Thursday, March 11, 2010

UpStage Players Youth Theater Company to Present Aladdin, Jr. in Late-March

UpStage Players, our favorite Cleveland-area non-profit, will be producing their annual musical in a couple of weeks. We have a special place in our hearts for UpStage...they brought us together! We encourage everyone to come out and ENJOY THE SHOW! Here's the news release for the event:


CLEVELAND, Ohio—Don’t miss your chance to witness the spring musical performances of one of Northeast Ohio’s hardest working children’s theater companies, UpStage Players.  From March 26th through March 28th, the group will be producing and performing Aladdin, Jr., where many all-time favorite characters come to life in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit.
UpStage Players’ opening performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 26th at the Slovenian Workmen’s Home (15335 Waterloo Road; Cleveland), their permanent performance residence.  The group’s second show will commence on Saturday, March 27th, also at 7:30 p.m.  Their final performance of the spring will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 28th.
Advanced tickets/reserved seats are $5 each.  Admission is $6 each if purchased during the week prior to the show or at the door (these are general admission seats).  To order or inquire about advanced tickets, e-mail upstageplayers@gmail.com.
Aladdin, Jr. features the popular characters Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie.  This heartfelt and funny show is filled with magic, mayhem and the wonderful vocal and acting flair of some of Northeast Ohio’s most talented children.  The musical also showcases a tuneful, Academy award-winning score, with songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me.”
Upstage Players is a non-profit professional children's theater group run by an all-volunteer staff in Cleveland, Ohio.  The organization was founded in 1995 with 30 children and a vision to create love and respect for the arts.  They have evolved into a strong group that uses theater as a vehicle to teach leadership, creativity and responsibility to nearly three times as many children today.  Although the UpStage family has grown tremendously over the years, their no-cut policy remains unchanged. 
The children of UpStage Players come from varied backgrounds and neighborhoods, yet share the same drive to optimize their potential.  They hail from a variety of communities, including: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Bratenahl, Euclid, Eastlake, Lakewood, Mayfield, Mentor, Richmond Heights, Willoughby, Concord and Willowick.  In addition, the diverse cast/crew of UpStage Players is headed by an unpaid staff and supported by an army of volunteers dedicated to transforming everyday kids into accomplished artists.
To kick-off a new awareness and fundraising initiative for UpStage Players, the group sponsored the successful UpStage Artisan Alley, a fresh, new indie craft show that took place on February 13th.  Many different artisans displayed their talents for members of the community to purchase, while some of the cast members performed for patrons and vendors.  Plans for a second UpStage Artisan Alley fundraiser are being generated.
For additional information about UpStage Players, or to download a printable ticket order form for Aladdin, Jr., visit www.upstageplayers.com.