THE HITS APPROACH


Our goal is to create a fun and positive experience for ALL of our young actors. We are a performance based theatre. We try to make sure that every student sings and dances in a musical number in every show, and has a line to say regardless of ability or experience. At the end of each production, every young actor should leave the show with a feeling of accomplishment and a sense of pride in their contribution to a wonderful performance.

Affirmations

We believe in teaching our students to affirm one another’s work. Students have the opportunity to recognize, through verbal affirmations, specific good qualities and work that one of their peers has contributed. This allows them to bloom freely without self-doubts. Only positive affirmations are allowed as students are encouraged to speak about what they see and admire and have learned from their classmates.

Musical Theatre is an ensemble experience

Teamwork and mutual support are major focuses at HITS. The key to this experience is casting each student in a role that is appropriate to their stage of development both as an actor and as a person.

Our casting decisions are made with two key goals:

- to serve our students’ personal developments and growth as performers and as people
- to present the highest quality shows that everyone can enjoy and be proud of.

We look for opportunities to help all our students to grow and improve, every time they’re with us!


The HITS Way

HITS has adopted a successful system of pre-audition classes, allowing students to build skills and confidence and learn music and acting in a low-pressure situation before auditioning. The “auditions” which follow consist of material that everyone has learned together, and are conducted in a supportive and affirming environment. No one is forced to audition, but everyone is given a chance. Every child will have a part whether or not they audition. We never make casting decisions in advance for class shows.

Casting Tears and Family Support

At HITS, we try to give as many opportunities to as many students as we can while keeping the overall quality at a high level that is educationally and artistically rewarding.
Once the cast has been announced, there is always disappointment and sometimes tears from actors who don’t get the role they have their hearts set on. This is understandable. For we know every actor aspires to get the role of their dreams. We strive to teach them that EVERY single student’s role in a HITS show is as important as anyone else’s.

Parent Reinforcement!
We need you to reinforce the idea that every young actors need to express their disappointment and frustration to you and certainly you need to sympathize, tell them they are wonderful and encourage them to keep trying and working. Read through the script with them looking at their part and listening to the wonderful songs they will be singing, dancing and acting to. Helping them to accept their roles, and assure them that they will make a difference in the production. This will contribute to the development of your student as a person and as an actor.

The long-term benefits of the student’s total experience are our primary focus. We ask that you join us in creating a positive environment that embraces, affirms, and honors the uniqueness of every student.



Welcome to HITS!


JoAnne Woodard


Executive Artistic Director