/)

DCI members "age out" at 22, and are no longer elligible to compete. There are many "senior" corps out there, and a small competitive circuit.

Blast! actually has a stage set, which they did not use in Florida. I would love to see them use it when they come to Disneyland, but it would need to be hosted in the Animazement building.

Adrienne VP

JeffG
09-16-2001, 03:47 PM
Couldn't they use the set in the Hyperion Theater? When I heard about the show coming to the Disneyland Resort, I immediately assumed it would probably go there. It seems like a better venue for that type of show than the Fantasyland Theater and the tone of the show might fit a bit better in DCA.

-Jeff

AVP
09-16-2001, 08:15 PM
Oh yes - reason number 101 why one should never type after a mere three hours of sleep.

I meant the Hyperion theater. Animazement doesn't HAVE a building.

Sorry!

Adrienne VP

Nigel2
09-17-2001, 09:58 PM
Well neither did blast when it was at EPCOT. They have some set types, but aren't they kinda like large sets of connected intruments. Can someone help me I could have sworn that I saw Blast on PBS afew years ago, or at least a Brit version.

bandboy1985
09-28-2001, 04:08 PM
as a venerated musical theatre cast member and drum major at my high school, my dad (a former DM himself) and i watched the pbs special and immediately ordered the dvd. it's not here yet, but as soon as it arrives, i'm showing it to the whole band and the color guard. the finale segment was absolutely incredible, and the battery battle section with the blindfolded drummers! i know the new york show closed before it opened (as a casualty of the september 11th incidents), does anyone know if the road company will proceed as scheduled? would it be too much to hope for 'blast' to reside for a few seasons in the hyperion theatre? the pbs show was a telecast from a london stage, and required minimal equipment, and was basically a centralized DCI field show as far as technology is concerned. on every other plane, it's true! it's true! it beats 'cats' (i saw it last weekend), les mis, hair, all the older shows, it's a true explosion of color, light and sound!

MactechCM
09-28-2001, 04:25 PM
bandboy - just FYI - Blast! had a longer run on Broadway than originally planned, but they did tell the cast on Friday the 14th that they would be closing the extended run early - the show has not been drawing the crowds it usually did after schools started back in session.

I flew out to DC in Janurary to catch them at the Kennedy Center, and they were even more amazing live! It was cool, because we ended up riding home in the subway car with most of the cast, and ended up hanging out in a bar afterwards with several of them.

The scheduled touring groups are still on as planned.

These are an AMAZING bunch of talented musicians - if you remember Kingdom Corps - they blow Kingdom Corps away.