Fort Belvoir, Va. (June 19, 2014) - The 2014 U.S. Army Soldier Show had its audience laughing, crying and cheering during the first performance Monday that was attended by dignitaries, Soldiers and Gold Star Families.
For four Army widows the show meant so much more as they supported each other through the, at times, solemn performance.
"Awesome. It was just amazing. It was emotional," said Lyn Regan.
During a tribute to Army widows that was set at Arlington National Cemetery, the four women held one another as the actors on stage depicted a funeral for a fallen Soldier. The piece ended with "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers.
"I liked 'Lean On Me,'" said Ruth Niboer. "It meant a lot."
Among the special guests were Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Raymond Odierno; Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler; Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management and commanding general of U.S. Army Installation Management Command Lt. Gen. David Halverson; and U.S. Army Installation Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Hartless.
The theme was "Stand Strong," which tackled sexual harassment, suicide, appropriate conduct in uniform and recovering from grief.
Halverson and Hartless welcomed the guests, and thanked the Gold Star Families who attended the show, before the performers took center stage. Halverson noted that there were congressional staffers in the audience and he hoped the performance would show those guests the strength of the Army.
"We have some great Soldiers and they're so happy to show you what they've got," Halverson said.
The show started off with a traditional, low-key version of the Star Spangled Banner by Sgt. Amy E. Hargis, which would be a recurring theme throughout. From there, it quickly turned into a fun-filled sing-a-long, when the group launched into a version of Lorde's "Royals" to educate the crowd on appropriate conduct in uniform.
The performers adapted several popular songs that encouraged Soldiers to be brave, strong and to support one another, including Sara Bareilles' "Brave" and Katy Perry's "Roar," which were mashed up.
A series of Skype calls between Solders abroad depicted how modern military Families communicate. A father was treated to his son and friends dancing to "Everything is Awesome," the theme from last summer's "Lego Movie." A working father-daughter duo spoke days before she came home from deployment, as they both finished a long day on the job; and an engaged couple gushed about their upcoming wedding upon his return from active-duty.
The performance turned solemn as the set changed to Arlington National Cemetery, where a widow was preparing for her husband's funeral while the man watched. She later accepts a folded American Flag, and as she leaves the cemetery, is asked by a Family member if she needs help or support. The actors took the moment from sad to supportive and had the audience clapping along to "Lean on Me."
A high point followed immediately after, as the Soldiers performed a drill and ceremony routine that culminated in acrobatics.
Another solemn-yet-outstanding piece, in the otherwise electric and bright show, was a suicide prevention and awareness skit starring Spc. Enjolee Williams that promoted the Ask, Care, Escort (ACE) Suicide Intervention Training program. Williams, along with two other cast members, performed "Say Something" by A Great Big World. Her powerful vocals had the crowd cheering loudly, and it finished off with a standing ovation.
Another highlight of the two-hour show was a tribute to the music that had inspired the Army over the years, starting with the 1939 song "Over the Rainbow," performed by Staff Sgt. Lynette Collier in a red gown. The Beatles' hit "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" was performed by the ensemble cast and proved to be a huge hit. The tribute finished off with Phillip Phillips' 2013 song "Home."
To cap off the show, Hargis stepped back on stage for another rendition of the national anthem -- but this time was joined by the entire cast in a truly patriotic, choral version of the Star Spangled Banner. The crowd stayed standing long after, cheering and pumping their fists.
"It could not have been better," Regan said after the show.
Diana Sutherland agreed. It was her first time attending a Soldier Show.
"It was beyond excellent," she said.
Regan and fellow widow Lynn Pfister attended last year's Soldier Show and insisted their friends attend this year to see what all the fuss was about. Both said this year's edition exceeded their expectations.
"I loved the beginning, when they had all the excitement going on and the acrobatics," Pfister said.
Regan said she can't wait for the 2015 tour.
Halverson and Hartless finished off the night by reminding everyone of the message to "Stand Strong" and support each other.
"The strength of our Soldiers is their Families -- and our Army is standing strong," he said.
The message was not lost on Niboer, Regan, Sutherland and Pfister, who have spent many a lunch date and movie night together as they recover from the grief of losing their husbands.
"We don't know where we'd be without each other," Regan said of her friends.
Social Sharing