Doorway Salutes and Its Tribute to the USO
Bryce Collins
Spring is always such a fascinating time, as surprises are hidden on each of its garden paths: it’s a time of new beginnings, renewal, and rebirth (including the resurgence of my seasonal allergies due to that darn pollen…but I digress…). With junior year coming to a close and finalizing my senior plans at ODU, I couldn’t wait any longer for the much-needed decompression of the summertime. As everything was going steady in the world of academia, the artist within me felt it was time to explore new opportunities in the Hampton Roads theatre community.
It was March 22nd, 2024, on a Friday afternoon, when I decided to text my friend, Kat, about The Doorway Singers. Kat and some other friends I’ve done shows with at the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach had been singing in the group for a couple of years now, and I was wondering if they were still looking for basses. The outstanding reputation of Doorway’s Victorian-era Christmas caroling was so enchanting to me, and I hoped that one day I’d be doing that myself.
Kat replied by sharing the contact info of their business manager, Dan McGary, and said he’d love to chat and hold an audition for me later that night. When I arrived at Dan’s house, I walked to the backyard to meet him and the other members. The first thing I noticed was the spacious patio deck, where every beam was decorated with warm garden bulbs. Everyone was warming up for what would be a rehearsal for the Doorway Salutes show. For my audition, I participated in the standard musical audition, which included singing scales and sight reading. Two days later, I received an email saying, “Hey there! You are IN! Welcome to Doorway!”
Now, as we fast forward today, I’m in my second year with the Doorway Singers as a Bass. Out of the three summer programs we provide, Doorway Salutes was my first and remains my favorite program to learn and perform. When it comes to Salutes, there is a reason of sentimental reflection as to why it’s our most booked show in the summer. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, so I’d like to reflect on the program that celebrates the patriotic contributions of the United Service Organization (USO) and, of course, the United States Military.
Performance for the Battleship Wisconsin Reunion on September 21, 2024
This blog will be the first in our Doorway History series, where we explore the history of our sets, rehearsal processes, and the historical context of the music in its derivative time and its continuing artistic legacy. It will be a two-part blog, where in the first part, I’ll discuss the creation process of Salutes and share personal stories of performing Salutes gigs. In the second part, I’ll take the time to analyze and research the historical background of our show, exploring its connections to American history and the impactful work of the USO.
The origins of our Doorway Salutes set go back to 2019. The show was created by a committee, consisting of Dan McGary and a couple of our former members, including Laura Oliver and former music director Gavin Harper. According to Dan, who is also the director of our programs, Salutes was loosely based on a former Americana-themed Doorway show called Liberty Call. When asking Laura about the song selection process, she explained that “I just love 50s and 60s-era music, and I realized the amount of fun that people have when listening and dancing to the music from those decades.” To make it easier for new members to learn the material, Laura thought she’d not only introduce new music but also include songs from our other sets, including our popular Swing & Jazz set.
Dan and Laura had both mentioned that the show was modified in a couple of significant ways, specifically the introduction of speaking lines in between the music. Salutes is an hour-long show, so the committee had to accommodate that time length by curating when performers would speak and introduce the songs. Before Doorway Salutes, our other programs, such as Swing & Jazz and Golden Oldies, were sung straight through and didn’t have lines for performers to memorize. Now, all of our programs have been redesigned as proper stage shows, featuring lines between songs to provide our audiences with more context and interaction with the performers. Not only did the music and dialogue have to capture the historical and cultural accuracy of the time, but the choreography as well. “Each era needed to have its own distinct feel, sound, and look,” Dan said when he first worked with our choreographer, Brittany Agrillo. In parts of their research, Dan and two of our current members, Leanna Caplan (Alto) and Andrew Dulce (Bass), embarked on different cruises to observe the entertainment and interview its staff about the production process, which included elements such as rehearsal work, storytelling, and character concepts.
Most of my Salutes gigs took place at the Military Stage on 25th Street at the VB Oceanfront, USS Wisconsin, and the Military Aviation Museum. There was one memorable gig I had on September 27th, 2024, at the Aviation Museum that helped me fully realize the purpose and enjoyment of being a Doorway Singer and being an artist in general. First of all, if you haven’t visited the Military Aviation Museum, I wholeheartedly recommend that you check it out. You’ll be enjoying every nook and cranny the museum contains from the time you enter to the time you leave. From where I live, it’s about a half-hour trip, driving down the vast stretches of small businesses and Pungo farmland. Before you know it, the museum’s sign pops into thin air, directing you to take a right in 300 feet. When turning in, to your left is the first of the museum’s marvels, which is a free metal dinosaur park called “Jerrassic Park”. As you walk through this garden landscape, it truly feels as if you’re on set for one of the Jurassic Park films.
The inside of the museum is even more extraordinary, as the first floor features real airplanes and tanks on display. Additionally, they have two massive hangars that house numerous historical military aircraft. My group had its setup on the second floor, where it featured display cases of old aviator uniforms, communication technologies, and period airplane models. Next to where we were performing was an observatory area with a wide window, where you could see a warplane silently (and gloriously) resting on the runway. Our audience for the day was a tour group from South Carolina and Georgia, who were having a luncheon catered by Mission BBQ while touring the museum. At that time, Hurricane Helene was hitting the Southeastern part of the U.S. While Virginia was experiencing a sample of the outskirts, the Carolinas and Georgia were experiencing heavier damage. These folks were able to escape for a while, but they still had to worry about the state of their homes.
As the show progressed, the tour group was enjoying the experience more with every minute, every note, and every lyric. The sections of the Salutes set are divided by American-involved wars and peacetime. During our “Surf’s Up Medley”, which consisted of songs by The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean, many of the folks were singing along. There was one boy who had Down’s syndrome who started dancing and gliding around like an airplane, and it just warmed my heart up while singing “Surf City”. At the end of Salutes, we perform our “Armed Forces Salute”, where we recognize each military branch with their anthems. Everyone was clapping along to the marching beat of each anthem, and the veterans present stood up alongside their respective branches.
I remember while we were singing The Marines’ Hymn, I made eye contact with an elderly Marine veteran who was bent over, holding a cane in his left hand, while giving a strong salute with his right hand. That one salute had power enough to bring me to tears, because he meant it. I could tell that he was so proud of serving his country, and that he was grateful to be alive and sit where he was at that moment, while being thanked for that very service. Once we finished, many of the folks came up to thank us for entertaining them. Some of the tourists were even moved to tears. One woman had a tissue in her hand, hugging each singer while repeatedly saying, “Thank you…Thank you…” Many of the older veterans, including the saluting veteran, shook our hands and conversed with us about what we do in Doorway and who in our family served. It was a remarkable experience I will never forget.
I was listening to The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM recently and heard Paul McCartney discuss his life as an artist. He spoke about how, though the pay was really nice, it never matched the pleasure he provided, not just for himself, but for the people he performed for. That’s what I feel is the true reward: the pleasure. As a performer, I love creating and performing art, and nothing is more rewarding than seeing someone enjoy and appreciate my work. Regardless of whether the gig is paid or volunteer, whenever I see someone being inspired, through a smile, dancing, sing-alongs, and a “Thank You”, I’d consider it “Mission: Accomplished” in my book.
You never know when someone is in need of uplifting inspiration, and it can be achieved through the power of music and art. That’s what we artists and performers do. During the Aviation Museum gig, the tour group was able to escape from the worries of Hurricane Helene for one hour through the power of music and nostalgia. Music helps us relive the best and the worst of our memories, even teaching us how to rise above the lows and live a better life for ourselves and our community.
Notice of Non-Affiliation and Disclaimer: This program is only a tribute to the USO. The Doorway Singers is an independent company. We are not associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with the USO or any of their affiliates or subsidiaries or any other company, agency, or government agency. The official website of the USO can be found here.