I went to New York City last week only to learn that my best chance for seeing a bonafide Broadway star from Santa Rosa was back in Sonoma County.

Paul Staroba, Montgomery High grad and associate conductor of the current hit “A Little Night Music,” will join Montgomery alumni in a special Dec. 27 musical benefit at Sonoma Country Day School’s Jackson Theater in Santa Rosa.

The 6 p.m. event is dubbed “Vikings Raid Broadway, A Musical Theatre Gala.” Thankfully, my three daughters told me about it when I was with them this past week in the Big Apple. It was then we got to see “A Little Night Music” with Bernadette Peters (but Staroba wasn’t conducting that afternoon).

The Dec. 27 event provides local musical theater lovers with a chance to see some young singers and musicians who have set out from Santa Rosa to take on the world.

Or, as Montgomery drama teacher Susane Byrne puts it, “It’s just an amazing group of (former) students with amazing talent.”

Paul Staroba (courtesy of Montgomery High School Drama)

Staroba is already making his mark in the world of musical theater. He’s still in his 20s, but is about to become one of youngest musical directors in Broadway history, Byrne told me Thursday.

His credits include serving as the orchestra pianist for Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular and as the music director for “Broadway Backwards IV,” starring Whoopi Goldberg and Florence Henderson.

Staroba will be joined by Tyler Reilly, a 2009 Best Actor nominee by the Independent Reviewers of New England for his role in “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.” Other alumni performers include Seth Clayton, Cecilia Senocak, Kelly Brandeburg and Patrick Varner.

The event, which includes hors d’ouevres, silent and live auctions, will benefit Montgomery High School Drama, which was chosen to perform at Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival next August.

Tickets are $20 for students, $35 in advance of $40 at the door. A preferred ticket at $60 includes a reception with the performers. Tickets can be purchased at Copperfield’s, brownpapertickets.com or (Friday Dec. 17 only) at Montgomery High Business Office.

The Jackson Theater is at 4400 Day School Place, Santa Rosa.

For more information, visit Montgomery High Drama’s website.

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