Your help towards our campaign will allow ASOC to continue to grow as an organization, while laying the foundation for continued service for our community for the next quarter of a century. For over 25 years our volunteers have proven we can plan, stage, and successfully provide excellent Community Theater in a fiscally self-sufficient manor. This operating sustainability has been the result of dedicated volunteer supporters of ASOC who have raised money through local sponsorships of plays, developed and sold items at the shows, and held a number of fundraising events throughout the area. Your support will enable us to continue to refine the efforts of our Board Members as we enhanced our organization and develop the resources to complete the purchase and remodel of the new theater building.

We are proud of our strong relationship with our community and our region. It is in this spirit of partnership that we submit this donation request to you. Your donation will go far to ensure that this necessary and important organization will continue its mission to provide quality entertainment and performing arts opportunities for the entire North Coast Region for generations to come.

Please consider donating to The Capital Campaign.

Ever since The Astor Street Opry Company (ASOC) creation in 1983 as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization our mission has been to enrich the cultural opportunities for patrons and performers in the greater Astoria area. For over 25 years now ASOC has played a very important part of the performing arts community as it brings a unique award winning theater which celebrates local culture, engage the audience and provide opportunities for all ages to collaborate and be uniquely “Astorian”. In addition this family friendly theater organization entertains as it shows visitors the heart of our community, its history and folklore, which helps to promote our region as a cultural tourism destination.

The first performance staged by ASOC was the Broadway-Style musical melodrama SHANGHAIED IN ASTORIA. This locally written play is part vaudeville, soap opera, and 1950’s style Hollywood musical – combined into a fun and entertaining look at Astoria cultural folklore. What originated as a celebration of folklore in Astoria has now become a tradition itself as SHANGHAIED IN ASTORIA turns 25 this summer and again will be honored by the Oregon Governor’s Office and Astoria City Council as a “Regional Treasure” worthy of preserving.

As you may know, last year we moved into our new theater the ASOC Playhouse on Bond Street in the Uniontown District of Astoria, which we are now working towards making our permanent home. The Theater Transition Project was a time limited project and now completed will have no need to be sustained.

This stable home has allowed us to expand and develop our programming further adding new annual events and activities including SCROOGED IN ASTORIA, the Children’s Theater production of CHARLOTTE’S WEB” and GODSPELL, a fully staged family musical.

In addition, we are in the process of creating a new original production “The Lewis & Clark Musical Melodrama” being developed by ASOC volunteers in time for the 2011 bicentennial celebration of Astoria. These additional activities will expand our ticket sales and our fundraising abilities increasing revenues that will further our fiscal sustainability to meet future costs.

Supporter of Youth
ASOC is an active supporter of annual summer outreach to youth (many of whom are “at-risk’ teens) with over 50 percent of our participants being students ages 13-17. Thanks to having a secure home, we also have been able to expand our theatrical program for younger children ages 7-12 through a Children’s Theater Program created in conjunction with Astoria Parks and Recreation. Due to its overwhelming success we are also very pleased to announce that this summer we are adding the much awaited production of “JUNIOR SHANGHAIED”, performed by kids’ ages 10 to 14 years!

We believed that one of the keys to our continuation includes using the tools of theatrical education and training to enhance our performing arts programming. Our courses include a variety of well-developed workshops and classes with professionally trained instructors for both the experienced and non-experienced artist, including: Directing, Script Writing, Acting (all levels), Musical Theatre, Dance, Technical Production and Comedy Improv.

ASOC also offers an ongoing mentor apprenticeship programs and scholarships for continuing higher education in the field of Theatrical Arts.