Each year, Fort Gordon receives many accolades from the Army Festival of the Performing Arts, and this year was no exception receiving the most awards of any other garrison.

File photo by Charmain Z. Brackett Sgt. Stacey Joseph demonstrates her talents to take third place in the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers' Talent Show during the Summer. The Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre summer production of Meshuggah-Nuns received a second place for musical production. The annual teen talent show called Summer Teen Sensation placed first overall in the youth talent division. A new category for Fort Gordon was the youth theater division. Fort Gordon youth debuted in the category winning second for its production of Snapshots.

"It is an honor to be recognized for the hard work that we all put into the Snapshots production," said Teri Ryan, one of the show's directors. "From the many sleepless nights trying to determine the blocking (positions on stage) to the numerous rehearsals we had to perfect everything, all of it seemed to just come together. That is the magic of theater. I think in the end, everyone had a great time."

The BOSS Showtime at Fort Gordon talent show won three individual talent awards and one technical award.

Fort Gordon's etertainment director Steve Walpert received a first place as producer of the teen talent show and a second place as director of Meshuggah-Nuns.

Technical director Dan Posey won two firsts for his set and lighting designs for Meshuggah-Nuns, a second place for set design and a first for lighting design for the teen show, and a second for his lighting design of the BOSS Showtime at Fort Gordon.

Aaron Battle won two first place awards for his sound designs of Meshuggah-Nuns and the teen talent show.

Other awards for Meshuggah-Nuns included Les Reagan with a first for musical direction; Michele Hattman with a second for costumes, Courtney Cray Posey with a second for props and Tammy Adams Westafer and Elizabeth Nelson Walpert with another second for choreography. Also, the show received the best ensemble award.

"I couldn't be happier that we took best ensemble because it truly was a show that was a culmination of everyone working together, and it feels really great to have that recognized," said Sgt. Tatiana Ortiz, who was part of the cast of Meshuggah-Nuns.

In the BOSS event, Danny Barnes, who was also the top winner of the BOSS Talent Show, was the overall top male vocalist, and Mixed Motionz, a breakdance group, was named top dance group. Sgt. Stacey Joseph was third in individual dance performance.

The Youth Talent Show titled Summer Sensations won 17 awards including first place for director Elizabeth Nelson Walpert; co-masters of ceremonies, Tyler Bugg and Laura Butler; female vocal soloist, ChaVonne Broddie; and spoken word artist, Isake Slaughter.

Male soloist Michael Broddie and spoken word artist Kristen A. Bryant placed third.

The band, Forget About Tomorrow, comprised of Patrick Conner, John Quinn, Luke Blakeney and Ben Mills, won second, and the duo of Anna Guitton and Caroline Walker took third place for vocal instrumental group. Kaitlyn Dunaway and Kristofer Dunaway placed first in the group dance category; and Wesley McPherson was third in individual dance.

Laura Butler, Kristen A. Bryant and Mary Hadsell took first place in the group specialty category, and Matthew Gordon placed second in the individual specialty category.

In the youth theatre division, Courtney Cray won in second place as producer, and Cray, Ryan, Ortiz and Branden Ryan came in second for direction.

The cast of Snapshots (Alexis Baker, Mackenzie Baker, Brooke Childers, Samantha Cray, Michaella Fitzpatrick, Christina Fortino, Michael Fortino, Zach Hamilton, Meagan Jones, C.J. Krug, Miranda Martinez, Saige Martinez, Nicole Marie Moores, Montana Rindahl, Normandy Rindahl, Branden Ryan, Isabella Ryan, Nataleigh Ryan, Gavin Smith, Tyler Strong and Alexandr Wahman) were named Best Youth Theatre Ensemble.