KMC, Baumholder one-act plays premiere at KMC Onstage


KMC Onstage and the Baumholder Hilltop Theater are teaming up to present two new one-act plays for one great evening of theater fun.

The two one-act plays will open at KMC Onstage on Kleber Kaserne today to Sunday. The Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 p.m., and the Sunday performance will begin at 3.

The KMC Onstage production of “The Compleat Hstry of the Rmy (abridged)” is a hilarious, brief and irreverent look at the history of the U.S. Army. This is the Europe premiere for this comedy, which was written in 2010 by Toby Atkinson and Marynell Hinton for an Army Birthday Ball in Washington, D.C. The script has been adapted by director Carolyn Burmedi for the KMC performance.

Taking its cue from the immensely popular global stage phenomenon with a similar name (hint: substitute Wlm Shkspr for Rmy), this hysterically funny, historically (somewhat) accurate play crams 238 years of Army history into a 45-minute one-act play. The performance provides as much chaos, mayhem and absurd humor as the title suggests. R.J. Garrison, Tim Fiscus and Kip Rodecker play not only themselves, but a bewildering array of characters throughout Army history. But, history class was never this much fun.

Directed by David Schwab, the Baumholder Hilltop Theater production of “Parade of Queens” is a world premiere for this one-act play, written by local playwright Cheryl Navo.

Three lifelong friends spend their annual girls-get-away weekend trying to avoid sensitive conversational topics. Olivia (Marla Woods) has man trouble she’d rather not discuss.  JoEllen (Susi Gibbins) doesn’t want to think about her impending medical procedure. And, Marilee (Cindy Krewson) has been keeping a lucrative, but embarrassing secret. During a weekend spent at the Sweet Potato Queen parade in Jackson, Miss., the friends re-discover the value of their friendship.

The casts and crews from both Baumholder and Kaiserslautern military communities are rehearsing long hours in preparation. Both plays are being performed with permission by the authors, and both will go on to compete in the annual IMCOM-Europe Festival of One Act Plays Jan. 18 to 20 at KMC Onstage on Kleber Kaserne.

The joint performance of “The Compleat Hstry of the Rmy (abridged)” and “Parade of Queens” plays at KMC Onstage today to Sunday only. Final performances for both plays will be the following weekend during the annual IMCOM-Europe Festival of One Act Plays.

Tickets cost $14 for adults and $12 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at https://webtrac.mwr.army.mil/webtrac/kaiserslauternrectrac.html, through the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation One Stop at 06371-861780, or at the door. 

(Story and photo courtesy of Cheryl Navo)