SPAC seeks singers, ‘Wicked’ fans for upcoming Pop-Up Choir
No experience necessary for this special (and free!) singing opportunity and performance.
This exciting Positively Saratoga news is brought to you by our friends at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
By Lauren Halligan Behan, special to the Dispatch
SPAC’s School of the Arts is inviting folks of all ages and abilities to participate in its free, first-ever Pop-Up Choir event to sing “Defying Gravity” from the popular musical and film Wicked.
“No experience necessary,” touts the casting call, promising a welcoming, low-pressure environment. “Just bring your voice and your enthusiasm.”
This collaborative Pop-Up Choir event, imagined as an evening of joyful singing and community, is slated for 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at SPAC School of the Arts. The gathering will entail playful music-making, conversation and time to break into groups by part, culminating in a final performance.
There is no charge to attend, but advance registration is required. Sheet music and practice recordings will be provided ahead of time.
“SPAC’s launch of this one-day Pop-Up Choir is reflective of a larger phenomenon across the country to bring together different communities for improvisatory, low-commitment singing gatherings that prioritize connection and harmony,” SPAC President Christopher Shiley tells the Dispatch.
(Click on the below video to see how a similar event elsewhere in the U.S. turned out — and to get pumped for August 12.)
While the song was a strong connection to the Cynthia Erivo evening with the Philadelphia Orchestra (that has since been cancelled), it wasn’t chosen solely for that — after all, the highly-anticipated Wicked: For Good comes out in November and promises to carry Wicked fever forward.
“The song is beloved,” Shiley says. “People are really excited for it — and that finding joy in music is what this event is about.”
In addition to furthering SPAC’s mission to make art more inclusive and accessible, this new engaging and uplifting event aims to have a personal impact on participants.
“We're excited,” Shiley says. “The work going on in the education department has been unbelievable and is making the arts a lot more accessible to everyone.”
Visit spac.org for more details or to register.
