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2024 US Army IMCOM Europe Tournament of Plays (TOPPERs)

      The 63rd annual TOPPERs adjudication will take place from 14 Feb. to
31 March 2024 at US Army Entertainment programs and US Military
Theatres across Europe.
      The 2024 TOPPERs Awards Show and Ceremony will be held Saturday,
27 April at the at the Wiesbaden Fitness Center on Clay Kaserne in
Wiesbaden, Germany.
 
      Over 600 Army Europe Leaders, VIPS, Entertainment staff and program
participants attend the gala dinner and awards show. This glittering,
musical gala event is considered the premiere and one of the largest US Army
MWR events in the world.
      Over 50 outstanding achievement awards will be presented by U.S.
Military leaders, VIP guests and surprise celebrity awards videos. 
 
For more information, contact:
Dane Winters, IMCOM Europe Entertainment Program Manager
Sembach Kaserne. Bldg. 113.
dane.c.winters.naf@army.mil
Military DSN Tel: (314) 544-9656
Civilian Tel: +49 (0) 611-143-544-9656
2024 TOPPERs Theatres and Entries
 Ansbach Terrace Playhouse & Youth Troupe, USAG Ansbach, Germany
  • Little Shop of Horrors

  • Clue!

Aviano Schools and Community Theater, Aviano Air Base, Italy
  • Disney's Descendants

  • The Odd Couple (Female version)

KMC Onstage, USAG Kaiserslautern, Germany
  • She Kills Monsters 

The Stuttgart Theatre Center, USAG Stuttgart, Germany

  • School House Rock, Jr. 
  • Love Letters

The Soldiers' Theatre, USAG Italy/Vicenza, Italy

  •  Working 

The SHAPE Players Performing Arts Center, USAG Benelux/SHAPE, Belgium

  • Cats. (Young Performers Production)
  • Amadeus

The Amelia Earhart Playhouse, USAG Wiesbaden, Germany

  • Willy Wonka, Jr. 
  • 12 Angry Jurors 
  • Tuck Everlasting

The Razz Ma Tazz Community Theatre, Ramstein Air Base, Germany

  • Cinderella in Space 
  • Space Wars 
Adjudication Schedule

Ansbach Terrace Playhouse & Youth Troupe, USAG Ansbach, Germany

  • Little Shop of Horrors. April 29. 1830 hrs.
  • Clue! April 5. 1930 hrs.

Aviano Schools and Community Theater, Aviano Air Base, Italy

  • Disney's Descendants. March 2. 1400 hrs.

  • The Odd Couple (Female). April 7. 1400 hrs.

KMC Onstage, USAG Kaiserslautern, Germany

  • She Kills Monsters. March 9. 1900 hrs.

The Stuttgart Theatre Center, USAG Stuttgart, Germany

  • School House Rock, Jr. Feb. 11. 1400 hrs.
  • Love Letters. March 8. 1930 hrs.

The Soldiers' Theatre, USAG Italy/Vicenza, Italy

  •  Working. March 3. 1400 hrs.

The SHAPE Players Performing Arts Center, USAG Benelux/SHAPE, Belgium

  • Cats! Feb. 18. 1530 hrs.
  • Amadeus. March 17. 1800 hrs.

The Amelia Earhart Playhouse, USAG Wiesbaden, Germany

  • Willy Wonka, Jr. Feb. 9. 1900 hrs.
  • 12 Angry Jurors. Feb. 25. 1430 hrs.
  • Tuck Everlasting. April 4. 1900 hrs.

The Razz Ma Tazz Community Theatre, Ramstein Air Base, Germany

  • Cinderella in Space. March 10. 1500 hrs.
  • Space Wars. March 15. 1900 hrs.
Theatre Skills Workshop Schedule

Feb. 12. 1830 hrs. Directing Workshop and Auditioning Workshop. The Stuttgart Theater Center.

Feb. 19. 1630 hrs. Character Development and Story Telling Workshop for Youth (13 yrs. and above). The SHAPE Players Performing Arts Center.

Feb. 26. 1900 hrs. Audition Preparation and Techniques Workshop. The Amelia Earhart Playhouse.

Feb. 27. 1900 hrs. Character Development and Directing Workshops. The Amelia Earhart Playhouse.

Mar. 4. 1900 hrs. Performance Workshop TBD. The Soldiers' Theatre, Vicenza.

Mar. 5. 1630 hrs. Youth Performance Workshop.
             1830 hrs. Adult Technical and Performance Workshop. Aviano Community and Schools Theater.
 
Mar. 7. 1900 hrs. Comedy Improvisation Workshop. The Ansbach Terrace Playhouse
 
Mar. 11. 1900 hrs. Directing and Audition Workshops. The Razz Ma Tazz Community Theatre, Ramstein.
 
Mar. 14. 1900 hrs. Elements of Design Workshop. KMC Onstage, Kaiserslautern.
 
Mar. 18. 1900 hrs. Adult Performance Workshop. The SHAPE Players Performing Arts Center.
Adjudicators and Workshops Leaders

Andrea Huber is an internationally renowned performer and director.

A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, she is also an Irene Ryan National Acting Award Winner.

As an opera singer and musical theatre performer, she has performed at the Krefeld-Moenchengladbach Opera House; the Graz Opera House; the Vienna Staatsoper; the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich; the Prague State Opera; the Opernhaus Zürich; and other major opera houses in Europe. She has also performed as an actress and singer in South Africa, Norway, Greece and the US.

Recently, Andrea appeared in Nine and Kiss of the Spiderwoman in Baden bei Wien in Austria and presented her one-woman Kurt Weill show in Graz, Austria.

As a director, Andrea directed The Marriage of Figaro for the Boston Opera Collaborative. She also directed Oliver! and Sweeney Todd at the former Roadside Theater in Heidelberg.

Andrea has served as an adjudicator and workshop leader for past US Army TOPPERs, the IMCOM E One Page Play Festival, and the IMCOM E One Act Play Festival.

Andrea is also a certified Music Therapist with her own practice at Making Waves. 

Michael Pinkerton, an internationally recognized teacher, producer, artistic director and stage director, was head of the vocal and opera department and associate dean of the performing arts faculty at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität, Vienna, Austria, until the end of August 2014.

At the end of December 2009, Michael Pinkerton resigned from his position as artistic director at Vereinigte Bühnen Wien - theater association of the three historic houses Theater an der Wien, Raimund Theater and Ronacher. His collaboration with VBW began in 1989, when he took over the direction of the Dance and Singing Studio - Theater an der Wien. From 1994 he was responsible as artistic director for ongoing productions such as Elisabeth, Grease, Anatevka, the European premiere of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and the preparation for Roman Polanski's Dance of the Vampires.

From 1997 to 2002, Michael Pinkerton was artistic director of the German musical company Stella Entertainment. In this capacity, he oversaw numerous productions such as Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Starlight Express, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast and Dance of the Vampires.

He was also artistic director for the collaboration with the Walt Disney Theatrical Company on the co-production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This world premiere (music Alan Menken, lyrics Stephen Schwarz, book and direction James Lapine) took place in Berlin on June 5, 1999, and was central to the revitalization of historic Potsdamer Platz. During this time, Michael Pinkerton was also the founder and director of the Stella training facility, Stella Academy.

In 2002, Michael Pinkerton returned to Vienna as artistic director of Vereinigte Bühnen Wien. New productions under his direction included the revival of Elisabeth, the two German-language premieres of Romeo and Juliet and The Producers, and the two world premieres of Barbarella (music Dave Stewart) and Rebecca. Other projects included the musical Rudolf, based on Frederic Morton's A Nervous Splendor (composer Frank Wildhorn, directed by David Leveaux), as well as the German-language premiere of the musical Frühlingserwachen and the revival of Polanski's Dance of the Vampires.

Michael Pinkerton's directing work includes many diverse works such as Albert Herring (Britten), Viva la Mamma (Donizetti), Tales of Hoffmann (Offenbach), Mozart's The Show Director. The Abduction from the Seraglio, The Magic Flute, Così fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, Conversations of the Carmelite Nuns, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi (Puccini), L'enfant et les sortilèges (Ravel), Il viaggio a Reims (Rossini), Emil and the Detectives (Schubring), Into the Woods, The Czar Lets Himself Be Photographed (Weill) and numerous musical revues and opera scenes.

Prior to his work as a director and producer, Michael Pinkerton enjoyed a distinguished career as a singer and actor. He was a frequent soloist at the Vienna Chamber Opera and the Stuttgart State Opera. Specializing in modern music, he participated in several world premieres at international festivals in Vienna, Munich, Berlin and Arezzo.

Michael Pinkerton initiated various educational projects, including directing the Musical Theater Workshop for the International Youth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany, directing opera performances for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Alaska, giving master classes for the FESNOJIV Vocal Academy in Caracas, Venezuela, and numerous master classes in Europe and the United States.

In recognition of his achievements, Michael Pinkerton received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Louisville School of Music in October 2006.

Michael's website is michaelpinkerton.com

Dane Winters received his M.F.A. in Acting and Directing from Trinity University at theD. Winters edited.png Dallas Theatre Center. He has been a member of US Army Europe Entertainment for 38 years having served as Music Center Director in Bamberg, Germany (1986-88); Theater Center Director and Entertainment Director in Stuttgart, Germany (1988-2000) and Entertainment Director in Heidelberg, Germany (2000-2012).

As an actor/singer, Dane has appeared in The Woman in Black, All My Sons, The Mystery of Irma Vep, A Funny Thing Happened on the Forum, Once Upon a Mattress, Art, Hello Dolly!, Hay Fever, Torch Song Trilogy, Pride & Prejudice, Black Comedy, Three Penny Opera, Henry V, Twelfth Night, et al.  

Stage direction credits include Jekyll & Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Honk!, Titanic, The Lion in Winter, Dracula, My Fair Lady, The Secret Garden, Anything Goes, Prelude to a Kiss, Lost in Yonkers, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Crazy for You, Noises Off, The Sound of Music, et al. Dane was also the voice director for the English language version of the video game "Two Worlds."  

As a producer/designer, he has staged the American amateur premiere of ​​​​​​Les Misérables, Beauty & the Beast, School for Scandal, Victor/Victoria, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Charlotte's Web, Gypsy, Cats, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Rumors, Steel Magnolias, The Will Rogers Follies, Aspects of Love, et al. 

Dane is on the faculty of the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, where he is an acting teacher. He also serves as the Region X representative to the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT).

Dane is currently the IMCOM Europe Entertainment Program Manager located in Sembach, Germany.

Dane has received numerous awards for his direction, set and lighting designs, and innovative programming. He was awarded with the AACT David C. Bryant Outstanding Service Award; the US Army Entertainment James T. Martin Lifetime Service Award; and numerous Commanders’ Achievement and Civilian Service Medals. Dane’s programming and theatre direction has earned four US Army Entertainment Irving Berlin Awards.

Entered Show Programs
The SHAPE Players Performing Arts Center
Cats
 
 
The Stuttgart Theater Center
Love Letters
 
 
 
The Stuttgart Theater Center
School House Rock Live! Jr.
Entered Shows Posters

The Stuttgart Theater Center

 

The SHAPE Players Performing Arts Center

 

The Soldiers' Theatre, Vicenza, Italy

KMC Onstage, Kaiserslautern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awards Show and Gala Dinner. Schedule, Prices & Menu

The 2024 TOPPERs Awards Show 

will be held 27 April 2024 at the Wiesbaden Fitness Arena,
Building 1631, Lucius D. Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany.

 

GOOGLE MAPS LINK

 

Awards Show Admission
Admission = $20
Family Pass Admission = $50 (Two adults, 2 or more children)
 
Optional Gala Dinner 
Adults = $35
Youth (12 yrs. and under) = $12
 
Awards Show & Ceremony Schedule
1630: No-Host Cocktail Service (Optional)
1700: Arena and seating opens
1800: Gala Dinner service (Optional)
1900-2130: Awards show and presentations
2200-0300: After Party. Wiesbaden Entertainment Center. Bldg. 7891, Hainerberg Kaserne. (Upstairs Lounge (18+) with DJ Smooth and Drink Specials)

 

Gala Dinner Menu (choice of)

  • Chicken Breast “Caprese de luxe” over a Zucchini Carrot Pasta in a Tomato Basil Sauce
  • Salmon Filet on bed of Spinach leaf with a Riesling Cream Sauce served with Vegetable rice 
  • Vegetable Puff Pastry with Potatoes and Carrots and an Herb Sour Cream Sauce (Vegetarian)
  • Youth Entrée. (12 years old and under). Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

• TOPPERs Cake provided as dessert at intermission.
• Wine service to include selected German wines.
Press Releases, Coverage, Official Photos, Video Stream and Links
Official Photo Gallery (Under construction)
Live Steam (Under construction)
Press Releases and News:
Special TOPPERs Show - Friday 26, April, 2024
The Wiesbaden Amelia Earhart is offering a special TOPPERs performance of
 
       April 26, 2024
           19:30 hrs.
The Amelia Earhart Playhouse
 
    This added performance is offered to guests of the 2024 TOPPERs who are arriving the night before the TOPPERs Awards show. 
     Thanks to the Amelia Earhart for offering a great way to kick off the 2024 TOPPERs Weekend Festivities.
 
Reservations and advanced payment are required.
DSN Phone: (314) 548-9812