1. Jill Plumb, Springfield High School.

2. Lanelle Love, Prairie Mountain School.

3. Eric Freeman, Camas Ridge Community School

Jill Plumb had wanted to be a language arts teacher since high school. One of her colleagues once told her that she knew Plumb would end up as a theater teacher. “I, to this day, remember,” she says, thinking no, “I’m gonna be the language arts teacher! What did she know?”

Shortly after completing her masters of education at UO and the equivalent of a theater practicum, Plumb got hired at her alma mater, Springfield High School, as a language arts teacher. Almost immediately, the administration offered for her to teach theater as well.

Plumb bounced around from Springfield to Thurston during the recession before landing a full-time theater teaching position back in Springfield.

While every production taught Plumb a different thing, so did working with teenagers with “the best BS radar.”

Springfield was the first school in the area to get the rights to Hadestown, for a 2025 production. A production of the size and quality Plumb was going for required resourcefulness, extra hours writing grants and help putting together a revolving stage.

The community packed the house — it even caught the attention of the original director on Broadway. Springfield High grad Jasmin Savoy Brown, Plumb’s former student, is currently making her Broadway debut as Eurydice.

Recently with Plumb’s mom duties waning — her kids are 19 and 20 — she’s stepped back on the stage with the improv group No Script Society, on the Applegate Regional Theater, and at Very Little Theater.

“What I need to do for people so that they understand that their work is appreciated. And so, you know, there are things every show has something that has taught me,” Plumb says. “I feel like all I care about in terms of being a good director, for kids, or for teenagers, for any actor, or anybody.”