Teachers Trade the Classroom for the Spotlight at the 11th Annual TEACHaret
Annual variety show celebrates the Springer Theatre Academy's 30th anniversary and raises funds for student scholarships.
Photo by Payton King from 10th Annual TEACHaret on July 24, 2025
COLUMBUS, GA — As the Springer Theatre Academy celebrates its 30th anniversary, its teachers and staff will once again trade the classroom for the spotlight during the 11th Annual TEACHaret on Thursday, July 23, at 7:00 PM in Emily Woodruff Hall at the Springer Opera House.
The one-night-only variety show features musical theatre, dance, comedy, spoken word, and more, all performed by the Springer Theatre Academy's faculty and staff. Admission is free, with a suggested donation benefiting the Wise Investment Scholarship Fund, which helps make Springer Theatre Academy training accessible to students regardless of financial circumstances.
Founded by Ron Anderson in 1996, the Springer Theatre Academy has grown from a program serving 200 students into one of the Southeast's premier youth theatre training programs, reaching more than 5,000 young people over the past three decades. The Academy offers classes year-round, with its largest enrollment during the summer, when two full months of sessions serve students ages 5 to 18. The Academy's motto, "Life Skills Through Stage Skills," reflects a mission that goes beyond performance training, helping students build confidence, resilience, adaptability, and critical thinking skills. The Academy has built a devoted audience for the performing arts that stretches well beyond the Chattahoochee Valley, and its impact is now generational: former students have gone on to have families of their own, with their children now enrolled in or graduated from the Springer Theatre Academy themselves.
In 2015, former Academy teacher Ixchel López-Durant conceived, produced, and directed the first TEACHaret. Eleven years later, the event has raised more than $94,000, helping hundreds of students from across the country train with industry professionals. Last year alone, TEACHaret raised $13,000 and funded more than 95 scholarships.
Between performances, letters from former scholarship recipients are read aloud on stage, sharing how the Academy helped them build confidence, find their voice, and develop skills they carry into every part of their lives.
"I wouldn't be the performer or person I am today without this place. It's a core foundation of how I approach life. And to get to come back and teach, especially at year thirty, is incredibly special," said Sara Lynn Holbrook, a professional actor and director, former Springer Theatre Academy student, and current Academy instructor teaching Devising this summer. "While so many arts are being defunded and theatres are closing, the Springer Theatre Academy is as magical as it is vital for its community."
Photo by Payton King from 10th Annual TEACHaret on July 24, 2025
"Last year's TEACHaret allowed us to provide more than 95 scholarships to students who otherwise may not have been able to attend the Springer Theatre Academy," said DB Woolbright, Academy Director, who was part of the very first class to enroll in the Academy's inaugural summer session 30 years ago. "Our mission is not just to create performers. Parents constantly tell us that the Academy is one of the few places where their children feel completely accepted, supported, and encouraged to be themselves. In a world that can often feel overwhelming, providing young people with a safe place to create, connect, and fail is one of the most meaningful investments we can make."
TEACHaret 2026 takes place Thursday, July 23, at 7:00 PM in Emily Woodruff Hall at the Springer Opera House. Doors open at 6:00 PM, and concessions will be available. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $15. The show will also be streamed live on the Springer Theatre Academy's Facebook and YouTube channels.
Those who cannot attend can donate directly to the Wise Investment Scholarship Fund at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35714/store/donations/37947.