There will be a whole production this year. It's the most complex show we have ever done," said Robert Bennett, Twin Valley High School (TVHS) director of bands, when describing this year's football halftime show. "There is real potential to make it amazing."

The theme of this year's show is "The Emerald Adventure," with a subtitle of "Beyond the Yellow Brick Road." The students were busy learning the music and the movements associated with the show during a two-week band camp held at TVHS during the weeks of July 29 and Aug. 5.

The band, which has 53 members led by drum majors Ellie Trozell and Cecilia Skoniczin, was committed to rehearsing the new show despite record high temperatures that sometimes hit the triple digits. "We take a water break every 25 minutes, and they run, grab their water and come right back. The kids are totally into (band camp)," said Bennett. "It's been a real fun band to teach because their attitudes have been fantastic. In spite of the circumstances, they have been super positive and willing to learn."

Bennett explained that the show is loosely based on "The Wizard of Oz." "We will start with the overture to 'The Wizard of Oz' from the movie, and we move into a song from 'Wicked,' which is 'One Short Day,' and we do a song from 'The Wiz,' 'Ease on Down the Road.' Our next tune is 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' by Elton John."

Using set changes, the show will then transition from Oz to Ireland. "Essentially, the whole show is us answering the question 'What is beyond the yellow brick road and at the end of rainbow?' We have this amazing castle prop that looks like the castle from 'The Wizard of Oz.' It will be 12 to 15 feet tall and on the ends of it (will be) mortar and brick," Bennett explained. "There will be eight set pieces that will go around the field with yellow brick roads on them. They will flip over when we transition to the Emerald Isle, and on the back will be a four-leaf clover."

There will also be a rainbow and pot of gold. "The connection point is the rainbow," he added. "What is over the rainbow is the Emerald Isle. (The theme of) 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' is such a pivotal part of that story in 'The Wizard of Oz' that a (rainbow) is a natural connection."

He credits the design team for coming up with the concept for this year, including Kim Robinson, band front/color guard assistant; Duane DeWire, drill writer and show coordinator; and Brett Hanley, assistant band director.

Bennett said the goal of the performance is to please the audience that watches during home TVHS football games, as well as those who attend and judge band competitions. "When we do a show, we try to make it something that the audience enjoys here at football games," he noted. "When we go out and do competitions and band festivals, it is a totally different kind of audience. It's an audience that will appreciate it differently."

He said it is also important for the band members to enjoy performing the show. "We obviously try to make it fun for the kids to play. It challenges them and helps them develop as musicians and performers," said Bennett, adding, "If it hits those three boxes where the community likes it and the competition audiences and judges like it and the kids like it, we are doing the right thing."