Thursday, January 22 | 3:30–4:30 PM at The Forest School

Fall Volleyball. Winter Basketball. And now… Spring Theater!

The Forest School: An Acton Academy is thrilled to share that we are planning our first-ever theatrical production, featuring both Middle School and High School actors—with multiple performances coming in May 2026.

To kick things off, we’re hosting a Parent Interest Meeting for families of potential actors in grades 5–12 who want to learn more about the show, the rehearsal commitment, and what the full production process will look like before auditions begin.

Even better: Auditions will be open to the wider community, so if you have friends who may be interested in joining a cast rooted in creativity, collaboration, and real-world performance—please feel free to share!

Express your interest

Meet our program directors

Lana Toler

Lana started finding herself on the stage in her early elementary years. Throughout Middle and High School, she won several state and national competitions in categories such as Dramatic Reading, Duet Acting, and Readers’ Theater as well as participating in High School shows such as Fiddler on the Roof. In university, her focus turned toward roles such as Antigone in Antigone, Young Estella in Great Expectations, the Ghost of Christmas Past in Christmas Carol the Musical, and more. Additionally, was awarded first place in the university’s Duet Acting contest as Alice in Alice and Wonderland. Following college, she continued investing in the arts by coaching young learners for theatrical contests. For Lana, the spark comes in performing and connecting deeply with the stories of others as well as the beautiful mentorship that comes from working with learners as they come alive and more fully themselves in the arts.

Ben Toler

Ben Toler has spent over ten years working in educational theater. He holds an undergraduate degree in music and a master’s degree in theater, and was part of the inaugural apprentice class at the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville, Georgia. After performing professionally throughout the Atlanta area, he turned his focus to teaching theater and music at a small high school conservatory program for homeschool students in Sugar Hill, Georgia—where he eventually became artistic director.

Under his leadership, the program entered the Shuler Awards for the first time in its history and was immediately recognized with a Best Show nomination, along with set design recognition and multiple individual performer wins—holding its own against far larger, better-funded programs across metro Atlanta. That ability to build excellence from the ground up, at any scale, is what makes Ben uniquely equipped to help launch arts education at the Forest School.

Known for his strong rapport with students and his ability to challenge them toward excellence while building confidence, Ben believes great storytelling doesn’t require a massive budget or state-of-the-art facilities. It requires empathy, ingenuity, and persistence—and he is passionate about helping learners embody those values, unlocking confidence and creativity.

Let Us Know You’re Interested

We’re so excited to share what’s ahead and to welcome a new wave of creativity, storytelling, and performance to life at The Forest School.

If you have a middle or high schooler who might want to be part of this first cast, we hope you’ll join us on January 22—and help us spread the word!