Welcoming Young Performers Ages 9–15 This Summer
Four-week summer program culminates in two public performances at Reading Memorial High School on July 24 and 25
The Five Star Theatre Company, a Reading-based nonprofit youth theatre program, will present Disney’s Moana JR. this July, capping off a four-week summer program that combines musical theatre rehearsal with daily workshops in performance, voice, and ensemble building. Performances are open to the public and will be held at the William E. Endslow Performing Arts Center at Reading Memorial High School on Friday, July 24 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 25 at 2:00 p.m.
Now in its fourth decade, Five Star Theatre Company was founded in 1993 and has grown into a cornerstone of Reading’s arts community, offering young performers ages 9 to 15 a supportive, high-energy environment to build confidence, creativity, and friendship through musical theatre. Five Star Theatre Co. is instantly recognizable each summer at Reading Memorial High School by its counselors’ signature orange T-shirts and equally vibrant theatre-kid energy; a welcoming environment that participants, both past and present, say feels like coming home.
This summer’s production, Disney’s Moana JR., follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage, featuring favorite songs from the film including “How Far I’ll Go,” “Shiny,” and “You’re Welcome.” Over the course of the summer program, the cast will spend their days split between full rehearsals and workshops covering performance technique, confidence, creativity, ensemble-building, and more — skills the program emphasizes as valuable well beyond the stage.
The Five Star Theatre Company operates as a 501(c) nonprofit arts organization and is supported in part by the Mass Cultural Council, the Reading Cultural Council, Pegasus Springs, and Reading Cooperative Bank. The organization also offers a Rising Stars program for younger performers from 6 to 8 years old, alongside its flagship summer production.
Tickets for Disney’s Moana JR. go on sale in July at fivestartheatre.org/performances. Tickets will be available online until three hours prior to each performance, with remaining tickets available at the box office beginning 90 minutes before showtime.
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About The Five Star Theatre Company
Founded in 1993, The Five Star Theatre Company is a 501(c) nonprofit arts organization based in Reading, Massachusetts, offering musical theatre education and performance opportunities to young people ages 9 to 15. Through its summer program, Five Star pairs full theatrical productions with daily workshops in acting, voice, and ensemble building, fostering a supportive, inclusive environment where young performers can grow in confidence and creativity. Learn more at fivestartheatre.org.
