Presenting their 2025 Program Title
Graphic designed by Annie Yantek
Rogues Hollow Regiment is pleased to present our 2025 show title “toXic”.
As we prepare to dive headfirst into our 10 year anniversary season, we have taken a huge step in our design process! To give some more information about the design process and steps that have been taken so far, we asked our Design Coordinator, Angelo Kortyka, to share some thoughts and his eXcitement for the show.
When you were first asked to be the Design Coordinator for RHR, what were some of your first thoughts when it came to the show?
I was honored to be able to work with the staff at RHR. Ephraim is a very talented arranger, John Max has a TON of experience writing beats and shows, Carl is an experienced judge and drill designer, Sean has his own drill writing chops and visual design expertise, and Dietra brings innovation and fun to our guard. I knew we would come up with something GREAT if we could get everyone to feel comfortable sharing and contributing to the process. With an idea from Eric, the Corps Director, to get the ball rolling, we met at the church and set our show in motion. We wanted to lean into our corps tradition of playing different kinds of popular music that you don’t usually see on the field, in addition to planning something with a little “darkness” to the theme. I think what we’ve come up with checks all those boxes and will serve as a great homage to our 10th anniversary as a corps.
It’s quite obvious that there is a very prominent letter in the show title, tell me more about why this is and the importance behind it?
As I mentioned above - the roman numeral X will be featured heavily in this year's show, because it is not only in the show title, but it is a nod to this season being RHR’s 10th season in eXistence!
What are some things you are excited about in regard to both the show and the 2025 season?
As Rogues Hollow continues to make a name for itself in Northeast Ohio and our region, we have continued to grow. One of the things I found interesting was the number of prospective members who cited our shows as a reason for expressing interest. I am so eXcited to see all of our future members and welcome back our returning members because I know that they will love performing this year’s show. I think it will turn some heads as we hit the DCI tour this summer and our members will be proud to be a part of it!
We also sat down with our Corps Director, Eric Bechter, to hear more about the 10th Anniversary and the history of the Corps
What was it like when you first started the corps?
Back in 2015 when we started the corps, it was hard to see what I was striving to create. I had to sell the idea to two of my closest friends, Steve Pfeiffer and Patrick Brubaker. After being told that I was crazy, they decided to jump on board to help make this vision of a drum and bugle corps become a reality. With the help of David Triner and a few other dedicated founding members, we worked behind the scenes to start our new nonprofit. Once our ducks got in order, we recruited a few friends and family and drove to Indianapolis for our first ever performance in DCI Soundsport.
It is very clear that we have made significant growth as a corps since 2015, with that being said, what were some of the challenges, issues, and successes you and the corps may have run into in the last 10 years?
Challenges and successes go hand in hand at RHR. For every time we got knocked down in the dirt, standing back up 100% leads to our success. Some of the more challenging things as we grew were feeding the corps, transportation of both equipment and members, and building the drum corps culture we want to provide our members. From staff to volunteers, everyone has to buy into the idea that RHR is going to become a home grown world class drum corps and that their part is crucial to our success.
A few memorable challenging moments would definitely include our first RHR camp. Nobody came. It was just Steve, Patrick, and I looking at each other wondering if this drum corps thing was going to work. A more recent challenge was during this past season. On our way to DCI Rochester, our little red bus, also known as “Little Red”, brokedown on the way to the show the day before. We had to put people up in a hotel, arrange different transportation, and get our equipment to the show. It was a nightmare. But with a little teamwork, and Steve getting a few more gray hairs, we all made it to the show and had a successful fun time.
We have had lots of success on the competition field including DCI Soundsport Championships, and two DCA Class A Championships. These are a direct result of the success we have had with our staff. They are our biggest success. Our staff have been invested in the growth of RHR and building our culture, and without them buying in, we would not be what we are today.
What are some things that you are excited about when it comes to both the 2025 season and the 10 year anniversary?
The eXcitement for 2025 is real. After the first year of DCI All Age, RHR has positioned itself to be the premier marching arts ensemble in the DCI All Age Circuit. Our staff learned a lot last season and we have added a few great minds to help us with our progress. Our 2025 production will be one of the most entertaining shows we have performed to date.
