Local brothers chosen to march alongside George Lucas in the 2007 Rose Bowl Parade

When Lucasfilm put out the call for audition tapes of people dressed in full Stormtrooper regalia this summer – and wouldn’t say why – Brian and Alan Johnson didn’t hesitate.

Maybe they’d land in some TV spot. Or be part of a promo.

The reality is so much cooler.

The guys were picked to march in the 2007 Rose Bowl Parade’s “Star Wars Spectacular” on New Year’s Day. With George Lucas. While millions watch along the parade route in Pasadena, Calif., and on TV.

They leave for the six-day, all-expense-paid trip Dec. 27. It won’t be all fun and Star Wars games.

That confident, menacing Stormtrooper stride takes practice. The brothers and a fleet of 198 other die-hard fans from around the world are in for hours and days of work with a U.S. Army drill master.

They got the instructional videos in the mail this week – a taste of what’s ahead.

“I am looking forward to being a part of the 118 years of (Rose Bowl) tradition, marching as a character ‘feared around the galaxy’ for the last 30 years, an Imperial Stormtrooper, demonstrating ‘our good nature’ – ah, the irony,” said Alan.

Brian, 29, from Auburn, and Alan, 26, from Norway, have loved Star Wars movies and toys for years. The brothers have put hundreds of dollars into movie-accurate costumes with gloves, body suits, boots, helmets and blasters.

Until a few years ago, they were the only Maine members of the 501st Legion, a worldwide group of nearly 3,500 costumed Star Wars villains who get together for fun and charity events. Brian thought that distinction might have given them a leg up in the auditions.

Seven hundred 501st members sent audition tapes to Lucasfilm, marching straight, turning left, turning right. Ultimately, 200 were picked from 22 countries and 36 states.

Lucasfilm spokesman John Singh said it was Lucas’ idea to feature the members after seeing so many during world premiers of Episode III and being impressed. Troopers will get to meet Lucas during the trip.

The Johnsons only gave a fleeting thought to what might happen if one brother got picked and the other didn’t: “We didn’t want that tension between us,” Brian said.

Their tentative schedule: three days of marching practice in California from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., an all-day in-costume rehearsal on New Year’s Eve, then, on the parade morning, they’ve got to be dressed and ready at 3 a.m.

The parade starts at 8 a.m. Pacific time. The route lasts three hours and covers 5.5 miles.

Lucas is the parade’s grand marshal this year.

“I’m really excited. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Brian, conceding: “Being in costume that long is going to be murder on our bodies.”

He has this place behind his knee that starts to chafe when he walks too long, so he’s working on that.

The brothers are both computer specialists. Their wives and kids will stay home and record the parade – it’ll be on ABC, NBC and HGTV – and see if they can spot Brian and Alan in the black-and-white crowd.