Columbia Children's Theatre's S.T.A.R Program Hosts Annual Stargazers Gala Tonight

Columbia Children's Theatre's S.T.A.R. (Student Thespians Achieving Results) Program will present their annual Stargazers Gala tonight, January 15, at 7:00 p.m. to benefit Curing Kids Cancer. The event will take place at Columbia Children's Theatre (CCT) in Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Dr. in Forest Acres. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at columbiachildrenstheatre.com.

The evening will feature 16 acts including, music, dance, scenes and monologues, all chosen and produced by the young actors themselves. In addition there will be a raffle with prizes from area merchants. Proceeds from the event will be donated to support the work Curing Kids Cancer, as selected by S.T.A.R. program members.

The brainchild of Pamela Chalfant and her daughters Carolyn, Kate, and Hannah, the S.T.A.R. program was designed to instill the importance of philanthropy in children at an early age by structuring a program that allowed them to advance the common good through an activity that they were passionate about-in this case the love of performing in live theatre. Partnering with CCT's YouTheatre was a perfect fit where hundreds of student actors perform in plays and musicals every year.

While guided by parent mentors, the group is primarily self-governed by the students who all make presentations about area philanthropic organizations that would benefit from their efforts. Previous S.T.A.R. events have benefitted The Oliver Gospel Mission, Ronald McDonald House, and PETS Inc.

Curing Kids Cancer (CKC) started in 2004 after founders, Grainne & Clay Owen, lost their 9 year old son, Killian, to leukemia because of lack of funding for a cutting edge cancer drug that could have saved his life. Since then, they have raised over $5 million to help other children. CKC provides research money to hospitals to find new drugs and targeted therapies with little or no side effects. Here in Columbia, funds raised benefit The Children's Cancer & Blood Disorders Clinic at Palmetto Richland Children's Hospital. CKC also hosts the Fun Day with the Horses twice a year with the USC Equestrian Team. For more information about the charity & how you can help, visit www.curingkidscancer.org

Columbia Children's Theatre is a professional resident not-for-profit theatre dedicated to providing quality live theatre experiences for families and young audiences, and is supported in part by the City of Forest Acres, The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.