Youth stage Paramount

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: July 17, 2008

The Paramount Theater stage isn’t just for today’s big names anymore. Local young people will get two opportunities to perform on the Paramount Theater stage this weekend, giving audiences a glimpse of tomorrow’s stars.

Jefferson Youth Theater will team up with Boys and Girls Club and UBS to present two shows Saturday at the Paramount.

“Snow White and the Dwarfs’’ will be presented at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and “So You Want to Be a Star?’’ will follow at 7 p.m.

Both shows are part of Jefferson Youth Theater’s July drama camps. The “Snow White” camp, for ages 5 to 18, met from July 14 through today, and the “So You Want to Be a Star?’’ camp for 9- to 18-year-olds met from July 7 to 11.

Boys and Girls Club members are performing in the casts and receiving scholarships to attend the camps.

The “Snow White’’ show will feature dwarves, dueling knights, evil stepsisters and a range of forest creatures, including rabbits, birds and squirrels. Jefferson Youth Theater director Peter Ryan wrote the show’s songs.

“So You Want to Be a Star’’ has a backstage feel in the tradition of “Hannah Montana’’ and “High School Musical.’’ It tells the story of a school talent show and the jealousy and rivalry that erupts as the competition gets intense.

Among the stars are the Step Team of Monticello-Albemarle and grown-up performers Terri Allard, Art Wheeler, Ian Gilliam and juggler David Vanderveer.

Tickets are $9. The Boys and Girls Club gets a portion of the proceeds. To get them, visit http://www.thepara

mount.net or call 979-1333.