Josh Kluth’s last appearance at Central Stage Theatre of County Kitsap was as the director of “West Side Story,” a musical tale of teens at war with each other and themselves.

Dec. 30 he will direct a musical revue at the theater in Silverdale that highlights a more contemporary view of young adult life.

“the us project” uses songs from contemporary musical theater, along with personal memoirs or poems written by the performers, to illustrate issues faced by young people today.

“There is a period between childhood and adulthood that is often a threshold of misunderstanding,” he said. “As today’s generation is quickly ushered into adulthood, ‘the us project’ will seek to address issues, hopes and fears through the idioms of music and spoken word.”

The show features a mix of young actors who have acted with CSTOCK and those who have not. All were selected by Kluth.

Performers with CSTOCK experience are Steve Lager, Addy Baltz, Josh Johnson, Kelly Skiff and Terrell F. Stephens. New to the CSTOCK stage are Anna-Lisa Carlson, Ibidunni Ojikutu and Bridget O’Neill.

Songs on the program include “Just a Housewife,” from “Working,” “Kill My Father,” from “Civil War,” “Shadowland” from “The Lion King,” and “Seasons of Love,” from “Rent.”

Kluth is a Bremerton native, and began his college career as a musical theater major at Ball State University in Indiana, but transferred to Western Washington University in Bellingham where he earned a degree in English lit, with a minor in psychology.

He continued to act and dance “on the side,” and has produced several independent films.

CSTOCK has done musical revues before, Kluth said, but they have been songs from shows done by the theater, usually with the original cast members singing.

Kluth wanted to produce a revue with a message.

“I wanted to show a side (of musical theater) that is real. Musical theater can come across as not cheesy.”

Instead, he sees its ability to address today’s issues, as in “Rent,” which very openly addressed issues such as homosexuality, drug use and AIDS.

“It is a celebration of musical theater’s ability to confront issues for today in a language of today using music for today,” he said. “It doesn’t seek to explain, justify, or persuade. Instead it wishes to capture a moment of transition.”

“the us project” is a fund-raiser for CSTOCK’s youth scholarship program, and will be staged for one night only, 8 p.m. Dec. 30 at the Silverdale Community Center, 9729 Silverdale Way, Silverdale.

Tickets are $10, available at the Kitsap Mall Guest Services Center, or at the door. wu