There’s no central character in Genesis’ 2026 production — no straightforward narrative or clearly-defined story arc.
Instead, this summer, the corps plans to simply create.
With its program, “Abstract,” Genesis aims to transform the football field itself into a living, evolving piece of artwork.
“We’re creating a piece of abstract art on the field, based on one simple inspiration.” said Genesis executive director Chris Magonigal. “We start with a mural of abstract art that is our inspiration, and we bring that to life throughout the production through color and energy and music.”
Inspired in part by the work of Russian abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky, the production will begin in a monochrome, grayscale environment before gradually introducing color and complexity throughout the show.
Magonigal said the field itself will evolve over time, with props, costumes and visual elements all expanding outward from an original central mural until the corps has effectively created an entirely new piece of art by the end of the production.
“The idea is that the original artwork was very black and white and monochrome,” he said. “We have now created color inside that space.”
Musically, he added that the corps’ production is intended to mirror the unpredictable and emotional nature of abstract art itself.
Rather than centering on a traditional story arc or emotional structure, the corps plans to move rapidly between contrasting textures, moods and soundscapes throughout the show.
“We do not have a traditional ballad movement in our show this year,” Magonigal said. “It is a much more mature approach musically than what we’ve done in the past.”
According to Magonigal, audiences can expect a production filled with aggressive percussion writing, layered musical textures and constantly shifting emotional ideas intended to evoke reactions organically rather than dictate them directly.
Musically, the corps’ primary running thread stems from violinist Lindsey Stirling’s “Eye of the Untold Her,” which serves as a recurring melodic anchor throughout the production.
“You’ll hear that voice throughout the production,” Magonigal said. “And it’s kind of the tie that brings us all together.”
Magonigal also emphasized that “Abstract” is expected to be one of the corps’ more visually ambitious productions in recent years. Genesis is utilizing a dedicated graphic artist to create original artwork specifically for the show, with all visuals designed internally rather than adapted directly from existing paintings or imagery.
“The mural that you’ll see and all of the artwork in the show will be original,” Magonigal said. “We really wanted to connect to Kandinsky without using his work and do something original.”
As the season progresses, Genesis expects the visual identity of the production to physically evolve alongside the corps’ performance quality. In fact, Magonigal said much of the visual design process is intentionally still unfinished as Genesis continues exploring how color, props and movement can reshape the production over the course of the summer.
“If there’s ever a show that evolves over a season, this is going to be the one,” he said. “The show will physically evolve as the season goes on.”
Off the field, the organization has seen encouraging momentum throughout the offseason, particularly in terms of member retention and internal culture.
According to Magonigal, the corps has experienced its strongest veteran return rate since before the COVID-19 pandemic, something he attributes largely to a growing emphasis on member experience and organizational identity.
“The bigger part of that experience is how they’re treated, how they’re taken care of, what the vibe is and that their work is being recognized,” Magonigal said. “I think our process resonated with the kids.”
That buy-in, combined with what Magonigal described as a younger but increasingly invested membership base, has helped generate excitement around both the production itself and the organization’s long-term trajectory as its 2026 DCI Tour debut nears, June 27 in Fort Collins, Colorado.
“We’re still building a program and we’re still building an organization,” Magonigal said. “And having the kids be part of that, I think, is helping with the buy-in.”
