Ms. Jillian Toole M.Ed

Ms. Toole serves as the esteemed Director of Theatre at Harlem High School, bringing a lifelong passion for the performing arts to the classroom and stage. Her journey began at the age of four, and she has remained devoted to the theatre ever since.

A graduate of Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, Ms. Toole studied theatre and costume design under the mentorship of Betty Walpert. She earned her BFA in Fashion Marketing from the Savannah College of Art and Design before transitioning from the fashion industry to education. She later completed her Master of Education in Theatre Pedagogy from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Ms. Toole specializes in the Stella Adler acting technique emphasizing imagination, purposeful action, and deep character exploration in her instruction. Before joining Harlem High, Ms. Toole taught theatre at the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, where she helped mentor young artists and established their International Thespian Troupe. At Harlem High School, she leads a growing theatre program with creativity, passion, and a strong belief in the transformative power of theatre.