Why Come To See "SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS"?

Tickets go on sale Wednesday (October 6) at Nashville's Belcourt Theatre to see the award-winning documentary "SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS: THE UP WITH PEOPLE STORY." The 80-minute film will be shown on Monday, October 11 and Tuesday, October 12, each night at 7:00 p.m. Tickets will be available on line and at the Belcourt box office in Hillsboro Village.

Since the mid-1960s, UP WITH PEOPLE has traveled all across the United States and the world, being seen by more than 20 million people. Its casts have performed at a record 4 Super Bowls. So why go see this documentary, especially if you were a part of UWP or one its local Sing-Outs such as Sing-Out South here in Nashville? What can you learn?

That's an individual question for everyone to determine for themselves. But clearly for those of us involved over 40 years ago, it may present an opportunity to reflect back on what we all did together back then and think about what it means, both then and now. Besides, it will just be great to get back together and see each other and maybe starting thinking about a 45th Reunion for Sing-Out South sometime in 2011. The film will also give us a chance to travel down memory lane as we get the unique opporunity to view never-before-seen archival footage of UWP from back in the day.

If you attend Monday night's event (October 11), you'll have another unique opportunity to stay afterwards for a question and answer session with the documentary's Director Lee Storey and Nashville's own Linda Blackmore Cates, one of UWP early stars and a cast member interviewed in the film.

Here's an excerpt from a previous Q&A session held at the Florida Film Festival last September (2009). Here Lee Storey talks about how "SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS" came to be along with other topics including perhaps the most famous UWP alumni, actress Glenn Close...

To give you even more of a flavor for what might be in store at question and session session following Monday's documentary showing. Here's an excerpt from the discussion following the premiere of "SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS" at the Slamdance Film Festival in Arizona back in January, 2009.

In this clip from YouTube, you will see and hear from folks whose names you will remember from our days in UWP and Sing-Out. That includes John Parker, John Sayre (who is also interviewed in the film) along with Eric Ross (also in the documentary) and Linda Blackmore Cates, who even mentions another former SOS member, Hazel Robinson. It is a fascinating exchange....

Now please understand ,there may be parts of the documentary and things that are said you don't like or agree with at all. But as I remember being in Sing-Out and UWP, having spirited discussions was an ongoing part of what we did. You may also gain some new perspective on what we all did together so many years ago.

Ticket prices are $8.75 for adults, $7.5 for students and military (with ID), children $7.25 (11 years of age and younger) and seniors (65+) $6.25.

Please join us for what promises to be an extraordinary evening both Monday and Tuesday nights.