Performing Arts Center brings home the gold

By Ms. Trecia Wilson (IMCOM)May 11, 2010

Performing Arts Center brings home the gold
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Performing Arts Center brings home the gold
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Performing Arts Center brings home the gold
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Casey Gibbs as Teddy Brewster, looks on as Abby Brewster speaks with Officer Brophy played by Lisolette Matthews and Kaye Wolfman, respectively, in "Arsenic and Old Lace" at the Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center in March. Gibbs won Best Actor in a F... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- The lights were as bright as those in Hollywood, and the fashion was high, too; for the most part. The trophies resembled the Oscars with a twist. A square marble base with "Oscar" holding a star above his head, and there were plenty of "stars" waiting to shine at the annual Tournament of Plays "Topper" Awards Show in Heidelberg, April 24.

Tensions soared as representatives from military community theatres as close as Heidelberg, Kaiserslautern and Grafenwoehr, Germany, and as far away as Ankara, Turkey, Brussels, Belgium and Vicenza, Italy, sat on the edges of their seats awaiting the results.

Approximately 23 cast, crew and family members of the Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center added their fever-charged emotions to the almost 600 attendees. It may as well have been the Oscars, the excitement was so thick.

Unlike the Oscars, however, where nominees are known in advance, competitors in Toppers never know they are nominated until show time.

Though a bit long, as awards ceremonies often are, Topper's organizers always deign to put their best foot forward, because, truly, this is their only performance of the year. They get just one night to do it. No second or third shows to run; they have to get it right in one take.

The show opened with a rousing medley of 29 Broadway show tunes crooned by Topper singers or actors/singers from competing installations. Finally, after a few opening remarks, they got down to the business at hand: awards. In the end, 82 Toppers were awarded out of 211 nominations culled from 23 plays entered into the annual competition.

Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center brought home three Topper's awards and 15 nominations. Casey Gibbs won Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Comedy for playing Teddy Brewster in "Arsenic and Old Lace," and J.C. Smith won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for playing Jonathon Brewster in the same play. "Arsenic and Old Lace" was directed by Erin Hale. Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center won Best House Management for the show "And a Child Shall Lead," directed by Jolene Powell.

Kathleen Rymer was just one of the nominees.

"I was pleasantly surprised, no ... shocked, to hear my name being called for a nomination for best actress in a featured role in a comedy," said Rymer who played Officer O'Hara in the comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace" at Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center. "Having come late into the play, decisions about characterization had to be made quickly. I went with my instincts as an actress, and was glad they worked."

Most of the award winners were volunteers who put in many hours for free. The joy derived from the process is their compensation.

"The most important thing regarding this win is the validation that, as a volunteer organization, we do what we do well," said J.C. Smith, USAMEDDAC Bavaria Headquarters Information Management Division.

"Being personally recognized and winning for a category is an honor, however, it truly validates the work that we, as a collective group of volunteers, conduct is 110 percent outstanding. No one person could have achieved any excellence without the hard work and dedication of the people surrounding them."

The process for determining the award winners is complex. All military installations within IMCOM-Europe with live theatre programs are eligible to submit two plays annually into the Tournament of Plays. The plays are various combinations of dramas, musicals or comedies, depending on the whim of each theatre.

Once tournament officials know the theatres' play schedules, they assign three adjudicators to attend all 23 plays in just six-weeks. This means the adjudicators are flying and driving all over Europe, sometimes going from one show to the next in just hours.

The casts and crews have no clue the judges are in the audience until after the play is over. Whew! Thank goodness, because it can be intimidating knowing they're watching every move, costume, light change and more.

Immediately post-performance, the judges meet with cast and crew of the play to provide feedback on the show.

One adjudicator told the Grafenwoehr casts that realistically, "The judge's feedback was just their opinion."

Oh, but what power their opinions hold. Those opinions determine who gets nominated for an award and of those nominated, who wins.

On the other hand, they don't expect cast and crewmembers to do everything they suggest.

"Theater is about choices. The remarks they (adjudicators) do offer are candid and with the intention of helping us bring the quality of a show to the next level," said Joline Powell, director of Grafenwoehr Performing Arts Center.

"The value of the information I gain from the adjudicators is positive and allows me to gain insight into how and/or why I could do something better. On the other hand, I take from these sessions what is important to consider, but am able stand by the choices I make when putting a production together regardless of the reception."

Like any profession, good theatre takes time, education and skill. Adjudicators give participants the tools to learn their craft and hone their skills.

"Adjudicators add an additional level of professionalism to the organization and always place that additional 'step' in front of you," said Smith, "daring you to climb to the top."

"Over the last five years I've participated in these events, I feel that the adjudicators continue to challenge the skills of the individuals they influence."

"It was great, but being able to share my success with all the people at the Grafenwoehr theatre is more important," said Casey Gibbs about his win. "Without their support and friendship I wouldn't have even had the chance to win this award."

"Participating in the theatre is like a box of cracker jacks," said a smiling Gibbs, "there's always a surprise inside."

Grafenwoehr received the following nominations:

Best Make-up/play

Marina Acosta-Miller - Arsenic and Old Lace

Best Hair and Wig Design/play

Kat Rymer - Arsenic and Old Lace

Best Costume Design/play

Jessi Dye and Kat Rymer - And a Child Shall Lead

Best Sound Design/play

Joline Powell - And a Child Shall Lead

Best Lighting Design/drama

J.C. Smith and Jessi Dye - And a Child Shall Lead

Best Set Design/drama

J.C. Smith and Dan Hale - And a Child Shall Lead

Best Stage Manager/play

Jessi Dye - And a Child Shall Lead

Best Ensemble for a Drama

And a Child Shall Lead

Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Comedy

Stephen Thornbrugh - Arsenic and Old Lace

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Daniel Hale - Arsenic and Old Lace

Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Comedy

Kat Rymer - Arsenic and Old Lace

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

Annika Davis- And a Child Shall Lead

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