U.S. Army Soldier Show hits Wiregrass

By Jim Hughes, Command Information OfficerOctober 27, 2011

U.S. Army Soldier Show hits Wiregrass
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RUCKER, Ala. (October 27, 2011) -- The Wiregrass community will get to experience firsthand that Soldiers in the U.S. Army have talents beyond making them the finest fighting force in the world as the 2011 U.S. Army Soldier Show comes to town.

The show will take place Nov. 5 at the Enterprise High School Auditorium from 7-8:30 p.m. and again Nov. 6 in the same location from 2:30-4 p.m., said Janice Erdlitz, Fort Rucker Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation marketing director.

The event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required, she added of the events sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union, and the Army's G-1 Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention program.

"The U.S. Army Soldier Show is a Broadway musical-style program that can entertain the entire Family, regardless of age," said Erdlitz. "With the high energy performances by Soldiers that will be sure to please, the show is one of our many free events that we're proud to offer to our Soldiers, Families and community.

"It is one of the must-see events we tell people they should experience during their visit to a military installation," she added. "And this year, we're bringing it off post, which should be a wonderful experience to local community members who have never come on post to experience a Soldier Show."

The carnival concept of the 2011 U.S. Army Soldier Show will take audiences on a globe-spanning journey to more fun-filled venues in 90 minutes than some folks experience in a lifetime, said Tim Hipps, FMWR Command public affairs specialist. From a boardwalk to a fun house to a circus to a county fair to a time machine, Soldier-entertainers will take their guests on a song and dance tour of carnivals across America and beyond.

"It's an opportunity to actually take the audience on a journey with us," Soldier Show director Victor Hurtado said. "And not just to the continental United States -- we have a great international scene."

Africa, Samoa, Latin America, Nepal, with influences from India, Thailand and China are represented in the song-and-dance extravaganza that plays to the strengths of cast members from several countries. Each international scene will feature authentic music from that locale, Hipps added.

This Soldier Show cast features strong instrumentalists on the violin, drums, guitar, keyboards and bass who will keep the performers on the move as they dance from scene to scene. One central character will help keep the show moving by introducing each scene, he said.

"There are a lot of dancers, a lot of movement in the show," Hurtado said. "But there some great voices as well. And some great stage presence. We have some great rapper and spoken-word guys, so we have quite a bit of that driving the show."

Patriotism is woven throughout the show that does not so much resemble a military production.

"With MWR, we're in the business of taking Families and Soldiers away from the trials and tribulations of what they're going through, so I think this will definitely inspire the patriotism, but really help you escape and take you to places you wouldn't go all in one day," Hurtado said. "You wouldn't go to the circus, a boardwalk, a country fair, a fun house -- in four different areas of the world --all in one day. You could never physically do that, but you're going to be able to do that at this show."

And it doesn't matter which show people attend, Erdlitz added.

"The Saturday night show will be the command performance show; however, both shows will be the same outstanding performance," she said. "And, believe it or not, we have a lot of people come to both shows. There is always so much going on that people love to come back and watch it again."

Food and drinks are not allowed in the auditorium, Erdlitz said.

"The U.S. Army Soldier Show is just an amazing show. We have such talented members of our armed forces," she said. "I think bringing the show to Enterprise this year is such a powerful message of our community partnerships. I truly hope our local community takes part in this wonderful performance.

"Bring the Family and enjoy the show. With the show (taking place at) the Enterprise High School Performing Arts Center, there should be plenty of room. It almost doubles the amount of space we have on post at the theater where we normally host the show," she said. "The Enterprise School has amazing acoustics, so the sound is just amazing."

"Entertainment for the Soldier, by the Soldier" is the working motto of the Army Entertainment Division, which launched its 2011 campaign of 106-performance Soldier Show tours from Fort Belvoir, Va., in April to eventually encompass 61 installations, garrisons and other venues around the United States, Germany and Korea.

The 2011 U.S. Army Soldier Show's eight-month tour will conclude Dec. 10 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.