Madison Scouts do Mardi Gras

 

One-hundred-fifty-seven Madison Scouts alums marched into New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras at the Krewe of Orpheus parade on Monday, February 12.

The annual parade, which follows an approximately five-mile route starting in uptown New Orleans, celebrated its 25^th anniversary this year. Named after the legendary musician in Greek mythology, the parade got its start with celebrity backing from Harry Connick Junior and Senior.

Madison’s participation in this year’s occasion is one of the latest high-profile events its alumni have completed. Other outings have included the corps’ Alumni Reunion Project that allowed 240 members to put on a retrospective show of Madison Scouts favorites at the 2006 DCI World Championships in Wisconsin. Alumni also joined current corps members for the 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

 

Members rolled into New Orleans from across the country on Saturday, gathering at local Cabrini High School for two days of practice.

“Similar to past projects, we asked the alumni to arrive prepared and ready to rehearse,” former Madison Scouts director Scott Stewart said.

Stewart with the help of Scott Pearson helped organize the 2006 corps and the New Orleans parade group. The two also relied on a number of alumni to arrange the music, instruct and to handle logistics.

 

Borrowing equipment from several corps including the Madison Scouts, Pioneer and all-age Govenaires, performers donned their “janitorial suit” uniforms on Monday evening consisting of green pants and shirts, white spats, hats, gauntlets and shoulder cords, and the corps’ traditional red and silver sash.

Getting into the Mardi Gras spirit, the corps took to the parade route with a medley of Dixieland favorites including “South Rampart Street Parade,” “Bill Bailey,” “When the Saints Go Marching In,” and a version of “Little Liza Jane” that gave performers the opportunity to break ranks and work the crowd into a frenzy.