“I was attracted to Guilford because of the sense of community on campus and the small class sizes. As someone who can’t drive due to disability, having a campus where everyone lives on campus was appealing to me. And as trite as it sounds, I’ve always felt at home in a theater,” Frankie says. 

“Because of the small department size, I knew I would have more opportunities at Guilford than at a larger theater. As a small department, you can’t only do one thing: I was a stage manager, part of the paint crew, and helped with hair/makeup at the same time. In technical theater, it pays off to be a jack of all trades.” 


It certainly did for Frankie. 

Stage Savvy

They currently work as a sound board operator as well as with hair and makeup prosthetics, including special-effects makeup and blood, for Tecumseh! outdoor theatre in Chillicothe, Ohio.



“Traditionally, this job would be only running the board during shows. However, I’ve found myself re-wiring and installing new cables and setting up a whole new booth. Over the summer, I worked as a production assistant, which sparked an interest in front-of-house and production,” Frankie explains. 

Their original goal was to be a stage manager for a while, earn a master’s degree, and teach at the college level. Now Frankie hopes to pursue more roles in production and learn how to manage a theater. 


Guilford Foundation

Faculty support propelled Frankie from college theater into their current role at Tecumseh!. 

“Robin Vest and Phil Slaby were my saving grace. Robin really helped guide me and gave me a good understanding of what it means to work professionally in theater and make a career out of it. Phil, on the other hand, helped me navigate the history side of my degree and supported my hair-brained research topics,” Frankie says.



Because of their varied experience, Frankie has much to offer the professional world, as well as Guilford students. They advise students who have disabilities to not be afraid to get accommodations from the Accessibility Resource Center, and they recommend that all Guilford students take their Interdisciplinary Studies capstone course in the summer to avoid having it at the same time as their thesis course. 

For Theatre Studies majors, Frankie advises, “Always take step-by-step photos of anything you build for a show or class. You never know what you’ll need for your portfolio or website. And take advantage of the chances you have to learn more about every aspect of theater. Learn to sew, build a flat, paint a set, or hang lights, even if you are an actor. You won’t always be able to find a job for what you ‘specialized’ in. Look at me, I studied to be a stage manager and am currently running sound. Also, if you can, do summer stocks (a 10- to 15-week summer theater show for young professionals) before you graduate!”

Are you interested in becoming a Theatre Studies major? To learn more about the Guilford College Theatre Studies major, schedule your personalized visit to campus.