Our Story
Big Star Studios owners, Kathy and Corey met when their girls ended up in the same Kindergarten class back in 2006. They quickly established a strong bond and friendship which later lead them into working for the same non profit organization where their girls performed in theater and dance. When that non profit went out of business they discovered a need for performing arts in the ever growing Snoqualmie area. On a wing and a prayer and a little bit of crazy, together they decided to take a leap of faith and open Big Star Studios.
Big Star was born out of a shared passion for watching their children perform combined with a strong bond of friendship. Kathy and Corey’s joy and enthusiasm for watching these children develop a love of the arts lead them to believe they could make a long time dream of owning their own business come true. They are each strongly dedicated to ensuring the experience at Big Star is one of love, warmth and friendship followed by an amazing and inspirational experience in theater and music. Big Star Studios opened its doors for business in 2011. Owners , Kathy Gehrig and Corey Schwarz had a vision for a performing arts school that not only provided its students with quality theater and music instruction, but also a place that gave students a place to show off the skills they had gained and build confidence through the art of performing.
Seven years later, with a growing student base and staff, Big Star Studios is holding true to that original vision. Students who walk through our doors are given so much more than just music and theater training. Students are given confidence, team-building skills, lasting friendships, positive role models, and memorable experiences. Our approach to teaching is about nurturing the individual qualities each student has to offer. One student may have just picked up the guitar for the first time or another may be a seasoned theater student. Big Star remains a place that has something to offer everyone! Our staff is made up of experienced, positive adults, dedicated to making your child’s music and theater experience unique and fun.

Meet Eric Ankrim
A quick message from our Creative Director:
I want everyone in the Snoqualmie area and beyond to know that Big Star is a place to learn and grow in all aspects of performance and storytelling, not only musical theatre. We help develop versatile, skilled young artists who will thrive in whatever environment they find themselves in later in life. From acting, to songwriting, instrumental lessons to music video editing… whatever passion our students have, we have a class to help grow and refine it into a professional level skillset! Plus, we are going to have a great time and make some incredible friendships along the way! We pride ourselves on helping our Big Star students become not only better artists, but better people as well! And if there’s something you’re passionate about that you don’t see on our current class list, let us know! We want to grow our studio to fit the needs of this incredible Snoqualmie area community!
Learn more about Eric’s experience & past projects >
staff

Kathy Gehrig

COREY SCHWARZ

KRISTIN PASTORIZA

CHRIS MERCADO

kari zimmerman

GRACIE MOSLEY

NELL ENGEL

joe eck

Jessica Low

gavin treglown

Clarie Brewer

David Austin

Sarah Shogren

Sarah Rose Davis

Shannon Holliway

Nathan Sperl

Mariesa Genzale

Sanna Luoma

Nicki Torres

Eric Ankrim

Frequently Asked Questions
When do classes start?
We have four sessions that run throughout the school year. Our fall session begins Sept 6th 2022. Our winter session begins December 5th 2022. Our spring session begins March 13th 2023. Our summer session begins June 19th 2023.
How do I get my child enrolled?
Register your student online at: www.bigstarstudios.com
How do I pay tuition?
You will be prompted to put in a credit card when you register. Your card will be billed monthly on the 1st for tuition.
Can we do one session, or is it a school year-long commitment?
When you enroll, we assume you are staying enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year. You are welcome to just do a session, you simply need to let us know you want to drop by the 15th of the month prior to the new session.
How do you communicate with parents?
All of our instructors communicate at a minimum of once monthly about our class curriculum and events. Often you will hear from them more than that. Teachers are always available to talk to before and after classes as well as by email. We are always available in the office via email or phone with any questions or concerns as well.
What does my child need to wear to class each week?
Comfortable clothing that the kids can move in. If you are taking a dance class certain shoes may be required ie: tap shoes, character shoes, jazz shoes. If there is any specific clothing piece or shoe required that will be clearly communicated to you.
Do I get to watch my child in class each week?
No, we do not have parents in the classes with our kids. It is very distracting for the kids and when one parent comes in the other kids wonder where their parent is. We have a big performance opportunity at the end of each session (approx. every 12 weeks!) so that you can see all the exciting things the kids have been working on!
Will my child get to participate in a recital or other performance opportunities?
YES! We love showing our families all the incredible things the kids are learning in our classes. We perform at the end of every session in December, March, and June for our school year community classes and CPT. We perform in January, June and August for our full-scale musical productions. If you are taking private lessons we will also have performance opportunities in December and June!
What happens when there is bad weather? How will I know if class is canceled?
We will email all our classes to let you know if classes have been cancelled. We follow the SVSD school district in the AM hours but often roads are better by later in the day. We will update our families via email and also post on our Facebook and Instagram pages with inclement weather updates.
Is the studio closed for all the same holidays as our school district?
Big Star follows the same winter, mid-winter and spring break schedule as SVSD. We are closed M-F Thanksgiving week. We will send reminders of all breaks and closures.