The School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community will be on full display beginning Thursday at the theater at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School.

Well, sure, a lot of people have seen and participated in SPARC productions and classes through its 28 years of work in the city and state. But this production of "West Side Story" promises to be a memorable one.

SPARC is Virginia's largest community-based theater-arts program for youths ages 5 to 18. Many of the participants will go on to greater things. All will most likely use the talents they learn at SPARC in their daily lives, be it on stage or not.

"If you spot a kid on a professional stage around here, chances are it's a SPARC student," says Jennie Brown, executive director. Brown isn't bragging, just stating a fact. SPARC has had students who are now studying at Juilliard, New York University, Carnegie-Mellon, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, as well as many other schools across the country.

SPARC has just moved into its new headquarters on North Hamilton Street, bringing the large majority of its Richmond operations under one roof. Part of the facility is still under renovations that will provide a 135-seat theater, dressing rooms, set storage areas, more practice rooms and other teaching areas.

"West Side Story," this summer's production, features a cast of 32 area high school and college students along with four adult guest professionals. Swift Creek Mill's Tom Width is directing, with musical direction by Richmond Ballet's Blanton Bradley and choreography by Richmond Dance Center's Pam Turner.

In addition, Brown brought in an alumna of SPARC -- Broadway veteran and Tony nominee Emily Skinner -- to teach master classes for the show's cast on auditioning for musical theater.

So while a lot of folks have been vacationing this summer, 60-plus people have been putting together a musical treat for Richmond.

While it promises to be an artistic, entertaining and enthusiastic presentation of a classic show, it also will be a poignant time for many of the people on stage and in the wings.

"We're dedicating this performance to Patty Noonan, one of our very first students, who died of lung cancer in December," Brown said. "Patty went to New York a number of years ago and did some performance work, but decided eventually that she wanted to go into public policy work.

"She was very socially conscious. She told me that at one meeting [after 9/11] a citizen was questioning her and berating the city about things that needed to be done in his neighborhood," Brown said. "She told me: 'I would go back to those relaxation lessons we had at SPARC and what they taught me: grace under pressure.'"