ABQ native ‘HITS!’ the road
The musical features budding young superstars performing music from pop, rock and Broadway
Jaaziah Vallano moved to New York City in 2021 to take his talent to the next level. It seems to be working out. The 20-year-old Albuquerque native is one of 29 performers to snag a role in “HITS! The Musical,” which begins its inaugural national tour on Feb. 23.
Vallano is one of 19 singers in the cast along with 10 dancers.
“We held nationwide auditions with more than 7,000 individuals, and from those auditions we pulled together an electrifying cast of budding young superstars who sing and dance with unstoppable high energy and talent,” says Bob Gries, founder and executive producer of “HITS! The Musical.” “This show will not only give the audience an unforgettable musical experience, but it will give these exceptionally talented young performers the opportunity to take center stage and showcase their individual talents.”
For the last month, Vallano and his castmates have been in rehearsals.
“It’s exciting because we have to get everything right to leave for the road,” he says. “I originally moved out to New York to audition for a bunch of Broadway shows. I went to this audition and it just keeps getting better.”
“HITS! The Musical” is a fast-paced production recreating the biggest hits in pop, rock and Broadway from the 1960s to the present — including such well-known classics as “Hero,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Singing in The Rain” and more.
The budding young superstars, ranging in age from 10 to 22, are reached to embark on the 50-plus city tour.
Vallano is the sole New Mexican on the show and the closest the show stops is in Arizona on May 3-4.
He’s been performing since he was a child. He attended the Public Academy for Performing Arts in Albuquerque.
“I went through a lot of musical shows with Albuquerque Little Theatre and Landmark Musical,” he says. “I was about seven years old when I started.”
Vallano was drawn to the arts because it’s a space where people can thrive.
“There’s always representation in the arts,” he says. “We all come from different backgrounds. Our common bond is that we all want to create art. We share our story, our talent with others to make that connection.”
Vallano has used the time to bond with the material.
“Right now, I’m really digging the ’60s and the ’70s melodies,” he says. “They are fun to perform.”
Over the course of his career, Vallano has studied a lot of disciplines in the arts.
He likes to dance, and theater has always been at the forefront, and his education at PAPA helped set the bar high for himself.
“I don’t think the passion I have has changed too much,” he says. “Being part of a Broadway show and taking over a new role has its challenges. Luckily, I’m performing with a cast who has the same mind set as I do. There is no exact picture of what this suppose to be like. We’re working together to make it the best show we can.”
Vallano says the show has pushed him to be the best performer he can be.
“All of us on the cast have our strengths,” he says. “That doesn’t mean we can’t take the time to learn from each other. There’s a young boy who has this perfect voice and we’re all in awe of him. The production moves fast and I’m just trying to savor each moment while connecting with the cast or connecting with the audience.”