Category: Engage

New Family Series Brings Theatre to Young Audiences The New Year brings a new family series to Starlight. Beginning in March, the Performances for Young Audiences and Families Series will feature international theater companies putting their own twists on classic tales such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Snow White, Hansel & Gretel, and more. … Continued

Starlight Hosts North Kansas City Schools Program Starlight recently hosted 400 students from North Kansas Public Schools for a venue tour and career pathway presentation. The students are part of the College and Career Pathways program at North Kansas City high schools, an innovative approach to transform the high school experience. As freshmen, students can … Continued

Growing up in Burlington, Kansas, Kameron Cole was the only Black girl in her class—and sometimes the only one in her school.   “While being from a small town can bring a really strong sense of community, it can have its drawbacks,” said Kameron. “So, finding my own identity in a place, that at times … Continued

Each year, thousands of high school students across the Kansas City metro wait in anticipation for the announcement of the annual Blue Star Awards nominations. Today, Starlight leadership, staff, and board members revealed this year’s nominees via in school presentations and in a premiere video on Starlight’s social media. In the 2022-23 Blue Star Awards … Continued

A dancer since she was 4 years old, Phenix Watson performed in her first musical when she was in the 1st grade. Now, she’s a senior at Raytown High School and plans to continue her education in musical theatre after she graduates.  Her performance for Raise Our Voices is a tap dance to the song … Continued

Everything can change in a split second. But what comes after that second?  La’Ron Cooper is a professional Location Sound Mixer who created a soundscape called "Easter Sunday" to tell his story.  A “soundscape” is sound or a combination of sounds to form an immersive environment. The story he tells in this soundscape is deeply … Continued

Singer Catera Combs originally didn’t want to be in the spotlight. When she auditioned for a production in high school, she marked that she preferred not to be in the lead role. Her choir teacher, Jazz Rucker, recognized her talent and asked her to reconsider.   “She left the audience that year. She left the wings … Continued

If you were asked to finish the sentence “I am...”  would you know how to answer? Performer Tripp Starr shares his answer in the latest release of Starlight’s Raise Our Voices video series.   "Growing up, I struggled to know my worth and value as a person and an aspiring artist. I always found myself … Continued

Starlight is proud to share another season of Raise Our Voices, a series that highlights the voices and experiences of artists from diverse backgrounds in our community. With the theme “I Am…,” artists and artistic advisors dove in to creating works for season three of the series. The first performance is a spoken word piece … Continued

Many people gather during the holidays to celebrate and share updates from the past year. In December, recipients of Starlight’s Vincent Legacy Scholarship, along with Starlight staff and board members, had a chance to celebrate the theatre community and look toward the future. Since 2006, Starlight has proudly awarded Vincent Legacy Scholarships to middle school … Continued

Claire joins Starlight’s Philanthropy team to support all philanthropic efforts including events management, gift processing, donor cultivation, ticket coordination, and prospect research. She comes directly from the Kansas City Repertory Theatre with a passion for ensuring all members of Kansas City have access to experience the arts. Read on to learn more about the newest … Continued

Join us in congratulating Andrew Lang, Starlight’s new Director of Philanthropy! We sat down with Andrew to discuss his history with Starlight and plans for his new role. Tell us about your history with Starlight. When I was a Junior in High School in Columbia, my sister, Cortney, had just moved to Kansas City and … Continued

Thank you to everyone who attended and donated to Starlight’s 35th Annual Benefit Gala: It Starts at Starlight. On Saturday, October 1, more than 400 patrons and benefactors came together to celebrate the Starlight tradition and Kansas City’s vibrant creative community while acknowledging the impact and importance of the arts. Chaired by Cathy and Rick … Continued

National Arts in Education Week takes place in September every year. We’re celebrating by taking a look back at our recent partnership with Kansas City Public Schools as well as sharing a little about programs at Starlight that help make the arts more accessible to our community.   In 2021, Starlight partnered with Kansas City Public … Continued

Starlight welcomed around 100 residents from the Center for Neighborhoods and the Swope Park area for dinner, a show, and an important community conversation before the Tuesday, August 16 performance of Sister Act.  For several months leading up to the event, Starlight visited with representatives from numerous neighborhood associations, schools, social service agencies, health facilities, … Continued

Since its inception of the Broadway series in 1951, Starlight has collaborated with hundreds of local community partners to ensure that all Kansas Citians can enjoy, support, and participate in the arts through the Community Tickets program. This year, Starlight Theatre has partnered with 168 organizations to provide thousands of children and adults with the … Continued