By Lauren Boykin | Contributor, NTPA
North Texas Performing Arts announces Grammy award-winning composer, producer and artist Kitt Wakely and Broadway star Malik Akil Kimani Victorian will be the special guest headliners at its third annual NTPA Stardust Awards ceremony.
Kitt Wakeley is a Grammy winning composer/producer/artist and 5-time #1 Billboard charting musician known for selling out venues such as Carnegie Hall in NYC. Malik Akil Kimani Victorian is a distinguished musical theatre performer and educator with professional credits in Broadway productions of Disney’s Aladdin, Tina Fey’s Mean Girls, and Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn.
“We are so pleased to have these incredible performing artist professionals join this very special celebration to honor those in North Texas with a passion for the performing arts,” says NTPA Chief Executive Officer Darrell Rodenbaugh. “We look forward to honoring these artists at this year’s Stardust Awards for their passion for youth performing arts education and their work on behalf of the well-being of youth.”
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the 3rd Annual NTPA Stardust Awards and for the chance to celebrate the extraordinary talent and dedication in the performing arts across North Texas,” says Malik Akil Kimani Victorian. “I’m looking forward to a fantastic evening of recognition, entertainment, and, most importantly, making a meaningful impact on the future of our arts community.”
“I value any work that helps our youth and am impressed with the incredible work NTPA does to develop the character of youth,” says Kitt Wakeley. “I look forward to joining them for this very special occasion to recognize educators, volunteers and others that work to make the performing arts impactful for youth.”
“I value any work that helps our youth and am impressed with the incredible work NTPA does to develop the character of youth.”
Kitt Wakeley, Grammy award-winning composer, producer and artist
The event will be held Saturday, November 2, 5:00-10:00 PM at the Plano Events Center in Plano, Texas. The evening will feature live performances, silent and live auctions, multi-course dinner, and awards honoring performing arts teachers, artists, philanthropists, and top performing arts organizations across North Texas in addition to the organization’s own powerhouse volunteers.
Past Stardust Award recipients included actor B.J. Cleveland, the Plano Symphony Orchestra Maestro Héctor Guzmán, Graciela Katzer founder of the Plano International Festival, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
The Stardust Awards will be presented to outstanding artists, arts educators, volunteers and leaders in the arts community. An independent blue-ribbon committee of civic leaders and local professionals conducts the award selection process from the applications received. Finalists and honorees in each category will be recognized at this year’s gala event.
The evening’s program will also honor NTPA’s outstanding volunteers whose efforts make possible its mission with NTPA’s position as an organization “managed by professionals but made possible by volunteers” in such categories as set design, costuming, and other volunteer categories.
“I’m looking forward to a fantastic evening of recognition, entertainment, and, most importantly, making a meaningful impact on the future of our arts community.”
Broadway star Malik Akil Kimani Victorian
This year’s Stardust Awards Honorary Chairpersons are the Mayor John Muns and his wife Joa with committee members including Fairview Mayor Henry Lessner, Frisco Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tammy Meinershagen, Plano Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Julie Holmer, Plano City Council Member Rick Horne, Plano Chamber of Commerce Board Chairperson David Downs, attorney and Plano Athena Award recipients Chris Krupa Downs and Danelle Bender, Senior Vice President, Chief Treasury Officer, Dairy Farmers of America and others.
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) will be supporting the non-profit children’s theatre’s mission of developing the character of youth through performing arts education and family entertainment as the Presenting Sponsor of the 3rd Annual North Texas Performing Arts Stardust Awards.
DFA is a national, farmer-owned dairy cooperative focusing on quality, innovation and the future of family dairies. While supporting and serving nearly more than 10,000 family farm-owners, DFA manufactures a variety of dairy products, including milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, dairy ingredients, and more that connect its Cooperative’s family farms to family tables with regional brands such as Oak Farms® Dairy, Meadow Gold® Dairy, Friendly®’s, Borden® Cheese, Plugrá® Premium Butter and Kemps® to name a few. On a global scale, DFA works with some of the world’s largest food companies while staying committed to social responsibility and ethical farming.
Proceeds from the event will fund scholarships for underserved youth and underwrite operations and critical projects for North Texas Performing Arts.
More information about the event is available at ntpa.org/stardust.
About North Texas Performing Arts:
North Texas Performing Arts (NTPA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to developing the character of youth through quality performing arts education and family entertainment. NTPA evolved from Plano Children’s Theatre founded three decades ago and is now the largest youth theatre organization in the country. NTPA is headquartered at Willow Bend Center of the Arts in Plano and has additional performance and educational spaces in Fairview, Frisco, Dallas and Southlake. Each year NTPA provides opportunities to more than 11,000 students ages three to 18 through its “Ten Characters” leadership development program. NTPA’s professional artistic staff uses theatre, dance, music, voice, film and TV to ignite a lifelong passion for the performing arts and guide young people on a path to becoming better citizens in our community and our world.