Purpose 

 I work to cultivate passion by unlocking the imagination, inspiring artistic ownership, and illuminating perspective. 

I do this in hope my students will use their passion to generate success, not only for themselves, but for others as well.  




About

Aaron Thacker-Woodruff is an award winning director, choreographer, performer, and teaching artist. 


HOUSTON & DALLAS

After completing his B.F.A. in Musical Theatre Performance with a minor in Dance from Sam Houston State University, Aaron performed in many regional theatre musical productions around the south. Soon after falling in love with his now husband, Todd, he moved to Dallas and taught Ballroom Dance while performing in various productions across the DFW region. 

NEW ORLEANS

While performing in New Orleans, Aaron taught for The National Housing Partnership, bringing music and performance education to children in inequitably designed communities. Through this work, he became active in fundraising, securing corporate partnerships that funded performance, health and social education in school communities across New Orleans. 

During this time, the Newcomb Department of Music at Tulane University, gifted Aaron the opportunity to obtain his M.F.A. through a teaching fellowship where he taught undergraduate musical theatre performance technique classes as a master's degree candidate. He also directed the undergraduate musical productions, and wrote/produced his solo cabaret titled Nature Boy. He performed Nature Boy to a sold out house at the prestigious Le Chat Noir Cabaret Theatre. Aaron graduated with his M.F.A. in 2012. 

CHICAGO

In Chicago, Aaron served as the Chair of Musicianship for the Chicago Center for Music Education/ChiME, where he focused on developing music curriculum, assessment, teaching, conducting and directing. Aaron specialized in bringing school communities together through the curation of school performances at 7 public, charter, and private schools across Chicago. He also designed performance curriculum for Porchlight Music Theatre, The Metropolis Center for Performing Arts, and Emerald City Theatre. Aaron donated his time to Porchlight as a performance education consultant, serving on their strategic planning committee. 

PHOENIX

In Phoenix, Aaron held a Theatre faculty position with Arizona School for the Arts, designing and teaching 5th-12th grade courses, directing award winning productions, and advising ASA's National Thespian Honor Society. While at ASA he also served as the New Teacher Trainer/Mentor providing support to the newest members of the arts faculty. He also served on the governing board of directors representing ASA's arts faculty as the Arts Honorary Board Member.  

PORTLAND

In Portland, Aaron designed and implemented custom workshops for The Young People's Theatre Project and Oregon Children's Theatre. Aaron proudly harmonized with PGMC in their Learn to Fly concert at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts as a baritone. In the fall of 2022, he joined Northwest Academy's administration team.

 NOWADAYS...

In August of 2023 Aaron became a faculty member of the Performing Arts team at Northwest Academy where he led both 6th and 8th grade choirs, taught Theatre Explorations, and directed/choreographed the middle school musical HONK!jr. He is excited to do the same for the 24/25 school year but this time around will also lead the 7th grade choir as well as direct/choreograph the middle school musical, Once Upon a Mattress!   

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Some of Aaron's more recent regional theatre credits include: Dancer in Cinderella at Broadway Rose Theatre Company directed by the fabulous Lyn Cramer, Artie Green in Sunset Boulevard, Hero in A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, Patrick Dennis in Mame at Tulane's Summer Lyric Theatre, Tulsa in Gypsy at The Strand Theatre, Emcee in Cabaret at The Great Caruso, among others. He originated the role of Joey LaRose in Let Freedom Swing! at the National World War II Museum and was a featured Ballroom Dancer in the 20th Century Fox/Tim Burton-produced film, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. 

M.F.A.

     Performance Pedagogy

Tulane University 

New Orleans, LA  

B.F.A.

Musical Theatre Performance

Minor: Dance

 Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX

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