Soldiers’ Theatre musical earns six awards at 2024 IMCOM-Europe TOPPERs

WIESBADEN, Germany - This year, at the 63rd annual Installation Management Command - Europe Entertainment Tournament of Plays, TOPPERs, three cast members of the Vicenza' Soldiers' Theatre production, "Working: A Musical" performed the opening number of the second act, as part of several live performances at the annual awards ceremony.

"This is my first time at the TOPPERs and my first time performing, and it's so exciting," said LaQuita Deans, who played Maggie Holmes in the musical.

Deans along with Courtney Shanahan and Lt. Col. Leah Sanchez presented "Cleanin' Women" in front of almost 600 people attending the event at the Wiesbaden Fitness Center on Clay Kaserne April 27.

"I didn't know what to expect and it has truly blown my mind to see the caliber of the show and everything they put forth," Deans said. "We had a large group from Vicenza, all coming to support the theatre."

Deans, Shanahan and Sanchez were some of the 35 people from Vicenza, who included other cast members, crew, leaders, and family members according to Soldiers' Theatre Director Jerry Brees.

Vicenza was honored with 19 nominations and six awards.

"It has been a great night," said Brees at the end of the event. "Our theatre is really excited to be part of the TOPPER Awards, and to win six awards this year."

One of them is really a special award for the whole theatre group.

"'Best Ensemble in a Musical' means the most to us," continued Brees, "because everybody in our cast works so closely together and we are truly a theatre family, and that's why we are so thrilled to have the best ensemble."

During the gala, 50 TOPPERs were presented to winners of the 15 shows that were produced in eight military communities across Germany, Belgium and Italy through April 2024.

Special thanks were given during the ceremony introduction by Tommy Mize, the IMCOM-E Director and host of the celebration, who highlighted "the thousands of Soldiers, civilians and family members who provide hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours putting on live theatre events throughout our overseas communities."

In addition to the technical and performance categories awards, adjudicators also assigned three Special Judges' Choice Awards.

One of them was awarded to 'Original Monologue Writing' for "Working" to Jessica Henninger and Martin Sinlao.

Henninger wrote the monologue of a Nurse for the Soldiers' Theatre musical production.

She was deeply touched for the recognition, which refers to taking care of COVID-19 patients.

"It's exciting, I am happy, but it's too emotional," she said while holding the trophy. "It's about such a personal time in my life that affected me really deeply."

The following are the 2024 TOPPER Awards presented to Soldiers' Theatre for "Working":

Outstanding Sound Design for a Musical

Barry Robinson

Outstanding Orchestra or Musical Accompaniment

The Soldiers' Theatre, Vicenza

Outstanding Musical Director

Mattia Sciortino

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

The Soldiers' Theatre, Vicenza

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Male Role in a Musical

Larry Kreider as "The Retiree"

Special Judges' Choice Award

Writers of local Monologues for "Working"

Jessica Henninger and Martin Sinlao

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