IMCOM-Europe recognizes top military community theater programs

By Jacob Corbin, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Public AffairsApril 30, 2018

IMCOM-Europe recognizes top military community theater programs
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Tonya Prince, from U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, center, and the cast of "Sister Act" from the KMC Onstage theater perform "Bless this Show" at the 2018 Tournament of Plays, or Toppers, ceremony on April 28 at U.S. Army Garrison ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
IMCOM-Europe recognizes top military community theater programs
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Capt. Herman Lockhart (left) and Kendall Seifert, both with U.S. Army Garrison Italy's Vicenza Soldiers' Theater, perform "In a Little While" from "Once Upon a Mattress" at the 2018 Tournament of Plays, or Toppers, ceremony on April 28 at U.S. Army G... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
IMCOM-Europe recognizes top military community theater programs
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Jennifer Martineau Newman (left) from U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart's Stuttgart Theater Center, performs "I Wait for a Ship" from the musical "Berlin to Broadway" at the 2018 Tournament of Plays, or Toppers, ceremony on April 28 at U.S. Army Garrison ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
IMCOM-Europe recognizes top military community theater programs
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Abrianna Little, from U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria's Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center, performs "Pulled" from the musical "The Addams Family" at the 2018 Tournament of Plays, or Toppers, ceremony on April 28 at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden's Clay Kas... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
IMCOM-Europe recognizes top military community theater programs
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WIESBADEN, Germany -- Each year the Tournament of Plays, or Toppers, recognizes the best military community theater programs in Europe, and this year's was no different.

For this competition, judges attended 17 show productions at 10 community theaters across Installation Management Command-Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe, giving 50 awards at the gala event held April 28 at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden's Clay Kaserne.

Michael Formica, director of IMCOM-Europe, began the event by acknowledging the people who make military community theater happen each year during performances staged from Belgium to Italy.

"I must recognize those who keep the theater program alive inside of IMCOM-Europe -- our volunteers," Formica said in a video message to attendees. "Thank you for providing such incredible entertainment. Your talent, dedication and hard work enrich us all."

According to award winner Sgt. 1st Class Tonya Prince, from U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, serving others was one of the primary reasons she decided to take part in KMC Onstage's production of "Sister Act."

"To me, (military community theater) is a way for military personnel to give back to the community," Prince said. "Our families support us so much; this is a way to give back."

Dane Winters, IMCOM-Europe entertainment director, agreed with Prince when he spoke during the event, adding that theater can help create a community and second Family for those far from home and serving overseas.

"Thank you to all the Soldiers, civilians and Family members that make up Army Entertainment in Europe," he said. "You make a difference in your communities and people's lives."

Prince won the Topper for Best Female Debut in a Musical for her role as Deloris van Cartier in the musical based on the 1992 film. It wasn't just her debut with KMC Onstage, but her first role in any production ever, and she was excited to take a Topper home.

"It was an amazing feeling to win," she said. "I honestly think more military personnel should get into (military community theater)."

This year's Toppers continued the longstanding tradition of having various celebrity presenters announce awards by video. This year's video presenters included Ben Stiller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kristin Chenoweth and others.

One of the returning presenters was Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce, known for his role as Dr. Niles Crane in the television show "Frasier."

"I've been asked this year to present the award for Best Youth Performance in a play, which is a great coincidence because I used to be a youth -- I gave it up," Pierce joked.

However, he also echoed a common and important theme from the various stars of stage and screen, a thanks to the Soldiers, Families and civilians serving and working overseas.

"I wanted to take this opportunity … to thank the Army for enabling your creativity, for encouraging your imagination," Pierce said. "The freedom to express ourselves, the freedom to create, the freedom to be ourselves, all of those freedoms we must never take for granted. We also must never take for granted the people who everyday defend those freedoms for us, the people who stand up for us -- that's you."

During the event, U.S. Army Europe Entertainment presented a ceremonial check for $8,826,911.70 to represent the 3,812 volunteers and their contribution of 365,655 hours to military community theater in Europe.

"This generous donation of time delivers an important gift to our community members," Formica noted in his earlier address. "Whether you participated on a backstage crew, as a designer, technician, usher, performer, director or musician -- you truly made a difference."

See below for the complete list of winners at this year's Toppers:

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN FOR A PLAY

Julie-Rose E. Tedrick. "The Crucible." Aviano Community Theater

BEST SET DESIGN FOR A PLAY

Cheryl Navo and Eric Danzeiser. "Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST SOUND DESIGN FOR A PLAY

"Peter and the Starcatcher." Wiesbaden's Amelia Earhart Playhouse

BEST COSTUME DESIGN FOR A PLAY

Margi Ritscher. "Lend Me A Tenor." Ansbach's Terrace Playhouse

BEST STAGE PROPERTIES AND DRESSING FOR A PLAY

Jan Helsen, Dan Lamorte and Ashley Watson. "The Guardsman." The SHAPE Performing Arts Center

BEST STAGE MANAGER FOR A PLAY

Larissa Kramer. "Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

Cheryl Navo. "Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN FOR A MUSICAL

Cindy Krewson. "Sister Act." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST SET DESIGN FOR A MUSICAL

Richard Roberts. "Berlin to Broadway." The Stuttgart Theatre Center

BEST COSTUME DESIGN FOR A MUSICAL

Ashley Hilbert. "The Addams Family." The Grafenwöhr Performing Arts Center

BEST STAGE PROPERTIES AND DRESSING FOR A MUSICAL

CC Kmon. "Mary Poppins, Jr." Aviano Community Theater

BEST STAGE MANAGER FOR A MUSICAL

Christie Cornell. "Once Upon a Mattress." Vicenza's Soldiers' Theater

BEST TECHNICAL DIRECTOR FOR A MUSICAL

"Beauty and the Beast, Jr." Ansbach Terrace Playhouse

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Richard Roberts. "Berlin to Broadway." The Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST ORCHESTRA OR MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT

"Berlin to Broadway." The Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Suann Strickland. "Alice in Wonderland." Ramstein's Razz Ma Tazz Community Theater

BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

Richard Roberts. "Berlin to Broadway." Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST MAKE UP

Ashley Hilbert. "The Addams Family." The Grafenwöhr Performing Arts Center

BEST HAIR AND WIG DESIGN

"Lend Me A Tenor." Ansbach's The Terrace Playhouse

BEST ENSEMBLE FOR A PLAY

"Eleemosynary." Ramstein's Razz Ma Tazz Community Theater

BEST MILITARY ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Lt. Col. Brandon Kaye Thomas (Katharina). "The Taming of the Shrew." Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST MILITARY ACTOR IN A PLAY

Spc. Mason Brown (Hal). "Proof." Grafenwöhr Performing Arts Center

BEST YOUTH PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY

Samantha Talley (Echo). "Eleemosynary." Ramstein's Razz Ma Tazz Community Theater

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Michelle Wallace (The Usherette). "The Guardsman." The SHAPE Performing Arts Center

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Dale Coldwells (Meeker). "Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Trude Moellmann (Maria). "Lend Me A Tenor." The Terrace Playhouse

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY.

Steve Thornbrugh (Robert). "Proof." The Grafenwöhr Performing Arts Center

BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Tess Steddum (Rachel Brown). "Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY

Tom Navo (Henry Drummond). "Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST ENSEMBLE FOR A MUSICAL

"Berlin to Broadway." The Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST MILITARY PERFOMANCE IN A MUSICAL

Lt. Col. Robert Taylor (Ensemble). "Berlin to Broadway." The Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST FEMALE YOUTH PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL

Samantha Dickey (Mary Poppins). "Mary Poppins, Jr." Aviano Community Theater

BEST MALE YOUTH PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL

David Owen (Pugsley). "The Addams Family." The Grafenwöhr Performing Arts Center

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Tammy Simmons (Grandma). "The Addams Family." The Grafenwöhr Performing Arts Center

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Kaleb Birch (Robertson Ay). "Mary Poppins, Jr." Aviano Community Theater

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Jacqui Haggerty (Mother Superior). "Sister Act." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Jeremy Cates (The Minstrel). "Once Upon a Mattress." The Soldiers' Theater

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Robin Sampson (Princess Winnifred). "Once Upon a Mattress." Vicenza's Soldiers' Theater

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Adam Koehler (Ensemble). "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." The Amelia Earhart Playhouse

BEST DEBUT IN A PLAY

Gavin Gage (Chuck). "She Kills Monsters." Brunssum's Alliance Players

BEST MALE DEBUT IN A MUSICAL

Sgt. 1st Class Direck Whorley (Prince Dauntless). "Once Upon a Mattress." Vicenza's Soldiers' Theater

BEST FEMALE DEBUT IN A MUSICAL

Sgt. 1st Class Tonya Prince (Deloris). "Sister Act." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

SPECIAL JUDGES' CHOICE AWARD

Maj. Chris Hodl. Wing design. "Eleemosynary." Ramstein's Razz Ma Tazz Community Theater

SPECIAL JUDGES' CHOICE AWARD

Total Design Concept AND Execution. "Alice in Wonderland." Ramstein's Razz Ma Tazz Community Theater

BEST PLAY

"Inherit the Wind." Kaiserslautern's KMC Onstage

BEST MUSICAL

"Berlin to Broadway." The Stuttgart Theater Center

BEST FAMILY SHOW

"Alice in Wonderland." Ramstein's Razz Ma Tazz Community Theater