Don’t Miss the Starlight STARS on Spotlight Stage

Fresh off their June 25 performance at the Future Stages Festival at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Starlight STARS are hitting their summer stride. As the midpoint of Starlight Theatre’s Broadway season approaches, the Starlight STARS are preparing for their remaining pre-show performances on the Spotlight Stage.

This year, 18 students entering grades 9 through 12 make up the Starlight STARS. They train in musical theatre technique at Starlight throughout the summer and early fall and perform multiple times. They also have opportunities to take master classes led by cast members of Starlight’s Broadway shows.

“Through the Starlight STARS program, these students are developing life skills,” said Amy Reinert-Price, Starlight’s director of education. “They learn not only how to hone a certain skill set onstage, but they also develop traits like empathy, punctuality, preparation and dedication that will translate from the stage to other areas of their lives.”

Interested students audition for the program in the spring, begin rehearsals in May and meet multiple times through September to practice. The 2017 program will culminate with a performance at Starlight’s Annual Gala on Sept. 23.

Be sure to arrive early to see one of the Starlight STARS’ remaining performances on the Spotlight Stage. Their shows begin at 7 p.m. and 7:20 p.m.

An American in Paris
Wednesday, July 12
Sunday, July 16

Something Rotten
Thursday, July 27
Sunday, July 30

The Bodyguard
Thursday, Aug. 10
Saturday, Aug. 12

Motown The Musical
Friday, Aug. 25
Sunday, Aug. 27

Grease
Wednesday, Sept. 13
Thursday, Sept. 14

The talented young people who make up this year’s troupe of Starlight STARS are:

Ivy Anderegg, Kearney High School
M’racle Bryant-Morgan, Summit Christian Academy
Olivia Collet, Lee’s Summit West High School
Brendan Elam, Kearney High School
Emily Guldner, William Chrisman High School
Kylie Hansen, Raymore-Peculiar High School
Ryann Hill, Winnetonka High School
Addison Landes, Olathe East High School
Mackenzi Mason, Staley High School
Sarah Navran, Blue Valley West High School
Gabrielle Petentler, Truman High School
Tess Prusa, Notre Dame de Sion High School
Annie Smith, Blue Springs Freshman Center
Drake Taylor, The Barstow School
Kora Wiedmaier, Discovery Middle School
Ava Wolesky, Heritage Middle School
Danielle Woods, Olathe East High School
Tori Wyatt, Truman High School

This year’s Starlight STARS program was revamped from a previous version that included students in grades 7 through 12. Now, a partner program specifically for students in grades 6 through 8, the Starlight STARS of Tomorrow, runs from late fall through the holidays. Auditions for the 2017 Starlight STARS of Tomorrow will take place Oct. 5-6.