Airman Dreams of Blue

  • Published
  • By Daniel Hawkins
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Most people would be a little uptight about singing in front of a crowd of 500 people, but not Airman First Class Jasmine Mudd-Smith. The stage has become her second home as she chases the opportunity to represent Team Sheppard in the 2012 edition of the Air Force show Tops In Blue.

Mudd-Smith, an aerospace physiology technician with the 82nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, recently submitted her audition tape hoping for the chance to be invited to a live audition at the show's Lackland Air Force Base headquarters. If selected, she will travel to San Antonio, Texas in mid-January 2012 for the tryouts, where the final cast will be announced.

Tops In Blue is the service's traveling performance ensemble that was formed back in 1953. They typically perform 120 shows annually in 100 locations world-wide, showcasing their talents for 250,000 military personnel and their families.

After growing up on Disney musicals such as the "Aladdin" and "The Little Mermaid", Mudd-Smith realized in high school that she wanted to perform in front of an audience after joining the school's show choir.

"I got the opportunity to sing and dance with the group (show choir)," said Mudd-Smith. "Coming to the Air Force I figured I wouldn't get the opportunity to do that. Then I found out about Tops In Blue and got very excited."

With two years of military experience behind her, she has sung the national anthem at various base-wide events and even performed at last year's annual Wichita Falls Salute to Wounded Warriors dinner held downtown at the Multi-Purpose Events Center.

Going back to her childhood, Mudd-Smith used her experience from high school to select the song "Defying Gravity" for her audition tape. The selection is an original song from the Broadway show "Wicked."

"Defying Gravity reminds me of being 16 in the car and just getting my license, just feeling like the world was mine," she said.

Invitations to the live tryout will be announced sometime during the first two weeks of December. While making it to the cast of Tops In Blue will be a great career opportunity, it would also help satisfy a dream.

"It will give me a chance to fill a spot inside myself I've always wanted to fill, being able to use my voice and love of music to become a better person."