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History of Sing Out Troy
In 1967 a Troy, Ohio Optometrist named Carl Tate read an article about "Sing Out AMERICA" in Readers Digest and decided he wanted to start a similar group. What resulted was "SING OUT TROY", which quickly became one of the "flagships" of the "SING OUT" movement that swept the nation shortly thereafter. SING OUT's and their parent group "UP WITH PEOPLE" were the originators of the "show choir" concept that is now popular with High School Choir Directors across the nation. In addition to being a musical presentation, SING OUT's also presented a message of hope at a time when hope seemed lost. Campus riots and social unrest over Civil Rights and the Vietnam War were tearing the nation apart, or so it seemed. SING OUT's that sprang up across the nation spoke out, in a musical format, that we can live together, we can respect "Mother Earth", that all people irregardless of nationality or ethnic origin can work together to make a better world. After SING OUT TROY's first performance before 10,000 on July 4, 1967 at the Troy Municipal Stadium, they went on to appear in 16 states and in such Cities such as Roanoke, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia; Kansas City, Missouri; Lafayette, Indiana; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Appleton and Racine Wisconsin; Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1968, SING OUT TROY was the featured performance at the International Optimist Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. SING OUT TROY was featured on national TV on several occasions, the first time as a "requested performance" for former President Harry S. Truman at his home in Independence, Missouri and filmed by NBC's "TODAY" show. They appeared on the "Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy TV Telethon" numerous times and in 1972 they performed at the dedication ceremony of the Neil Armstrong Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio. In 1974, SING OUT TROY was selected as the "first choice" of over 1500 applications to spend three weeks on tour of Communist Romania, traveling over 3000 miles and giving 13 enthusiastic concerts to over 20,000 people during that tour. Sponsored by the "FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADORS", a cultural exchange program based in New York, a cast of over 70 people started the tour in Bucharest, Romania on July 6th, 1974. Before the tour was even half over, Representatives of the Romanian Government had invited the cast back the following year, however a lack of financing prevented the invitation from being accepted. In 1976, after addition funding had been raised, the cast of SING OUT TROY was again selected "First Choice" when they again applied to participate in the "Friendship Ambassadors" program. They were selected to spend 3 weeks in the country of Poland, and were co-sponsored by "ALMATUR", an organization of Polish College students. A cast of 28 again traveled by bus through the Polish Countryside, giving 15 performances to wildly enthusiastic audiences in such diverse places as a Black Sea Resort, 1000 feet below ground in a Polish Salt Mine, a Polish Castle, and the Gdansk Shipyards. These same shipyards later became the "birthplace" of the "Solidarity" movement which participated in the fall of Communism in Poland some years later. During these travels overseas, cast members were able not only to learn of the peoples that made up these countries but were able to visit such places as the Birthplace of Copernicus in Poland and a Nazi Death Camp in "Struttof" Romania. In Romania, cast members had opportunity to spend a night with the families of a small village in the Carpathian Mountains which provided a unique opportunity to learn how life was for the average person in Romania. Needless to say, these trips were unique learning opportunities that were afforded to the Members of SING OUT TROY as a result of their association with that organization. The "parent" organization, "UP WITH PEOPLE", has since grown into an international educational foundation, based in Colorado, with corporate offices located throughout the world. "UP WITH PEOPLE" provides college age young people the opportunity to travel and perform throughout the world with fellow students of many nationalities, learning leadership skills and other values that they carry with them for the rest of their lives. However, in the middle 70's, the task of managing a world wide non-profit organization and also managing the by then "thousands" of Local SING OUT's became more than "UP WITH PEOPLE" could mange. As a result, the decision was made to cease the support for the local SING OUT's such as SING OUT TROY, however many such as SING OUT TROY managed to survive quite well even without the support of the national organization. But over a period of time, even SING OUT TROY began to "wane" and the final performance was given in the summer of 1989. Over it's life span, SING OUT TROY gave over 20,000 performances and aided in giving many high school and junior high school age students valuable learning experiences.
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