U.S. Army Soldier Show to perform Oct. 24 at Warner Theatre

By Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs

Left to right, Spc. Dawn Florence, Sgt. Sarah Connell, Spc. Julio Petersen, Spc. Carlos Benefield and CW2 Elaine Hudson sing and dance to T-Pain’s “Freeze” featuring Chris Brown during rehearsals for the 2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show at Wallace Theater on Fort Belvoir, Va. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A limited number of complimentary tickets are available for the U.S. Army Soldier Show’s annual performance at historic Warner Theatre in Washington on Oct. 24.

The U.S. Army Soldier Show is a 90-minute theatrical concert production of “entertainment for the Soldier, by the Soldier,” the working motto of Army Entertainment Division. This year’s show is titled “Lights! Camera! Action!”

“The audience is going to have the rare experience of feeling and being in a live television studio, including commercial breaks,” said Soldier Show production director Victor Hurtado, who spent much of last year working on TV productions “Nashville Star,” “America’s Got Talent,” “Clash of the Choirs,” and country performing artist Michael Peterson’s “My Real Life – Strong For America Tour,” presented by the U.S. Army.

“Some of that comes from some of the experiences I’ve had this last year with network television, and just realizing what a great experience these audiences have and how the set changes are part of what makes it kind of cool before you go back on the air,” Hurtado explained.

The free tickets are available through Army Recreation Services, located at the Pentagon, Room 1D645, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.; Hoffman Building 2, Room 2S60, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.; and at the Warner Theatre Box Office, located at 513 13th Street NW, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon until 3 p.m.

There are limits of four tickets per person from Army Recreation Services and two per person from Warner Theatre. Phone orders will not be accepted. Seating is general admission. Some walkup tickets may be available.

The Warner Theatre, which seats 1,800 for the Soldier Show, is located between E and F Streets – three blocks east of the White House, two blocks north of the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center and six blocks west of the Verizon Center.

Heavily attended by senior Army leadership, most of the audience will be dressed in business attire for the only stop on the Soldier Show tour presented in such a historic and elegant venue, where refreshments will be served before the curtain rises.

The show will open with Kirk Franklin’s upbeat “Declaration [This is It!],” co-written by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald, which addresses survival of the everyday trials and tribulations through a positive declaration of one’s purpose in life.

“It makes use of the tune of Kenny Loggins’ “This is It,” Hurtado said. “But it has been completely redone in a very inspirational way.”

Another scene features the new retro sounds of Duffy’s “Mercy,” Dominican Juan Luis Guerra’s “La Llave de Mi Corazon,” which translates in English to “Key to my Heart,” and “I Decided,” by Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce.

Soldiers perform “Jai Ho” from the soundtrack of multiple Oscar Award-winning “Slumdog Millionaire” during rehearsals for the 2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show at Wallace Theater on Fort Belvoir, Va. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs

“It has a little bit of English, a little bit of rap, it’s all meringue – so it moves,” Hurtado said. “There are also some really cool Kanye West and Rhianna numbers, with black lights and interesting drums – a lot of visuals.”

A lot of dance, rap, English R&B, visuals, patriotic tunes, movement, love of country – even a roller skater – will grace the stage of the 2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show during the 90-minute theatrical concert production.

Soldier-performers will wear traditional attire from India during “Jai Ho,” a soundtrack piece from “Slumdog Millionaire,” the 2008-09 Oscar Award-winning best motion picture of the year.

The Soldiers will perform Frankie Smith’s 1981 funk song, “Double Dutch Bus,” while playing the streets of Philadelphia-acclaimed jump rope game on stage. Raven-Symone covered the tune in 2008 and it was released to promote the film “College Road Trip.” There also will be a throw forward to modernized versions of more ’80s hits, complete with choreography and costuming reminiscent of the “Solid Gold” television show.

For the finale, the troops will combine “The Warrior’s Anthem,” by Michael Peterson, with the late Robert Humphreys’ “Warrior’s Creed,” and put it to music.

The Soldier-performers have completed more than 80 performances during a six-month tour of military installations across the United States and the Republic of Korea.

After playing Warner Theatre, they will perform Oct. 27 and 28 at Fort Lee, Va..; Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; Nov. 4 at Fort Monroe, Va.; Nov. 6 at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.; and Nov. 8 at Fort Belvoir. The special presentation at Belvoir’s Wallace Theater will begin at 2 p.m.

The U.S. Army Soldier Show is one of more than 100 programs and activities provided to Soldiers and their Families by the Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.