CLIFTON FORGE—STARS, a troupe of 30 performers who face intellectual challenges and/or have physical disabilities, will perform “Christmas To Remember” at Good News Church on Main, Sun., Dec. 4, at 3:00 p.m.
“Christmas To Remember” will be directed by Paula Crance and Sonya Romanello. Chris Fisher will return as the variety show’s emcee.
Special Theatrical Artists Revue & Showcase (STARS) was founded in 1996, as an outreach program of Appalfolks of America Association (AAA) which is based in Clifton Forge.
From the troupe’s original 10 members who were directed by the late Vivian Pendleton, the troupe has steadily grown without a single audition being held.
Anyone who had a physical disability or faced an intellectual challenge and desired to become a member of STARS was accepted as a new member of the troupe that specializes in presenting variety shows.
AAA owned and operated the Historic Stonewall Theatre from 1991, till donating the theatre to the Town of Clifton Forge in 2003, after making more than $200,000 worth of restoration improvements to the theatre that became the home of STARS in 1996.
In 2006, AAA teamed with Media Storm Productions of Virginia Beach to produce a documentary film titled “STARS.”
Filming was done in the Historic Stonewall Theatre (renamed The Historic Masonic Theatre) and in the Town as well.
The eight-minute film was awarded a Bronze Telly, and it can be viewed at the Clifton Forge Public Library.
There are no advance ticket sales for STARS, and the admission fee at the door of Good News Church on Main is $6 or a donation.
The show will feature members of STARS performing duets, and 21 of the troupe’s 30 members have been rehearsing for “Christmas To Remember.”
Pastor Steve Noel and Good News Church on Main provides its facility and staff free of charge as a community service.
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