Annie Crumbaugh earned her BFA in performing arts from Missouri State University and has acted professionally in Chicago and beyond, but Springfield Little Theatre is where she has checked off many of her dream roles.

“The gold standard, Blanche DuBois in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE,” Crumbaugh reminisced. “I can’t imagine most people who grow up in the theater or really enjoy theater, that not being one of their dream roles. I felt so incredibly lucky that the [Springfield Little] Theatre decided to produce this show at a time when I was the right age and able to do it and I was actually cast. I feel so honored to have done that show.”

Although Crumbaugh has captured several iconic leading roles throughout her career, her first SLT experience was actually offstage. When a friend from her high school introduced her to the Landers, she was hooked and immediately looked for ways to get involved. SLT executive director at the time, Mick Denniston, was staging THE WIZ through a partnership with Juanita K. Hammons Hall and Crumbaugh just wanted to be there.

“I was like an assistant to the assistant to the assistant to the assistant director. I don’t even know if I was credited or anything,” she laughed. “I was basically helping the kids remember their lines and keeping them busy during scenes and telling them when to go on and off. It was such a great experience. I just wanted to see the whole process. I knew Mick was fantastic at this job and I wanted to watch him. I learned a lot from that experience. It was incredible.”

Throughout college, Crumbaugh’s talent was in demand. She snagged a competitive spot in her first audition in the mainstage MSU show ARCADIA. Craving more opportunities, she became more regularly involved with community theater in the Ozarks. Her first on stage performance at SLT came in THE GLASS MENAGERIE.

“Joe Bowman directed it, and it just felt very collaborative and supportive. It felt like, ‘Oh I can try new things. I can be challenged. I can fail and people are still going to support me,’” she applauded. “He had incredible stories. He was quite a character. Very lovable person.”

After graduating, Crumbaugh moved to Chicago where she appeared in independent films and stage productions. She balanced her income by working for hunger relief organization Feeding America. After moving to Los Angeles, she continued in nonprofit work..

“I loved it and it gave me the opportunity to feel like I was giving back to my community while also pursuing other avenues,” she reflected.

Although her career was split between performing and office work, Crumbaugh found all of her artistic training useful in professional settings.

“Just getting a degree in theater, people often think, ‘What are you doing?’ but all of my training and all of my experience at Little Theatre absolutely helped me in my professional life. Just being able to connect with people pretty quickly, being empathetic toward other people, communication, and just the collaborative experience in theater really can help,” she recognized.

After years of big city life, Crumbaugh eventually relocated to Springfield and plugged back into the SLT scene. She’s proven she is game for anything, participating in experimental styles of theater like TOO MUCH LIGHT MAKES THE BABY GO BLIND and original work PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED. Crumbaugh has also exhibited her wide range from Kate Keller in THE MIRACLE WORKER directed by Marni Erwin to madcap comedy THE 39 STEPS.

“That was one of the funnest shows I’ve ever done,” she said. “It is so fast paced. So many props. So many different accents. It was so much fun, though. It is the one show that people still ask me about, especially my family. Any time I see them, they’re like, ‘Can you do that show again? It was so funny.’”

Crumbaugh admits that SLT has grown tremendously in recent decades and coming from the outside can be intimidating. However, she urges anyone who is interested to take their shot.

“I think if you want something, you just have to go for it,” she encouraged. “You just have to be uncomfortable, and I think as soon as you’re in that space with those people, you’ll realize they’re very welcoming and caring and supportive and they want you there, too. If you want to be there, they want you there.”

After performing across the country and working with many different companies, Crumbaugh is confident that SLT can stack up against far larger cities for a roster of talent.

“A theater this size that does the productions of their size and quality, is pretty amazing,” she praised. “Springfield is very lucky to have this theater and everybody that’s involved with it. I mean for me, I love theater so much. I love all arts, but the theater is my heart, and it feels like the Springfield Little Theatre is the heart of Springfield. I can walk in that theater and feel immediately at home and at peace.”