NATCHEZ — Kristin Hogans admits she spends an inordinate amount of time watching television.

But Hogans said she isn’t just staring glassy-eyed at the screen, she’s studying.

Hogans’ dream, besides becoming an orthodontist, is to see her name in lights as a television star and watching television is one way she is preparing herself.

“I watch what (actors and actresses) are doing on television and think ‘I’m as good as they are,’” she said.

And there must be at least some truth to what Hogans is thinking since the incoming high school junior will be completing high school at the Mississippi School for the Arts in Brookhaven.

But while Hogans is leaving Natchez behind to get some intense theater training, she won’t be alone on her journey. Janey Dixey and Marylee Williams, both from Natchez, will also be attending performing arts schools for the remainder of their high school careers.

Dixey will join Hogans in Brookhaven and Williams will attend the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in Natchitoches, La.

Hogans is the daughter of Kenneth and Renay Hogans and attended Natchez High School. Dixey is the daughter of Tammye Dixey and attended Trinity Episcopal Day School. Williams is the daughter of Donn and Laurie Williams and attended Trinity.

All three girls got their starts at Natchez Little Theatre and have performed together and separately in numerous productions in the past. Layne Taylor, executive and creative director of Natchez Little Theatre said it is more than fitting that this group of girls would embark on this journey together.

“They have an extremely close bond on-stage and off,” Taylor said. “It has been my pleasure to watch them grow and mature into talented, mature young women.”

For Williams, attending LSMSA is a fulfillment of a long-time dream. She had auditioned for other schools, but not until April had she received an acceptance letter.

“I had tried twice to get into a different performing arts school, but never got accepted,” she said. “To finally get in, it was very exciting.”

For Hogans and Dixey there was obviously nervousness before receiving the news about their acceptance, but it was only amplified by the fact that they were both competing for the same school.

Dixey said after she got her letter informing her that she had passed the first level of acceptance and was invited to an on-campus audition, she didn’t know whether to call Hogans or not.

“I thought ‘what if she didn’t get a letter,’” Dixey said.

But Dixey took a leap of faith and called her friend. But she didn’t get the reaction she was expecting. Hogans, fitting of her personality, jokingly told Dixey she had not received the same good news.

“My heart skipped a beat,” Dixey said. “I was like ‘how did that happen?’”

But Hogans soon revived her friend and told her she also received a letter inviting her to on-campus auditions.

And even now, after the news of their acceptance has sunk in, all three girls are still excited about the opportunity that awaits them.

Williams said coming from a small school she was surprised by the large number of students she will be attending classes with next year. But the change she said is for the better.

“I didn’t expect there to be this many people, and this many different types of people,” she said. “To be able to surround myself with such talented people is a great opportunity.”

Dixey, who will study theater and literary arts, agreed that coming from a small school into a larger environment is something she is anxiously anticipating.

Dixey said after spending just a short time at the school during auditions, she was already impressed with the quality of students she will be studying with for the next two years.

“I’m the type of person that likes to surround myself with interesting, creative, witty, intelligent people,” she said. “And at MSA, there are chances to interact with that type of person all the time.”

Dixey is sure that studying at MSA will help her achieve her dream of owning her own film company and writing, producing and directing her own independent films. She got a jump-start on writing when her play “Santa Junior” was performed at Trinity.

But while the girls say they are mostly excited about the schools, they do have some reservations about leaving home.

Williams said life at LSMSA is a lot like college life — she will be living in a dorm with a roommate. But since Williams is the only student from the Miss-Lou attending LSMSA, she will not know her roommate.

Hogans said she is most nervous about functioning without her parents. But she said when her mother asks her how she is going to handle the tasks related to living away from home, she has a good answer.

“I’ll have Janey,” she said. “She’ll help me out.”

Hogans and Dixey said they have requested to be roommates but haven’t gotten their assignments yet. And though they are confident they will be placed together, there is still a little concern over the living arrangements.

“They told us we might have a third roommate,” Hogans said. “You can have up to three people in a room.”

And Dixey isn’t sure how she will react to a new person.

“What if she is awful or has smelly feet,” Dixey said. “I don’t know if I can handle that.”

But Hogans offered Dixey some reassurance.

“We have each other,” she said.