For drum corps members, a summer production often completely consumes their day-to-day reality. That is especially true for The Cavaliers who are taking member immersion to another level for the 2026 season.
The Cavaliers’ performers are not just slipping in and out of character for this year’s show, “The Lost Boys.” Instead, they are living, breathing, and completely entrenched in its themes for every second of the drum corps process.
“I think it is just a perfect vehicle for the men of The Cavaliers,” visual coordinator Lindsey Vento said. “It is something they can relate to, it is 100% them. They are the lost boys,”
The 2026 program uses the classic concept of Peter Pan’s lost boys — a group of young individuals who refuse to grow up — as a jumping-off point, but takes it in a different direction. Building on that foundation, the corps forms a rebellious clan of brothers fighting to live in the moment and revel in their perfect chaos forever.
“They live in this world together. They’re all very individual, but they all kind of agree on the same thing in life and the way that they’re living day to day,” Cavaliers battery arranger and percussion caption supervisor Josh Brickey said. “The show concept portrays their actual everyday life in drum corps, where they’re a group of individuals coming together as a team.”
They have made an enemy out of the ultimate inevitable: the passage of time. With ticking clock sounds looming over the entire production as the story’s main villain, the lost boys are forced to make difficult sacrifices for the good of the collective.
According to Vento, the members — especially the corps’ “ageouts” — have latched onto the production due to its bittersweet relatability.
“Drum corps is really our rebellion against time. We live in this world and we go and tour with our best friends all summer and forget that the rest of the world even exists,” Vento said. “We fight against this growing up, we fight against time, but it’s inevitable. At some point, tour is over, we have to get off the bus, and we have to go home. That’s essentially what the show is about.”
This year’s uniforms showcase a stark departure from the historic, polished Cavaliers image, opting instead for a look reflective of the production’s natural angst. A ‘90s grunge aesthetic including leather, chains, graphic tees, and flannel patterns are pervasive across the field.
“They never really had anywhere to land, they never really had anyone to catch them, and they found each other,” Vento said. “They stowed away together, made their own home and their own society, and the costuming reflects that. That rebellious kid from 1996 — that’s what they wore, the flannel around the waist, the jacket hanging open. That texture-on-texture was our way to show rebellion against authority.”
Brickey detailed how the costuming reinforces individuality within the corps’ sections. While the color guard leans toward yellow and the brass retains traditional green, the percussion section utilizes hints of red to visually separate themselves. Furthermore, the T-shirts within the sections feature hidden “throwback” nods to past Cavaliers shows, including references to 2001’s “Four Corners” and 2003’s “Spin Cycle,” along with the corps’ iconic “Diamond Cutter” drill maneuver.
The first movement serves as an introduction to the world inhabited by the lost boys and a way to acclimate the audience to their gritty Neverland setting. This will be accomplished through “Nature Boy” by Eden Ahbez (which some may remember was utilized in the corps’ 2011 “XtraordinarY” production) and “Scorching the Facade” by Yuma Bandou. These two selections aim to instill a sense of curiosity and wonder while laying the thematic groundwork.
“We start the show setting the tone and the vibe of exactly what that is, and you hear it and you instantly are like, okay, I’ve transported into this world,” Vento said. “The brilliant work of (brass arranger) Jay Bocook and (music coordinator/sound designer) Kevin Shah, and then Josh Brickey and (front ensemble arranger) Lee Ullman with percussion — It’s just lights out.”
The adventurous atmosphere continues into the second movement, backed by John Powell’s “Kidnapped/Galleon Dog Fight” from the 2015 film “Pan.” While the veteran film composer’s work is a staple of the DCI activity, this marks The Cavaliers’ first time utilizing his repertoire. It provides the perfect backdrop for a self-made society where youth reigns supreme, even as a growing dread about the future begins to creep in.
“We take you through a journey where there’s this playful side, and then you’re introduced to all these conflicts and decisions,” Brickey said. “But there is a rebellious side to it as well, a feeling of fighting back against what’s coming.”
Movement three takes the emotional resonance to another level as the production reaches its ballad, featuring “A Boy’s Dream,” which is a composition by DCI Hall of Famer Jay Bocook. After creating two original pieces for 2025’s “ShapeShift,” Bocook’s latest composition underscores a reckoning for the lost boys as they begin to grapple with the reality of moving on from their time in the sun.
“I would put serious money on the fact that there will be tears and people will be moved by this ballad,” Vento said. “This original work by Jay Bocook was written for his son. It is so deep and poignant. The fact that he was willing to give that to us to use is huge. It’s because the show speaks to him in that way, and it matters. It’s beautiful and stunning.”
The quiet acceptance of the ballad abruptly gives way to one last thrash of defiance in the fourth movement. Vento calls it a “bangarang” which is a nod to the battle cry of the lost boys of the 1991 Steven Spielberg classic “Hook.” “Hollow” by Syncatto (a solo-instrumental project from Charlie Robbins) brings a highly aggressive energy before the show officially closes with original work from Bocook, Shah, Brickey, and Ullman. While the drum line’s prowess is felt throughout the show, the final movement is the battery’s time to truly shine.
“The percussion is real angsty, rebellious, and aggressive, ultimately ending with an original piece that signals, ‘Okay, it’s time,’” Brickey said. “I would call it a prog-metal feel. It’s very aggressive and something you typically don’t see. We’re finding some unique presentations and it’s a great way to highlight the strength of our percussion section.”
With a heightened focus on togetherness and total buy-in to the show’s theme, the Green Machine’s full commitment to “The Lost Boys” could signal a bold new era for the storied organization.
“I can say with everything in my being that The Cavaliers are back 100% without question,” Vento said. “It’s The Cavaliers — a founding member of DCI. They are legendary, historic, and a benchmark of this activity. To see where this group is going right now is huge.”
The Cavaliers will make their competitive debut at the Rotary Music Festival in Cedarburg, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 2.
