SEMBACH, Germany – Installation Management Command Europe recognized its outstanding volunteer theater performers and production staff at a glittering gala event on April 29 at the 62nd annual Tournament of Plays, or TOPPERs, award ceremony.
The formal event was held at the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Fitness Center on Clay Kaserne and was attended by over 460 leaders from IMCOM-Europe and its garrisons, and U.S. Army Europe and Africa, as well as VIPs, Entertainment staff and program participants.
The awards show opened with comments from the host of the evening, Tommy R. Mize, IMCOM Europe director. Mize noted TOPPERs is one of the longest running theater festivals in the U.S. and is considered one of the premiere, and largest, Army Family, Morale and Welfare events of the year.
Mize also thanked the Army Entertainment staff members from IMCOM-Europe garrisons. “This small band of brothers and sisters continue to serve the historic Army Entertainment mission while upholding the great theatrical tradition of ‘the show must go on,’” Mize said. “Thank you for all your hard work in caring for our Soldiers, civilians and family members.”
Forty-three outstanding achievement awards were announced and presented by senior leaders in attendance as well as surprise celebrity video announcers including Chris Pine, Lin-Manuel Miranda, David Hyde Pierce, Parker Posey, and others. Awards were presented for technical and performance achievements including Outstanding Show, Youth and Military performances.
One of the awards announced was the American Association of Community Theatre Distinguished Merit Award presented to the staff of U.S. Army Europe Entertainment for its dedication to promoting excellence in community theater and service to their communities.
For this year’s event, professional adjudicators reviewed 14 shows in eight IMCOM-Europe Army Entertainment programs and Air Force community theaters.
TOPPERs is produced annually to recognize outstanding theatrical achievements by volunteer Soldiers, family members and civilians at Army Entertainment programs throughout Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. Theater groups at Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Ramstein Air Base, Germany, also participated.
Prior to the award event, a team of professional adjudicators attended participating performances and met with directors, cast and crew to offer objective insight into productions, note theatrical successes, and suggest improvements for future performances.
The judges also conducted free workshops in each community for acting, directing, auditioning, improvisation, youth theater and play production.
The workshops are "a great way to learn and hone theater and life skills," said Dane Winters, IMCOM-Europe Entertainment program manager and TOPPERs producer.
“Part of the Army Entertainment mission is education,” he said, explaining that the workshops give our volunteers a chance to work with professionals.
“Another important goal of TOPPERs,” Winters said “is to thank everyone who is part of the Army Entertainment program. Each year, thousands of volunteers give hundreds of thousands of hours putting on live theater and music events in their communities, improving the quality of life for those who live there.”
From April 2022 to April 2023, 6,729 volunteer Soldiers, civilians, retirees, family members and host nation citizens contributed 165,471 volunteer hours. Computed at the 2023 official rate for volunteerism, this equates to $5,261,977.80 in volunteer manpower offered to garrison and military communities. Over 34,360 audience members attended live theater and music events in their communities.
A complete list of shows, communities, nominations and awards and an official photo gallery is available at 2023 US Army IMCOM Europe Entertainment Tournament of Plays.
The video recording of the 2023 TOPPERs is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5nODfWHco4
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