Hershman brings key management experience to Bluecoats Alumni Corps
Larry Hershman, long time drum corps administrator, business manager, and program coordinator, provides extensive experience which is helping the Bluecoats 50th Anniversary Alumni Corps present something special at this season’s DCI World Championships in Indianapolis.
In 1992, as part of Drum Corps International’s 20th anniversary, the Racine Kilties formed an alumni corps and became the first alumni group to perform during DCI championships week. This began a tradition of various alumni groups, representing junior and all-age corps throughout the history of the activity, performing at either DCI Semifinals or Finals. I, myself, was a member of one of those performing groups, the Jim Ott Brass Ensemble (JOBE) in 2015. Some of these performances, such as the 27th Lancers in 1994 and the Madison Scouts in 2006, have become legendary in terms of their size, power, and connection to the crowd. I think it is safe to say, however, that the alumni corps performance taking place this summer at DCI Semifinals, may become the gold standard by which all past and future alumni performances are measured by.
This year, DCI is turning 50, an age which only a few drum corps themselves have reached. Drum Corps World is sharing in this golden achievement in 2022, a feat which we celebrate with pride. It is only fitting, then, that a drum corps that is also celebrating it’s 50th fields an alumni corps in Indy this August. That corps is the Canton Bluecoats, originally founded in 1972 as an extension of the Canton Police Boys Club parade corps. Two years later, the corps took the name “Bluecoats” and became a field corps. Throughout the past half century, the Bluecoats have entertained thousands while setting entertainment and innovation standards in the drum corps activity. Throw in a DCI World Championship in 2016 and this corps has truly done it all. With all that history under its belt, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that planning for the 50th anniversary alumni corps began approximately 6 years ago.
This is where Larry Hershman comes in, though Larry is no stranger to the Bluecoats or drum corps. Larry’s drum corps career began as a performing member of the Westshoremen all-age corps out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Larry eventually became a marching instructor for the corps, then moved to the administrative side, serving as the business manager and director of Westshore. While serving as the program coordinator for the United States Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps in Annapolis, Maryland, Larry came to the Bluecoats, starting in 1985 and staying on through the early 90s. Also during the 90s, Larry was a pivotal member of the team which brought us the All Star Drum and Bugle Corps performances in the 1991 and 194 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades.
The All Star corps also put Larry together with Tony DiCarlo, which brings us back to 6 years ago and another time Larry and Tony worked together. The topic of DCI’s 50th anniversary came up while they were talking, which led to the further realization that the Bluecoats’ 50th anniversary was that same year. Of course, when the stars align like that, it’s too good an opportunity to pass up. Larry and Tony believed that the Bluecoats should do something for DCI’s 50th. The Bluecoats thought so, as well, and began determining the interest level of their alumni community. Once it was clear that the interest was there, the corps received the official invitation from DCI and began the process to put together the alumni corps.
At first, the process was smooth sailing. In fact, as Larry himself put it, “Plan A was BEAUTIFUL!!!”. The alumni corps design team was 80% of the competitive corps’ team, with Larry serving as program coordinator, a position he held with the Bluecoats in the late 80s and again in the early 2000s. The performers would have three in person rehearsals they could attend, with the requirement that they attend at least one. Membership and interest continued to grow, along with the realization that something special was going to happen in August of 2022.
Then COVID happened and the drum corps activity, for all intents and purposes, shut down.
As the pandemic ran rampant throughout the world, questions about how the alumni corps could happen did as well. What high schools would allow hundreds of performers to rehearse, even sleep, in their buildings? Would there even be a 2022 season, much less a 2020 (no) or 2021 (partially) season? If the alumni corps could rehearse and perform, would they be able to use college dorms and cafeterias or hotel rooms and catering? What COVID protocols would the performers and staff need to follow?
Fortunately, the Bluecoats 50th Anniversary Alumni Corps is still a go. The schedule has changed, though not as much as originally feared. Thanks to the use of technology such as Google Classroom, performers have rehearsed virtually with each other and their section leaders, getting the musical and visual practice they need as the 2022 season approaches. There are now two mandatory rehearsals, the first during July 2-4, the second (the BIG WEEK), taking place August 6-12. That week in August includes performances at the Bluecoats home show in Akron, Ohio as well as THE performance in Indy at Semifinals.
As for the performance itself, Larry Hershman describes it as “a four dimensional performance”. The Bluecoats Alumni Corps will be the first alumni group at DCI to perform music from the 21st century portion of their history. The performance style of the corps will also incorporate elements of the Bluecoats from their post 2000 years. Don’t worry if you’re also a fan of some of the pre-2000 Bluecoats charts, as that part of the corps history will also get represented. Just imagine the sight and sound of Autumn Leaves coming from over 450 performers on the field. It is safe to say that Jon Vanderkolff is having a blast (no pun intended) designing this show.
Larry Hershman put it best when it comes to why there is such high involvement by the Bluecoats alumni in this corps: “The Bluecoats as an organization has stability, and it’s the stability of the Bluecoats that I think is key to the success of the Bluecoats. The people we have are people who have been here for a long, long time. Every single living director of the Bluecoats is on the steering committee of this project.”
It is fitting that Larry feels this way, as he himself has provided stability and success to the Bluecoats throughout the years.
