The Hurrah Players

Making Dreams Come True—Then and Now
Help Us Tell Our Story!

Over 41 years ago, Hugh R. Copeland had a bold vision: to create a space where every child could explore the performing arts—regardless of financial means. With the support of a passionate group of believers, that dream became a reality, and The Hurrah Players was born.

From humble beginnings in a church basement, our story has grown into something extraordinary. Today, we are Virginia’s leading family theatre company, offering professional training in acting, dance, and musical theatre. Because of generous supporters like you, we’ve never turned a student away due to financial hardship. In fact, 47% of our students attend on scholarship—each one a story of opportunity, confidence, and transformation.

And our story is still being written.

Lights, Camera, Hurrah!
The Hurrah Players Television & Film Academy Is Now Open

In January 2025, we opened an exciting new chapter: The Hurrah Players Television & Film Academy (TFA). As the first youth-focused program of its kind in our region, the TFA empowers students to explore photography, animation, directing, scriptwriting, editing, and media production.

Here, students aren’t just learning—they’re creating. They’re gaining hands-on experience with professional, award-winning instructors, working on real-world projects, and collaborating with local businesses. They are discovering new ways to tell their stories—and finding their voices both on and off the stage.

This milestone was made possible by generous donors who helped us acquire the former Glass Wheel Studio and transform it into a three-story Academy building. Today, it houses both our TFA and Performing Arts Academy. We’ve also enhanced the Hugh R. Copeland Center with a climate-controlled costume workshop and storage facility—ensuring that every part of our creative story continues to thrive.

$2,500 Gift Match Challenge
Double Your Impact—Help Us Tell Even More Stories

Thanks to a generous $2,500 matching gift challenge, every dollar donated to The Hurrah Players through Give Local 757 on May 5th will be doubled.

Your gift directly supports scholarships for both our Performing Arts Academy and our new Television & Film Academy—giving young artists access to high-quality training in theatre, music, dance, and media production, regardless of their ability to pay.

You’re not just supporting a program.
You’re helping a student step into the spotlight.
You’re giving them a voice, a future, and a story worth telling.

Thank you for believing in the power of the arts.
Thank you for helping us tell our story—and for making dreams come true.