What a great way to spend the summer – singing, dancing and acting up a storm. An acclaimed program giving West Seattle kids the chance to do exactly that is Stage Struck, a theater program that’s celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer, with a party coming up on August 14th. Stage Struck offers both summer theater camps and performances during the school year at Fauntleroy Church‘s Fellowship Hall as well as West Seattle High School.

The photos shown here (courtesy of Peggy Fine) are from past years’ performances, but TONIGHT you can see the kids in action as they present “Mary Poppins” at Fauntleroy Church at 7 pm (the past two Fridays, they performed “Cinderella” and “Oliver“). And you can also buy your tickets now for the 10th anniversary event – online at www.stagestruckseattle.com – read on for the official announcement about the celebration, which is also a fundraiser to gather scholarship funds so more kids ca be pat of the Stage Struck program:

West Seattle kids-theater program Stage Struck celebrates its 10th anniversary at 5 p.m. on August 14 in the Parish Hall at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, next to West Seattle High School. Current actors and actresses, and their families, as well as Stage Struck alumni, and all members of the West Seattle Community are invited to join this fabulous festival of the arts. The anniversary party celebrates those who have supported the program, and anyone who is curious about what’s happening behind-the-scenes at this regularly sold-out program for kids.

“We’ve been offering summer theatre camps and school year performances for 10 years at two West Seattle locations—Fellowship Hall (at Fauntleroy Church), and now at West Seattle High School,” explained Laura Drake, Director and Founder of Stage Struck. “We are thrilled to be celebrating this milestone with the West Seattle community and are looking forward to reconnecting with Stage Struck alumni, families, friends, and the general public who attend our shows…..this is a party for everyone who has an interest in the future of the arts!”

Drake started Stage Struck in April 2001 and has appeared in professional stage productions for 30 years in various cities, and in major films, television series, independent films, and national commercials. She has taught, directed, and produced theatre in several Seattle public schools under city, county and private foundation grants and is also a full-time Multi-Arts teacher at Highland Park Elementary in West Seattle. This past year she became a National Board Certified Teacher with certification in young and middle childhood art. The program also benefits from a group of fourteen other actors, musicians, and dancers who are veteran performers with teaching credentials. Many former students become apprentices in the program and later go on to become acting students at colleges across the nation.

Stage Struck camps are extremely popular and are repeatedly sold out almost as soon as the new summer programs are listed each March. In July, 2007, Seattle Metropolitan magazine named Stage Struck’s summer theatre camps “Best of the City.”

A unique element of Stage Struck performances is the revolving cast members — allowing all students a chance to perform. “My daughter has been fortunate to have a leading role in a couple plays – but it is always shared with 3-5 actors,” said Peggy Fine, West Seattle parent who has two daughters in Stage Struck camps this summer, “I love this feature of Stage Struck because there is never too much pressure on any one actor, and the kids get to share in the experience of playing a lead role.”

Scholarships are offered to interested actors so that theatre is never out-of-reach to families who can’t afford it. This year Stage Struck received a Joseph and Ligia Wiegand Family Foundation grant which supported 2010 summer session scholarships. Stage Struck is also sponsored by the Allied Arts Foundation.

Tickets to the 10th Anniversary Stage Struck Bash can be purchased on-line through the Stage Struck website at www.stagestruckseattle.com. One of the highlights of the evening will be a Stage Struck raffle featuring fun-filled treats and prizes donated from West Seattle businesses. Organizations who donate raffle items will be promoted in the Stage Struck event program and the MC will have the crowd “give it up” for the businesses involved during the evening’s events. Monies raised from the raffle and event will fund next summer’s scholarships and provide much-needed technical improvements.