By Lindsay Peyton

The Hi-Liners are preparing to take their audience “Under the Sea” for their next production. 

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” culminate the youth theatre company’s 2017 season. The show runs through Sunday, Sept. 24 at Highline Performing Arts Center, 401 S 152nd St in Burien. 

Artistic director Kathleen Edwards said area residents might be surprised about the level of talent that will take the stage. 

“These kids are amazing,” she said. “This is a real quality performance, right here in Burien with easy parking and great restaurants nearby.”

The Hi-Liners was started as a summer program in 1966 by William Moeller, a teacher in the Highline School District. 

The Hi-Liners steadily grew into a year-round, district-wide performance group, traveling around the northwest. 

Edwards said the Hi-Liners have been a long-time fixture in the community. 

“But as Burien has grown, there’s no guarantee that local business people will know who we are,” she said. “It’s really important for the people of Burien to realize they have this jewel in the community.”

The Hi-Liners are more than just a performing arts group. The organization is committed to preserving and advancing performing arts in students’ lives. 

Edwards started working with the group in 2004 – and helped expand its activities to a year-round program. 

First, she added a spring show to the repertoire. “Then I came back with a proposal for year-round classes and camps,” Edwards said. 

Now the Hi-Liners has grown from one show per year to a full season of productions, classes, workshops and camps for students ages 5 and up. 

The education program, DownStage Center, is a top-notch launching pad for young performers, whose skills are nurtured through classes, camps and productions. 

DownStage Center shows are low tech but high quality – and performed in smaller venues. “We’re focused on acting skills,” Edwards said. 

During the school year, there are weekly classes for “kids who want to get their feet wet and find out how things work,” she added. 

In the summer, immersive, weekly theatre camps are available – and young actors come from all around to participate.  

As the students progress, they move into the Hi-Liners’ MainStage program, where they learn theatre from professionals and hone their skills. Edwards said that auditions are competitive and not every student is cast. The students are expected to take on responsibility and assert themselves in the creative process – as they create full-length Broadway shows. 

Edwards has two main guidelines for her students. 

“You have to act like you want to be here more than anywhere in the world, all the time,” she said. “And you have to treat everyone with respect. The result is this incredible environment.”

In addition, she said children are receiving early training for the workforce. “It’s what we expect at work – a good attitude and respect for your co-workers,” she said.

Edwards believes that students learn much more than acting skills through their theatre classes. “It really gives kids a place where they can be who they truly are,” she said. “They say, ‘I can relax. I can say what I feel. I can be my true self.’” 

Through acting, children also learn empathy, Edwards added. 

“Playing a character is a great way to get them to think about what it’s like to put on someone else’s shoes,” she said. 

Theatre is also a place to learn about inclusivity, problem solving, creative thinking, self-confidence and putting your best foot forward. 

“If you have a bad first act, your job is to shake it off at intermission and start over in the second act,” Edwards said. “You’re constantly striving to be your best self.” After “The Little Mermaid” closes at the end of the month, the Hi-Liners will start auditioning for the 2018 season. 

Classes also start in October. A full listing of offerings is available online – and courses are open to students of all skill levels. 

In the fall, the Hi-Liners host their annual fundraising auction. Edwards explained that the non-profit relies on donations to operate. She hopes that one day Burien will have a performing arts venue where the Hi-Liners could perform.  In the meantime, the Hi-Liners will keep helping children find their way in the limelight. 

“We’re providing a place for self-expression,” Edwards said. “One of the most exciting things for a parent is when their children find a passion, something to focus on.”

Jordan Stanberry is one former student who went on to pursue theatre in college and professionally. She first performed with the Hi-Liners at age 11 and stayed with the company until she was 18. She even served as a production assistant on one show and choreographed another. “The Hi-Liners does a great job of not just focusing on the art of theatre but also developing great team skills, teaching students to be a great cast member and a good friends.”

Stanberry said she was well prepared for her college theatre classes – and she recommends the Hi-Liners to families in Seattle. 

“They just do a really great job,” she said. “The kids are going to flourish --- and they’re going to get great instruction.”

For more information, visit www.hi-liners.org.