ROBERTSDALE, Ala. – Get out your dark sunglasses and black suits and get ready to hit it when the Robertsdale Golden Bear Marching Band takes the field for halftime festivities and competitions for the fall of 2011.

The band, this year under the direction of longtime assistant director Robin Isherwood, will take to the field this season with its Blues Brothers Rhythm and Blues Review, complete with Jake and Elwood and, hopefully, a miniature Blues Mobile.

“Our plan is to take a golf cart, cover the frame and paint it to look like the Blues Mobile,” said Isherwood of the old 70s police cruiser used by the lead characters of the popular 80s film.

The show will feature music and additional theatrics portrayed in the film. In addition to the Blues Mobile, Isherwood said, the show will end with the Blues Brothers running through a replica of the doors leading up to the Chicago Registrars office, which will be made atop the six-foot podium used by the drum majors.

It has been a massive undertaking to put together the show. Band camp began at RHS Aug. 1 with 150 members and will continue through Friday, Aug. 18. After classes began Monday, Aug. 15, the band will continue their preparations in preparation for Robertsdale’s first home football game Thursday, Aug. 25.

“If there’s anything harder than translating rock and roll music using marching band instruments it’s translating rhythm and blues music,” she said. “Our kids are working really hard and doing a great job pulling everything together in such a short time.”

While Robertsdale has a strong tradition and a precision marching band, Isherwood said, they have stepped up efforts to add a lot of theatrics into their routine, largely due to their upcoming participation in the Gator Bowl competition.

“We will be going up against a lot of bands known as Bands of America (or BOA) bands,” she said. “It’s kind of like the opera. You kind of get it and you kind of don’t. We’ll also be going up against some good show bands, like Williamson. We’re just trying to cover all of our bases.”

RHS will face some stiff competition, including the contest’s defending champion in an effort to win the right to participate in the Gator Bowl parade and halftime festivities in Tampa on Jan. 3. Winning the competition also comes with a $10,000 grand prize, Isherwood said.

The band will also be participating in the Mary G. Montgomery competition next month, then the County Band Jamboree, T.R. Miller competition in Brewton and the Deep South Marching Band competition in Theodore, a competition the band has made a tradition of winning, in October.

Isherwood and new assistant band director David Jordan are busy preparing this year’s band led by senior drum major Alex Wheeler and junior drum major Weesie Jeffords.

“My expectations for this year is to achieve all 1s,” Wheeler said, “all superior ratings.”

Jeffords said she is looking forward to realizing the potential of a talented group of incoming freshmen.

“We have a talented group coming up and I am looking forward to seeing all of our hard work and efforts pay off in the coming season,” she said.

The band will host its annual Play-A-Thon on Saturday, Sept. 17 and will perform its halftime show at 4:30 p.m. to allow for everyone to attend the Homecoming dance the same day.

The band will also perform during Christmas parades in Robertsdale, Loxley and Silverhill and will have its annual Christmas concert in the park after the Robertsdale parade. They will also host the Golden Bear Classic Indoor Drumline and Winter Guard Contest, tentatively set for Jan. 21, Isherwood said.