Members of the Wilmington Area High School Marching Band were excited to be part of the filming of "The West Wing" last month in Volant and then disappointed to learn they would be tied up with band business the night the show aired.

The band hosted the Lawrence County Band Show at Taggert Stadium in New Castle at 7 p.m. Wednesday. "The West Wing" season-opener began at 9 p.m., but that didn't give band members enough time to make it home for the show.

"I imagine there are going to be a couple VCR tapes running here in New Wilmington," band director Gary Taylor said Wednesday afternoon.

Taylor said the musicians were disappointed to learn they wouldn't be able to watch their television debut, but at the same time they were also excited to host the band show -- something Wilmington hasn't done in eight years.

Marcee Cunningham, junior drum major, said she learned the date of the premiere during the long, hot day of taping in August. She said she didn't think it was too big of a deal to miss watching the premiere as it aired.

Would she tape it?

"Oh yeah," she said. "My whole family's taping it, I think."

Linda Flynn's son, Chris, a junior is a drummer; her daughter Erica is a freshman on the silks dance line; and she is a band chaperone.

"They came home and went, 'You can't believe when it ("The West Wing") premieres,'" she said.

Mrs. Flynn said she "asked about 10 people" to tape the show because people seem to have problems programming their VCR, and she wanted to ensure her family got to see the show.

"I'm sure we'll be staying up late to watch it," Mrs. Flynn said.

Like many other band members, Elissa, Jack and Shayna Marti of New Wilmington were also planning to set their VCR. Elissa said she was "a little disappointed" to learn she would miss the premiere but she didn't worry too much because she knew she could tape it.

Taylor said the date for the band show was set last year, so there was no way to avoid the conflict.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharonherald.com