LAKELAND (Feb. 6, 2013) – The inspiring musical troupe Up With People will premiere its new program, “Voices,” at Florida Southern College on Saturday, the first stop on its annual world tour.

The 7:30 p.m. performance at Branscomb Auditorium will be the culmination of four weeks of vigorous rehearsals for more than 100 young people from 20 countries, including Sweden, Mexico, Cuba, Japan, China, and the United States.

The theme of “Voices” is how the different voices of the world communicate with one another. One particularly powerful song, “Stand Up,” is a plea to fight bullying with kindness.

Saturday’s performance marks the first time in many years that Up With People has unveiled a new show outside its headquarters in Denver, Colo. Florida Southern was chosen as the site for the rehearsal and premiere of “Voices” because of its new academic partnership with Up With People that allows cast members to take up to 12 credit hours while they are on tour.

About 10 cast members are taking advantage of the arrangement, said Abby Hull, advance team manager for Up With People. The students have met with professors during the past four weeks and will continue their studies online while on tour. Florida Southern is Up With People’s only academic partner, an arrangement that was established in August 2011.

FSC Provost Dr. Kyle Fedler said the arrangement is unparalleled and is accomplishing the goal of giving students credit for what they are learning as they travel, perform service projects, and learn about other cultures.

“The idea is to use the students’ experiences on the road. It epitomizes our engaged learning approach, integrating learning in the classroom into the real world,” he said.

The Up With People cast will give performances of “Voices” in Florida and Georgia before traveling overseas to perform in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Mexico, among other countries. The tour concludes in June.

Up With People was founded in 1965. It provides young adults an international and intercultural experience that teaches service leadership and uses the performing arts to deliver messages of hope and goodwill throughout the world.