By Ashley Troutman

Front row left: Melissa Gay, Erika Cochran, Jimmy Del Ponte, Jennifer Silva, Adriana Salami, Lilliana Beckmann, Sophia Carafotes Second and back rows: Georgia Beckmann, Cadi Nevin, Michael Buckley, Colleen Hennelly, Casey Bourque, Chris Tabb, Krystal Komnenus,Missing from the picture: Katelyn Vallery, Gregory Xavier, Guchie Bessa , Lucy Coombs, Anna Martinez, Brandyn Perry

Children from Project STAR (Summer Theatre Arts Recreation) will light up the stage with their musical, titled “S.O.S. Save Our Songs” in a free show Thursday.

The one act show will feature popular songs by Michael Jackson, The Who, Cyndi Lauper, Greenday, and more.

In “S.O.S. Save Our Songs”, the children portray what would happen if they lost funding for their high school music program. Longtime teacher, Sophia Carafotes, acted as the assistant director. “It’s a “glee”ful look at the problems that our economy is facing now. When funding is cut, the arts are the first to go.”

Project STAR is a free, six-week music and theater camp for children ranging from ages 11 to 18. By participating in the program, children gain a basic knowledge of music, learn about acting, and are able to build self-confidence by performing in front of an audience.

The 17 children from Project STAR will take part in the musical, along with three recreation youth workers. The children chose their own character for the musical and developed it themselves, under the direction of Somerville Youth Arts Coordinator, Jimmy Del Ponte. “This year, I wanted to concentrate more on teaching allocution, the secrets of drama, projection of voice, and development of character,” Del Ponte said.

Both Del Ponte and Carafotes were part of the program when it first began in 1967 until it lost financial support in the early 1980’s. Project STAR returned to Somerville last year with the support of Mayor Joseph Curtatone, the Somerville Recreation Commission, and the Executive Office of Communications. “It’s a wonderful, free program,” Del Ponte said. “The kids get free breakfast and lunch, and they have a blast.”

Carafotes couldn’t have been happier with Project STAR’s return. “I’m a very big promoter of the arts, and I hope the kids walk away with a good experience, so they can bring back to the community what they were given,” she said.

Project STAR’s free show will begin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 12, at the West Somerville Neighborhood School cafeteria.