Mr. Don P. Roberts, M.M.ED. served as the Executive Band Consultant for the Twentieth Century Fox hit movie, “Drumline.” He was responsible for training the actors, writing the precision drills, rehearsing the band, etc. As the chief band consultant, he played a vital role in the making of “Drumline” and its success. The movie received national and international acclaim. In 2003, it was nominated by the NAACP as “Most Outstanding Motion Picture.” It was also nominated for an “American Choreography Award” for outstanding achievement in a feature film. Most recently, Mr. Roberts was appointed as the Band Consultant for the 2017 Black Entertainment Television (BET) hit TV series, “THE QUAD,” and the Executive Band Consultant for the VH-1 and Fox Television Studios movie, “Drumline: A New Beat,” which is the long awaited sequel to “Drumline.” The movie premiered on VH-1 in October 2014 and was nominated for “Best Music Supervision” for Television, by the Guild of Music Supervisors.
Mr. Roberts’ theatrical experience includes a long and successful tenure as the Director, Playwright, and CEO of the critically acclaimed theatrical production, “DRUMLine Live,” which toured all across the U.S., Japan, and Korea from 2008-2017. The DRUMLine Live tour is managed by the Creative Booking Agency (CBA) and recently toured more than 40 cities across the US from January-April, 2017. As a director, musician, educator, consultant, and playwright, Mr. Roberts has worked extensively with some of the premiere theatrical and movie directors and producers in America. In 1996 he worked with Emmy Award winner Kenny Ortega in preparation for the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. Ortega is best known for directing “High School Musical,” “Hocus Pocus,” and the Michael Jackson movie, “This Is It” as well as choreographing “Dirty Dancing.” During the 1996 Olympics Mr. Roberts also worked with 15 time Emmy Award winning director and producer, Don Mischer. Mr. Mischer’s recent works include producing and/or directing the 83rd, 84th, and 85th Academy Awards. In addition to working with “Drumline” and “Drumline: A New Beat” Hollywood movie directors, Charles Stone and Billie Woodruff, Mr. Roberts worked extensively with the Walt Disney Company’s, Marilyn Magness in preparation for the inaugural year of the theatrical production, DRUMLine Live (formerly Halftime Live).
Some of Mr. Roberts’ other accomplishments include a recent March 2016 performance for than 8000 Googlers at the Google (Engage) Worldwide Convention in Anaheim, California. He was also the Executive Band Consultant for the ESPNU television series, “The Battle,” (2010) which featured some of America’s best Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands. In 2009, Mr. Roberts served as the Musical Director and Executive Band Consultant for the “Black College Football Xperience” video game by Neriyzed Game Studios (bcfxgame.com). Mr. Roberts also choreographed the drills and routines for the popular Nature’s Own Whitewheat Bread commercial which featured marching bands and debuted during the 2005 Super Bowl. In 2005, Mr. Roberts also worked as the Executive Band Consultant on the Missy Elliot hit song, “Bad Man,” from her album, “The Cookbook.”
Don P. Roberts presently serves as the Music Coordinator for the DeKalb County School District in Metropolitan Atlanta, where he also served as former Director of Bands of Southwest DeKalb High School.
