Three young performers from Mesa will join more than 100 current “VYTkids” and alumni cast members for Valley Youth Theatre’s VYTal Affair-athon, an eight-hour, Jerry Lewis-style virtual event to be streamed live 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 21 on vyt.com and on Facebook.

The event will feature well-known stars of stage and screen — like Broadway’s Nick Cartell, who recently completed a two-and-a-half-year run as Jean Valjean in the National Tour of “Les Misérables” — along with beloved youth performers from across the Valley, according to a release.

Mesa’s Gabi Etheridge, Abigail Springer and Savannah Springer are part of this year’s VYTal Affair-athon cast.

“I’m so glad VYT has offered us the opportunity to perform together once again in an uncertain time,” 15-year-old Etheridge, who performed in VYT’s productions of “A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail” and “The Wizard of Oz,” said in the release. “We have really missed VYT and cannot wait for the theater to open back up stronger than ever.”

Abigail, 14, knows exactly how she feels. Just weeks before COVID-19 shut down theaters nationwide, she was cast as Katie Spoonapple in her first VYT production, “Dear Edwina.”

“Even though I didn’t get to perform in that show, being part of the cast for a short time meant everything to me,” said Abigail. “I know there are many other kids like me who really want to be back on stage. I want to support this fundraiser because I want all of those kids to get their shot, and I can’t think of any place better than VYT.”

Adds Savannah, 11, “I know that theaters have suffered over this last year and I’m excited to help raise money for VYT and to make people happy. I want to make sure that VYT is around for many years because theater is everything for kids like me.”

The virtual fundraiser replaces the 27th annual VYTal Affair. Its second year the COVID-19 crisis prompted VYT to take the event online, but there are benefits to the virtual platform.

“This event is an opportunity to showcase the incredible talent of our performers to people around the world,” Bobb Cooper, VYT’s longtime artistic director, said in the release. “The cast for this fundraiser includes gifted local performers as young as 9 years old, seasoned professionals who were in our shows 30 years ago and everyone in between. It’s going to be a day of amazing performances.”

Etheridge and the Springer sisters certainly are ones to watch. Etheridge will perform “History of Wrong Guys” from “Waitress.” Abigail will sing “What it Means to be a Friend” from “13,” and Savannah will perform “Candle on the Water” from “Pete’s Dragon.”

Another highlight of the fundraiser is the 21-year reunion of the cast of VYT’s “West Side Story,” which was staged at the Herberger Theater in 2000. Five alumni performers from the original production — Nick Cartell, Katie “Rex” Casey, Chris Ciccarelli, Sharie “Combs” Nievar and Ian Sidden — will come together for a virtual performance of the powerful “Tonight Quintet.”

The goal is to raise $250,000 to ensure the nonprofit theatre can continue offering its signature fee-free programming and low-cost ticket pricing.

VYT also will pay tribute to Capital Group and Bill Lavidge, winners of this year’s corporate and individual VYTALITY Awards — Valley Youth Theatre Applauds Leadership Impacting Today’s Youth.

“It’s impossible to express our gratitude for the support we’ve received over the last 18 months,” said Cooper. It has touched our hearts and reaffirmed our commitment to inspire young people to be their very best– on stage and, more importantly, in life.”

Most of the performances for VYTal Affair-athon were pre-recorded in July. In addition to vocal numbers, the event will include live Zoom interviews with alumni, multi-track performances and a few surprise guests.

Each hour of the telethon will be hosted by a local celebrity, including Yetta Gibson, Gina Salazar Hook, John Hook, Brad Perry and Carey Peña. The fundraiser also will include a silent auction featuring travel, entertainment, skin care, spa, hotel, food and beverage and dozens of other packages.

“This fundraiser will jump-start the next phase of Valley Youth Theatre,” said Cooper.

Etheridge can’t wait to be part of this next phase.

“This past year, I spent time working on things I wanted to improve so when everything came back, I could be more confident in my performances,” she said. “Before the pandemic, my family had gone to every VYT show for five years. It really showed just how much VYT was part of our lives! We have really missed it and cannot wait for VYT to open back up stronger than ever.”

She won’t have to wait long, as the theater just announced its return to live performances. VYT will stage “Spookley the Square Pumpkin, The Musical” Oct. 1-31. Rounding out the season are the 25th annual production of “A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Junie B. Jones, The Musical” and “High School Musical.”

High-profile performers who got their start at VYT include Emma Stone, Jordin Sparks, Kimiko Glenn, Chelsea Kane, Max Crumm, Charity Angel Dawson, Matt Dallas, Columbus Short, Nick Cartell and Sam Primack.

For information about VYTal Affair-athon sponsorships, donations or providing an in-kind gift to the telethon, go to vyt.com.