European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 07, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                For these plays the Competition s the thing by Chuck Roberts staff writer military Community Heaters began squaring off last week in the tournament of plays a genteel Battle to determine the Best in theater arts in Europe. Two judges Are visiting 22 Community theater productions Over two months to critique plays and musicals performed by Usa eur soldiers civilians and family members. More than 400 actors and technicians will be competing before audiences totalling about 20,000 people said David Mcgown Turner a theater specialist in Giessen Germany who helped put the tournament together this year. Adding the element of formal Competition to the performing arts should pump up the actors on judgment Day said Dale vice who has the Lead role in the death of a Salesman which is being presented by the Keller theater in Giessen. Quot the Competition forces you to be focused Quot vice said. Quot you re wanting to give your Best performance because you Hope to be one of those selected for an  vice said the tournament also makes each theater group pull together in an Effort to win the Best play category. Vice said he occasionally envisions himself As a professional actor and so he looks Forward to having his ability judged by professionals. But master sgt. Bill Jensen said he will be trying his Best to Block out the judges when he performs with vice in his role As Charlie the next door neighbor. Quot if the judges can pick up that we Are taking notice of them then we Are not doing a Good performance Quot said Jensen who is assigned to the 42nd Field arty which soon will deploy to fort Lewis Wash. Jensen said he a seen this Down Side of theatrical Competition when his wife judged High school plays. He said two seats always were reserved for judges and when the seats were filled the actors were noticeably affected. Quot they played to those two  Jensen said the cast should strive to perform without regard to the presence of judges. He added that he has became accustomed to having his performance scrutinized because the audience that usually fills the Keller theatre includes a sizable German crowd that is Tough to please. The Competition began in Wil Flecken Germany with a performance of the musical comedy murders of 1940, and ends nov. 5 in Bremerhaven with greater tuna. The winners will be announced at an oscars Type banquet nov. 23 at the Alpine club in Giessen. The tournament is a vehicle to demonstrate appreciation for the volunteers who make local theater work Turner said. Quot the tournament of plays is the Community a Way of giving Back to the volunteers for All the Energy and time that they put into their Community theater Anc make it run As efficiently As it does Quot Turner said. Turner became involved in managing the tournament last year when Usa eur reduced its appropriations for things such As the tournament of plays. The future of these types of events depend upon commercial sponsorship Turner said. Last year the Lack of Money made it impossible to bring judges from the United states As had been done previously. Instead Turner and other local theater specialists judged the plays themselves on their own time. But this year organizers generated $2,000 from commercial sponsors. That plus Money from the army enabled tournament officials to pay for the experts. The judges Are Kathryn d. Robinson and Clienton Freeman. Robinson is director of the school of the performing arts at Louisiana tech University and Freeman is an american opera Singer who performs in Germany. The two will select the winners in 35 categories that include Best play Best actor Best orchestra for a musical and Best makeup. Judges also can create a new award category if they want Turner said. He noted that last year he was so impressed with a performer that he created the category of Quot Best outstanding performance in a minor role Quot for that person who Quot shines for a few  Turner said Many Community Heaters probably will perform plays that require a Large cast in order to increase the Odds of winning. Quot if i have 10 people on stage acting then i have a better Chance of winning an award than if i had Only two people Quot Turner said. But some communities Are forced into More modest productions because of too few participants he said. At the end of each play the judges will get together with the Crew and cast and critique their performance upon request. The critiques will be More positive than critical so that the theater group can take the information and improve their program Turner said. The tournament of plays is off to a better Start then last year when fewer communities participated Turner said. Many actors and workers were either deployed to the persian Gulf or pulling extra duty in Europe he said David m. Turner director of Giessen so death of a Salesman a confers with actor a. J. Phillippsen. Page 14 the stars and stripes monday,0 1 at left Mary hate an actress in Quot death of a Salesman Quot in Giessen also helps prepare the set above Date vice and Marla Jensen and at right Frank Neubrand with glasses and a j. Phillippsen rehearse their roles. A amps photos by Dave Casey a theater goers a Cornucopia sixteen military communities Are competing in the tournament of plays with 22 productions. The specific dates that the plays will be judged have not been determined for All communities. For More information about times and locations Call your local entertainment office. The plays remaining on the schedule Augsburg a Les liaisons danger uses a oct. 24, 25, 26, 31, and nov. 1,2. Bamberg a Dracula the musical a oct. 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31, and nov. 1,2. Baum older a exit the body a oct. 11, 12, 18, Maria Jensen performs the role of Unda Loman in the Kellar theater production. The play is one of 22 to be judged in the tournament of plays. 19. Berlin a the Fant Sticks 10, 15, 16, 17. Bremerhaven a 27, and nov. 1, 2, 3. Nov. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, greater tuna a oct. 25, 26, Frankfurt a Little shop of horrors a oct. 10, 11,12 and the foreigner a oct 18, 19, 25, 26, and nov. 1,2. Giessen a death of a Salesman a oct. 24, 25, 26, 31, and nov. 1,2, Hanau a Heidi chronicles a oct. 11, 12. Heidelberg a Blithe spirit a oct. 11, 12. 17, 19. Hohenfels a angry housewives a oct. 7. Mainz a Early one evening at the Rainbow bar amp Grill oct. 18. 19, 25, 26, and nov. 1, 2. Mannheim a greater tuna a oct. 25, 26 and Shirley Valentine a oct. 11, 12, 18, 19. Schweinfurt a a funny thing happened on the Way to the forum oct. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26. Wiesbaden a vanities a oct. 25, 26, and nov 1, 2. 7, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 15