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Up with People headed to Harrisonburg

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newspaperUp with People, which has toured to 38 countries around the world during the last 49-years, has announced that Harrisonburg will be a stop on their 2014 tour.  On Thursday, Friday & Saturday, September 18 and 19 at 7:00 PM and September 20 at 2:00 PM, Up with People will perform public shows at Eastern Mennonite High School in Harrisonburg. The proceeds from show ticket sales will benefit Explore More Discovery Museum; which is a community-driven service for children and families. Working with individuals, business leaders, and community organizations, Explore More Discovery Museum is able to offer one- of-a-kind educational opportunities for families throughout the region.

An Up with People Advance Team, Isaiah McGregory from Colorado and Jennifer Carlson from Iowa will be in Harrisonburg beginning July 30th preparing for the cast’s arrival – signing up host families and promoting performances. They will be participating in many community events, volunteering their time and letting the community know how they can get involved. You can find them at The Hardesty Higgins House for First Fridays Downtown in August & September – stop by for some international trivia, an international photo booth or bring your kids by for face painting.

While in Harrisonburg between September 15 and September 22, 2014, Up with People’s international cast will spend time participating in service projects and live with local host families. Beginning in late- July Up with People will be recruiting families to host international cast members during their stay in Harrisonburg. The sharing goes both ways…while families share their traditions and local attractions, the cast members share their experiences and cultures. By the end of their five-month world tour, the cast will visit dozens of communities throughout the United States, europe and Mexico.

The international cast of 100 will also complete more than 1,000 hours of community service reaching out to and supporting many local non-profit organizations. Community members are invited to join the cast to give back to their own communities. Volunteering is not the only way to get involved, if you or someone you know is between the ages of 17 and 29, local youth can apply to travel in future programs. In recent years many Virginia natives have traveled the world with Up with People!

Best known for their high-energy, upbeat, family-friendly entertainment, the cast of 100 participants representing 20 countries are participating in UWP’s international global education program for young adults.   For nearly 50 years, the casts of Up with People have toured the globe performing for millions, including an unprecedented four Super Bowl halftime shows.

Voices, UWP’s latest production, is a performance featuring both original and popular music and is a dynamic blend of feature soloists, full cast production numbers, fast-moving choreography and colorful costumes. Voices is inspired and motivated by recent worldwide events and features medleys of popular music, international music and of course, Up with People original music. The aim is to leave the audience feeling empowered to connect, communicate and create positive change in their  communities; to ‘…rise above the noises, and listen to the voices of the world.’

Up with People’s visit to Harrisonburg is sponsored by Endless Horizons and Shentel and supported by VerStandig Broadcasting and WHSV.  Explore More Discovery Museum is the beneficiary of the show. Tickets will be available this summer at www.upwithpeople.org/harrisonburg.

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