The Paramount, initially the Sherman Theatre, has been an icon for downtown Saint Cloud since 1921. Acts have ranged from vaudeville to opera, to even touring Broadway shows throughout its history, and it has provided a place of comfort for the citizens of Central Minnesota during hard times such as the Great Depression and WWII to today!
On the nights of February 22nd and 23rd, the lights rose once more at the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Saint Cloud as students from across the district joined together to produce the 18th annual LEAF "Night of the Stars!”
LEAF is the District ISD 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation. It was founded as a fully independent, non-profit organization with the hope of promoting school-based extracurricular activities and other educational opportunities in the school district. The activities programs in ISD 742 have the history of a phoenix.
Night of the Stars (NOTS) was created to try to save junior high activities in April 2002. That year, NOTS raised enough money to maintain junior high activities across the district, rising the activities up from their ashes. The event was held at the St. Cloud Civic Center for the first three years until it was moved to the historic Paramount Theatre in 2005.
Night of the Stars is a variety show that showcases everything from singing to magic. Any student in the district is able to audition at either high school.
With the end of the show comes a tradition that speaks to everyone who performed; we all come out on stage and sing "The Lullaby of Broadway" from the Broadway musical 42nd Street.
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