Dance With The Stars Winning Couple!

Upstart Crow takes great pride in congratulating the Star teacher, Alison Bumstead from El Camino/River Road Elementary School and her dancing partner, Logan McGann from O'Hara Catholic School on their outstanding performance at the second annual Dance With The Stars gala event on Saturday, October 18 at the Richard E. Wildish Theatre in Springfield. Alison and Logan performed a swing dance to Do You Love Me by the Contours.

Competitors were local school teachers from the Eugene and Springfield school districts dancing with student partners from All That! Dance Company. The winning teacher receives a performance by Stage Door Productions for their school. Congratulations and thank you to all the teachers who participated! What a fun evening!

Disney Salutes Crow Family!

It was great to finally make the announcement about FamilyFun magazine grand prize winner - The Byrum family! They were one of five grand prize winners in the Family Volunteer contest sponsored by Disney and Points of Light Foundation. The Byrums handed us the GIANT check at the Dance With The Stars event last Saturday, October 18th. It will go a long way to help keep children involved in the arts. In this depressed economy we have more and more families in need. The arts are critical in these times of crisis and we are thankful to be have been the recipient, not only for the volunteer work the Byrum family offers so generously, but the $5,000 award money to help these families.

Thank you Byrum Family, FamilyFun magazine and Disney! It is fantastic to see volunteerism be rewarded in such a grand fashion!

Stellar Event!

Wow! The phone and emails have been flooding the Crow with kudos on the Dance With The Stars event last Saturday, October 18th. From the stars, local school teachers in Eugene and Springfield, to audience members and sponsors, there have been nothing but rave reviews. This is our second year with Dance With The Stars, and we look forward to the Third Annual, if we can ever get off the phone to get started!

Teachers are calling wanting to get on the list for next year already. Guess we will need to open this up to high schools and even the colleges (oh yes, they want in, too). We will get out the invites in April 2009 and have our list of Stars ready to go over the summer. Promises to be a great event for Upstart Crow!

Thank you to all who helped sponsor this event. It is wonderful to live in a community with so many dedicated business partners! These business partners are definitely where the Crow flies. Support them!

Starbucks, Jerry's Hardware, American Girl Magazine, Wags, Canine Communications, Our Happy Hounds Organic Biscuit Bakery, Bello Spa, Footloose Massage, Beverly Soasey, Linda Hodgert, Ruthie B's, Albertson's, Sweet Life, Mr. Formal, Blue Moon Limo, Pump Cafe, Oil Can Henry's, Prime Time Sports Bar & Grill, Kristie's Barbershop, Kim McFadden of Chase Salon, Fred Meyer, Trader Joe's, Knight Communications, Hollie Haas - Keller Williams Realty Broker, MECCA, Coburg Car Wash, Putters, Lane Ice Events Center, Bounce Gymnastics, Mookie's Kabuki's and the Science Factory.

Putting on our dancin' shoes!

Lots to do before Saturday night's big benefit, Dance With The Stars but we have had such a wonderful response from teachers who are dancing to media, volunteers and patrons. It looks to be a fun evening. If you don't have a ticket, I highly recommend getting one now. We also have a very special presentation that night. A surprise you won't want to miss!

A big thank you to all our sponsors, volunteers and especially All That! Dance. Without them, none of this would be possible. The students who are dancing have volunteered their time and energy and the teachers are looking good! This is a great community event! Get ready to cheer on your favorite school, teacher or student this Saturday, October 18th at the Wildish Theatre. Be there early for the limo to arrive with the "stars" for the red carpet treatment. Reception begins at 6:30 p m. Ticket office opens at 6:00 pm or buy early online.

Dance With the Stars

In the countdown mode for Dance With The Stars. Teachers are practicing their moves and the schools are gearing up for the competition. Arriving by limo the stars will make a grand entrance to a reception hosted by Upstart Crow Studios. This is a guaranteed family friendly good time! Don't be left out - get your tickets now at www.upstartcrowstudos.com

Crow has been kidnapped!

Bad news, fellow Crows. Our beloved Crow has been kidnapped. The dastardly deed happened at the Eugene Celebration. Be on the look out for a miserable fellow with black feathers, yellow beak and feet. We have not received ransom demands but we realize how popular Upstart Crow is, so perhaps the scoundrels are determining the value of our Crow. Since his presence in the Studios is beyond dollar calculations, we are hoping to negotiate his return on more friendly terms.

Anyone spotting this bird, should call us immediately and we will send out a team to rescue his tail feathers! Do not attempt to rescue him on your own. The scoundrels may be dangerous and armed with bird seed. A reward of two tickets to Dance With The Stars for the Crow with information leading to the rescue of beloved mascot!

Dreaming of Eugenie

Great performance by our Crows at the Eugene Celebration this past weekend. Kudos to all the great kids and volunteer parents who came out and sat in the sun all talking crow and helping potential crows try out outlandish costumes. Had a suggestion by a couple of crows for a dunk tank next year! Any volunteers for that job? It would have been nice in the heat but it will probably rain next year - and we would be a bunch of soggy crows.

More Crows getting on board for the Stage Door Production Team. We are only taking 20 students this year, so if you want in, don't wait to call or sign up. Our first performance will be Dance With The Stars and The Festival of the Trees. Remember being a member of Production Team does not mean you can't audition for other theatre performances. Stage Door is to hone your skills, especially those of you who have demonstrated your passion for the art.

In case the news hasn't spread yet, we are unable to do Annie this season as anticipated. The national touring company has blocked any theatre groups from doing it within the area that they are performing. Since they are at the Hult Center in January, that knocked us out of the box.

We have decided to flip our season with next year's offering and do Disney's Beauty and The Beast instead and put Annie on next year's schedule. A bit disappointing, I know, but hopefully this is a good alternative and we will have a wonderful chorus of forks, knives and spoons - not to mention wonderful animated characters in the castle, through the woods and of course the townspeople! Lots of roles, music and dancing to tempt even the savage beast...Auditions will be in December so keep checking the web site.

Scrooge is next - get ready for Dickens of a twist to this tale. You know we just can't leave well enough alone! Music, dance and a delightful funny story...what a great way to spend the holiday! No auditions for this production. We begin on Oct. 20th with our regular theatre schedule on Mondays and Thursdays. Check the web site for details.

Coming right up - Dance With The Stars! This will be great fun with local schools competing for a chance to see Upstart Crow's production team perform for their school! Come cheer on your school or just to enjoy a great night of dance! Lots of fun for everyone. If you came last year you know we ain't lying, if you miss it this year, you will be cryin'!