Dedication to the child performer, instilling a love of theatre while building leadership and community
Get your tickets online today! Performance dates for West Side Story are
Friday, March 30th at 7:30pm, Saturday, March 31st at 7:30pm and Sunday, April 1st at 2:30pm
Improv Troupe Meeting
February 1st
6:30-8:15
Come alone or bring friends and family!
Try out a theater game, get your mind off of work and school, get some exercise and beat the winter blues.
Try out a theater game, get your mind off of work and school, get some exercise and beat the winter blues.
Afterwards we share food and friendship-bring a taco topping to share!
Improvisation helps build self confidence,acting skills and quick thinking.
Improvisation helps build self confidence,acting skills and quick thinking.
Addam’s Family Tickets
UpStage will go as a group to see the Addam's Family at Playhouse Square on Tuesday, April 17.
Tickets are only $11 a person and is due on February 11th. Patrick Kennedy, former UpStage Player, is in the traveling show and we are hoping to see him appear on that particular night!
Click HERE for more info!
UpStage Rummage Sale
February 18th
9am-2pm
If you want to sell, we have limited tables available for $7.00. Please invite people to come and shop. We will have hot dogs and pizza on sale, too!
See Mrs. Walsh for details.
Click HERE for more info!
UpStage Annual Potluck Dinner
Saturday, February 25
11:30-2:30.
We will perform pieces of the show to give your families and friends a chance to see where the show is! You will be permitted to take photos this day. We will share food and play music for all to dance to. We will have one 50/50 raffle. We are keeping it simple this year and we are sure it will be a great celebration to build cast spirit, and our
UpStage Family!
There is limited seating so RSVP’s will be required this year.
Click HERE for more info!
Join us for Bocce Ball on Adults Night Out!
March 10th
7pm-11pm
Adults, take a night off and join us for music, food, boccee and fun!
The
Slovenian Home has incredible Bocce Courts downstairs
that we are
sure you will enjoy.
The cost is $10.00 per person and $15.00 per couple. More
information to come soon.
We
will be transforming the Slovenian Home into the landmarks of the
North Collinwood area in the 1950’s. Our set will depict locations
such as the Commodore Movie Theater and Euclid Beach Park. If you
have any photos from this time period, we would love a copy to
display in the entry way to help set our mood!
Click HERE to email your photos
or drop them off at rehearsal.
Check out our calendar below
for even
more important
upcoming events!
Follow us on Facebook!
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were founded in 1995 with
30 children and a vision to create love and respect for the arts. We
have evolved into a strong group that uses theatre as a vehicle to teach
leadership, creativity, and responsibility to nearly 150 children
today! Although our family has grown tremendously over the years, our
no-cut policy remains unchanged. Every child can and will be adopted
into the Upstage family!The children we serve come from varied backgrounds and communities, but share the drive to optimize their potential.
Upstage Players attracts individuals from Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Bratenahl, Euclid, Eastlake, Lakewood, Mayfield,
Mentor,
Richmond Heights, Willoughby, Concord and Willowick. Our diverse cast
and crew is lead by an unpaid, all volunteer staff and supported by an army of volunteers dedicated to transforming everyday kids into accomplished artists!
Upstage Players provides many benefits for our artists, including building self confidence, encouraging self-esteem, providing social outlets, promoting responsibility and leadership, as well as providing a fun safe haven. In addition to its artistic value, UpStage Players brings communities together and gives kids something to do.
We have numerous shows throughout the year including a
spring musical, murder mysteries, and upstage underground summer show. Upstage is dedicated to the development of the Child Actor/Actress!
Our performances take place at the beautiful
Slovenian Workman Home
15335 Waterloo, Rd
Cleveland, OH 44110
Slovenian Workman Home
15335 Waterloo, Rd
Cleveland, OH 44110
We're newsworthy!!!
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Click HERE to check out the latest article about us
in Cool Cleveland!
And click HERE for the Collinwood Observer
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Upstage Players to go Technicolor
Upstage Players to go Technicolor
By Jeff Piorkowski jpiorkowski@sunnews.com
Upstage's new home is the Slovenian Workmen's Home, 15335 Waterloo Road in Cleveland. The group's leadership is thrilled to be at that locale.
"Theater is alive and flourishing on Waterloo Road," said the theater troop's artistic director Carrie Walsh-Hilf. "All of the artistic organizations on this
street have embraced us. Jerry Schmidt, who has the Waterloo 7 art gallery was wonderful. He hosted a fund-raiser for us. The Slovenian home has
also been very welcoming to us."
street have embraced us. Jerry Schmidt, who has the Waterloo 7 art gallery was wonderful. He hosted a fund-raiser for us. The Slovenian home has
also been very welcoming to us."
Walsh-Hilf said the stage upon which Upstage will perform has been dark about 20 years and that the Slovenian Home management is happy to
have activity within its walls once more.
have activity within its walls once more.
"They have an ancient fly system here (mechanicals above the stage) that all still work perfectly. Our lighting and sound operator John Perovsek,
who's Slovenian and from this area, was able to translate all the instructions for us that are written on the stage's the pulley system."
who's Slovenian and from this area, was able to translate all the instructions for us that are written on the stage's the pulley system."
Bernadette Walsh, the former Euclid councilwoman who founded Upstage Players, spoke about Waterloo Road, which features art galleries, the
Beachland Ballroom and music stores, now adding live theater.
Beachland Ballroom and music stores, now adding live theater.
"All of this shows that artists can make a collaborative community come alive," she said.
From April 3-5, this year's cast of young actors, ages 5-17, will present "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Cast members hail from
Euclid, Mayfield Heights, Cleveland, Willougby and Eastlake.
Euclid, Mayfield Heights, Cleveland, Willougby and Eastlake.
"It was the play we did our first year when we started at St. Jerome's (Church)," Walsh-Hilf said. "That was in 1986. I was in that play as Simeon.'
I was in the seventh grade."
I was in the seventh grade."
It was 15 years ago the troop moved to the Bratenahl Community Center, where it first took the Upstage Players name.
"This is basically a Bible story about Joseph and how he can interpret dreams and how his brothers get jealous of him because of that," Walsh-Hilf
said. "He ends up being a partial ruler of Egypt. It's a fun, upbeat musical."
said. "He ends up being a partial ruler of Egypt. It's a fun, upbeat musical."
"It's the first play (Andrew) Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice wrote," Bernadette Walsh said. "It started as a 15-minute play for one of their kids at his
school."
school."
"Joseph" features some offbeat components one might not expect from a Bible story. For example, the cast includes 1960's-style go-go dancers
and a pharaoh who is also part Elvis.
and a pharaoh who is also part Elvis.
Joseph DeNardo, 11, of Mayfield Heights, plays the pharaoh, watching Elvis Presley in his movie "King Creole" and listening to the King's recordings
to get a feel for the character, which he plays in an outfit influenced by Elvis's 1970's jumpsuits.
to get a feel for the character, which he plays in an outfit influenced by Elvis's 1970's jumpsuits.
"My dad is a big fan of Elvis, but I like him, too," said DeNardo, who appears to have the hip-swiveling part of his character down. "This is my first
time singing on a stage. The only time I've sung before this was in my room."
time singing on a stage. The only time I've sung before this was in my room."
Rachel Kuklinca, 17, is an Upstage veteran. She is portraying two roles, "Potiphar's wife," a seductress trying to woo Joseph, and the good spouse
"Rueben's wife."
"Rueben's wife."
"That's the best thing about this place (Upstage)," Kuklinca said of the challenge of playing two diverse roles in one play, "they teach you how to
do things like this."
do things like this."
Kuklinca, a Euclid High School student who plans to major in theater in college, said she's love being part of Upstage.
"You become a whole different person out there onstage," she said. "Everyone comes together and you become one giant family."
Upstage Players will present "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at 7:30 p.m. April 3 and 4, and at 2:30 p.m. April 5.Tickets are $6
at the door. A special package is available before the April 3rd performance that includes wine and cheese, the Slovenian Workmen Home fish
fry and a play ticket for $21. Call (216) 731-5793. Call Piorkowski at (216) 986-5862.
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at the door. A special package is available before the April 3rd performance that includes wine and cheese, the Slovenian Workmen Home fish
fry and a play ticket for $21. Call (216) 731-5793. Call Piorkowski at (216) 986-5862.
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Euclid Sun Journal