Community Theatre: UP AND COMING THEATRE
Up & Coming Theatre, established in 1993, will celebrate its 16th year in 2009. Up & Coming Theatre’s mission is to provide professional level performances with equal regard to music, voice, dancing, and acting. They challenge themselves to raise the bar, and yet retain the communal aspects in terms of input by giving opportunities for aspiring professionals to obtain practical experience, grow as people, and expand their artistry. In this way, they’re about mentoring and therefore, the rewards are mostly intrinsic. They challenge everyone as artists through teamwork, cooperation, and constant support and encouragement.
At their inception they presented their inaugural performance of “A Chorus Line”. That momentum continued to provide professional opportunities, mentoring high school students going into college seeking theatre acting and technical degrees. Over the years, college students have been offered opportunities to choreograph, music direct, stage manage, and direct, all part of the mentoring and experience process. In 1996 they had a cooperative program with Columbia College, whereby students were able to receive credit for their experience. Up & Coming alumni have gone on to professional careers in dinner theatre, national tours, and Broadway.
Awards presentation by Karen Fort (ITA Board of Directors, Community Theatre), and Toni Higgins-Thrash (ITA Member).
A photo will be posted shortly.