Stars of Tomorrow...
The Cumberland Theatre Stars of Tomorrow program offers young actors 5 – 20 years old the opportunity to produce a full-length Broadway-style musical in a professional setting lead by a professional production staff.
It is intended to give them a full picture of working on a main stage show in a regional theatre both on stage and behind the scenes.
The program was started with a generous grant from the Halmos Foundation of the Community Trust Fund. The first year over 50 young actors applied/auditioned to the program and 35 were accepted. The theatre produced Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in May of 2019. It played for five sold out performances. In addition to the performances, the young performers participated in a character breakfast in partnership with Allegany College’s Hospitality program and provided meet & greet sessions with young audience members.
We feel that this program benefits the youth of our community (both performers and audience) in several ways.
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It exposes young people to the theatre in a professional and safe environment.
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It instills in our children an interest in the arts. Studies have shown that children who get involved in the arts in some way grow up to be more production members of their communities.
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It provides families with an activity to do together at an affordable price.