Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Caron.
Hi Stephanie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
At age 12 I wanted to put on a play with kids in my neighborhood. After a few failed attempts, I got a committed group together to perform an original play in my parents backyard. The next year, I put together another original play and produced it. My theatre group,Shooting Starz Productions was officially founded in 2006. As a teenager, my mom helped me write business letters and we found a venue to perform in between 2006-2010. After high school, I took a short break and realized I missed directing shows. I slowly built up my musical theatre company into what it is today. My dream turned into a small business. It has been amazing to watch children, primarily elementary and middle school age, grow in confidence and self esteem. I specialize in small cast sizes which gives each cast member a true chance to shine. We also promote Christian values and pray as a group at each rehearsal and performance. We currently offer two rehearsal locations and produce well known musicals such as Frozen and the Sound of Music.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There has been a lot of trial and error. When I was younger, I recall many evenings crying when things seemed to fall apart. Struggles included learning how to put together basic sets and props, budgeting and finding affordable spaces to rent for rehearsal and performances. In the beginning, it was also hard for parents to agree to keep their children committed to the program. When I started off with one cast of children at a time, if someone dropped out, we would need to find someone else to play their character.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What sets what I do at Shooting Starz Productions apart from others, is that I truly love and care about each child in the program. I know the children by name, even when we are well over 100 students are a time (across multiple casts). I love to help students excel in their acting, vocal and choreography skills, however, working as a team and strengthening character traits such as humility, are just as important. My small staff and I create beautiful moments that are uplifting to the children. As much as we love the performing arts, the way children feel about themselves when they are with us far exceeds the actual outcome of their performance. We believe that Jesus Christ has given the children the ability to shine their light through their talents.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was more reserved. Theatre and dance helped me to come out of my shell and give myself a voice. I had a wonderful imagination as a child and loved writing my own scripts. Those experiences helped foster the drive in me to create a program to help give other children a voice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Ssptheatre.org
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/shootingstarzproductions
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/shootingstarzprod
