Mrs. Julie-Kate Hazelrigg is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Meredith College with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and NC teaching license. During her time in college, Mrs. Hazelrigg was nominated for the Barbizon Costume Design Award for her costume design for Intimate Apparel and the Irene Ryan Acting Award for her lead role as Prospera in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. As President of the student theatre company at Meredith, she also directed numerous shows, as well as designed and constructed sets. After college, Mrs. Hazelrigg worked in professional theatre at Lexington Children’s Theatre while focusing in Arts Administration. Happy to return to her hometown, Mrs. Hazelrigg began teaching at GMHS in the fall of 2013.

Mrs. Hazelrigg teaches four levels of drama classes, four levels of Technical Theatre, and IB Theatre. She directs the GMHS theatre productions, acts as the technical director, and sponsors the Improv Troupe. Mrs. Hazelrigg takes her students to New York every few years and their last trip was November 2023. She became the Fine Arts Department Chair in 2015 where she has served as an advocate for the Garner Fine Arts programs.

While teaching at Garner, Mrs. Hazelrigg has overseen over twenty main stage productions and numerous second stage productions including the founding of our Improv Troupe and the founding of our children’s theatre tour shows to Garner elementary schools. In 2019, Mrs. Hazelrigg was the recipient of the Governor’s Educator Discovery Award from Governor Cooper that awarded her professional development with the Broadway Teachers Workshop in New York City. In her 11th year of teaching, Mrs. Hazelrigg was the recipient of the Edward Sheppard Wasdell, Jr Award for Teaching Excellence at Garner High for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Mrs. Hazelrigg has immense gratitude for her wonderful students and their parents who have helped create a Drama program of inclusivity, kindness, and love.