Madison Scouts Alumni Association
Never walking alone since 1938
The Madison Scouts have been working diligently to clean MadiSpin, a show that has received quite favorable responses from audiences across the Tour. We're proud to provide the audience with a program that they respond so strongly to, and are doing everything in our power to maximize its potential as we head into the DCI World Championships in Indianapolis next week.
July was an active month for alumni participation in performances at the Cedarburg Parade and both Madison Scouts DCI shows. We also held a reunion recognizing the 20th anniversary of the MSARP performance in 2006. The release of a new future performance in Ireland was also announced at the beginning of the Drums on Parade weekend.
The 5th Annual Brisket Dinner was another tremendous success for the MSAA and the corps. This year, we prepared and served more than 100 pounds of smoked brisket along with 220 sausage links. To complete a true Texas barbecue experience, the meal also included potato salad and homestyle barbecue baked beans.
For many members, it was their first experience enjoying authentic Texas barbecue, while for those who call Texas home, the meal was a welcome reminder of home. The excitement from this unique meal, which only our alumni base can provide, carried into the next day as the corps delivered an outstanding performance at the San Antonio Regional.
The corps section leadership moved into Madison on May 18th, and spent the week in sessions at the MYArts Center with Mark Waymire (Program Coordinator), Sean Phelan (Staff), and Donnie Ross (Perc. Caption Head). Content was primarily centered around the concepts of excellence, engagement, and accountability. The leadership team also spent time doing community service by cleaning McPike & James Madison Park(s) -- with the underlying messages being -- 'leave it better than you found it' and to see themselves as stewards of something much bigger than themselves.
The Percussion & Color Guard moved into Greenfield HS (Milwaukee area) on May 22. They rehearsed at Alumnus, Pastor Nathan Pratt's (2010-12) church (Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church) in Racine on May 25, before making their way to Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam for rehearsal on the 26th.
The brass moved in on May 27th. At the time of this writing on May 31st we're preparing for our first full ensemble rehearsal of Part 1.
Here we are, on the cusp of another summer of drum corps, offering another opportunity for each of us to reflect on our past marching experiences. Especially for those of us who were fortunate to hear ourselves introduced before each of our season's performances, it's still as clear as the day in our memory, "On the starting line... From Madison, Wisconsin... The Madison Scouts!" It might have been only a few years ago, but for others, it's been many decades. It's our common bond.
Yes, evolution is constant change, and the times are different in many ways; however, the joy is knowing that there are legacy members throughout the activity, and especially in our corps, who are ever-present. We just are not aware of them.
As summer quickly approaches, we are just days away from the 2026 Madison Scouts beginning move-ins in preparation for the 2026 Drum Corps International Summer Tour.
With the season almost underway, the Madison Scouts Alumni Association is excited to once again host one of our favorite tour traditions: the Texas Brisket Dinner on Friday, July 17, in Lockhart—proudly known as the Barbecue Capital of Texas.
We are looking for extra help in:
Sam RecordsBefore you know it, the 2026 DCI season will be here! It’s shaping up to be a fantastic summer for Madison Scouts alumni to reconnect and support the corps.
We’re ready to announce the MSAA’s schedule for the summer. Let’s take a look at what’s ahead:
New this year! Alumni are invited to join the Madison Scouts in Cedarburg, WI for the annual Fourth of July Parade. March alongside the corps in a high-energy crowd event, very much in the spirit of what we experienced at Mardi Gras!
Following the parade, alumni will gather at Fireman’s Park to rehydrate and cheer on the corps during a standstill performance. Afterward, we’ll return to Cedarburg High School to sing Never Walk Alone together and enjoy the traditional Piggly Wiggly meal.
Registration details will be coming very soon.
The Madison Scouts, a program of Forward Performing Arts, is pleased to announce a $50,000 annual scholarship program in honor of its founder and long-time director, C.H. Beebe. The C.H. Beebe Scholarship Fund will be available to students of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps and provided through a needs-based application process.
