Westmoreland County's high school musical season will come to a standing-room-only close Wednesday, when 15 area high schools take the Palace Theatre stage for the annual Night of the Stars showcase.

Students from Belle Vernon Area, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greater Latrobe, Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield Area, Jeannette, Kiski Area, Laurel Valley, Ligonier Valley, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Valley and Yough will perform selections from their spring musicals.

The show will feature selections from "Hello, Dolly!" "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," "Guys and Dolls," "Peter Pan," "The Wizard of Oz," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "The Music Man," "Aida," "Once Upon a Mattress," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Anything Goes," "Oliver" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

Night of the Stars founder John Noble, a Greensburg attorney, said the growth of the event -- in its 12th year -- is a consequence of what he called "the surge."

"Theater exploded out here awhile ago, and it just keeps going," he said, adding, "it's these kids who are driving it."

He pointed out the Night of the Stars is preceded by Stage Right's All-County Musical "Les Miserables," which ran Monday through last night at the Palace Theatre and featured students from 14 local high schools.

"Where else do you get two weeks dedicated to high school musicals?" Mr. Noble asked.

He pointed out that besides serving as a showcase for high school talent, the Night of the Stars is a scholarship and award event.

"We raise about $25,000 every year, through ticket sales and our sponsors," he said. "That's enough to pay for the show, the insurance and the plaques we give out -- plus $1,000 for each participating school."

Greensburg's Stage Right School for the Performing Arts also awards several scholarships to students.

Mr. Noble said after 12 years of doing the Night of the Stars, "the numbers are kind of staggering." He estimated that 7,000 students have performed in the showcase, and that close to $200,000 has been given in cash, scholarships and awards.

Then there's his personal investment in the show, which includes trying to see the musical of every high school that participates. Mr. Noble said he attended 12 shows this year.

"I missed a couple because I was out of town."

Even though it is not a competitive show, Mr. Noble said he believed the quality of the performances at the Night of the Stars was on par with competitive award shows such as the Gene Kelly awards, which are held at Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, and the Henry Mancini awards, which take place at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

He added that the show is sold out.

"I've got six tickets left in my pocket, but that's it."

Mr. Noble said this year's show would be "extra special" because many students performing at the Night of the Stars have acted in Stage Right's "Les Mis." The traditional finale at the Night of the Stars, in which all the students participate, is "Do You Hear the People Sing?" -- from "Les Miz."

"Many of them are seniors, and some of them are already crying," said Mr. Noble. "It's going to be an emotional night."