Cleveland POPS

Every fan knows -- deep in their heart -- that the music of John Williams is just as much a reason for the enduring legacy of the Star Wars franchise as the spaceship, planets and everything else that has transformed these films into a multi-generational icon.  The music of John Williams can be heard in everything from Star Wars, the Indiana Jones films, and even still today with the Harry Potter movies -- his music has became the soundtrack of our childhood.

Photo courtesy of jedi-seamstress

So when the Cleveland POPS Orchestra invited Great Lakes Base, Ohio Garrison and Mando Mercs to be part of their John Williams tribute concert, we couldn't pass this up.  For a few of us -- myself included -- this was a return to Severance Hall as we'd performed with the Cleveland POPS at a New Years Eve concert in 2006; the night before the Rose Bowl Parade celebrated Star Wars' 30th anniversary.  However, this was a new experience for most of our group; many of them had never even been inside Severance Hall before!  The Hall opened back in 1931 and was completely restored just over ten years ago.  When you walk into Severance Hall, you feel like you're walking back in time -- or just landed on Naboo.

Padme and Snipe

Before the show, Great Lakes Base and Ohio Garrison -- with troopers visiting from Great Lakes Garrison -- and Mando Mercs "invaded" the lobby at Severance Hall with 24 characters available for photos with concert guest.  Tonight's concert also hosted a collection drive for Harvest For Hunger.  Once the concert started, we had some downtime for our guys to practice their lightsaber routines and other on-stage performances -- because the Star Wars music wasn't until after intermission. 

If you know anything about BrianKenobi, you know that he's DREAMED of performing a three character lightsaber battle to "Duel of the Fates" from The Phantom Menace  for as long as anyone can remember.  The last time it was attempted, the guy playing Darth Maul hit his knee during rehearsal; and Brian has never had a chance to put the trio back together.  So when the Cleveland POPS added this song to the playlist, this was a chance at some personal redemption.  However, both qui-gon32 and Darth Maul live in Michigan... so HOW do you prepare for something like this?

Since qui-gon32 has just recently joined the "All Wings Report In!" blog team, I'm going to let Paul tell the rest of this story.. because for these three guys, "Duel of the Fates" was an experience of a lifetime!

Next up was something Carl Topilow (conductor of the Cleveland POPS) has wanted us to attempt -- going all the way back to the New Years Eve 2006 concert -- play "Yoda's theme" with a life-sized Yoda on stage!  Now, bear in mind, we get asked "where's Yoda?" ALL THE TIME when we troop at public events -- everyone loves Yoda!  The problem is that it's next to impossible to find a child who is willing to get dressed up... wear a rubber mask... AND walk across the stage -- on front of thousands of people.  Then you gotta hope they don't get hurt, or run off like in those "America Funniest Home Video - weddings gone WRONG" moments.  If I sound a little neurotic even talking about it -- after the fact -- imagine what was going on in my head as I opened the door for our little Jedi Master to make her way across the stage.  In fact, our little Yoda performed beautifully -- she stole the show!

Carl Topilow awarded a medal

If one dueling sequence wasn't enough for you, the POPS came right back with "Battle of the Heroes."  This time, Darth Vader #1 (yes, we had TWO of them -- more on that later) squared off against Jaster in a not quite literal interpretation of the climactic scene from Revenge of the Sith.  And there is no better way to end an evening but with the Rebel Legion's John Williams favorite on-stage performance "Throne Room" ending from Star Wars: A New Hope.  This is a chance for all the Rebels, Jedi Knights and Senators to take one last bow; darthmitsy presented Carl Topilow with the ceremonial medal (sorry Chewbacca) and we wished everyone a good night!

But then... the Empire showed up! *dramatic music*

C3P0 and Super-Carl!

Actually, we knew going in that the 501st would get their turn to take over the stage as "Imperial March" was one of the encores -- not listed on the program.  In what has become something of a concert tradition, Darth Vader #2 (SL-9134) from Ohio Garrison and his troopers assumed control of the Cleveland POPS Orchestra and lead them in the playing of his signature theme.  However, Carl Topilow had a surprise for the Sith Lord -- as he changed into a Superman costume (backstage) and chased away the Empire... leading into the theme from Superman: the movie.  Finally, charkboy's C3P0 delivered Topilow's reb/blue clarinet -- which ended the evening in a fun rendition of the Cantina Band -- as all the characters got fans on their feet and dancing in the aisles.

Cleveland POPS - John Williams tribute concert "Mission Photos"

Overall, the evening was a HUGE success -- and we'd like to thank Cleveland POPS for inviting us!

Some things are (still) worth putting a Galactic Civil War on hold for!

As I was checking Facebook this morning, I came across a photo posted by the 501st -- where members Star Garrison served as an honor guard at the funeral of a Make-A-Wish boy named Parker -- who they'd recently help grant his "wish" before his passing.

Originally, I had no intent of archiving any of my posts from that old blog, but there was one in particular that hit a nerve for me -- and I felt was my best work to date.  The following is a reposting from "Shadow 12 Standing By!" blog (dated Aug. 27, 2010) -- dedicated to the guys from Star Garrison -- about the TOUGHEST assignment any of us can take on!

Some things are worth putting a Galactic Civil War on hold for!

That's what I told one of Sam Bish's relatives when she commented on the diversity of the Great Lakes Base, Mando Mercs and Ohio Garrison members in attendance at Sam Bish's wake last night.

For those of you who remember my last blog posting -- we had recently surprised Sam at a private screening of Revenge of the Sith along with members of Sam's family and friends.  Sam's courageous battle with Osteosarcoma ended last weekend.  According to everyone I've talked with, Sam's favorite thing in the world was Star Wars... which means he's not much different then any of us!  Last night, the Bish family celebrated Sam's life at Schoedinger Funeral Home.

At the request of the family, several of our members showing up in full costume as we shared our sympathies with his parents (Michael and Cindy) and everyone who knew and loved Sam.  This was an emotional time for all of us who knew Sam.  And while nearly everyone from previous visits was back for the memorial service -- along with some new faces -- for some the pain was just too much to bear. That is in NO way a reflection on their love for Sam or dedication to their respective groups; this is the TOUGHEST assignment groups like our's can take on.

I introduced Sam's parents to the man who built their son's lightsaber -- and they explained how it was Sam's most prized possession, whose blade glowed almost as brightly as Sam's smile when he received it.  This brief exchange was a welcomed moment of relief during a time of great sadness.  Another guy who showed his love for Sam (in a personal way) was GLB's newest recruit -- Grumpy.  Within hours of learning about Sam's passing, Matt got to work on special "SB" black armbands for all the costumed characters to wear at Sam's memorial.  He even made special armbands for Sam's parents and his two sisters -- Aubrey and Caitlen.  Later, I learned that Matt had carved the initials "SB" in Aurebesh (the writing of the SW universe) into his clonetrooper armor as a permanent memorial to Sam. 

Very "Mando" if you ask me... nice job ner vod!

Then the time came for us to pay our final respects at Sam's casket.  Our jedi members of the honor guard entered, hoods up -- which is customary for jedi at such a sad occasion.  As the lone member of Shadow Squadron, I found myself tapping on the lid of Sam's casket as if saying: "Shadow One is four green and ready to fly!"  When it came to the 501st, each of the troopers removed their helmets as they passed the casket and took turns sharing their sympathies with Sam's parents.  There was no hiding the tears for many of us -- and that's ok, because some things are worth putting a Galactic Civil War on hold for!

Later I got into a conversation with Sam's aunt.  She'd stopped us on the way in to thank us all for coming and for becoming so close to Sam in his final days.  She'd mentioned that she was nervous about speaking at the funeral service (today) and didn't know what to say until she came across something about an "Odan-Urr" Jedi mantra? Once she read about this her response was, "That's Sam!" 

Now as the reigning local KING of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit, I'll admit: I had NO idea who/what the hell Odan-Urr was (thank you Wookiepedia) until she repeated part of it for me: 

There is no emotion, there is peace. 

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. 

There is no passion, there is serenity. 

(There is no chaos, there is harmony.)

There is no death, there is the Force.

Apparently, I've been repeating the "Odan-Urr" while running on the treadmill for years... and didn't know it? 

And she was right -- this was what Sam was all about. I handed her my "SB" armband and said, "I've got something to remind me of Sam every time I troop an event," pointing to my Shadow Squadron patch on my shoulder.  During our last visit, Sam was made a member of Shadow Squadron (call sign = Shadow One) and given his own squadron patch.  If the fact that my squadron patch is NEVER coming off -- because it reminds me of Sam -- results in that I'll never be approvable for some high-profile LFL event for Rebel Legion... oh well!  Some things are worth putting a galactic civil war on hold for.

If this whole experience has taught me anything, it can all be summed up with, "some things are worth putting a galactic civil war on hold for."  It's how you try and provide comfort to parents (including two GREAT Grandparents) at the lose of their child, it's how you befriend an amazing woman who's compassion for others can't be drowned out by tears, it's how you realize that we (as Star Wars fans -- or just as people) find the stupidest reasons to divide ourselves into opposing factions: 501st, Rebel Legion, Fanforce, Mando Mercs, Jedi Assembly... it's all the same! Our strengths are when we stand together as one community, one family!

"Some things are worth putting a Galactic Civil War on hold for!"

Friend of the Legion's Unexpected Destiny

by: Zrissa

What if...

You were just checking your email--like you do several times a day--and there's one from an online acquaintance.  You open it and it says something like this--

"Want to work on a licensed Star Wars project?"

We'd all LOVE to get that email.

Nah, never happen, not outside our dreams.   Except that is how Jonathan Stevens became a freelance game developer.  Like me and my family, Jon loves Star Wars and loves roleplaying games (RPGs).  He's played a lot of them, including all 4 versions of the Star Wars RPG.   RPG players often make up their own unofficial rules, adventures, characters, creatures and so on, all of which Jon does well.  He's created several downloadable sets of these over the years.  The latest is the well-received  "Donovan Morningfire's Big List of Star Wars Saga Edition NPCs"  (Disclosure:  Zrissa is the proofreader/beta reader/editor on this and most of his other unofficial projects.)

Which is perhaps why he got that email from Wizards of the Coast's Rodney Thompson--who started out as a fan running a site Jon frequented--offering him a gig writing for an upcoming Star Wars RPG sourcebook, Galaxy at War (2009) and followed up by The Unknown Regions (2010).    My family still remembers getting an excited call from Jon about this Star Wars gig he couldn't -- and didn't -- tell us anything about, not for months and months, until just before each sourcebook was released.
Jon also accomplished one very cool thing in The Unknown Regions -- he got a fanon creation promoted to canon.

What's "fanon"? All of us in the RL are familiar with Star Wars canon: all the official Star Wars elements from movies, TV and the Expanded Universe.  Fanon are characters, events, and so on created by fans.  It's very rare for fanon to be incorporated into Star Wars canon.  Probably the most well-known example is our sister organization, the 501st, "canonized" first by Timothy Zahn in "Survivor's Quest" and later in Revenge of the Sith.

In addition to writing game mechanics for The Unknown Regions, the developers created worlds complete with brief histories, ecologies, and histories, plus adventures set on those worlds.  Jon's favorite personal player character for Star Wars RPGs is Donovan Morningfire, a Jedi of the Prequel/Clone Wars and Rebellion times.  (The name is also Jon's online presence.)  While working on the planet O'Reen, Jon included a few lines about Jedi General Morningfire and his commandos defeating the planet's leader during a confrontation.   It made it past Wizards' and Lucasfilm Licensing's reviews and into print, thus canon.   Wow!

Jon lives in the Capital Area of New York state and posts on several websites, devoted to games and geekery -- most notably http://www.d20radio.com as, of course, Donovan Morningfire.  His blog is at http://jedimorningfire.blogspot.com/ and you can follow him on Twitter @donovan421

Jon Stevens joins the Rebel Legion*

Wookieecookiee from Dagobah Base and I inducted Jon as a Friend of the Rebel Legion on March 17, 2012 at AllCon in Dallas, Texas.  Aldaraan Base XO Clone Commander Fil (a friend of ours through D20 Radio) and my husband, Lon Mark,  were also co-sponsors.

* Photo Courtesy of Wookieecookiee and TR-5932

Mansfield Library

When you've been around the world of Star Wars costuming for as long as I have, you start to look for things at each venue that makes them unique/special in comparison to all the others.

GLB, OG and Mercs at Mansfield Library

So this past weekend, Great Lakes Base, Mando Mercs and Ohio Garrison were invited to the Mansfield Richland County Public Library as part of their "Star Wars Extravaganza" event.  On the surface, the mission sounds easy enough: we get dressed up, stand for a few pictures as kids as they play Star Wars-themed games the local library staff have come up with to spark interest in children reading more - Star Wars related or otherwise.  Last year, we trooped at 15 individual events (just in Ohio) at pubic libraries... so you'd assume these types of events would have become fairly routine?


The truth is, what makes each one of them unique and special isn't the "Star Wars characters" we volunteer our time providing, but the people who make those libraries part of their local community!  We have NEVER visited Mansfield before, and it showed in the looks on the faces of every kid (and even the parents) as they battled each other with balloon "lightsabers",  or playing "Trooper Bowling" (my favorite) and taking part in the Star Wars "scavenger hunt" throughout the library.

You can view pictures from all our adventures from the various "Jedi Archives" across Ohio (including some - courtesy of Mansfield Richland County Public Library)

Hockey, Hospitals and the luck of the Irish!

by: Lumpy (Michigan Captain)

On Saturday, March 10th, members of the Great Lakes Base and Great Lakes Garrison paid a visit to CS Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The troops were escorted around several different floors of the hospital and to say we were well received would be an understatement.  One of the "more experienced" hospital workers told us that in the 30 years she has been working at the hospital, she has NEVER seen a reaction from the patients like we recieved: not the Red Wings, Lions, or Tigers players that visit -not Pistons legend Isaiah Thomas - NOT EVEN SANTA CLAUSE!!!!

You can learn more about CS Mott Children's Hospital by visiting http://www.mottchildren.org/

Photo courtesy of Chris Blackstock

Later that same day, many of the troopers and rebels from the hospital visit made their way over to the Ann Arbor Ice Cube where they were joined by a few more members for "Star Wars Night" with the USA Hockey National Development Team.  While there, we helped sell commemorative patches and lightsabers with all the proceeds being donated to the hospital we visited earlier that afternoon.

USA Hockey game "Mission Photos"

Photo courtesy of Chris Blackstock

The weekend was completed with the Great Lakes Base tradition of marching through downtown Detroit as part of the Corktown St. Patrick's Day Parade.  This is one of the longest standing events in the area (with participation dating back to 2005) and we are definitely a crowd favorite each and every year!

Corktown St. Patrick's Day "Mission Photos"

All in all, it was a tremendous weekend for the Michigan contingent of the Great Lakes Base.

Grand Rapids Griffins

In what has become something of a tradition in western Michigan, The Grand Rapids Griffins welcomed Great Lakes Base and Great Lakes Garrison for their sixth annual "Star Wars Night" promotion.  As the fans walked into Van Andel Arena, they would find themselves surrounded by over 40 Star Wars characters!!! 

Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Garrison

The Grand Rapids Griffins hosted The Oklahoma City Barons in a game that had playoff implications in the AHL (American Hockey League) standings.  The Griffins' Gustav Nyquist scored a pair of goals and Ty Conklin made 30 saves as the Griffins won 4-3 in a overtime "shootout."

Meanwhile, Great Lakes Base, Great Lakes Garrison and Mando Mercs were helping raise money for The Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation with everything from photo booths, custom "Star Wars Night" Griffins team merchandise and plenty of Star Wars-themed fun for hockey fans to take part in.  By the end of the night, we helped raise $5,087 for the Foundation.


Grand Rapids Griffins "Star Wars Night" Mission Photos

The Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation was established in 1995 to expand the opportunities for participation in ice skating and related sports and activities, and to encourage academic excellence, community involvement and healthy lifestyles among the youth of West Michigan. 

Detroit Piston - Star Wars in 3D

Over the last few weeks, "All Wings Report In!" has been bringing you mission reports from across the world.  We bring this TPM in 3D tour back home to Michigan - where Great Lakes Base and Great Lakes Garrison was one of the most active regions in terms of the number of TPM in 3D event.  "All Wings Report In!" would like to thank Mike Lica (PR Officer - Great Lakes Garrison) for contributing to this blog post.

Photo courtesy of Mike Lica

Several members from both groups woke up early in the morning for a promotional visit to local Detroit radio station 96.3 WDVD for the "Blaine and Allyson in the Morning" show.
During the on-air interview, Blaine and Allyson asked us about upcoming events planed for the opening weekend of TPM in 3D theatrical release.  Afterwards, everyone wanted to get their picture taken with Chewbacca, Darth Vader and the other characters. You can listen to the interview on "Blain and Allyson Show" 96.3 WDVD

Later that evening, The Detroit Pistons hosted a "Star Wars Night" promotion with Lucasfilm.  In addition to a few characters provided by Lucasfilm, the local Rebel Legion and 501st had combined for over 25 characters, plus 2 droids to interact with fans.  The Pistons also had a number of surprises for their fans: handing out EXCLUSIVE limited-edition (individually numbered) posters to the first 10,000 fans, showed an exclusive video at halftime (with never before seen images) plus including several of our members to enhance pregame, the halftime show, and during several timeouts throughout the game.

GLB and GLG at Detroit Pistons

You can watch Pregame footage on YouTube 
Detroit Pistons TPM in 3D promo "Mission Photos".

The rest of TPM in 3D weekend, Great Lakes base partnered with Great Lakes Garrison at movie theaters across the state: Westland, Grand Blanc, Grand Rapids, and Lansing.  Some of the theaters chose to promote various fundraisers, as well for charities such as: The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald House and March of Dimes; with slmost $1700.00 was raised over the weekend.

Great Lakes Base "Mission Photos" - TPM in 3D opening weekend