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Lawren Askinosie Shares How Stage Training Helps Her in the Chocolate Business

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Lawren Askinosie Shares How Stage Training Helps Her in the Chocolate Business

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Lawren Askinosie’s curiosity and critical observations have always inspired her to engage in her community. Her interest in culture and the arts led her to Springfield Little Theatre in grade school where she enrolled in classes and summer camps.

Askinosie has always had a unique way of looking at the world. When recalling her time at Springfield Little Theatre, she professed an affinity for one of the most notoriously intimidating stages of performance.

“I can remember all of my auditions pretty vividly. I loved them. I really loved auditioning,” Askinosie said. “It completely freaked me out, but I really loved it. I so believe auditions are one of the best things a kid can do. I wish there were more opportunities for people to get a chance to be that vulnerable and put yourself out there.”

Her appreciation for nailing a good audition can likely be attributed to her rigorous commitment to preparation. When Broadway hit ANNIE was announced as a title in the 2001-2002 season, Askinosie locked in on the title role and worked with beloved musical director, the late Grady Affolter, on her rendition of ‘Tomorrow’.

“I was so, so utterly focused and obsessed with wanting that role,” Askinosie laughed. “I remember working for months with Grady before the auditions. Just practicing and practicing at home. Like I was so nervous for the auditions, and they were so much fun. For my 11-year-old self, it was the most amazing, wonderful thing that had ever happened to me thus far.”

Askinosie won the lead role, splitting the part with Kylie Stack Jackson. The hours she spent training her voice with Affolter impacted her in more profound ways than simply learning music.

“He was a huge part of my theatre experience and preparing for auditions. I had no clue what I was doing,” Askinosie admitted. “I just have such fond memories of him and associate him completely with my time at Little Theatre. Since I saw him weekly for years, he was almost like a grandfather figure to me. I didn’t really have a grandfather in my life. He was such a big part of that.”

With roles in HOW TO EAT LIKE A CHILD and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF under her belt, Askinosie was accepted into Y.E.S. Troupe where she expanded her education. The competitive performance company exposed Askinosie to more acting styles and techniques. She didn’t always feel confident in the new challenges, but she said that alone helped prepare her for a life in business and service.

“Just gaining the confidence, but also the opportunity to really suck at something. To really suck at it and keep at it. That’s an important thing to learn,” Askinosie acknowledged. “I remember [Education Director] Lorianne [Dunn] would have this incredible choreography, and I would just flub it sometimes. I loved the acting, the singing, the dancing, all of it, but I was more of a singer than any of those things. The dancing, I always loved, but it was not my thing. But it really taught me how to not give up on things. And watch yourself be terrible at something and keep going. Not to mention just thinking on your feet.”

Today, Askinosie’s compassion and creativity has guided her to embrace a global perspective on community as Chief Marketing Officer for Askinosie Chocolate. The company, founded by her father Shawn Askinosie in the mid-2000s, has been applauded for engaging in fair trade practices with farmers in Ecuador, the Amazon, Tanzania, and the Phillipines.

“Even though I didn’t go on to do anything professionally related to theatre or performing arts or the arts, I still use things every day that I learned [at SLT],” Askinosie reflected. “I do a lot of public speaking. There’s no way I would be as comfortable if it weren’t for my time at SLT.”

In addition to her demanding career, Askinosie is a published author, board member, and mother. She raises her two children in Austin, TX with husband, Scott. Leading a company with global impact requires a great appreciation for each person that contributes to crafting an award-winning chocolate bar. By engaging in different areas of the theatre, Askinosie developed an understanding of working with others toward a larger goal. Sometimes that meant trying new things in front of an audience.

“I would be so sweaty and nervous because I hated improv and it was so good for me,” Askinosie confessed. “It laid the foundation for knowing how to think on your feet, which is a constant thing I need as a small business owner and a mom and a board member. I can just recall things during performances where things went haywire and everybody had to adapt, which was something else that I learned at SLT. Teamwork. How to work together with a group of people and adapt quickly. I think all of those things made me just a better citizen of the world.”

Beyond making delicious chocolate from bean to bar, Askinosie supports Springfield students in learning business and foreign relations through Chocolate University. The organization is committed to lifting the lives of each person who contributes to their products and the community around them. Askinosie found the seeds of this passion for engaging in the Springfield community at SLT.

“I think the theatre teaches you that we’re all in this together and we help each other. Frankly, I feel like it couldn’t be more poignant than right now with what we’re all facing as a country. There are things about my time at SLT that I am just so grateful for,” she said. “The people and the place and what it gave me and taught me. I wish every kid had a Springfield Little Theatre. I can honestly say I have not found any other place like it. Now that I’m a mom, I wish it’s something that my kids had.”

Askinosie travels the world connecting with the farmers that supply their cocoa beans. The commute can be taxing with frequent challenges and delays to reach the remote locations. However, the direct relationship is critical to her family-owned business. Engaging with people of different backgrounds has been a priority to Askinosie since childhood.

“SLT created a really important foundation for my self-worth and confidence, but it also made me a more inclusive, open person. From a really young age, I was around people who were different than me, which was not an easy thing to do in Springfield, Missouri at that time,” she noted. “I’m incredibly grateful for just that exposure to people of all different walks of life and kids and adults from all different walks of life. I think it really just made a very lasting impact on how I relate to people in the world. I am really grateful for it.”

Explore the Springfield Little Theatre 91st season kicking off in September with ANNIE.

“Anyone Can Sing” with Help from Former SLT Music Director Cynthia Lawrence Heister

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Music educator and director Cynthia Lawrence Heister can turn anyone into a singer, and she has the track record to prove it. Many of her students have found themselves at callbacks to sing for a part they thought was out of reach.

“Anybody can sing. I hope you took that away being in my studio,” she reminded me as her former student. “Anyone can become a better singer.”

Heister spent two decades strengthening, encouraging, and sculpting vocal talent in the Ozarks. She lifted a generation of Springfield Little Theatre students who dreamed of a future in the arts.

Rather than selecting only the most talented singers for her studio, she was inclusive of anyone with an interest in music. Her approach, however, was targeted and customized for each individual voice.

“There’s always a space on the stage for all levels,” Heister emphasized. “I think that’s one of the things that I’m most proud of is the people that I worked with, the kids that I met along the way. Watching them grow and some of them go on to have a fabulous career in the arts. Others who just have a lifelong love for what they did and being a part of that. I’m still doing that today.”

After graduating from college, Heister began singing in St. Louis. The big city was demanding and financially challenging as a recent graduate in the arts. She relocated to Springfield and looked for performance opportunities. The lights of the Landers drew her in.

“Honestly, I didn’t know as much about the theatre until I got involved with it. I just knew that it was a beautiful building,” Heister laughed. “They did shows. So, I threw my hat in the ring. [THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN] DROOD was my first production there.”

Heister’s big voice and technical training landed her on the cast list. She cherishes the show for introducing her to lifelong friends.

She continued performing in SLT productions, including GODSPELL and THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS. Over time, she became more creatively involved, collaborating with other SLT performers in the community.

“Even during the time that I was performing, there were a lot of side gigs that we would put together like the murder mysteries,” she recalled. “We worked with Clary’s [restaurant] and other establishments in Springfield where we would write do cabaret shows. It would be a musical and a troupe of us – Sandee and David DePriest, Brooke Stephens, Derrick Jarvis, and Helen Traphagan.”

As Heister established her professional life in Springfield, she began teaching, which led her to establish her own voice studio and lead choir programs in the Ozark school district. Meanwhile, the theatre was looking to expand education programming. For decades, on stage opportunities for children had been scarce at SLT.

“At that time, they were developing the education program,” she explained. “I came into the picture when Dorothy [Lemmon] was doing education and we did all the summer workshops and developed, especially the preschool program and younger ages.”

This expansion into children’s programming came at the right time for Heister’s family. Her daughter, Emma, was born during a run of Summer Stages. She still jokes with friend and SLT Executive Director Beth Domann about accompanying a group of students on the piano while in labor. Once her daughter was born, it was natural to integrate her family into rehearsals.

“One thing that’s great about Springfield Little Theatre is that your whole family can be involved at whatever stage you are in your life,” Heister reflected. “When I was single, it was a lot of fun. I had the time. When I had Emma, she went with me. When I was directing shows, she would sit down at my feet and play with her Polly Pockets while we were on stage putting the show together.”

Heister credits SLT with giving her meaningful opportunities that were flexible as her own life grew and changed.

“I can’t describe the impact that the theatre has had on my life and shaping who I am. Not just as a performer, but being part of the community, a patron of the arts,” she praised. “The skills and the family and the community that I built still impacts me today. I walk in the door of the theatre, and I am immediately overcome with emotion being in that space.”

Throughout her time at SLT, Heister was involved in music directing and coordinating musicians for smaller productions on the – formerly – Vandivort stage and raucous roasts where local celebrities volunteered to be the butt of jokes for fundraisers.

When the late Grady Affolter fell ill ahead of PETER PAN auditions, he urged Heister to take his place as music director for the mainstage musical. Heister admits that she doubted herself, but she took the leap.

“He had encouraged me like, ‘You should do this.’ I was like, ‘I don’t know,’” she recalled. “I don’t know why after I had been involved for all those years, that seemed like a major jump for me to go to the mainstage. That began my collaboration with Beth and Lorianne [Dunn].”

After a chapter of performing, then another working in the education department, Heister moved solidly into mainstage music directing on productions like WIZARD OF OZ, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE, and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

Eventually, Heister and her family relocated to Cincinnati where she was accepted into a Master’s program at the prestigious University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Heister recalls writing about her experience at SLT and admiration for its robust programming for her application essay.

“It’s just unbelievable to me that a city the size of Springfield can mount these types of productions,” Heister admired. “Draw the quality talent, not just from the performers, but everything. The set design, the lights, the technical design, the people working backstage, and it’s all volunteer. It just blows my mind the caliber of performers they continue to produce.”

Training at CCM prepared Heister for a new phase of her career. She began teaching in an urban district in Cincinnati and is now with School for Creative and Performing Arts. The building serves K-12 and is a public school focusing primarily on arts instruction. In addition to working in the vocal department, Heister serves as a collaborative pianist.

“I love what I do,” she gushed. “One of the greatest blessings in my life is that I’ve been continuously surrounded by incredibly talented people. All ages and different focuses. I’m just happy to be a part of that.”

Heister is now well established in Cincinnati with her husband, Jim. They recently traveled to Europe to visit Emma, who acquired her own master’s degree. Heister’s stepson, Nico, studies nearby at Xavier University.

She speaks about her life with a joyful peace, but she still occasionally heeds the call to visit SLT. Most recently, Heister visited to assist with a vocal workshop and returned this summer to give vocal guidance to the young actors in ANNIE.

“I was back in the spring for a bit. I did a vocal workshop. I had a couple kids sing for me, and I got up on my feet and did what I do with them,” Heister explained. “It was just really fun to work with those kids who are so hungry and want to learn. They pick up and they’ll try anything. It was a great day.”

Explore education opportunities at Springfield Little Theatre.

Springfield Community Leader Kylie Stack Jackson Helps SLT Play ‘The Great Game of Business’

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Kylie Stack Jackson has always appreciated the hard work, dedication, and attention to detail that goes into doing a job right. Jackson is now a learning and development manager at the Great Game of Business, but she is also a talented performer with an enduring passion for the Springfield arts community.

“Anything for the Landers,” she says.

She began acting at Springfield Little Theatre in Kindergarten. Year after year, she put in the time and training to land a mainstage leading role by middle school, secure a spot in Y.E.S Troupe through high school, and was accepted to study theatre at Stephens College before working as a talent agent in Chicago. Jackson was drawn in by the fun and energy of the stage, but she distinctly remembers the work that went into making a show a success.

“I just wanted so badly to be a part of Y.E.S. Troupe. Chomping at the bit to be part of this group. We had insane discipline with that and part of that was the prestige. It was an honor to be a part of it,” Jackson recalled. “What we had to do at that time [as a member of Y.E.S. Troupe] was very similar to what Stephens College does. We had to work the box office. We had to work tech. We had to do lighting.”

As a young girl, Jackson’s mother took her to see a production of ANNIE WARBUCKS, the musical sequel to ANNIE. The show immediately captured Jackson’s imagination. “I remember looking at my mom and saying, ‘I want to do that,’ and that is when she signed me up for Summer Stages.”

As fate would have it, Jackson would be the next to play the famous red-headed orphan on the Landers stage in the 2000 production of ANNIE, sharing the title role with Lawren Askinosie. A new generation will bring the Broadway classic to life when SLT kicks off the 91st season with ANNIE.

Cast lists are posted digitally now, but when Jackson was a child, it was a time-honored ritual to check for your name on the Landers door. “I remember so many times looking at the cast list on the door. My mom would just have her car right out on the curb, and you would run in and look at the cast list and go, ‘Yes!’”

Jackson continued her training at SLT performing through high school in favorites like HOW TO EAT LIKE A CHILD and SEUSSICAL. She eventually took Executive Director Beth Domann’s advice to apply to Stephens College and was accepted to the prestigious performing arts school. In the summers, she worked and performed at the summer stock theatre company Okoboji. She credits Y.E.S Troupe with preparing her for the demanding schedule that called for her to work in every facet of production.

 “What was really cool was it was a mirror of what Beth had done at Stephens in college,” she remembered. “At Okoboji summer theatre, when you weren’t in rehearsal, you were building sets, you were in the costume shop, you were working the box office.”

After graduating, fellow SLT alum Brianna Firestone helped Jackson apply for an internship at Goodman Theatre in Chicago where she worked in marketing. She later interned in bookkeeping at the Shirley Hamilton agency where she became a talent agent. She ascended to work as a commercial agent and voiceover agent and, ultimately, the theatre department talent agent.

“I got to book a handful of people in HARRY POTTER on Broadway,” Jackson revealed. “I got to see a lot of people on Steppenwolf [Theatre Company]. It was a very rewarding career, but I was pretty exhausted. It’s not for the faint of heart. Especially somebody who wants to start a family. I was seeing five shows a week.”

Jackson developed her skills for curating talent and believes companies are strengthened when people have the confidence and resources they need to thrive. She took away very important advice for actors nervous stepping into auditions.

“I loved talking people into why they deserved to audition for certain things. I loved helping people realize that the person on the other side of the table wasn’t hoping that you fail even though we talk ourselves into thinking that, ‘This casting director is so mean,’” Jackson acknowledged. “Actually, they’re wanting you to help them do their jobs. I love filming auditions and seeing the rawness of actors. Again, cut to my job today, it’s really about believing people can and unlocking their potential by just giving them the tools.”

Jackson recognizes similarities between her theatre training and her job at the Great Game of Business. Both require a comprehensive understanding of operations and being able to guide everyone to a unified end goal.

“What’s really funny is you think, I’m a theatre kid now teaching business, but it’s amazing what kind of an ensemble member you are when you understand how the entire theatre works. That’s basically the parallel I draw with the Great Game of Business,” she explained. “It’s amazing what a great team member you are when you understand how the business is run. When you are appreciative of all aspects of the production people who build the sets. You didn’t have to be great at all of those things, but you did have to understand the hard work that goes into it. Sometimes when we have people join SRC, we say, ‘Go work the factory line.’ You need to understand what it’s like to be there. To be them and you’ll appreciate everything that they do a little more.”

Thanks to the Great Game of Business founder and Jackson’s father, Jack Stack, SLT began playing the Great Game of Business in the 2000s. When a few thousand dollars was holding the doors open, Stack stepped in to help the organization recover and secure their financial footing. Jackson is thrilled to see SLT grow with more programs and new facilities like The Judy, Springfield Little Theatre’s education facility.

“You realize that education is the great thing that happens even when the economy turns down a little bit, education thrives,” Jackson noted. “The Judy is such a great investment for [SLT] because they’re always going to have kids who want to learn and parents who want them to be involved in the arts. That’s part of their diversification is the school and making sure that they can withstand markets. The fact that they can get the shows that the regional theatres in Chicago were getting at the same time as SLT. That was really cool to see.”

Jackson’s focus has turned to business, building the community, and raising her family, but she continues to be an SLT patron. Her last on-stage role at the Landers was The Witch in the 2012 production of INTO THE WOODS alongside Broadway veteran Kim Crosby. The role was a standout for Jackson, but she has considered that she may revisit it in the future now that she’s had a daughter of her own.

“Now as a mom, man, I didn’t even know the heartbreak. I could play that character with so much more gravitas being a mom now,” she reflected. “It was unreal being able to be around Kim Crosby. What’s really cool is when she went back to PETER PAN on tour, I got to go see her when I was living in Chicago, so that was really special to reconnect with her in a different professional setting was kind of fun.”

Jackson’s daughter is even younger than she was when she was introduced to SLT, but she hopes that she may be curious to try the summer programs one day. She even joked with her husband, furniture designer and carpenter Austin Jackson, that they foresee many trips downtown in their future.

“We went to SCHOOL OF ROCK and as we were in the car, Austin goes, ‘This is gonna be our life, isn’t it? I’m going to be building sets and taking her to rehearsal.’ I was like, ‘If we’re lucky!’”

Explore the Springfield Little Theatre summer youth programs

OKLAHOMA! Star Gabby Catlin Spent Years Looking for an Artistic Outlet Like SLT

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Growing up in Indiana, OKLAHOMA! was one of the first musicals that captured the imagination of actor Gabby Catlin. She remembers that as a child, her family owned a VHS copy of the classic along with CATS and WEST SIDE STORY. This sweet memory sparked her excitement to audition for the final production of Springfield Little Theatre’s 90th EMERALD ANNIVERSARY SEASON. Even with her lifelong affinity for the show, she was surprised to land the lead role of Laurey Williams.

“When I found out [SLT was] doing OKLAHOMA!, I was like, I have to audition,” Catlin gushed. “I just have to be in the show because it’s gonna be so memorable for me to be able to live out little Gabby’s fantasy of this show. Then the cast list came out and I was flabbergasted and so honored. I started crying in the car. I just was so excited that I feel like from day 1, I was automatically connected with her and felt like I knew her.”

Although she has spent a lifetime watching Laurey’s story, Catlin started fresh in her preparation. She dug deeply into the character, even preparing a music playlist to align her mindset with Laurey’s.

“It’s kind of a fun thing to do because I use all types of music,” Catlin shared. “Modern music and old music and musical theatre and non-musical theatre. It’s just all about the feelings it evokes and how to get yourself in the right space.”

Tracks where she finds inspiration include ‘You’re the One that I Want’ and ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’ from GREASE but also music from Sara Bareilles, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion. These powerhouse women guide Catlin through Laurey’s strengths and stumbling blocks.

“Some folks might hear that and think, ‘Well how in the world?’ But really, it’s about I’m listening to a song and think, ‘Oh no, that’s Laurey. She’s in there,’” Catlin explained. “So, I add it to the playlist to just again make that connection, get those feelings, find those moments to speak deeper to get into the zone.”

During the rehearsal process, Catlin has been digging into the text under the guidance of director Clayton Avery. Laurey is the show’s protagonist, but not always its heroine. She can be daring and independent, but also fickle and immature. Catlin is sympathetic toward Laurey’s faults as well as her moments of triumph.

“One of the things I love about working with Clayton is that he does a lot of table work and scene work with his actors just so they know the background and the history. Their relationships with others,” she praised. “Getting to explore those pieces is what really fleshed out Laurey for me. There’s moments where as an audience member, you maybe don’t like her and moments where you think, ‘Why did you do that?’ But as the actor, you always have to be your characters’ biggest advocate. In real human life, not every choice everyone makes is agreeable. Not every choice is something that we want to root for.”

Catlin studied theatre during undergrad at Millikin University, but discovered a second passion that led her to pursue a masters degree. That training led her to become Director of Student Conduct at Missouri State University where she oversees disciplinary matters for the institution. She helps guide struggling students to recover from their mistakes; a trait she sees reflected in Laurey’s journey.

“I found that is kind of a connection with my job. One choice does not a person make,” Catlin philosophized. “It tells the larger story. In finding Laurey, she makes some choices, and she makes some statements, and she does some things that to the onlookers, it frustrates you or infuriates you, but how human is that? To portray a character that’s perfect all the time, that’s not real to life. I love that Laurey really shows a true to life person that deeply deals with struggles and makes choices and isn’t somebody you always want to root for, but as the actor, my job is to tell the complete story and find the humanity through it all.”

Laurey and Catlin share a bold independence and a powerful soprano range. They have also both been imbued with resilience after learning that getting what they want hasn’t been a straight line. Catlin enjoyed performing while growing up in Indiana and decided to pursue theatre in college. After several disappointments, she pivoted to crisis management.

“In college, there really wasn’t anything locally besides the productions that we would do in school, and I never got cast in school,” she revealed. “So, I saw everything, but I never got cast while I was in college. I kind of got the message that, ‘Well, maybe you’re just supposed to be a theatre enjoyer and not a theatre performer.’ Which is kind of why I set my sights elsewhere.”

Catlin accepted a job offer and moved to Springfield without knowing a soul. She found it difficult to make connections at first and treated herself to a solo night out to see MATILDA at Springfield Little Theatre. She recalls texting a friend to share her admiration for the performance and expressed interest in joining the organization. She passed on the next audition but eventually stepped up to take a shot at CINDERELLA. Her audition didn’t go as planned, but the experience drew her in, and her efforts paid off.

“I went [to audition for CINDERELLA] and funnily enough, I ended up getting up on stage to sing my song and I forgot everything and had to start over again. And I was like, ‘Well, what do you do?’” she laughed. “But everybody was so nice, they were so encouraging. I had so many people just come and compliment me and say kind things to me. Chyrel Miller was the director and said, ‘You did a beautiful job,’ and I just left the space feeling so encouraged. I thought, even if I don’t get a callback, what a positive experience I had that I could come back and do this again and feel the same way. So, then the callback happened and then I got cast and the rest is history.”

Catlin admits that she would have liked to have had more access to the arts growing up. She performed in choirs and did plays in school and church, but she marvels at the SLT youth programs.

“Coming here and seeing just how high of caliber the showmanship, the performances, the quality is. And that it’s all volunteer based. I had never experienced anything like that,” Catlin noted. “As I have been more and more exposed to the Judy and the [Springfield Little Theatre] education department and education series, I think about the different trajectories my life could have had if I had had education and training exposure at such a young age. I’m so thankful that I’ve got that now, but it’s really, really incredible to watch these kiddos get to experience these things and have these teaching moments that even if they decide not to go on and pursue theatre professionally, they’ve got such fundamental life skills from being able to be in productions. To think quickly, to manage time well, and build relationships in such a high stakes environment while creating art bringing together community. I’m envious of that and so grateful that I’ve found that now.”

In only a few short years, Catlin has found her name on several cast lists in the Ozarks – often as the lead. She finds gratitude in the way her life has unfolded and the opportunity she now has to balance two of her passions every day.

“I really just think that hopefully folks can take from my story, even if somebody tells you ‘no’, if you have the passion to pursue something that you should continue to chase that,” she encouraged. “Though my 8-5 job is different than this, I still very much view this as a part of who I am. That I am very much an actor and a performer and an artist and just encouraging folks that if that’s your dream, if that’s your passion, don’t let anybody stop you from that. That’s so vital and the right people will come along at the right time to help that come to fruition.”

After a long day at a demanding office job, Catlin treats playing to a house of more than 500 people like her second job. She prepares, shows up, and delivers. “Sometimes the opportunities aren’t there, and we create them ourselves, but if you have the passion and the drive for doing that, you are the artist that you say you are.”

Tickets are now available for the final weekend OKLAHOMA! at Springfield Little Theatre.

MSU Library Associate Jeffrey Lawson Has Spent Years Organizing SLT’s 90 Year History

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Performance talents, social connections, and self-confidence are all valuable skills that Springfield Little Theatre alumni build, but the most cherished takeaway for participants is often memories made. Missouri State University Library Associate Jeffrey Lawson shepherds the theatre’s records across its 90-year history. He has spent years cataloging and archiving photos, documents, and mementos that help Springfieldians reconnect and remember SLT’s remarkable story.

Lawson began his career at Meyer Library in the Circulation department nearly 25 years ago. After gaining experience as Shelving Supervisor then Overdue and Billings Supervisor, management tapped him to assist in Special Collections and Archives. A self-proclaimed SLT “groupie”, Lawson has been attending performances since he began watching his theatrical friends in high school. His passionate support proved to be useful for the project.

“They knew that I was familiar with the [Springfield Little Theatre] organization and with a lot of the people that worked and performed down there,” he said. “They thought, well, Jeffrey would probably be the best person to help process this collection because I could probably look at a picture and know what show it was as opposed to the other people up here who aren’t as familiar with theatre. About five or six years ago I began coming up here working with that collection and then working with other collections and it just kind of snowballed.”

Lawson has worked fulltime in Special Collections and Archives since 2020. He has been continually cataloguing multiple projects, including mountains of SLT related content. He carefully handles all the materials serving as a historical detective to uncover its significance. Not every item is immediately identifiable.

“A lot of it you have to go through maybe two or three times. You can’t just go through a box and start throwing stuff away because you never know,” Lawson cautioned. “That second or third time you go through a box or a folder may be the time that you find the treasure that you’re looking for, or something that’s very important to the collection. I just like to go through things a couple of times before I end up discarding anything because I don’t want to throw out anything that’s important.”

For every item that is entered into the archive, Lawson tries to uncover as much accompanying information as he can. Rather than just describe what’s visible, he hopes to file as many details as he can.

“Sometimes you’ll pull out a photograph that has no date, you don’t know when it was taken. Part of my job is as I put these online, I like to find out who is in the photo, when it was taken, why it was taken, how it was used, where it was taken, and sometimes you get none of that.” Lawson admitted to occasionally running into frustrations when a piece eludes him. “You just have to put ‘undated’ on something. I hate doing that. I like to know exactly when and where something was taken and who is in it. There’s a mystery in every box, trust me.”

One of Lawson’s most pressing goals is digitizing the SLT archives. He hopes to eventually make most of the collection searchable for researchers to easily navigate. As SLT alumni follow their careers and passions across the globe, he would like for anyone with a tie to the theatre to be able to search for cherished memories.

“We have a very large digital collection of items that we have online,” Lawson explained. “I would really like to have a lot of this [SLT collection] online so that people can access it from home and not have to come into the library. In the long-range plan, that is the goal. We can’t digitize everything, but I would love to have a really good selection of programs, historical items, posters, photographs, online for the public to look at.”

Lawson’s efforts have already been utilized by historian Kara DeBacker for a book about SLT’s home, the Landers Theatre. Lawson and DeBacker collaborated on researching both the organization and building history.

“I would just bring out box after box to Kara,” Lawson recalled. “She is such an experienced researcher. She really knows what she’s doing, and she didn’t need a lot of guidance from me. Basically, I just gave her a box and brought it out there and let her go through it. She took from it what she needed.”

Since DeBacker began that project five years ago, Lawson has made major headway in organizing the collection. He says that they have many photos, but also other interesting items like posters, photos, and even paperwork like forms filed to acquire rights to a show. He has prioritized making the documents easily searchable to more casual researchers. Many users are looking for connections to shows they’ve been involved with in the past, or even past generations in their family who may have performed.

“What we try to do is figure out when someone comes in to use this collection; how are they going to use it? What kind of things are they going to be looking for? So, you try to break things up and organize the materials in a way that is going to make sense to someone from the outside coming in to look at it,” he explained. “I figure most people who come in that want to look at Little Theatre are probably going to be looking for things that either they were in or that their parents were in or that their kids may have been in. We have a lot of people that come in for MSU theatre and dance who come in and say, ‘My mom was in this play back in 1968. We don’t have any pictures of it. Do you have any pictures of it?’ And yeah, we do. That’s really fun to be able to pull up a slide from 50 years ago and show somebody a slide of a picture of their mom that they’ve never seen.”

Lawson has uncovered some surprises during the project including original posters for a concert at Landers Theatre by Family Tree in 1972. The band would later be renamed The Ozark Mountain Daredevils. He has also poured over records of big-name stars coming for guest performances including Betty Buckley in OLIVER! and Patrice Munsel in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Even the smallest details can be an entertaining glimpse into the past.

“Seeing all those photos like of the receptions that they had at the Lamplighter [Inn] from when Patrice Munsel came in, things like that are just great,” Lawson smiled. “I love reading the board minutes from the early years, like the 60s and 70s. It’s fun to see what kind of pie Donna Crosby was going to serve at the meeting. Things like that are just hilarious to read.”

As a whole, the collection is a humbling reminder of the enduring power of SLT volunteers. As a community organization, the level of talent and dedication is remarkable across the decades and only continues to grow.

“It’s interesting to see how a relatively small group of people built something,” he marveled. “You know when you go back and you look at things from the 50s and 60s and even the 70s, there’s just a small group of people puttin’ on a show. They may have designed the program themselves back in the early days. But now, it’s such a huge thing with sponsors and underwriters. It’s amazing how much it’s grown.”

In addition to the SLT collection, Lawson oversees the history of many Springfield organizations through the Special Collections and Archives including the Frisco Railroad, OLGA LGBT, a local labor union, and the Ozark Jewish archives. Springfieldians can rest easy with their records in Lawson’s caring hands. He is just as invested in their preservation as the researchers he serves.

“I feel lucky to get to handle all of this stuff and go through it and look at it and preserve it. I’m the lucky one.”

Read more about Springfield Little Theatre’s history in The Landers: Biography of a Theater.

Clayton Avery’s Journey from Student to Closing Out the 90th Season As OKLAHOMA! Director

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In the nearly 20 years since Clayton Avery made his mainstage Springfield Little Theatre debut in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA, he has steadily ascended to direct another beloved classic by the legendary Broadway duo. Avery helms a cast of more than 40 performers in the pivotal classic American musical, OKLAHOMA! The song and dance spectacular closes SLT’s 90th EMERALD ANNIVERSARY SEASON. Avery says that he is aiming to deliver the beauty and joy that audiences expect while viewing the work through a fresh lens.

“I’m going for a traditional look. [We’re] absolutely honoring the text, but the original script has a lot of subtexts and a lot of sarcasm and a lot of saying one thing but meaning another thing. I am just curious what happens if a lot of that is taken away and what you say is what you feel,” Avery explained after studying the script and other stagings including the 2019 Broadway revival. “There is a way to kind of combine the two. That’s kind of what I’m going for. It will still absolutely be traditional, pretty, happy OKLAHOMA!”

The original 1943 Broadway debut stunned with the spectacular dream ballet that integrated story and dance to further the plot. Avery recruited fellow Silver Dollar City performer Melody Boyens to choreograph the show, including the iconic ballet. Details like finding the right choreographer for his vision and overseeing the construction of the 19th-century costumes fill Avery’s to-do list.

“I’m just swimming in documents of cast conflicts and this version of a rehearsal schedule and that version of a rehearsal schedule and costume concepts,” he described. “You’ve got to think about how many days does this take place over? How many costumes does this person [need]? Honestly, some of this stuff is probably more than I need to be doing. Doing it, even if it’s outside of my technical job description, it helps me learn the show by doing all the things.”

Many SLT students on a professional trajectory have dreamt of sitting in the directors’ chair on a mainstage production. While a creative vision and a broad technical understanding of staging a musical are critical, Avery shared that there is more to directing than many people appreciate.

“Leadership is probably #1. Being a good leader,” he explained. “Being able to collaborate with everyone on the creative team. The actors. I like using the actors’ input. A lot of times they have better ideas than I do. Just being an actor for so many years before directing, I just know what I liked from directors, or didn’t like from directors. It’s just been a process mainly from being a performer of seeing what I like, what I don’t like.”

Avery began training at SLT as an actor in elementary school. He initially took an acting class from Executive Director Beth Domann and an improv class from Y.E.S. Troupe alumni Lucas Grabeel and Susan LaBarr. After attending Summer Stages, Avery began auditioning for mainstage productions, eventually landing an ensemble role in CINDERELLA.

“I still remember choreo from that show, but I don’t remember choreo from a show that was like two or three years ago,” he joked. “It’s funny how strongly that first one sticks in your brain and is so magical.”

Avery closed out his final two years of high school as a member of Y.E.S. Troupe in what he remembers was “such a strong group.” Under the tutelage of Tony nominee Robert Westenberg, Avery studied theatre at Drury University. He ultimately double majored in both theatre and music in preparation to work as a music director.

Professional theatres in Kansas and Colorado quickly came knocking. Avery spent time at various playhouses including Great Plains Theatre and the Glenwood Vaudeville Review. He recalled learning classic vaudeville-style during his residency in Glenwood Springs and that those skills enhanced his performances at Silver Dollar City. However, he can trace the origin of his comedic skills all the way back to his childhood.

“We lived out in the country. I didn’t have any neighbors. I was just always at home pretending,” Avery remembered. “My mom would take me to the theatre a lot as a kid. I saw a lot of theatre combined with being at home and having no friends around me and just using my imagination. I feel like I always kind of had a bit of a theatrical something inside of me. For me, I’ve always loved finding the physicality and the voice of a character. Then, being a musician I feel like also helps with comedic timing.”

His unique style and mesmerizing stage presence captured lead roles in SLT productions including THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, HELLO, DOLLY! (Cornelius Hackl), and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG (Max). When Avery set his sights on returning to the Ozarks, an opportunity that combined his talents appeared, solidifying his next move.

“It was kind of perfect timing because the Welk in Branson announced they were doing SHREK in the summer and it was a really well paying, long run. SHREK was one of my favorite shows that I did at SLT,” he said. “I ended up playing Lord Farquaad. That was the summer of 2019. While I was there, that’s when I met [my partner] Brian [Kress]. He was also working in Branson at the Showboat [Branson Belle]. Then COVID happened. I just ended up staying. That’s when more of the directing things started coming.”

Avery began his SLT directing run in the education program in the 2016-2017 season. His success led to larger assignments including music director for THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MUSICAL, and CLUE THE MUSICAL. Eventually, he stepped up to direct mainstage title SCHOOL OF ROCK.

“It just started with JR. shows, and I guess I proved myself,” Avery reflected. “I don’t know. Beth just continued asking. Then OKLAHOMA is the biggest one I’ve had, definitely, so far. SCHOOL OF ROCK was a big one. That was a mainstage and a full two act show.”

Avery aims to continue growing and learning with a goal to pursue a masters’ degree. Until then, he expressed gratitude for the training ground SLT has provided in fostering his career. The community theatre label has never diminished his view of the programs.

“I think most of the shows that I’ve done or seen at SLT have been better than many of the professional shows I’ve been in.”

Tickets for OKLAHOMA! are now on sale.

Pianist Teresa Breuer Brekke Remembers the Friendships and the Laughs at SLT

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Teresa Breuer Brekke has had an expansive career, often finding herself in the crossroads between art and business. She has moved across the south and west working in public radio and performance, but some of the most vivid memories were formed in her friendships at Springfield Little Theatre and her childhood in the Ozarks. In fact, she still dreams about the home she grew up in near Missouri State University.

“I just think it was such a valuable, wonderful experience,” Brekke reflected on her teenage years spent at SLT. “I can count at least two lifelong dear friends [from the theatre]. Beth [Domann] is one of them and Connie Pachl. Connie lived across the street from me for a while, but we became really good friends through the theatre. I’m still in touch with both of them. My friendships with them are as old as Saturday Night Live.”

When Brekke’s mother spotted an advertisement in the newspaper for SLT Youth Players auditions, she jumped at the chance. She was cast in the 1974 production of THE SNOW QUEEN and was immediately hooked. She eventually landed her own royal role.

“I just enjoyed it so much, I kept auditioning. I was the Queen of Hearts in ALICE IN WONDERLAND. That was so much fun,” Brekke remembered. “We have a friend, Beth and I, who is not with us any longer whose name is Roger Jinks. He was a riot. Well, he was the Cheshire Cat. There was quite a bit of time on stage where I would be sitting on my throne, and he would be hiding in the Cheshire Cat house, and he would taunt me just to try to make each other laugh.”

Brekke’s parents established strict rules in their household, but they supported her enjoying SLT as an outlet. Even if the cast and crew sometimes got up to mischief, they knew it was a safe place to grow. She fondly relayed one of the more playful pranks she witnessed.

“I can remember one time I was working on HELLO DOLLY. This would have been one of the adult productions. I didn’t have a part. I was doing props or something, I forget. Kim Crosby had one of the leads. There are these great, big menus for this fancy Harmonia Gardens restaurant. Well, the props people – now I didn’t do this, but it was fun to watch – instead of having the menu inside, they put Playboy centerfolds in there,” Brekke laughed.” We just did crazy, crazy fun stuff.”

She remembers her parents letting her attend late rehearsals and even break her 10 pm curfew once to help build a float representing the theatre for the Ozark Empire Fair. Through those connections, she even traveled to Broadway. Although the trip was not SLT sponsored, fellow teenagers from SLT bussed together to NYC.

“Beth wasn’t on that trip. I wish she had been,” Brekke recalled. “But [SLT performer] Kinda Kellum was on it. She was my roommate as I recall. We slept on the floor of the bus. I don’t know how many of us were on that bus, but thirty or forty kids, maybe. Here all these kids and these two adults, nobody got in trouble, nobody got hurt.”

As a Heers teen board member, Brekke had the opportunity to work in the department store stock room to earn money toward the trip. She was delighted to be able to pay for her ticket to every show. Her only regret is that she didn’t save the playbills.

“I saved my money, and I bought all my theatre tickets,” Brekke beamed. “The very first one was A CHORUS LINE at Shubert Theatre. The second one was THE KING AND I with Yul Brynner. I saw SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM with Hermione Gingold. I saw ANNIE with Andrea McArdle. I saw DRACULA with Frank Langella. I sat on the front row. And I saw Liza Minelli in THE ACT on New Years Eve, which was a big flop, but I didn’t care because I got to see Liza. All of that. Can you believe? I can’t imagine what that would cost today, but I managed it.”

Decades later, Brekke returned to Broadway to see another bucket list performer, Bette Midler. She planned an anniversary trip with her husband, Charles, to see the diva in HELLO DOLLY. As they took their seats 2nd row, center in the balcony, the memory suddenly struck Brekke.

“[HELLO DOLLY] just dazzled, every bit just came to life. It had a life of its own,” she praised. “It occurred to me as went to that theatre; I had been there exactly forty years before. It was that same year I went to New York for the first time and saw A CHORUS LINE in that theatre. It was one of those tingly moments, you know?”

After graduating from Greenwood Lab, Brekke attended Drury University where she met her husband. She loved the arts, but her parents urged her to pursue a potentially more profitable degree. To satisfy both objectives, she earned three degrees in Business Administration, Communications, and Music.

“I got a business degree, and it has served me well,” she admitted. “I’ve always been able to get a job. I’ve mainly worked in PR, marketing, and I worked in broadcasting. I worked for a public radio station here [in Oklahoma] for about 15 years. It’s a classical station, so it really suited both interests there.”

The Brekkes landed in Oklahoma by way of Texas. After graduating from Drury, her husband was pursuing a medical career in Galveston while she got a job at Texas Instruments in Houston. They eventually married and moved to Friendswood before relocating to Oklahoma.

“I did go back to school, and I got my Masters in piano. I went to OU,” Brekke explained. “I play at my church, and I have a little business that I play at parties and events and things. I’m still at it.”

Throughout her life, Brekke says she has benefitted from her experience at SLT. Feeling comfortable on stage helped her land runner-up at the Miss Teenage Springfield pageant. When the crowned winner was disqualified for fibbing about her age, Brekke was thrust into the next tier of competition.

“I get to Nashville and it’s like cattle at the fair. They put that sash on you and parade you through the airport. Well, here all these other girls had professional chaperones and professional tutors. It was already an industry at that time,” Brekke recognized. “I was the country bumpkin. I didn’t even make it into the top 10, but I had a really good time. We did dance routines and got all these costumes, and I was on TV. All my [SLT] friends went out to the Springfield Regional Airport to send me off. They were all there to greet me when I got back.”

From piano performances to her radio career, Brekke has always appreciated the skills and life experience she collected at the Landers that followed her through her life.

“Even the little bit I did onstage, it really helps your confidence to speak onstage before a group. Most people have to do that for their job or in some capacity whether they’re serving their community or their church. That experience is like a muscle. It just kicks back in.”

Find ways to get involved at Springfield Little Theatre this summer.

 

Performer and Scenic Designer Andrew Wilson Dives into DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID for the Third Time

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Andrew Wilson knew DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID by heart before he had even heard of Broadway or knew what it meant to be on the stage.

“When I was a kid, we watched THE LITTLE MERMAID all the time. There was this bonus feature on the DVD, and it showcased the Broadway show. I was just enamored,” Wilson recalled. “I didn’t even know what Broadway was at that point because I was a wee baby. That was my first discovery of theatre. I would perform little shows for my grandparents and dad with my Ariel dolls along with the soundtrack.”

Now, Wilson is performing the starring role of Prince Eric for a third time at Springfield Little Theatre.

“My first big deal, lead role was actually Prince Eric in THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. in 2017,” he explained. “That was the first time I did the show. That featured [Broadway performer and SLT alum] Aryn Bohannon [as Ariel]. That was really cool.”

That production was presented through the SLT Summer Institutes under director Andy Willadsen. Summer Institute shows are rehearsed and performed at a rapid pace.

“Obviously, the Summer Institutes are way different than the actual shows we do,” Wilson recognized. “We had two weeks to do it. It was a more mature role than I was used to. I was very nervous for it.”

His second time going under the sea was opposite Hayden Gish Collins two years later. It was during that production that he bonded with best friend, the late Hannah Curnutt. The SLT community was devastated last year when she passed away suddenly. Wilson holds tight to their memories.

“It was a very, very special experience. A lot of people from the JR. version in 2019 felt how special it was because of Hannah. Hannah made that show very special,” he shared. “Going into this one, I kind of brought her spirit with me. I think of singing ‘Her Voice’ to her every night. ‘Her Voice’ is my favorite part of the show because I get to dedicate it to her and sing to her. It’s just really, really special.”

Although the character is familiar territory, Wilson’s role in the full-length version is expanded from those productions. The rehearsal period was extended compared to a Summer Institute, but he had significantly more material to learn. The “JR.” version consolidates the plot and even cuts down on musical numbers. As Prince Eric, he looked forward to longer versions of songs with additional choreography.

“Eric has a lot more singing in the full version than the JR. version,” Wilson noted. “I had a snippet of one of my songs in the JR. version and that was about it. So going into this one, I’m really excited about doing all the songs I’ve loved since I was a kid. I was glad to do the full ‘One Step Closer’ dance break with Reghan [Skiles] as Ariel.”

The extended scenes and songs weren’t all that Wilson had to prepare. In addition to being the scenic designer at the SLT’s The Judy education building for more than three years, Wilson stepped up to design a mainstage Landers Theatre set for the first time. He jokingly admits to ‘dropping hints’ to director Lorianne Dunn about his interest in helping with the set. She eventually called on him to submit ideas, but he didn’t anticipate that he would end up as the show’s scenic designer.

“I came up with a concept. I thought that really was all I was doing,” he confessed. “I thought I would help paint the stuff, but I just wasn’t sure how involved I was going to be in all of this yet. Once I showed [Lorianne] the concept, we went into all the other designs for the show like Urusla’s throne, her lair, Ariel’s grotto. She kind of just gave me free rein. She trusted me.”

Immediately after designing and constructing the set for THE ARISTOCATS, KIDS at The Judy, Wilson jumped into creating the aquatic and seaside worlds of THE LITTLE MERMAID. He recalls being nervous about the set construction, expecting to shoulder the entire execution of his designs single handedly, as he often does at The Judy. The scope and scale of this project, however, was more than he had tackled before. Wilson was relieved to find there was a community effort that included technical directors Jamie Bower and Corbin Chaffin leading construction.

“I remember going into rehearsal, I saw these bubble sliders that I designed. The Ursula throne was cut out, Ariel’s grotto was cut out and built. I was like, ‘Whoa. This is so cool,’” he smiled. “I felt such relief to have Corbin and Jamie and all of our other volunteers already working on my designs. It made me feel so much better about how everything else was gonna go. It really set the stage for the rest of the construction and painting process. I’m very, ver,y very grateful to Corbin and Jamie and Cindy [Timson] and Trudie [Courtney] and Barb [Parker] and Melissa [Briggs] and all of our other volunteers who helped contribute with all of that.”

Wilson had assisted with Landers set construction before, including on another Disney title. That experience set the standard for the quality he wanted to design on THE LITTLE MERMAID.

“I know, since I have been here for so long and seen [former SLT Scenic Designer] Chuck [Rogers]’ work, the scale and quality that we need to produce at the Landers consistently. I knew it could not be wimpy. It needed to be pretty,” Wilson explained. “It needed to be the same level as BEAUTY AND THE BEAST that we did a few years ago. I was lucky to help on that. I got to do that big rose proscenium for that show. That was really cool. That was the first big thing that I worked on over at the Landers painting wise.”

In place of Belle’s roses, Wilson opted for a seashell and seahorse motif for Ariel. The majestic ocean life frames the stage in whimsical water tones. Wilson let his best design secret slip when discussing the magnificent set piece.

“I think what’s very important in set design is a great proscenium,” he advised. “I think as long as you have a great proscenium, you’re golden.”

Wilson credits his grandparents with introducing him to the arts. His late grandfather, Wes Wilson, was a famed poster designer for rock artists including Jefferson Airplane, Otis Redding, the Grateful Dead, and even The Beatles. He is also credited with creating the popular ‘psychedlic’ font. Wilson attributes his fine art skills to inheriting his grandfather’s talents.

Wilson’s grandmother, Eva Wilson, grew up dancing in Hollywood as daughter to an Oscar nominated screenwriter. She began taking Wilson to SLT performances as a young boy.

“My grandma was the one who really started taking me to shows,” he recalled. “We went and saw BIG RIVER and then I started to get an inkling that maybe I should be up there with everyone during that show.”

Wilson’s inclination was correct. Although he didn’t land a role with his first audition, Wilson’s mother recognized his interest and signed him up for an education series production. He was hooked, participating in summer programs, mainstage shows, Y.E.S. Troupe, and tech camps.

Wilson has since headlined as Danny Zuko in GREASE, Buddy the Elf in ELF: THE MUSICAL, and he shared the role of SpongeBob SquarePants with Eli DePriest in SLT’s first ever production of THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL.

Wilson’s first ever character role at SLT was Lennie in JUNIE B. JONES. Coincidentally, that show would become Wilson’s first directing credit at The Judy this season. Wilson has found his calling working professionally in the theatre, but his most difficult task is determining his path from here. As a performer, director, and designer, he anticipates having to narrow his interests.

“To be honest, I am very much on both sides at the moment – performing and designing. That is something I am honestly really trying to figure out,” he admitted. “Obviously, I would love to do both. I have much love for both in such different ways. I love performing because I get to be on stage and I get to sing, which I love to do. On the other hand, I love to design the world. [Directing] was a really fun experience because the two coincided with each other more than acting and scenic design did. Directing and designing go hand in hand much better. I didn’t have to go to anyone else. I just had to talk to myself and come up with everything. I would love to do more directing in the future.”

For now, Wilson says he’s open to all opportunities, soaking up each experience. He earnestly and often professes his gratitude to past and present mentors at SLT including Andy Willadsen, Chuck Rogers, Lorianne Dunn, Josh Inmon, and Zoe Zelonky who recognized different facets of his talents and gave him opportunities to explore his abilities. Wilson is constantly seeking out opportunities to learn, including from other artists like set painter Barb Parker.

“I remember growing up seeing a lot of her stuff – just being amazed by what she can do with paint,” Wilson marveled. “I still find myself referencing her work, like for FROZEN, JR. I had to replicate these icicles that she painted the last time we did it. That was like a whole paint study. I just got to do a study on her work. For her to come in to work on MERMAID was full circle. She made so many of my things come to life with her artistry for LITTLE MERMAID.”

Catch Andrew Wilson’s design and performance talents in DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID through May 11.

Rachel Peacock-Young’s Family Ties to SLT Span Three Generations

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“Springfield Little Theatre has 100% been in my life some way every day of it. I know that’s crazy,” Rachel Peacock-Young admitted. By the time she finished her story, however, Peacock-Young had proven her claim. SLT has been pivotal in the life of the performer, nurse, and mother since before she was even born, and she is now carrying the tradition into the third generation.

Born to parents who established the family’s Springfield Little Theatre ties, her own marriage that began backstage, and now raising young performers, the Peacock-Young clan can trace nearly all of their major milestones to the Landers.

After serving together in Danang, Vietnam at the 95th Evacuation Hospital Peacock-Young’s parents – her mother a nurse and her father a pharmacist – continued their relationship in Missouri after the war. Her mother had relocated from Pennsylvania to be near Peacock-Young’s father who was originally from Niangua.

“In 1973 they went to see BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE at Springfield Little Theatre. They left there and went home, and my dad proposed to my mother,” she revealed. “Their ‘date’ that evolves around their engagement was to Springfield Little Theatre.”

The family settled in Lockwood, MO. Peacock-Young recalls always being surrounded by music. Her signature warm, powerful, low belt came naturally and without formal training.

“We sang a lot. We sang, and it wasn’t like we were magnificent or great,” she confessed. “We just sang because we had a song in our heart.”

A beloved guiding force soon stepped into Peacock-Young’s world giving her a vision for what she could one day do with her powerful pipes. The connection was unlikely and, Peacock-Young admitted, a little odd. Teenager Ross Snodgrass was hired by the family to babysit Peacock-Young and her sister, but they adored his creative spirit.

“On so many levels it’s weird that my parents were like, ‘Hey, there’s a high school boy that wants to watch our girls,’ but Ross was the very best-est babysitter in the whole world,” Peacock-Young gushed. “We played make believe all the time. He made us the coolest E.T. gingerbread cookie. He dressed us up. We put on plays all the time in our house because Ross was our babysitter.”

The family attended every performance Snodgrass was in at SLT, energetically cheering him on. In 1986, they moved to Springfield and became season ticket holders. Peacock-Young still vividly remembers shows like THE WIZARD OF OZ, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, and DRACULA, which scared her so badly she could hardly see star Fred Schweitzer in public.

“I was kind of starstruck,” she recalled. “I watched all these people and thought they were magnificently amazing and untouchable. Now they’re my friends.”

Her passion and talent pushed her to try her own hand at auditions. Her standout performances over the years might imply that she was a natural, landing lead roles with ease. In reality, Peacock-Young was left off the cast list so many times that she nearly walked away, determining that the stage wasn’t for her. Looking back, she can identify objective factors like vocal range and being between ages for roles that weren’t a fit, but the rejection still stung. After seven failed attempts, she was ready to quit.

“So, I auditioned then for seven shows and didn’t get cast. Isn’t that crazy?” she laughed. “It took seven times for me to get cast, and I was finally cast in MAME. I was just a nobody. I remember telling Connie Henry I wasn’t going to audition for MAME. Connie was like, ‘Rachel, now, you’ve gotta keep trying. I don’t know why they don’t want to use you.’”

Peacock-Young’s perseverance paid off, but she applauded the education programs that have developed since she began auditioning. Her own children have participated in the youth camps and workshops, and she recognized the added benefit they offer auditioners.

“If it was now, I would probably go to a workshop and I would be cast, even if I was Rachel at 15 or 17 years old. But they had nothing [back then],” she noted. “There wasn’t Summer Stages. There weren’t places these kids could go and be seen and people go, ‘Hey, they’re really good. They’re fun to work with.’ There wasn’t that group of people unless you had done a show before.”

In fact, Peacock-Young had to make her own way using her intuition. She had no formal voice training and even had cruel experiences in music.

“I didn’t have a teacher that really encouraged me to sing. I would almost say the opposite of that. I had some teachers that discouraged me to sing,” she revealed. “I had people that had told me, ‘We don’t want a girl with that low of voice.’ I always have had this voice.”

Peacock-Young’s performances are notably moving, boisterous, grounded, and expressive. Years later, audiences still cite her unforgettable portrayals of Yonah in CHILDREN OF EDEN, Asaka in ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and more. Above all else, however, she is always a team player.

Peacock-Young understudied for Becky in WAITRESS this season, but she has been called upon to fill in more than once throughout her career. When actor Tim Caldwell was out sick during tech week of STARMITES, she filled in as Space Punk. She also dubbed vocals for an ailing Cynthia Heister during a performance. The shortest notice she had was appearing in YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN with no rehearsals.

“I went on as Lucy because Lucy was stranded in Dallas. I had not been to a rehearsal,” Peacock-Young recalled. “Ali Smith was the director. They called me at like 4:30 and were like, ‘We need you to go on as Lucy at 7:30.’ I went down, immediately left work, went down to the theatre. I went on for the first four scenes. She landed and drove straight to the theatre and she was in the wings waiting for me to come off. I just handed off the wig onto her head. She was dressed in her other clothes ready to come on and we just exchanged. I had this clipboard and a big pencil, and I marched around like I knew what the hell I was doing, and I had no idea what I was doing. Live theatre at its best!”

When she wasn’t cast in a show or had a conflicting schedule, Peacock-Young would joyfully plug in behind the scenes. She hid under a table through a long CINDERELLA scene to run the “magic,” assistant stage managed for ANNIE, and operated a slide deck of graphics that was suspended above the stage during THE WHO’S TOMMY.

She also fell in love backstage when former Technical Director, Matt Young, began his position. The two married and share sons Elliott and Jerryt. Both boys are musically gifted and have been involved in SLT programs. Jerryt can be seen in THE LITTLE MERMAID this season and studies voice with Mark Lawley.

“I think that Jerryt – I don’t want this to sound like I think he’s amazing, but he’s amazing,” Peacock-Young shared. “I knew that he could sing very, very, very early in his life. By early I mean one, maybe months old, because he could match pitch. I knew that I couldn’t teach him how to sing because I wasn’t really taught how to sing.”

Even without professional guidance, Peacock-Young always considered herself a singer first. That is until her comedic performance in WAITRESS this season.

“I’m a singer that they sometimes give lines to. That’s how I address myself. People are like, ‘Oh, you’re an actress.’ Nope, I’m a singer that sometimes they give lines to,” she insisted. “Now, I will say that [director] Josh [Inmon] blew that idea out of the water in WAITRESS because I didn’t sing. I just had lines. I didn’t sing!”

However, after a hiatus from the stage, Peacock-Young’s power can still take audiences by surprise.

“One night, [actor] Sheristen [McCullah] didn’t have a voice and the band wanted to practice, so they were like, ‘Rachel, we just want you to sing it,’” she explained. “Well, 90% of this cast had no idea I could sing. They thought that I was just there to be a comedic relief, which is true in this script. They went nuts. They were like cheering and jumping around. Like, ‘Rachel, I had no idea you could do that. I had no idea you could sing.’ I was in the middle of changing for Norma and then I ran over there and sang, then I ran back and finished getting ready to be Norma and we went on with the show. It was crazy.”

After decades of involvement with SLT, Peacock-Young still comes by magic moments easily. The joy of being on the Landers stage never grows old.

“I can say that for me, WAITRESS, I needed that,” she reflected. “I needed to audition for a show. I needed to go through that whole process. I needed to do that for me. It was really just a very beautiful show to be a part of. That cast was really special. Some shows are really special and that is definitely one that will always be very special to me.”

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An Onstage Mishap at SLT Sparked LA Actor Lenny Hernandez’ Career

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Actor Lenny Hernandez has been popping up on your screen for nearly two decades. He’s appeared on Nickelodeon and filmed a Comedy Central pilot. His most prolific gigs have been in commercials for major companies including Listerine, Dairy Queen and Tylenol. For all his Hollywood success, however, he’s never forgotten the first laugh that made him fall in love with performing.

As a high school freshman, Hernandez was cast in the ensemble of THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW at Springfield Little Theatre. He balanced rehearsals with football practice until the actor cast as Ichabod Crane dropped out for his own athletic ambitions. With less than ten days before opening, Hernandez was asked to learn the part of the famous schoolteacher. He recalls his first crash course in learning a part under a hard time crunch.

“[Assistant director] Tonya [Cunningham] and I met all day Saturday and all-day Sunday the weekend before the Thursday we opened,” he remembered. “I got the notice midweek, so on Saturday and Sunday the weekend before we opened, she and I rehearsed stuff and ran like three, four hours the weekend before to just run it, and run it, and run it.”

At the time, the show’s director Beth Domann was building up the education program and wearing many hats. Hernandez recalls that Domann had spent all week constructing a plaster horse that Hernandez could actually sit on.

“I mount the horse for the first time and then [my character] gets scared, so I start spinning. I accidentally kicked the head of the horse, and it flops over and breaks,” Hernandez explained. “So, the horse head is just limp.”

The disastrous prop malfunction could have been an unfortunate footnote in the show’s run, but Hernandez used his comedic skills to turn it into an opportunity.

“I do like a 25-second bit with the horse head trying to get his head back upright. I’m like, ‘No! Gunpowder, are you okay? No, I hurt you. Are you okay?’ I lifted it up and it fell back over, so I lifted it up, let go of it, and it just fell back over,” he laughed. “I’ll never forget it because my mom has a very distinct laugh and, as anyone who knows Beth Domann also knows, she has a very distinct laugh. I can hear both my mom and Beth in different parts of the auditorium laughing hysterically over everyone. It’s just one of those moments that I’ll never forget. Having that moment where it’s just like, ‘Oh, I’m making two of my favorite people laugh very loudly from this silly little thing I’m doing with this horse head that I accidentally broke.’”

Hernandez’ magnetic stage presence was apparent from a young age. A middle school teacher noticed how entertaining his class presentations were and approached his mother to recommend Springfield Little Theatre for further training. He leaped at the chance to learn dancing, acting, and improv and started in classes with Beth Domann.

“Beth was absolutely funny. She was one of my favorite people. I could tell you that I’m sure she found me to be some kind of obnoxious little thirteen-year-old. I was attempting to be a thirteen-year-old brown version of Jim Carrey. No doubt about it,” Hernandez joked. “That was me and I was always just bold.”

He continued acting through Central High School with Dr. Gretchen Teague then unexpectedly landed in the theater program at Drury University. Once again, he was spotted for his talent and recruited to the school.

“I was planning on just going to OTC because I didn’t know anything about colleges,” he admitted. “Nobody told me about how to do that process. About two weeks before school was letting out, we had a student teacher from Drury ask me, ‘Are you going anywhere to college for theater? Drury is auditioning in two weekends. You should audition for Drury.’ So, I auditioned for Drury and got in for their theatre program, which is insane.”

However, in his first year of college, Dr. Teague invited him to attend a performance of WEST SIDE STORY at Missouri State University with her class. Hernandez was mesmerized by the Broadway classic for a very personal reason. It was the first show he had seen representing the Puerto Rican community like his own family heritage.

“I said, ‘That’s the kind of theater I want to be doing,’” he reflected. “After seeing WEST SIDE STORY, this is a show about brown people. That’s what I want to do.”

After graduating with a BFA, Hernandez headed west. Within months of moving to Los Angeles, he had booked an agent and only a few auditions later landed his first job. As the lead in a series of promotions for New York New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Hernandez quickly learned how tedious film work can be.

“They flew us out to Vegas for five days. I was the lead, and it was my first time on set. It was just such a wild experience,” he recalled. “The first day there, we did the club sequence, so they booked out an entire modeling agency out of Vegas. They had a crane shot where they followed me with a crane through a crowd as I’m weaving and bobbing my head. They go, ‘Action!’ Then call, ‘Cut, cut, cut, cut! Back to one.’ Like four times they called cut after just a handful of movements and I was like, ‘What am I doing? What’s going on?’ And somebody goes up and was like, ‘No, no, no. It’s not you. The extras are staring at the camera.’ So, they had to go to each one of these extras and tell them to stop looking directly at the camera when it cranes through, because they’re models, they aren’t actors. That was a hilarious part of that.”

Hernandez’ most memorable acting note from the shoot was that the director didn’t want to see the blood flowing in his neck veins, so he had to hold his breath for 40 seconds through multiple takes.

As he adjusted to screen acting, he recalled his SLT training. Commercials, he noticed, don’t have complicated back stories or time to develop the character.

“The biggest thing with commercial work is you really have to use your imagination to put yourself in the situation as quickly as possible,” he explained. “That was stuff that I learned with Beth at SLT was using your imagination to help you see it and visualize it. That’s where the commercial work starts landing you gigs. That’s a direct reflection of the training I did at SLT in those middle school years.”

Hernandez said that his experience at SLT has also opened more opportunities by knowing when to say, ‘Yes.’  “Another great thing about being adaptable from SLT and beyond is that when you book or try to audition for things and you didn’t get in, they would sometimes offer, do you want to work crew? Do you want to work back behind the camera?”

One such opportunity appeared on the set of ALIENS, CLOWNS, AND GEEKS with director Richard Elfman – brother of celebrated composer, Danny Elfman. When Hernandez lost out on the role he auditioned for, he had the opportunity to assist Elfman on set.

“On the second to last day, we had a very long day, very heavy in prosthetics, and some guy dropped out, so guess who got to fill in as a full-blown prosthetic alien? Me! So, I got to step in and get an actual credit in front of the camera,” Hernandez remembered. “I would always recommend to people, even if you don’t get the role you want, figure out a way to still be part of the production. Even if it’s behind the cameras or behind stage, just so you can learn more things that you had not known before. You can always use that to your advantage moving forward.”

After the pandemic hit, Hernandez relocated back to Missouri, auditioning remotely as the industry became less concentrated in LA. He recently toured the festival circuit with multi-award-winning short film PARADISO, which he starred in and produced. The short also features SLT alum, Imari Stout. He will next appear in upcoming major feature film DUST TO MALIBU filmed primarily in Springfield.

Hernandez admits that film work can be clinical. The actor is often a tool for the director to get the shot they want. He occasionally feels the pull to do stage work again, which he finds to be a more creative endeavor. He starred in the award-winning Hollywood Fringe play SAVING CAIN and returned to SLT to lead PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED directed by Beth Domann.

“What prepared me to go out to LA was the fact that people like Beth Domann and Dr. Gretchen Teague empowered kids to fully go as far as they can when it comes to performing,” Hernandez credited. “Be as ridiculous or insane or left field as you possibly can to see if something works, then find the best way of doing things as it works inside the script or the environment you have created. That’s one of the biggest things about theater, and learning it early on, is learning how to really be free of your self-conscience.”

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