STAR Arts Education
Oak Tree Garden Stage, 695 Rucker Ave, Gilroy, CA 95020
About
STAR Arts Education offers theatre arts, acting, video, film, and podcasting, along with tech skills on and off the stage. The program includes Summer Musical Theatre, Video Arts camps with onstage musical productions, outdoor performances, and artistic workshops. STAR Arts Education is a non-profit organization and is described with the phrase, “Once you're a STAR Kid, you're always a STAR Kid!”
• Ages: 7–17 years old
STAR is a kids theatre arts organization based in Gilroy, California and was formerly known as the Gavilan STAR Program. STAR Arts Education was founded in 1985 by Marilyn Abad-Cardinalli, Professor Emeritus of Theatre and Television Arts at Gavilan College. For 40 years, the STAR Program has been described as one of the best summer programs available for youth interested in theatre and video arts education, and many STAR kids return to the program to become STAR leaders. Summer vacations are often planned around STAR programs, and through these programs kids develop lifelong friendships and a sense of belonging.
The mission of STAR Arts Education is to provide excellent arts programs and learning experiences to young people and for all audiences that are fun, engaging, and educational, with positive experiences on stage, screen, and behind the scenes. STAR Arts Education creates a safe place for youth to express themselves, to boost their confidence and poise, encourage their creative spirits and teach through hands-on experiential projects the value of collaboration, teamwork, and mutual respect. The organization’s core values are Love, Trust, Unity, Community, Imagination, and Excellence, and the STAR Way focuses on connecting and engaging with the STAR kids by understanding and demonstrating these core values and is described as caring, knowing, supporting, and making good decisions.
STAR Arts Education celebrates diverse communities and exposes young people and the broader community to participating, collaborating, sharing, and experiencing the results of the creative process. The organization strives to connect and engage all children and their families in its communities with chances to experience, be engaged in, and enjoy the performing arts on stage and on screen, virtually or face to face. STAR Arts Education describes plans to forge new collaborations with local arts organizations, businesses, and venues, and it aspires to be inspired and influenced by those it serves through Summer Musical Theatre, Video Arts camps with onstage musical productions, outdoor performances, artistic workshops, and educational partnerships with schools. STAR Arts Education is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA and includes a land acknowledgement of the Ohlone people, specifically the Popeloutchom (Amah Mutsun) Tribe, along with a commitment to learn and teach the history of the land.
Last updated March 19, 2026.
• Ages: 7–17 years old
STAR is a kids theatre arts organization based in Gilroy, California and was formerly known as the Gavilan STAR Program. STAR Arts Education was founded in 1985 by Marilyn Abad-Cardinalli, Professor Emeritus of Theatre and Television Arts at Gavilan College. For 40 years, the STAR Program has been described as one of the best summer programs available for youth interested in theatre and video arts education, and many STAR kids return to the program to become STAR leaders. Summer vacations are often planned around STAR programs, and through these programs kids develop lifelong friendships and a sense of belonging.
The mission of STAR Arts Education is to provide excellent arts programs and learning experiences to young people and for all audiences that are fun, engaging, and educational, with positive experiences on stage, screen, and behind the scenes. STAR Arts Education creates a safe place for youth to express themselves, to boost their confidence and poise, encourage their creative spirits and teach through hands-on experiential projects the value of collaboration, teamwork, and mutual respect. The organization’s core values are Love, Trust, Unity, Community, Imagination, and Excellence, and the STAR Way focuses on connecting and engaging with the STAR kids by understanding and demonstrating these core values and is described as caring, knowing, supporting, and making good decisions.
STAR Arts Education celebrates diverse communities and exposes young people and the broader community to participating, collaborating, sharing, and experiencing the results of the creative process. The organization strives to connect and engage all children and their families in its communities with chances to experience, be engaged in, and enjoy the performing arts on stage and on screen, virtually or face to face. STAR Arts Education describes plans to forge new collaborations with local arts organizations, businesses, and venues, and it aspires to be inspired and influenced by those it serves through Summer Musical Theatre, Video Arts camps with onstage musical productions, outdoor performances, artistic workshops, and educational partnerships with schools. STAR Arts Education is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA and includes a land acknowledgement of the Ohlone people, specifically the Popeloutchom (Amah Mutsun) Tribe, along with a commitment to learn and teach the history of the land.
Last updated March 19, 2026.
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