When Creativity Has a Stage, a Community Thrives

When Creativity Has a Stage, a Community Thrives

Communities thrive when creativity has a stage.

And I don’t just mean a literal stage—though we certainly love one at Starlight Productions. I mean any space where people feel safe to express themselves, to be curious, to take risks, and to build something together.

That kind of creativity doesn’t just entertain a community—it strengthens it. I know this because I’ve lived it.

My Own Creative Beginning

My journey began in 2015, when I graduated from the Orange County High School of the Arts, where I studied classical voice. It was an intense, beautiful, and challenging environment that taught me discipline, passion, and the transformative power of storytelling.

Right after graduation, I fulfilled a lifelong dream: I became a Young American.

For those unfamiliar, the Young Americans began as the world’s first show choir and evolved into a global music outreach organization. It’s a family of performers and educators who believe deeply in using music to build community.

I went on nine international tours—performing, directing, and teaching music outreach programs across the world. I watched strangers become collaborators. I saw thousands of young people discover confidence they didn’t know they had. And I witnessed communities—across languages, cultures, religions, and histories—come together through the arts.

Those experiences shaped who I am and why I do this work.

The Unexpected Beginning of Starlight Productions

Fast forward to 2023.

I was living in Minnesota, teaching, building a life, and—like many of us—wondering what the next chapter might look like. Then I overheard something that changed everything.

A local homestay mom casually mentioned that the Prague Theatre downtown was reopening and might be looking for a new tenant.

If you’ve ever had a moment where something inside you says, “Pay attention—this is for you,” you’ll understand what came next.

I looked into it. One thing led to another. And in less than a month, Starlight Productions was born, moving into a new home in downtown New Prague.

It was a massive leap of faith—messy, thrilling, and terrifying—but one I’m endlessly grateful I said yes to. Because that leap didn’t just create a studio. It created a community.

The Fire That Tested Us

Eight months later, in February of 2024, everything changed.

A devastating fire tore through our building.

We were still new. Still growing. Still figuring things out. And suddenly, we were displaced—no stage, no studio, no home.

It would have been easy to walk away. To see it as a sign to stop.

But that’s not what happened.

Our students kept showing up.
Our families kept supporting us.
Our community kept believing in us.

For 18 months, we rehearsed anywhere we could—borrowed spaces, shared rooms, places that didn’t look like a theatre but felt exactly like one because the people were there.

And in September, we finally moved back home.

We didn’t just survive that year and a half—we grew. That is the power of a community that values the arts.

Why Creativity Builds Community

Talking about theater, music, and storytelling building community can sound poetic—but it’s also deeply practical and real.

One moment from my touring years with the Young Americans reminds me of this clearly.

On my very first tour, I spent several months in Japan. About three months in, we were in Hiroshima. My homestay mom—originally from Scotland—was warm, thoughtful, and endlessly generous. One day, she and several other homestay moms decided they wanted to surprise our cast.

So on the Fourth of July, in the middle of Hiroshima Peace Park, these women—Japanese, Scottish, and American—threw us a traditional American Fourth of July picnic.

Pause and think about that.

People of multiple nationalities, standing on ground marked by deep pain and complex history, choosing connection over division. Celebration over resentment. Healing over harm.

Music didn’t erase the past—nothing can. But it built a bridge.

And bridges matter.

Why New Prague Thrives When Creativity Has a Stage

Here in New Prague, creativity gives us a way to understand one another. It builds empathy. It brings together people who might never otherwise meet.

When young performers find courage onstage, they carry it into their schools.
When parents meet at rehearsals, they build new support systems.
When adults rediscover joy through a scene or a song, that joy travels back into their workplaces and neighborhoods.

This isn’t just entertainment.

This is community infrastructure.

I’ve seen it in California.
I’ve seen it in Japan.
I’ve seen it in Germany.
I’ve seen it all over the world.

And I’ve seen it right here—in a downtown theatre that caught fire and refused to let its community fall apart.

I see it every single day at Starlight Productions.

A Community That Creates Together Transforms Together

So I encourage you to think about the role you play in this creative ecosystem.

Whether you’re a parent, a business owner, an educator, a supporter, or simply someone who believes in connection—you are part of the story.

Because creativity doesn’t just happen on a stage.

It happens every time we choose to build something together.

And a community with creativity at its center doesn’t just shine—it transforms.