has a long history of producing world class arts since its inception. Hillside Drama has been in the Durham community for over 70 years starting with the legendary Mr. Gee's Swing School (an annual production) over 70 years ago. Hillside Drama's current history started in the 1980's as a young Wendell Tabb started his student teaching at Hillside High School. Now for over 30 years Hillside's Drama
Department has been under the direction of the legendary Mr. Wendell Tabb who has expanded the program to an international program as well as a local, regional, state, and national power house in high school theatre. Wendell Tabb is one of the top theatre teachers in the United States. Tabb is the first theatre teacher from the Triangle area of North Carolina to be recognized by the Tony Awards. Hillside Drama has received over 100 awards/honors/nominations since Mr. Tabb begin teaching over 30 years ago as the Drama Teacher and Director. Hillside Drama are past winners of multiple awards at the North Carolina Theatre Conference in Greensboro N.C. as well as nominations and winners in multiple categories in DPAC's Triangle Rising Stars in Durham N.C. Tabb created the Hillside Drama International Exchange Program where we perform for school-aged children, and adults in other countries and Hillside Drama shares the American culture with them in exchange with their culture. Hillside Drama has also performed on every continent but one. (Countries performed in: Gambia West Africa, Lima Peru, Brazil, London England, Sydney Australia, Osaka Japan, and most recently Beijing China, and Havana, Cuba. Hillside Drama has also performed nationally in New York, Virginia, and California. Tabb also created the Celebrities in the Classroom to introduce Hillside Drama students to leaders in the performing arts in film, television, and the stage. Hillside Drama has also received much news coverage over the years in local, state, and national media. Hillside Drama continues to bring new interest in the program. Hillside Drama has produced over 100 shows under the direction of Mr. Tabb such as West Side Story, Dreamgirls, The Wiz, High School Musical, Hairspray, and In the Heights among many other musicals and dramas. Hillside Drama produces four shows a school year, as well as One Voice Acting Troupe who recently performed in Santa Cruz, California at the University of California at Santa Cruz, North Carolina Central University, Duke University, for local community organizations for Black History and recently for Hillary Clinton during her visit to Hillside during her 2016 Presidential Campaign. Hillside Drama performs in a 1,200 seat space where we perform for school-aged children from all around the state for our educational series and weekend shows to the public shows for our general public public who both are all our biggest supporters (Team Drama Geek). Hillside Drama has created a community over the years. Come see for yourself one of North Carolina's crown jewels. You can find our alumni on the stage, film, television, photography, writing, behind the scenes, and in other areas outside of the arts. If you are interested in our program for your child or someone you know, or would like information about our shows or to request us to perform for your school, organization or perform in Durham, North Carolina, the United States or internationally please feel free to message our page. Thank you for visiting our page! We hope you press like and come see a show! Join the movement sweeping N.C. and beyond!
-Hillside Drama