Last Saturday in Tampa was certainly an extraordinary first audition for Hits! The Musical. What began as just an idea six months ago is now a reality.

Everything ran smoothly, even with long lines of auditionees. Our judges were struck by the number of polished, professional young performers. Talent was everywhere. In fact, the judges remarked how extremely difficult it was to narrow down the groups for Round Two. Most gratifying was to see how much fun the kids were having; the day was chock-full of bright smiles, laughter, and the beginnings of new friendships.

Tampa is my hometown, and I have seen many American Idol finalists, music industry stars, and Broadway performers foster their talent here. As such, I had high expectations for the skills our auditionees would bring to the table, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. I offer my sincere congratulations to all who came out and impressed us so much!

One city down, and 30 to go. If this Saturday was any indication, our judges will have their work cut out for them as they select our Finalists over the next two months! We leave on Wednesday for Jacksonville, so here we come! Make sure to keep an eye out for #TheHitsMobile as we make our way up the East Coast these next few weeks, and follow us on our social media to stay updatedon our progress, view audition tips, and more! To our future auditionees, we look forward to seeing you soon!

Best,

Bob Gries, Hits! The Musical Executive Producer