Josh Batenhorst

Shows by Category -

Spring = Spellbound Students

Want to see spellbound students engaged and having fun while learning? Our Spring Tours will do the trick! For the Spring, we’re featuring shows about incredible women in American History, Earth Day and STEM, and classic literature!

+ Learn about Amelia Earhart, Sacajawea, Susan B. Anthony and more inspiring women from American history in We Can Do It: American Women in History. Available on Tours Spring 1 2023, Spring 1.5 2023, and Spring 1 2024.

+ Kids take the stage to engineer a device for gathering water, build a toy from recycled materials, and more in Gus Goes Green: Earth Day Edition. Available on Tours Spring 2 2023 and Spring 1 2024.

+ Creating an entire fairy tale from the janitor’s cart? Our hilarious and popular Upcycled Cinderella proves that a little creativity and ingenuity can go a long way! Available on Tours Spring 1 2023, Spring 1.5 2023, and Spring 1 2024.

And yes, we do still have a few openings for our 2023 Spring Tours!

If you’re ready to book for 2024, we’re ready, too! In fact, we’ve just announced our titles! We’re proud to announce a brand new show debuting in 2024: Dr. Bestlife’s Rx For Success: Healthy Choices for a Happy Life which gives audiences great ideas for navigating social media, building healthy friendships, and more!

in Anti-Bullying / History / Literary Classics / STEM

Tune In: Bright Star Super Station

We LOVE visiting you in person! But we know that there’s not always time for a live assembly. That’s why we created the Bright Star Super Station, a collection of 38 shows (and counting!) available anytime to stream.

Our pre-recorded shows offer amazing flexibility and with a school subscription to the Bright Star Super Station, your school can have access to ALL of our pre-recorded shows for one low price! Plus, as we add more titles, we’ll make sure you know that those are now a part of your subscription.

For $1195 your school can have access for up to 20 classrooms to watch any show at any time for an entire calendar year! Plus, all of our shows come with study guides and are connected to state and national standards which make them a great fit for any school.

Prices are increasing in January 2023, so we invite you to take advantage of this offer now – and have access to these shows all the way through December 2023!

Subscribe to the Bright Star Super Station for shows that focus on:

in Deals and Promotions

Celebrate, Honor, Remember: Black History

An actor portraying Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. stands in front of a painted backdrop depicting the American flag next to protest signs. He is wearing a navy blue suit, a tie, and a dark hat.

Theatre is a great tool for learning history, connecting to stories, and understanding why and how people make the choices they do. Our Black History performances connect students to  courageous and creative Americans and their experiences in the struggle for justice, equality, and freedom.

We still have a few spots left for our 2023 Winter Tours!

OR if you’re ready to book for 2024, we’re ready, too! In fact, we’ve just announced our titles! We’re proud to announce a brand new show debuting in 2024: Empowered, Brilliant, and Brave: Great Women of Black History.

Plus, we have virtual shows that are convenient and affordable. Choose from 9 different titles – or get access to all 40+ of our pre-recorded shows for one low price with our Bright Star Super Station Subscription!

In-Person Performances for 2023: Bring a live performance to your school!

Heroes of the Underground Railroad (Best for grades K-5)
Winter Fables (Best for grades K-6)
Let it Shine (Best for grades 4-Adult)
George Washington Carver & Friends (Best for grades K-5)
Struggle For Freedom: The Life of Dr. King (Best for grades 4-Adult)
Black History Heroes, Soldiers and Spies (Best for grades 4-Adult)
African Folktales (Best for grades PreK-5)
Jackie Robinson (Best for grades K-5)
Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History (Best for grades 4-Adult)
Black History Hall of Fame (All Ages)
Rosa Parks and Friends (Best for grades K-5)
North by Night: More Heroes of the Underground Railroad (Best for grades 3-Adult)
Once Upon a Time: Cinderella & Jack and the Beanstalk (All Ages)
Meet Dr. King (Best for grades K-5)
Black History’s Groundbreaking Geniuses (Best for grades K-5)

OR, go ahead and book for 2024!

Heroes of the Underground Railroad (Best for grades K-5)
Winter Fables (Best for grades K-6)
Let it Shine (Best for grades 4-Adult)
George Washington Carver & Friends (Best for grades K-5)
Struggle For Freedom: The Life of Dr. King (Best for grades 4-Adult)
Black History Heroes, Soldiers and Spies (Best for grades 4-Adult)
African Folktales (Best for grades PreK-5)
Jackie Robinson (Best for grades K-5)
Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History (Best for grades 4-Adult)
Once Upon a Time: Cinderella & Jack and the Beanstalk (All Ages)
Meet Dr. King (Best for grades K-5)
Black History’s Groundbreaking Geniuses (Best for grades K-5)
Black History Hall of Fame (All Ages)
**NEW** Empowered, Brilliant & Brave: Great Women of Black History (All Ages)
Rosa Parks and Friends (Best for grades K-5)

Virtual Performances: Convenient and affordable!

Jackie Robinson (Best for grades K-5)
Meet Dr. King (Best for grades K-5)
George Washington Carver & Friends (Best for grades PreK-5)
Let it Shine: American Civil Rights Movement 1955-68 (Best for grades 3-Adult)
Struggle for Freedom: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Best for grades 3-Adult)
African Folktales (Best for grades Pk-5)
Black History Heroes Soldiers & Spies (Best for grades 3+)
Heroes of the Underground Railroad (Best for K-5)
Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History (Best for grades 4+)
OR – get access to all 40+ of our pre-recorded shows for one low price with our Bright Star Super Station Subscription!

Get in touch with us today and let’s get started planning your program!
To book your show, give us a call at 336-558-7360 or email us at booking@brightstartheatre.com.

in Black History

All Together Now! Our Summer Reading Tours are READY!

A woman is smiling and holding an open book in front of a painted backdrop featuring a sunshine

We LOVE that the Summer Reading theme for 2023 is “All Together Now.” Libraries all across the country are celebrating and encouraging friendship and kindness. And guess what? That’s what we’re all about, too!

Our Summer Tours are filling up fast! Our shows have friendship, kindness and unity baked right in. They are the perfect shows to go with your summer reading program.

We have special rates just for libraries – and if you book more than one show from the same tour, you can save even more!

Choose a Summer Reading Program from FOUR Amazing Tours!

Summer Tour 1

Old MacDonald’s Sing-Along Farm – sing along while sharing and caring for others!
Turkey Trouble at Friendly Acres Farm – empowering and fun!
Captain Friendship – kindness is the ultimate superpower!

Summer Tour 2

Aesop’s Fables – timely and timeless messages for all ages!
The Lady of Bullyburg – a world built on kindness is not just a fantasy!
Friend Request – positive friendships in-person and online!

Summer Tour 3

**NEW SHOW** Operation Kindness: A Captain Friendship Adventure – all ages can work together on Operation Kindness!
The Velveteen Rabbit – heartwarming tale of childhood and imagination!
Little Red and the Big Bully Wolf – funny, dramatic, and highly entertaining!

Summer Tour 4

**NEW SHOW** Operation Kindness: A Captain Friendship Adventure – all ages can work together on Operation Kindness!
Aesop’s Fables – timely and timeless messages for all ages!
Little Red and the Big Bully Wolf – funny, dramatic, and highly entertaining!

We can’t wait to see you this summer! To book your show, give us a call at 336-558-7360 or email us at booking@brightstartheatre.com.

in Summer Reading

The Weather May Be Turning Colder But We’re Already Planning for SUMMER!

 
Theatre is one of the best activities that students can do to build important language skills like speaking, listening and language fluency. Theatre builds creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills while helping students to practice empathy, social awareness and resilience.

Best of all – Bright Star shows, workshops, residencies and camps make a great complement to whatever you have planned for your students this summer. Using techniques and skills taught by our amazing teaching artists, your students will build their own sketch show based on their interest and the camp themes.

We are available this summer across the country to help your school, library or performing arts organization serve students and families. Camps and residencies can be designed to fit your schedule. Just give us a call to start planning your program!

You provide the space and campers – We provide the teaching artists and curriculum.
5 Day Camp Pricing Starts at $4995!
in Theatre Camps

School is about more than just academics…

One of the most important things we do at Bright Star, is help students learn how to develop healthy relationships and comabat bullying. It has been a part of our mission from the very beginning and now we are in our 20th year of presenting shows that help students learn to identify and confront bullying wherever they find it.
A school assembly with Bright Star can be the perfect way to introduce important Social -Emotional Learning topics including bullying, online safety, positive attention, cultural awareness and so much more! If it is part of your mission to help students navigate a complicated world filled with difficult relationships and emotions, then Bright Star wants to bring one of our shows to YOU!
Bright Star has a number of shows and programs that can infuse your Social-Emotional Learning and Bully Prevention programming with the power of theatre! October is national Bully Prevention month. All of Bright Star’s shows have a strong character education component, helping students make sense of the larger world, understand other cultures, and learn to navigate tricky social situations. Check out our Fall Tours below!
Everything has been so wonderful down on Friendly Acres Farm, that is, until a bullying turkey starts picking on the other farm animals and making life harder for everyone. Farmer Jim and his faithful dog must stop this bullying bird to save Friendly Acres.
The woods are scary enough without having to worry about a big bully howling in the shadows! Follow Little Red and meet her friends – the three little pigs, the Gingerbread Man, and more – as they learn to face their fears and stand up to the Big Bully Wolf! Learn to identify, report and resist bullying and develop healthy friendships as we follow Little Red on her journey to grandma’s house. Funny, dramatic, and highly entertaining!
One of the first true classics of American literature, this is an authentic retelling of Washington Irving’s story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman! When Ichabod Crane takes a new job as schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow, he was expecting to have a simple life, but things get complicated very quickly! This tale is just spooky enough to delight any audience as the days get shorter, the air gets colder, and the nights turn long and dark. A perfect introduction to this literary classic.
The Lady of Bullyburg is our longest running bully prevention production because it has been heralded by educators and librarians for its power to change lives through lessons of friendship and kindness. Join Lady Kindness as she saves her town from a visiting bully while learning a variety of empowering tools along the way. A fairy tale that helps young audiences learn that a world built on kindness is not just a fantasy!
In a world where technology and society are changing at the speed of light, our hero, Maximus Mars, stands ready to challenge bullies wherever they may be found – in real life, online, or out of this world! Maximus Mars: An Intergalactic Bully Prevention Adventure stretches the imagination while exploring the challenges that students in middle grades face in the modern world – cyberbullying, electronic media, texting and more. Students need practical strategies for dealing with today’s pressures and Maximus Mars addresses those challenges in a direct and creative way.
No one tells a story quite like the Great Edgar Allan Poe! In A Tell-Tale Tale these spooky and clever stories and poems come to life before your very eyes. With a mastery of language that few can match, Edgar Allan Poe’s stories and poems are as impactful today as they were in the 19th century when they were written. This show blends rich language with expert storytelling to produce a rich language arts experience for middle grades. Stories include “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Bells” and more!
Captain Friendship is our super fun, super impactful, superhero themed bully prevention circus adventure! There’s trouble under the big top as the Bully Bandit has struck fear in the hearts of all the performers. It’s up to one superhero to stand up and make a difference – Captain Friendship! Audiences learn to stand up to the Bully Bandit and find that kindness is the ultimate super-power!
Dr. Frank N. Stein is one of the world’s most famous scientists. Along with his trusty assistant, Igor, Dr. Stein has created some of the world’s most amazing inventions! But those inventions would be nothing without YOUR imagination. It will take Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to make his latest masterpiece come to life! This show helps students learn why STEM subjects are so important to the modern world while opening up an exciting world of STEM discovery. Back by popular demand, see why audiences made this our most popular STEM show ever!
A series of fun and informative vignettes, Friend Request explores the good and bad parts of social media and online culture. Technology can be great, but it also comes with some serious temptations and pitfalls. This quirky show gives your audience practical ways to address issues like cyberbullying, online safety, and understanding how to have positive relationships with friends both online and in real life.
in Anti-Bullying / Black History / History / STEM / Theatre / Uncategorized

Special “Plan For Next Year” Pricing

Wouldn’t it be great to have next year’s school assemblies planned before summer break?

Bright Star has incredible year round programming but we’re hoping to get a jump on fall as we plan for next year, so we’re running a special for the month of May.

Book an in-person show for Fall and get $50 off!
Book a show for Fall and any other season (Holiday, Winter, Spring, Summer) and get $50 off each booking.
You can also get $50 off a virtual show by ALSO booking an in-person show for Fall.

This offer is not good with any previous offers and will be only good for the month of May so plan for next Fall now!

TO BOOK:
Call 336.558.7360 or email
booking@brightstartheatre.com

in Uncategorized

Book by May 1st to Get This Year’s Pricing on Next Year’s Shows

Bright Star is the #1 name in theatrical programming for:
School Assemblies
Library Summer Reading Programs
Theatre Field Trips
Workshops
Residencies
Summer Camps
and
Online Programs!

This is our 20th anniversary season and we are so excited to share our incredible shows with you. We have new shows, old favorites and year-round programming available Coast to Coast!

PLUS – Book before MAY 1 and get this year’s prices on next year’s shows!

in Uncategorized

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson Day with a Bright Star pre-recorded show!

Did you know that April 15th is the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson Day? This is a traditional event which occurs annually on April 15 in Major League Baseball, commemorates and honors the day Jackie Robinson made his major league debut.
Jackie Robinson’s number “42” has come to symbolize the triumph of the human spirit over incredible odds. Bright Star’s biographical tale follows the life of Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player to cross the color lines in the Major Leagues. A real-life hero and a tribute to the power of persistence and determination in the face of adversity, see why Jackie Robinson has inspired so many people both in and out of sports!
Jackie Robinson is now available as a pre-recorded show along with many others.
Call us at 336-558-7360 or email booking@brightstartheatre.com for more information.
in Uncategorized

Introducing the Bright Star Super Station YouTube Playlist

We’ve been hard at work creating video trailers for all 24 of our shows currently available on the Bright Star Super Station.

Check them out on our YouTube Playlist!

Your school or library system can subscribe to the Bright Star Super Station for the entire year! That’s ALL of our videos – including more than a dozen new shows to be added throughout the year!

Pricing: Minimum $1000 (up to 20 classrooms. Additional Classrooms just $50 each.) That’s about $5 per month per classroom!

Visit our YouTube Playlist!

in Uncategorized

How will you combat bullying this year?

Bullying Is Never OK.
Facts:
1 in 5 students report being bullied in person at school.
2 in 5 students report being bullied or harrassed online.
A Bully Prevention Show from Bright Star can be a valuable part of your comprehensive Bully Prevention campaign.
Our shows shine a light on the issue and help students understand what bullying is and what to do when they see it.
Set the tone in your community that “Bullying Is Never OK”
by scheduling an incredible Anti-Bullying assembly with Bright Star!
Click on any of the amazing titles below to visit our website
and find out more about our Anti-Bullying shows for the Fall.
Call 336.558.7360 to book your show today!
In Person Shows (click here for pricing)
Bullysaurus Rex (Pre K-5) – a dinosaur themed, antibullying adventure!
Maximus Mars (Grades 3-8) – fight bullying wherever it happens in the universe, in person, online or out of this world!
Captain Friendship (Prek-5) – help Captain Friendship find the super power of friendship to put an end to bullying.
Friend Request (Grades 3-8) – a series of entertaining true-to-life scenes that help students recognize bullying and practice online safety.
Online Shows (click here for pricing)
Friend Request (Grades 3-8) – available both online and in-person!
Little Red and the Big Bully Wolf (Grades K-5) – the mean old wolf needs someone to stand up to him, and Little Red is just the person.
in Uncategorized

Book your 2022 Summer Camp or Summer Reading Program NOW!

Make it a Summer they will never forget with
BRIGHT STAR TOURING THEATRE!
Summer 2022 will have “Oceans of Possibilities” for teaming up with Bright Star Touring Theatre for a show or summer camp!
On stages near you during the 2022 Bright Star Summer season!
The Pirate of Bully Bay – An anti bullying adventure on the High Seas! The bully “Capt. Black ‘Stache” is making waves by bullying. Join our ranks to end bullying in your town!
Treasure Island – this tale from Robert Louis Stevenson comes to life before your very eyes. Pirate ships, secret maps, and best of all TREASURE!
The Little Mermaid – the Hans Christian Anderson classic that talks all about making one’s way in unfamiliar waters.
Upcycled Cinderella – when the performers fail to show up, the janitors take over in this hilarious fairy-tale with an eco-friendly theme.
Giants of Science – some of science’s most famous grounbreakers and inventors take the stage in this fast-paced show.
The Little Mermaid – This Hans Christian Anderson classic comes together on a second tour!
Our summer camps, led by our professional actor/educators, are absolutely amazing! Give us a call to find out how you can enrich your community with a creative dramatics camp from Bright Star!
Call today to book your show – 336.558.7360
or email
in Uncategorized

Bright Star is Heading to the West Coast!

Bright Star Touring Theatre is the nation’s largest provider of Black History programming, and we are heading to the West Coast next year! We are traveling from California to Washington in January/February 2022 with three great Black History Shows:
Rosa Parks and Friends:Take a journey through time with Rosa Parks and some of the most remarkable figures from history come to life. Meet abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, Sojourner Truth, and Civil Rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and, of course, Rosa Parks!
Black History Hall of Fame: Follow us on this amazing journey through Black History as we meet Maya Angelou, Aretha Franklin, Mae Jemison, the Buffalo Soldiers and more. A fast-paced adventure sure to delight any audience, see why Black History Hall of Fame has come to be one of our audiences’ favorite shows of all time!
Heroes of the Underground Railroad : During one of the darkest periods of American History, thousands of enslaved people undertook a harrowing journey to find freedom. That story comes to life in Heroes of the Underground Railroad. Your audiences will be amazed at the heroics of Harriet Tubman, Henry “Box” Brown, Frederick Douglass, Levi Coffin, and John Parker in this incredible show of true American Heroes.
We have limited dates available, so if you’re interested, give us a call at 336.558.7360 or respond to this email or pass the email along to your PTA/PTO or arts staff!
All of our 45 minute shows come with study guides and are aligned with state/national standards. They fit perfectly into a school class period, and we have shows that are appropriate for early elementary all the way through high school. We also offer residencies and workshops to give students a hands-on, arts enriched experience.
Pricing is straightforward: $995 all-inclusive for a single show – $350 for each additional show from the same tour and on the same day, back-to-back. You can save $200 off the price of your show by booking with another area school for the same day!
Also, ask us about our “Bright Star Plus” residency packages! Book our actors for a combination of shows, workshops and classroom visits starting at $1995!
Check out our website to find out more.
TO BOOK:
Call 336.558.7360 or email
in Uncategorized

Now is the Time to Plan for Fall Programming!

The Fall is a fantastic time for a show from Bright Star Touring Theatre! We have some amazing options for the fall and want to remind you that
October is National Bully Prevention Month.
Plus, we’ve got great special pricing for Fall bookings!
Book one of our amazing live, in-person Fall Shows
(such as Maximus Mars, featured above)
by June 15
and pay NO DEPOSIT (no penalty for cancellations)!
You can also “Pick Your Prize!”
A Free Pre-recorded show ($350 Value).
Or
$200 OFF a single show later in 2021-22:
Visit our website to see all of our shows and find out more!
Give us a call or respond to this email to book your show with Bright Star!
in Anti-Bullying / Theatre / Uncategorized

Book a Fall Show and Pick Your Prize!

Book a Fall Show and Pick Your Prize!
We know that some are hesitant to book shows for the coming fall,
but, we’ve got a great deal for those of you who want to get your fall calendars set before the end of the school year.
Book one of our amazing live, in-person Fall Shows
(such as FrankenSTEM, featured above)
by June 15
and pay NO DEPOSIT (no penalty for cancellations)!
AND THAT’S NOT ALL
You can also “Pick Your Prize!”
A Free Pre-recorded show ($350 Value).
Or
$200 OFF a single show later in 2021-22:
Visit our website to see all of our shows and find out more!
Give us a call or respond to this email to book your show with Bright Star!
TO BOOK:
Call 336.558.7360 or email
in Anti-Bullying / Deals and Promotions / Theatre

Pre-Recorded, Live Online, Or LIVE IN-PERSON Bright Star is BACK!

STARTING IN SUMMER 2021
Bright Star Touring Theatre will be available in THREE formats:
  • Pre-recorded shows – for ultimate flexibility
  • Live-Online Shows – for a unique online experience (or locations that don’t fit our routing).
  • Live-In Person Shows – for a classic live theatre experience.

We’re so excited to be back with our amazing school assemblies, drama camps, workshops and residencies!

We can’t wait to be back performing for YOU!

in Uncategorized