How One Theatre Teacher Gave 120 Students a Lead Role Experience—In Just One Month

The Challenge

At Spanish Fork High School, theatre teacher Andy Hunsaker leads a thriving program of over 100 high school students across beginner and advanced classes.

 

Like many theatre educators, Andy faced a familiar challenge:

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In traditional full-length productions, only a small number of students receive lead roles—leaving many without the opportunity to fully develop as performers.

 

Even with a large and active program, there simply wasn’t a way to give each student a meaningful lead-role experience. 

 

As Andy shared:

“Right now I have 120 specifically musical theater students and I don’t have time to give them each that lead experience…”

 

After the spring musical ended, Andy was looking for a way to keep students engaged—without the intensity of another full production.

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The Solution

He discovered Grow With Shows and used our short, classroom-ready Training Musicals for a student-led, end-of-year project​.

 

Here’s how he implemented it:

• Students formed small groups of up to 8 performers

• Based on cast-size, each group selected a (10–15 minute) Training Musical

• Students took full ownership of their production:

  • Casting their own roles

  • Directing and blocking

  • Choreography

  • Costumes, props, and design

• Andy met with each group weekly as a coach and guide, not a director

• Performances were held in the auditorium—during regular class time—in the final week of school

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This approach mirrors the Grow With Shows classroom model:

• Assign & Activate​​​

• Rehearse & Develop

• Perform & Reflect 

 

The Results

The transformation was immediate—and powerful.

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Full Participation at Scale

• 120 students actively engaged

• 100% of students performed

• Every student experienced a lead-quality role

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Multiple Productions, One Classroom

• Dozens of student-led mini-musicals produced

• Some groups performed the same show​​

(each with a unique interpretation)

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Ownership & Creativity Unlocked

Students weren’t just performers—they became:

• Directors

• Choreographers

• Designers

• Collaborators​​​​

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Student Impact

Students consistently highlighted how different this experience felt compared to traditional productions:

 

“Everyone had their own roles and everyone had a chance to perform. I loved that! We don’t normally see that.” — Alex

 

“It felt equal! It never felt like you were less than someone else… everyone mattered.” — Hansen

 

“We were able to be so creative and choose what we wanted the shows to be like. It was great! I heard other people saying, ‘This is so fun because I get to act and sing… and I don’t usually get to!’” — Ryker

 

Students who typically wouldn’t get lead opportunities:

• Found their voice

• Took creative risks

• Discovered new interests in theatre

 

Teacher Impact

For Andy, the biggest shift was what became possible in his classroom:

 

“Training Musicals gives them an opportunity to: be in charge, be a collaborator, be creative, be seen… and there’s no pressure. It’s just fun—and they all get an equal say.”

 

He also observed:

• Increased student confidence

• Greater collaboration across skill levels

• New pathways for students to engage in theatre

 

Imagine if every student experienced a Training Musical before auditioning for full productions...

 

Why It Worked

This case study highlights the core difference in the Grow With Shows model:

• Traditional theatre = selective opportunity

• Grow With Shows = equal opportunity, inclusive, repeatable training system

 

Because every role is intentionally designed with:

• equal lines

• equal solos

• equal dance opportunities

• equal character value 

Teachers can deliver real, measurable training to every student—not just a few.

 

The Outcome

What started as a low-pressure, end-of-year activity became:​

✅ A high-impact learning experience

✅ A confidence-building platform for students

✅ A scalable solution for theatre programs

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And for many students, it changed how they saw themselves.

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What would happen if every student in your program had the chance to lead?