ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Army News Service, Jan. 5, 2006) - The U.S. Army Soldier Show seeks musicians for its 2007 tour.
Soldiers who play the guitar, bass, keyboard or drums have until Jan. 18 to apply for an audition. Those selected to be cast in the show must be released by their commander for a six-month tour of entertaining troops and their families.
"A live rhythm section is going to bring a different kind of energy and really change the feel of the show," said Soldier Show Director Victor Hurtado. "When you have a live person behind one more element of the show, it's going to give it that much more energy. When the vocalists know they have these musicians putting that power behind them, they're going to come out swinging.
"We want to rock," Hurtado continued. "We want to have that energy, and I think this will do it."
Application packets must include:
Aca,!Ac A copy of enlisted records brief or officer records brief;
Aca,!Ac A copy of the most recent noncommissioned officer evaluation;
Aca,!Ac A copy of the most recent Army Physical Fitness Training, including height and weight;
Aca,!Ac Most recent Department of Army photo;
Aca,!Ac A resume of relevant experience with a phone number and e-mail address;
Aca,!Ac An audition video; and
Aca,!Ac A commander's letter of intent to release.
Applicants' military occupational specialty does not need to be musician, but applicants must be proficient in reading basic lead sheets or chord charts. Audition videos must include a recording of a solo performance, which can be supplemented with a recording of an ensemble or band.
Singing ability is desired but not required, and additional talents will be evaluated in conjunction with proficiency on the primary instrument, including singing, playing of multiple instruments and dancing.
The Army Entertainment Division's panel of judges will select Soldier-musicians for live auditions based on the videos and application packets.
Application packets mailed from a U.S. Post Office mailbox or facility should be sent to: United States Army Soldier Show, Attn: 2006 Selection Committee, P.O. Box 439, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060. Via other carriers: United States Army Soldier Show, Attn: 2006 Selection Committee, 6091 Sharon Lane, Bldg. 1434, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060.
The Soldier Show has always been a mix of song, dance and theatre, and Hurtado has often taken advantage of vocalists who double as musicians. Spc. Elisabeth Graham of Fort Jackson, S.C., played the violin last year during several songs, including "The Devil Goes Down To Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band and "Boondocks" by Little Big Town.
The 2006 show also featured the trombone of multi-talented Staff Sgt. Samuel Hesch, an Army National Guardsman from Pearl City, Hawaii. A year earlier, Spc. David Linson II brought his saxophone from Camp Carroll, Korea, to the Soldier Show.
Now Hurtado is looking to add more talented musicians, preferably a few who can double as dancers or vocalists.
"We just want more of a concert feel for the show," he said. "We want to come out of the box and move onto a little bit of a different paradigm - to more of a concert-feel of the production. It really is about the mix of the talent. And we want to go all the way live."
For more details, contact Hurtado at Victor.Hurtado@cfsc.army.mil.
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