Ms. Kelli Lawrence has been a Technical Director in the Glenbard South Theater Department for three years. She is the director for Build, Paint, and Run (backstage) crews. Ms. Lawrence, just like many other thespians, found her passion for theater in her own high school auditorium. “In high school I was a part of theater and I knew I loved it so much that I wanted to do it in college,” said Lawrence.

In college she broadened her horizons for what theater could hold, but she knew that high school theater was something special. “I was in Junior college trying to take every theater class possible and I realized that I really loved being in High School theater because I feel like that is where a lot of passion is,” said Lawrence, “It’s just the most amazing thing.”

When asked what advice she would give to someone in theater she exclaimed, “Learn everything! You don’t have to be an expert at everything but dip your toes into every part of the production.” Ms. Lawrence did not just focus on the technical aspects of theater, but took acting classes in order to see the other side of theater. “It taught me so much of the actors’ perspective, and how I can do my job better as a tech person to support the actors.”

Her first show at Glenbard South was “Red Versus The Wolf”, a spin off of Little Red Riding Hood where Little Red Riding Hood was really the villain, and the Wolf was misunderstood. During her time at South,Lawrence designed and built many different sets, from the deep sea, in the play “Rainbow Fish” to the shining gates of the Emerald City, in “The Wizard of Oz”, each one unique and breathtaking. When asked what her favorite part of Glenbard South theater was, she said, “The people! I am so grateful that I got to work with everybody, there is so much passion and compassion in everybody that you meet.”