2017 Topper Awards

           5 p.m.: Ticket Counters Open and No-Host Cocktail Hour 

           5:30 p.m.: Optional Gala Dinner Served 

            7 p.m.: Awards Show Begins

Since 1960, the US Army Europe Entertainment Program has produced a Tournament of Plays for U.S. Army Entertainment across Europe. It is now known as the US Army Europe Installation Management Command Tournament of Plays or simply the TOPPERs. The TOPPERs Awards Show and Ceremony is considered one of the premiere Family, Morale and Welfare events of the year.

           The mission goals of the TOPPERs Awards are:

• To recognize outstanding achievement in the Entertainment field programs;
• To provide educational and theater training to staff and volunteer participants;
• To thank the thousands of soldiers, civilians and family members who provide hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours putting on live theater events in their overseas military communities.

            Professional adjudicators and theater artists from the US, UK, Canada and Ireland attend live performances in US Army & Air Force theater programs in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. After each performance, the adjudicators meet with the casts and crews to offer their objective comments on production successes as well as suggestions for improvements in future endeavors.  In support of the TOPPERs education goal, the adjudicators also offer free theater workshops in each community.

           After deliberation, the adjudicators nominate and award individuals and shows over 45 “Best” awards. These awards recognize achievements in acting, singing, musicianship, directing, youth performance, Soldier performance, show and others.

           The competition concludes with the TOPPERS Awards Show to be held this year on April 29, 2017 in Wiesbaden.

This glitzy, musical variety awards show is our version of the Tony Awards and is attend by over 400 program volunteers, US Forces European Command Staffs and region VIPs. Awards are announced and presented by the command staff and VIPs as well as by celebrity video announcements from stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Harvey Fierstein, Chris Pine, Kristin Chenoweth, Sean Hayes, Daniel Radcliffe and others.

            This annual US Army Europe Entertainment event has an important and lasting impact on US Servicemen & civilians, their families and local national citizens. It recognizes, honors and thanks volunteer participants for their generous time and talents in an exciting public venue.