march 2026
SIERRA’S SENTIMENTS
Last weekend, we opened our production of Hadestown: Teen Edition! Thank you to the entire cast and crew as well as everyone who came out to see it. What a smashing success! Hadestown broke a few records for us- we saw over 100 auditions, performed 5 times, and welcomed 418 audience members. I want to take a moment to shout out the incredible team- Ella, Brigid, William, Lori (mom!), Jack, Luray, Ellie, Abi, and Hannah who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all happen, and another special shoutout to our 8-piece band, made up almost entirely of students! Of course, the incredible cast of 18 performed beautifully all weekend and were perfect models of kindness, professionalism, and passion. It was so special to celebrate with all of them, plus members of our community at our opening night reception on Friday- a huge thank you to the members of our board who made that possible!
What’s next? Well, a little break (this is the first time we aren’t rehearsing a mainstage show since July!) while we prep for summer festivities. You already know about our two sessions of summer camp (9 to 5 Jr. and Something Rotten Jr.) and our adult-beginner Senior STARS program (The Music Man Sr.), but today we are SO thrilled to announce that this summer our summer teen musical program will present Catch Me If You Can!
Once again, this summer’s production will be directed and choreographed by none other than the incomparable John Poncy. If you haven’t yet had a chance to work on or see one of John’s shows, you’re in for a treat. John is incredibly gifted and we are so lucky to have him share his talents with us. You won’t want to miss out on this one- auditions are on June 3rd (time slots are open now!) and we’ll perform August 7th and 8th.
Thank you for your continued support, we hope to see you soon!
curtain call
Congratulations to the cast and Crew of Hadestown!
Thank you for all your hard work! Congratulations!
drama camp
We are so excited for Summer Camp 2026 and hope to see you there! Registration is open now!
Session 1: 9 to 5 Jr.
July 6-17th
Session 2: Something Rotten! Jr.
July 20th-31st
senior spotlight
This month’s Senior Spotlight features John Poncy!
John is a senior at Oakton High School and has been with STARS since day one. You may have seen him onstage with us as Leaf Coneybear in Spelling Bee. John is the co-founder of STARS and has contributed tremendously to the success of the company. John served as the choreographer for our Senior STARS program last summer and as the Director/Choreographer of Zombie Prom (our first show!) and Spring Awakening. This summer, John will be directing and choreographing our summer musical, Catch Me If You Can.
What are your plans for the future?
“I’m currently finishing out my senior year at Oakton High School, and am so excited to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre next year. After a whirlwind audition process, I am honored and humbled to have been accepted into my dream program for years and while I haven’t officially committed yet, I am so excited to see what the next four years will bring me. ”
What is your favorite STARS memory?
“My favorite STARS memory is sitting with Sierra looking at the audition notes from Spring Awakening and wondering how we were possibly going to cut so many talented auditioners down to less than 30 cast members. While obviously this memory wasn't necessarily joyful in the moment, it symbolizes to me the achievement of what we dreamed STARS would one day become. We had for years discussed the idea of starting a theatre company, but never imagined it would become a reality so quickly, and that so many people would want to be a part of what we were doing. I’m so honored and grateful to be involved in a company like STARS, and after its growth in only two years, I can’t wait to see where it goes next.”
You have worked as a choreographer and director for STARS, what has that experience been like and what have you learned?
“Working as a director and choreographer for STARS is always an amazing experience! As a teen director and choreographer in the area, I often find myself having to “prove my worth” to the team and auditioners whenever entering a new production. People aren’t usually used to auditioning for and taking direction from a teen, so that adjustment can sometimes feel tricky at first. However, at STARS, my artistry is not only consistently accepted, but celebrated. I directed and choreographed our first production, Zombie Prom, at STARS in 2024 and was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic support from the cast, creative team, and STARS community. Since then, every project with STARS, whether directing, choreographing, or performing, has been an absolute blast. I think that is a huge testament to the environment and community STARS fosters, and I am so grateful for the trust and enthusiasm the STARS family shows in my artistic endeavors!”
What advice would you give to someone auditioning for a STARS show?
“I am so excited to be back directing and choreographing Catch Me If You Can for my third summer musical with STARS! The dance and ensemble opportunities this show offers is unlike anything we’ve done at STARS, and I am beyond pumped to see all the talent that will come out and audition this summer! To someone considering auditioning, I would say DO IT! The STARS summer musical is unique in its speedy production process. With only three weeks between rehearsals starting and opening night, the production process is extremely high-intensity and low-commitment, which is perfect for the increasingly busy summer schedule of most NOVA theatre kids. I can’t wait to get started and look forward to bringing this classic to the STARS stage!”
