Group planning benefit concert

A planned grand opening concert next week at Carson City's newest performing arts venue will be put on hold. Instead, the owners say, a fund-raising concert will be held, with all proceeds going to help victims of last week's terrorist attacks.

"Thursday we were supposed to open, but then this happened," said Doug Reynolds, Upstage Center Creative Complex and Theater managing partner. "We don't feel a grand opening celebration should be held right now."

Reynolds, along with other founding members of the venue, are responding to four planned jetliner crashes that are suspected to have killed thousands in the World Trade Center twin towers, as well as the Pentagon.

One-hundred percent of the donated proceeds at Thursday's concert will either benefit the Salvation Army or the fund managed by local firefighters.

"We're going to take $0 out of this," Reynolds said. "People out here have said they want to do something, but they don't know what to do except give blood.

"By the time this happens we will have something to donate to."

The suggested donation is $50, although it is not required.

With air traffic in the United States put on hold, and no end in sight for the ensuing complications, Reynolds said the Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band scheduled for the grand opening, will instead drive from their Southern California base.

"We are really just starting to plan for this," Reynolds said.

Catering will be provided by City Cafe and Bakery, as well as the Sausage Factory, he said. Other local businesses have also said they will pitch in.

The Upstage Center Theater, located at 900 Mallory Way behind Lowe's, opened for business last month.

The 220-seat theater plans to bring about a concert a month, featuring performers of international acclaim. In exchange for a donation ranging from $100 to $12,500, "members" of the company will get advertising at the venue and on literature, plus tickets to the shows.

Besides live performance, the Upstage Center is already transforming into a center for performance arts-related businesses. Inside the building are offices for a digital recording studio, a dance troupe, a design studio, mobile stage company and an entertainment marketing group, among others.

For information on the Upstage Center or the benefit concert visit www.theupstagecenter.net, or call 882-8900, ext. 100.