In Durham High Schools, Drama Takes the Spotlight

If you want to see the future of the arts, you don’t need to head to New York or Los Angeles. You just need to attend a local high school theater performance.  

Earlier this fall, one such local production received its flowers in the form of a surprise message from actor Laurence Fishburne.

In November, the Hollywood icon, who played Dr. Larabee in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee, sent Hillside High School’s drama department a personal good luck note, thanking them for bringing the Akeelah story to the stage. Hillside’s production, which closed on November 9, honored the film’s legacy while giving young performers space to shine.

Hillside theater director Tiffany Agerston said that what’s happening on the school’s stage is rooted in something deeper: a creative community built across generations. Agerston herself is a graduate of Hillside, where she studied under Wendell Tabb, the high school’s beloved, Tony Award-winning teacher. Tabb also taught Agerston’s mother in his first Hillside production, back in 1987.

“Hillside’s theater program is a community that spans generations,” Agerston said. “Families keep coming back, telling their children and their friends, ‘You need to be part of this.’ That legacy shapes who we are.” 

Across town, Durham School of the Arts saw tickets for its teen edition of Hadestown sell out in just 25 minutes. The production, which ran November 12–14, drew so much demand that the school created a waitlist to accommodate eager audiences.

And at Jordan High School, the drama department is making waves as the first high school in the country to stage Water for Elephants, the musical adaptation of the bestselling 2006 novel. (Disclaimer: the writer is the parent of an ensemble member in this production.) The production earned support from Broadway professionals—including the story’s original scriptwriter, Rick Elice, and members of PigPen Theatre Co.—who helped refine elements of the show.

Jordan theater director Olivia Bellido first connected with Broadway Licensing last year while in New York to accept the Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award. When representatives of Water for Elephants mentioned they were looking for a school bold enough to pilot a high school adaptation of the script—which deals with mature themes, such as animal abuse and toxic relationships, and involves complex choreography numbers—Bellido didn’t hesitate. 

Collectively, these productions point to something larger than any single show. They highlight a deeply rooted arts education ecosystem, one where students gain hands-on skills, schools take creative risks, and communities show up.

Tickets typically cost $10 to $20, making these performances accessible entry points into the Triangle’s rich arts scene. And in Durham, every high school is required to have both a theater teacher and a theater tech teacher, underscoring the district’s commitment to building pathways for young artists.

“The state of high school theater in Durham is thriving. Year by year, production after production, some really great performances and student opportunities are being developed,” said Les Turner, director of arts education for Durham Public Schools. “There is space and opportunity for extremely skilled young people and fantastic staff to dive into something brand new—not just another cut-and-dry show we’ve seen a dozen times.”

The broader arts world is far more accessible than many people realize. Whether it’s theater, music, visual arts, or other creative pockets found throughout the Triangle, the region is full of hidden gems. And the easiest way to discover them is simple: Show up.

Local high school productions are an easy place to start. And with the spring theater season just around the corner, there will be no shortage of chances to support young performers.

“When the community watches these young people shine, it builds pride,” Agerston said. “People get to say, ‘That’s my school, look at what our kids are doing.’ The arts make that possible. They strengthen our community in ways few other things can.”

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