Beloved program provides free access to live performing arts for thousands of local students
If you go…
What: Support the Arts Reaching Students (STARS) program
When: August 2026 – April 2027 (times vary)
Where: Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek
Cost: Free for local students and teachers via a request form
More information: vilarpac.org/stars
The Vail Valley Foundation‘s Vilar Performing Arts Center has announced the initial 2026-27 lineup for its Support the Arts Reaching Students (STARS) program. For nearly three decades, STARS has brought nationally touring artists and companies to students throughout Eagle County and the surrounding area for free. This year’s school request form is now live for educators to request seats.
This school year’s initial STARS lineup features 18 performances spanning August through April, each designed to inspire, educate and entertain students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Highlights include Trinity Irish Dance Company’s first Colorado performance in over a decade, a musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s bestselling Cat Kid Comic Club, and Lightwire Theater’s technicolor take on The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare.
Launched in 1998, the Vilar’s STARS program has provided tens of thousands of students from Eagle County and beyond with access to live performances. Today, the program serves more than 10,000 students and faculty each year through age-appropriate shows at the Vilar that are often integrated into teachers’ lesson plans and school field trips.
All STARS performances are free for PreK-12th grade students in Eagle County and surrounding areas, with tickets distributed through a request form. Programming spans dance, theater, world music, STEAM education, and cultural experiences, offering students artistic opportunities that strengthen critical thinking, enhance cultural literacy and develop creative problem-solving skills.
“STARS isn’t just a field trip. It’s often a student’s very first chance to experience the magic of live performance,” said Harry Jaffe, Arts Education & Community Engagement Manager for the Vilar Performing Arts Center. “Arts are critical to a holistic education experience, and we strive to provide these important learning opportunities outside of the classroom. We are intentional about selecting performances that meet students where they are and stretch their imaginations. This season, we’re excited to introduce kids to global music traditions and new genres alongside beloved stories and characters they already love.”
“STARS has been a core component of the Vilar since our very first season, grounded in the belief that every young person in our community should have access to exceptional live performance, regardless of financial circumstances,” said Cameron Morgan, Executive Director of the Vilar Performing Arts Center. “We’re proud to continue expanding the program’s reach and serving more students across our region each year. We’re deeply grateful to our donors for their generosity and to our local schools and educators for their partnership in making these experiences possible.”
2026-27 STARS lineup
Trinity Irish Dance Company
August 28 | 12:30 PM | 3rd Grade & Up
The internationally acclaimed troupe returns to Colorado for the first time in over a decade with high-energy Irish dance and live music blending tradition and innovation.
Paige Hernandez: Havana Hop
October 8 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | PreK-3rd Grade
A high-energy, one-woman show blending hip-hop and salsa, following young Yeila on a journey from Washington, D.C. to Cuba to find her roots and her confidence.
Yeison Landero
October 27 | 12:30 PM | 4th-12th Grade
Grandson of “the King of Cumbia” Andrés Landero, Yeison brings the accordion-driven sound of Colombia’s Caribbean coast to life in a celebration of rhythm and heritage.
Wind in the Willows
October 29 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | 3rd-6th Grade
This multimedia adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s classic novel uses immersive 180-degree projection to follow Mole and Rat on an all-night race through the Wild Wood.
Kattam & His Tam-Tams
November 3 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | K-6th Grade
Percussionist Kattam leads an interactive musical journey through Africa, the Middle East, and India, exploring rhythm, song, and dance from around the world.
Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical
November 30 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | 1st-5th Grade
Based on Dav Pilkey’s bestselling Dog Man spinoff series, this madcap musical follows Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog as they teach a club of rambunctious baby frogs to make their own comics.
Mario the Maker Magician
January 11 | 12:30 PM | 1st-5th Grade
Blending DIY robotics, sleight of hand, and STEAM storytelling, Mario has performed on The Tonight Show and inspires kids to build, create, and imagine without limits.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
March 4 | 12:30 PM | 3rd-12th Grade
Led by nine-time GRAMMY winner Wynton Marsalis, this world-renowned orchestra brings the sound and history of jazz to life for students.
Click Clack Moo
April 5 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | K-4th Grade
Based on the Caldecott Honor book, this hilarious musical follows Farmer Brown’s cows as they go on strike, typing up their demands on an old typewriter.
Lightwire Theater: The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare
April 8 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | K-5th Grade
This America’s Got Talent semifinalist troupe reimagines Aesop’s fable using glowing electroluminescent puppetry and music ranging from classical to pop.
The Snowy Day and Other Stories
April 29 | 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM | PreK-3rd Grade
Based on Ezra Jack Keats’ beloved books, this warm, shadow-puppet-filled musical follows Peter through the joys of a first snowfall and growing up.
More STARS performances may be confirmed in the coming months. The most up to date schedule will be available at vilarpac.org/stars.
In addition to these performances, the STARS program includes free in-school and community-hosted workshops with visiting educational artists throughout the school year.
STARS is made possible through the generosity of individual donors and distributions from an endowment established by the Frechette Family Foundation. The Vilar covers the full cost of participation for students and educators, including bussing costs for Eagle County schools, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent students from taking part.
STARS is part of the Vilar’s broader efforts to increase access to the performing arts for the community. Each year, the Vilar also distributes thousands of free tickets through its Community Arts Access program and delivers arts education initiatives that inspire audiences of all ages.
For more information about STARS and to access school group request forms, visit vilarpac.org/stars.