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Click HERE for a copy of the press release
for the Spirit of Spokane Chorus
Hobo Show on
October 6, 2007 !
Spirit of Spokane Chorus voted Best Performer at the 2007
American Cancer Society Relay for Life!
How to Succeed in “Show”
Business…
by Dee Pearson (published in Region 13 In Tune
May 2007)
We knew we could succeed, but we also knew it meant REALLY
TRYING! In the end, New York, New York and Dances with the Stars danced and sang
its way to Spirit of Spokane Chorus show fame. Our annual show became famous not
only for creative entertainment but for financial success! Despite a perilously
short 4 month timeframe, our show committee, lead by Farol Stroyan & Phyllis
Albee, managed to orchestrate a hit! Success resulted from efforts in several
key areas: partnering with local media celebrities; careful financial planning
by the show committee to cut expenses and increase exposure; some clever
advertising techniques; and above all, a renewed positive energy that has
permeated the chorus!
Most Americans have at least heard of the hot new reality show “Dancing with the
Stars.” Our show theme - Spirit of Spokane Chorus presents, New York New York
and Dances with the Stars! - evolved from this popular television show. Our
story, in a nutshell, was set around a chorus traveling to New York City to
perform at Carnegie Hall, stopping off along the way to visit famous theaters
presenting all time favorite Broadway shows. One of theaters was having a
“Dance” contest with two Spokane celebrities as dance contestants (what a
coincidence). Luck stepped in with the opening of the 2nd annual season of
“ABC’s Dancing with the Stars” just 2 weeks before our show! We couldn’t have
asked for better timing.
But luck wasn’t the only reason our show succeeded. Establishing a relationship
with local radio and television personalities was part of our win-win
combination! Not only did we meet some incredible people, but we received a huge
amount of free radio and television exposure. Why did Robyn Nance, KXLY TV news
anchor and Dave Sposito, KZZU morning radio show star jump on our bandwagon so
willingly? Because of our pledge to raise money for two local cancer
foundations.
To quote Robyn, “It was such an honor and a joy to be part of a wonderful show.
I was able to help raise funds for cancer care, which is close to my heart, as
my grandmother is fighting (and beating) cancer. I made some amazing new friends
in the cast, and the show sparked a new passion for me: Ballroom Dancing! Thank
you for including me. I loved every minute!”
Another element which propelled this show to success was the choice of a great
Spokane landmark as our venue. We chose the Bing Crosby Theater, which proved to
be a fun place to perform as well as an historic showbiz setting for our
audience to enjoy. Providing tickets through TicketsWest also lent to the
professional quality of the show. Add to that our exceptional singing and great
guests, and the show was a winner all the way.
The winning didn’t stop when the curtain fell. Thanks to the outstanding
commitment from all chorus members, we exceeded our profit margin from our last
show by 162 percent. We were within $100 of our budgeted goal for sponsorships.
Best of all, ticket sales soared, breaking the projection by 148 percent. We had
the largest audience ever! The number of chorus members selling ads and tickets
increased 10 fold. In addition, we raised and donated $1300.00 equally divided
between Northwest Cancer Foundation Spokane, and North Idaho Cancer Care, Coeur
d’Alene. Benefiting these charities gave us all an even greater desire to get
out and gather sponsorships and sell tickets.
So look for our second Dances with the Stars contest to be even bigger, include
more celebrities and raise more money! When you give, you receive! The Spirit of
Spokane Chorus is beginning to make its mark in the arts community but more
importantly is raising money to battle cancer, a disease that touches so many
lives. Now that is trying AND succeeding, in show biz and in life.
*****************
from the Spokesman-Review April 24, 2006
(submitted by Debbie Drake of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho):
Local Sweet Adelines
Win Top Honors
Spokane was filled with the harmonious
sounds of barbershop singing as more than 700 Sweet Adelines
gathered this past weekend for their annual regional convention and
competition at the Opera House. Region 13 represents members from
Washington, North Idaho, and Alaska, and three of the top honors were
awarded to competitors from the Inland Empire. “It is very exciting to
have so much talent recognized on the east side of the Region. The top
awards have been going to competitors from the Seattle area,” said Sally
Wallace of the Coeur d’Alene Chorus.
The event opened on Thursday evening with
a Showcase of previous and current champions including Pacific Sound
Chorus from Bellevue, WA. Friday night’s Quartet Competition
included 23 quartets, and resulted in second and third place medals being
awarded to local quartets. The second place quartet,
Pepper, is a
new long-distance quartet with members from Spokane, Washington, Coeur d’Alene,
Idaho and Helena, Montana. The members of the third place quartet, Moxie,
are from Spokane, Washington and Sandpoint, Idaho.
Saturday afternoon, the choruses took
their turn on stage with thirteen choruses competing. First place medals
were awarded to the members of Spirit of Spokane Chorus, directed
by Mike Elliott, representing our great city of Spokane. This is the fifth
time that this wonderful chorus has earned this honor, and they will go on
to represent Spokane and Region 13 at the Sweet Adelines International
Convention in Calgary, Alberta in October of 2007. The Coeur d’Alene
Chorus also competed with their new director, Bianca Perry and placed
seventh among the choruses.
The Sweet Adelines International (www.sweetadelineintl.org)
membership of nearly 30,000 women includes more than 1200 registered
quartets and 600 choruses in more than twelve countries worldwide.
Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sweet Adelines International is one of
the largest women singers’ organizations in the world, committed to
advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and
performance. With their gift of song, their goal is to
“Harmonize the
World!”
Information for Sweet Adelines North
Pacific Region 13 and
Coeur d’Alene choruses can be found at www.sairegion13.org/choruses.html
Contact information for Pepper
and Moxie quartets can be found at
www.sairegion13.org/quartets.html
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