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About Us
Welcome to Second Star Youth Theatre
Second Star Youth Theatre is built on the philosophy that young people are capable of incredible things; they just need the chance to try! Powered by this belief, and our four pillars of Care, Courage, Creativity and Community, we offer engaging school holiday musical theatre workshops, in which young artists come together to rehearse and perform an entire musical in just one week.
Our aim is for every participant to walk away from every production feeling that they’ve had an enjoyable experience, made new friends, developed their skills as a performer, fallen (more) in love with theatre, and, most importantly, been seen, heard and celebrated for just being themselves.
Our Pillars
Care
We believe in the power of the arts to bring happiness and fulfilment to young performers. We care for the wellbeing and development of every participant, and infuse everything we do with joy, enthusiasm and genuine passion for arts education.
Courage
We create a supportive and safe environment in which young people are encouraged to explore and stretch their limits. Young people are capable of incredible things when given the chance to try, and we empower our performers to dream big, trust in themselves and leap.
Creativity
We encourage fresh ideas, divergent thinking and collaboration to produce engaging shows which performers feel proud of their part in creating. We encourage performers to revel in their uniqueness and use theatre to explore and express their true selves.
Community
Every person is valued for their unique contributions, and teamwork is essential. We champion each other’s successes, and support each other when we stumble. We know that working together is how we create magic for audiences, each other, and ourselves.
Our Promise
Whether a young performer joins us as a seasoned professional looking to extend their skills and build their resume, or they have never stepped foot on a stage and are looking to try something new and have fun, every star has a place in our sky, and we can’t wait to welcome them!
Our Story
Second Star Youth Theatre was established in 2024 and has quickly made its mark on the Brisbane performing arts scene. Described as “a group to watch”, Second Star Youth Theatre first performed 13 JR. in September 2024, and returned in 2025 with productions of Legally Blonde JR. and The Lightning Thief: TYA Edition. In December 2025, the company also presented Shining Bright: a Second Star Christmas - an original musical theatre Christmas cabaret starring some of Brisbane's brightest young stars.
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Here at Second Star, there is nothing we are more passionate about than getting kids on stage and we can't wait to be doing this for many more years to come.​
Meet Lauren
Lauren McNamara is a musical theatre director, educator and arts leader dedicated to building confident, capable young performers. As the founder and director of Second Star Youth Theatre, she specialises in producing high-quality musicals for young perfomers, combining strong technical training with genuine care and a “confidence-first” philosophy that ensures students not only improve, but truly love performing.
She has directed and music directed youth productions of Into the Woods, Frozen, Newsies, 13, Legally Blonde, and The Lightning Thief, just to name a few, and is increasingly sought after to lead major school productions around Brisbane. Former students have progressed to tertiary-level performing arts programs and into paid performance work.
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In 2025, Lauren was awarded a Lord Mayor’s Creative Fellowship from Brisbane City Council in recognition of her contribution to arts education in Brisbane. Using this grant, she travelled to New York City where she was one of a small group of Australians invited to participate in Broadway Teachers' Workshop.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music) from The University of Sydney and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and a Master of Arts and Cultural Management, specialising in youth arts and musical theatre education, from The University of Melbourne. She is a former cast member of Walt Disney World, USA, and has worked across professional and pre-professional productions in Brisbane and Sydney.