‘This Is Sing-Out' film showcases 30 years of community giving
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — One Rochester non-profit's history is coming to the big screen next week. 'This is Sing-Out' tells the 30-year story of the organization of the same name.
Director Frank Vella is one of thousands who have been a member of Sing-Out.
'The whole ethos of why I wanted to make the film is, I was very inspired by these adults,' Vella told News 8. 'It's been this really great, rich piece of like Rochester history for years.
The organization was founded in the 1970s by Lisa Romack. She started it after her friend Tim passed away with the concept of putting on a musical revue together to raise money for children's charities.
'It ran for two years in the 70s, and he basically, while in hospice, was telling her that those were really the best memories of my life,' Vella said.
So, Romack brought it back. Initially just for one year in Tim's honor.
''We should do it again. We should do it again,'' Vella quoted Romach saying. 'And it kind of grew. They switched it to where, in the beginning, it was all the adults that were in the original show, and it kind of transformed it to, 'Well, let's just make it high school kids and make it all about high school kids.''
Decades of history, decades of giving back to the community — mixed with the history of thousands of Sing-Out members, past and present — including Vella — he showcases it all through film… with a little help.
'The Town of East Rochester had filmed all 30 years,' Vella said. 'So I was able to go in, and they were able to give me all this footage. I really wanted to focus on the adults involved in Sing-Out, because these guys do so much work for the community, and they don't get the credit. They always keep it about the kids.'
That theme of giving back: incorporated behind the scenes as well.
'Every penny we make from this film is going to go back to the Sing-Out organization,' Vella said. 'It played into the theme of the film. It's all about giving back. I wanted to make sure we were doing that on our end as well.'
'This is Sing-Out' premieres on Prime Video June 17. For more information on the film, as well as Sing-Out, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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