Weird Al "No Strings Attached" Tour @ Foxwoods! - 07/19/19 05:00 PM to 07/19/19 11:00 PM

[Chewy]

Weird Al Yankovic is back in town this year for his "No Strings Attached" tour! Wooooo! We've been asked to get on stage with him during his usual Star Wars numbers.

Pictures from 2015:??https://www.facebook.com/pg/ConnecticutGarrison/photos/?tab=album&album_id=911489588907579

A quick rundown for those who aren't familiar with how this works:

Performance

The songs "The Saga Begins" and "Yoda" are performed back-to-back at the end of the show. Our appearance on stage takes place during the performance of the song "We all have Cell Phones", which leads into "The Saga Begins". We will promptly exit stage at the end of "The Saga Begins" and before "Yoda".

When everyone has arrived before the show, the stage manager will run through the (very simple) routine with us. We will have a separate room and accompanying soundtrack to practice with beforehand. HERE is a good example of the kind of stuff we'll be asked to do.

Food & Meet and Greet

A pizza dinner will be provided for us before the performance (not sure it's a great idea to load everyone up with pizza before dancing but okay :P) and there will be a VIP meet-and-greet opportunity with Al after the show. It's typically 15-20 minutes after the end of the show and lasts 30-45 minutes. We can do pictures and get stuff signed and the like then.

Personnel:

We've been asked to provide 1 Vader and 4-8 "traditional" Stormtroopers (i.e. ANH Stunt or Hero, ESB, or ROTJ), with the possibility of 2 additional helmeted or masked characters (if there's room) like Boba Fett, Tusken Raiders, etc. We also have the option, if?? necessary, to replace Stormtroopers with Biker Scouts, Sandtroopers, Snowtroopers, Clone Troopers, or Imperial Guardsmen.??

We are also allowed to bring an (unspecified) number of handlers along too. I'll consider??what is a reasonable number depending on the numbers of costumed troopers and general interest. A single trooper-spot is allotted for us to video-tape the performance.

We're also allowed to bring 1 R2-D2 along. @trevelyan! I will be getting in touch with you separately.

Schedule:

Please plan to arrive between 2 1/2 hours and 3 hours prior to show time (i.e. around 5PM) and park in the garage closest to the casino. Parking costs will be covered by them. Duh. Parking is free at Foxwoods.

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If you are interested in performing, please specify in the calendar event that you are coming and reply in the Events thread which costume you will be wearing. Please be aware that this is pretty much a "casted" event and we have to give them the setup that they want.

• I will give preference to CTG Vaders and Stormtroopers first, and any other costumes second.
• If we cannot fill our contingent of Stormtroopers I will open up slots to other "trooper" characters.
• Handlers will be decided when our Vader/Stormtrooper slots are filled.
• To ensure fairness, those who have not done Weird Al before will get first dibs.
• I will also give preference to those troopers who actively support the Garrison on a regular basis. You come out and troop regularly, you are rewarded.

This is going to be sweet!!

Roster:
Vader
Jim Sprenkle + handler/dresser

Stormtroopers
Brian Sands - TK
Christopher Bailey - TK
Sarah Bailey - TK
Jan Abustan - TK
Michelle Crouch - TK

Alternative Helmeted Troopers
John Hajnal - TR (if finished/approved)
Jerred Best - Boba Fett
Nick Scofield - TD

R2D2 beep boop
Chuck Janeczko - R2D2

Wrangler Pool
Joe CIvitello
Andy Tam
Andy Tanski
Al Carbone

??

Topic is for discussion of event.?? To Sign up/RSVP for this event, please visit the calendar link:?? Weird Al "No Strings Attached" Tour @ Foxwoods!

[Backpacks Got Jets]

I'd like to wrangle / photog if possible.?? I've danced a few times as boba and i feel like the newbies and non-boba esq costumes will be able to fill the required spots.

[MagyarSoldat]

I'm in as Royal guard or Wrangler. And damn you Joe for dibbing first!

[Backpacks Got Jets]

2 minutes ago, MagyarSoldat said:

I'm in as Royal guard or Wrangler. And damn you Joe for dibbing first!

Again, Dibs is legally binding

[Wildcardz]

??

Wrangler first, to let newbies to try this one out.

Sandtrooper as back up in case we need more helmets on stage. I will bring my armor with me.

??

??

[Wildcardz]

4 minutes ago, Backpacks Got Jets said:

Again, Dibs is legally binding

Your not officially going, until you put yourself as going on the top of the page.

So I get dibs first and also calling shotgun.

[Alay]

TK-20466 as ANH Stunt Stormtrooper please.

[First0rder]

I don???t know if there will be room for me since I???m neither a TK nor Vader , but if it hits second string then I???m in ?

[Swiftcloud]

I can go as Boba Fett or wrangle if Boba is not needed.

[bsands]

TK-13771 ANH Stormtrooper reporting for duty!

[jimsprenkle]

Me as Vader and I might have my own handler to help me suit up if she wants to come.??

Edited May 6, 2019 by jimsprenkle

[Chewy]

26 minutes ago, jimsprenkle said:

Me as Vader and I might have my own handler to help me suit up if she wants to come.??

Sweet. We'll save you a spot for a dedicated handler.

[Madxena]

Signed up. ??TK-24124 ANH stormtrooper.??

[Feliz]

I???ll put myself in as a Sandy if you don???t get enough preppy TKs ?

[Alay]

12 hours ago, Feliz said:

I???ll put myself in as a Sandy if you don???t get enough preppy TKs ?

Hose off that dirt! ?

[THE TROOPER]

Ummmm, wrangler ??

[Mason Windu]

I'm totally down to wrangle!

Would be the perfect way for me to get back in the 501st groove now that I'm done attending to personal matters

[jimsprenkle]

You guys do know that the weird al people probably won???t allow all the wranglers cus from what I understand is it???s not like we gonna be in the crowd. It???s like a 20 min set where he has us on stage with him for his show and then we are done. Just saying that might be too many people backstage

[Chewy]

5 hours ago, jimsprenkle said:

You guys do know that the weird al people probably won???t allow all the wranglers cus from what I understand is it???s not like we gonna be in the crowd. It???s like a 20 min set where he has us on stage with him for his show and then we are done. Just saying that might be too many people backstage

Yup - I'm actually still waiting for an email back from his tour manager specifying what kind of numbers are expected/acceptable for both troopers on-stage, and also handlers backstage. The instructions we received are cookie-cutter for all of his tour dates this year and give scope for varying sizes of venue; I suspect 3 or 4 handlers for our troopers would be acceptable, but until I get word I'm just going to be create a pool and work it out from there.

I wasn't around for his last appearance in CT but I suspect it's pretty much the same this time. Arrive -> eat pizza -> practice routine -> perform on stage -> dress-down + meet and greet afterwards.

[Depeche25]

If need a heavy weapons trooper let me know but do need my handler to help me dress.

[Backpacks Got Jets]

Bumping for visibility. Little over a month away.

[jimsprenkle]

On 5/29/2019 at 10:46 AM, Chewy said:

I wasn't around for his last appearance in CT but I suspect it's pretty much the same this time. Arrive -> eat pizza -> practice routine -> perform on stage -> dress-down + meet and greet afterwards.

I have spoke to the older members that have done this event in the last 5 years he has come down and it???s not that simple. I know what to expect from me as Vader.??

[Backpacks Got Jets]

10 hours ago, jimsprenkle said:

I have spoke to the older members that have done this event in the last 5 years he has come down and it???s not that simple. I know what to expect from me as Vader.??

The last couple times most of the work was for our Point of Contact so the team knew where to be and when to be there and they coordinated with Als team leading up to and on performance day.??

As a regular trooper it was basically:

• Arrive
• Find where we're supposed to be
• head to dressing room areas
• Chill out a few mins
• Practice arm waiving bit for a few mins
• Go on stage and do a walk through
• Go back down and chill/meander around the casino until about an hour before we're supposed to go on stage. They may allow us to stand at the back or on the sides of the auditorium for the first part of his show while we're waiting for the clock to wind.
• Regroup / Get costumes on
• Practice arm wavy things
• Stage for a few minutes before going on
• Dance like idiots
• Walk off / head down / De-Costume
• Al's team will want whoever wants to stay in costume to stand behind him during his autograph signing.?? Its literally just standing there for another hour or so in costume behind him as he signs.
• After that he'll sign stuff and take pictures with us.?? He may chat some.?? He may not.??

90% chance our only interaction with Big Al directly will be at the receiving line.?? If you want anything specific signed by him you can bring it. otherwise there will be plenty of merch for you to grab for him to sign.

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[trevelyan]

Hey Chris, I sent you an email regarding this event. I've been having drive issues with R2 that I dont think ill have resolved before next weekend. I reached out to another builder in CT though who can cover for me. His details are in the email. Hes had a completed droid for a few years now and has done some other events with me in the past.??

[Chewy]

Okay, going to confirm with the event host today and try and get an answer as to how many we're allowed on the stage. Please let me know ASAP if you're going to be unavailable.

Here's my thought on the lineup:

@jimsprenkle - Vader + assistant
@bsands - TK
Christopher Bailey - TK
@Alay - TK
@BFKN - TK
@Madxena - TK
@Feliz - TD

@Wildcardz, @Swiftcloud - wranglers, but please bring your costumes as backup.
@Backpacks Got Jets - bring your camera.

Frank - R2D2

I'll try and get a few more people involved from the sign-ups if they allow us room for more wranglers.??