On this page, you can learn about the creation of Bandstand and how the development of Bandstand was aided by a partnership with the Veteran organization Got Your 6.
The Creation of Bandstand with Got Your 6
Seen Left to Right: Director/choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, composer Richard Oberacker, and lyricist/librettist Robert Taylor
The Beginnings of Bandstand
The production was workshopped in September 2014 before moving to open at the Paper Mill Playhouse in October 2015 with a limited run. In addition to the team pictured above the show had other big names attached to it such as the stars Corey Cott, Laura Osnes, and Beth Leaval.
Later the musical premiered on Broadway in April 2017 retaining its star leads from the first production. The show closed on Broadway in September 2017. In June 2018 a professional recording of the production was screened in movie theaters and has been reshown a few times since. The show started a U.S. tour in October 2019 which was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is Got Your 6?
A national network of veteran service providers, managed by the Bob Woodruff Foundation (which acquired the nonprofit in 2018 and relaunched the brand in 2020). They have led many collaborative community-based initiatives with various organizations looking to positively impact veteran lives. The organization and its partners work to combat food insecurity, job insecurity, mental and physical health issues, and more.
What does Got Your 6 mean?
"Got Your 6" is a military saying meaning "we've got your back". The phrase was coined in WWI by fighter pilots referencing the rear of the plane at the six o'clock position. It now is a more general term for the loyalty found in the military community.
The Got Your 6 involvement in Bandstand
Got your 6 led multiple engagements with the Bandstand team to ensure the show's narrative was informed by real veteran stories. The group kept an open dialogue between real veterans and the actors so they could add a real-world perspective to their performances. The organization also worked with the creators to ensure that the script and score highlighted and dramatized the lives of real people as opposed to stereotypes. This effort to use performing arts to tell compelling and truthful portraits of America's veterans has led to Bandstand becoming the first theater production to be "6 Certified"