Meet The Theatre Guild Guest Staff

At Theatre Guild, we encourage the students to take ownership of the shows, but there is also a staff of adults here to guide them in the production process. This staff is devoted to teaching the students the best and safest way to put on a show, all while pushing them to work up to their potential.

Sometimes the full-season staff members don't have enough time to work with every crew and the actors for all six shows. That's where our guest staff members have helped immensely! These talented workers are ones that will join us for a show (or more!) and share their expertise in very specific areas of theater. Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of some of the Theatre Guild employees that have been a part of our shows recently.

Alex Leydenfrost
Job Title: Director
Educational Background: BA in English and Drama from Franklin and Marshall College, member of the first graduating class of The New Actors Workshop (NYC), MA in Secondary English Instruction from California State University-Northridge.
Other Theatre Affiliations: (Actor) Off Broadway credits include: Circle-in-the-Square, The Pearl Theatre Company, Theatre for the New City, and Playwrights Horizons. Alex has also performed professionally across Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and even tiny Luxembourg, with the American Drama Group Europe ( Munich).
TG Shows He’s Worked On:
Comedy Troupe (Director, 2007-10)
On The Verge (Co-Director, 2009)
A Lie of the Mind (Co-Director, 2008)
In His Words:
“Louder!” ”Explore the where!” “Somebody find Joe!”

Julia Glander
Job Title: Director
Educational Background: MFA in Graduate Acting Program, University of Iowa, and a BFA in Theatre and Communication, Central Michigan University.
Other Theatre Affiliations: (Actor) leading roles Off-Broadway, many regional theatres across the country including the Asolo Center for the Performing Arts, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, American Stage Company, as well as such massive venues as the Kennedy Center and The Hollywood Bowl.
TG Shows She’s Worked On:
Eurydice (Co-Director, 2010)
The Heidi Chronicles (Director, 2009)
On The Verge (Co-Director, 2009)
A Lie of the Mind (Co-Director, 2008)
In Her Words:
“I’m inspired when I witness a student take the plunge, tread in unknown waters, splash around a bit, and emerge exhilarated from the experience.”

Robert Lester
Job Title: Sound Supervisor
Educational Background: Bachelors in Performance Arts Technology from The University of Michigan's School of Music
Other Theater Affiliations: U of M's Mendelssohn Theater, U of M's Duderstadt Center Video Studio
TG Shows He's Worked On:
Oklahoma! (Sound, 2009)
Urinetown (Sound, 2009)
Miss Saigon (Sound, 2008)
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka (Sound, 2008)
FutureStars 2008 (Sound, 2008)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (Sound, 2007)
The Wizard of Oz (Sound, 2007)
FutureStars 2007 (Sound, 2007)
High School Musical (Sound, 2006)
In His Words:
"My passion for music, sound technology, and education have made sound supervision for Pioneer Theatre Guild a great way to spend my time."

Paula Doering
Job Title: Props Supervisor
Educational Background: Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Potsdam in English Literature
Other Theater Affiliations: The Burns Park Players, The Tappan Players
TG Shows She's Worked On:
Urinetown (Props, 2009)
The Heidi Chronicles (Props, 2009)
Miss Saigon (Props, 2008)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (Props, 2007)
A Streetcar Named Desire (Props, 2006)
Tommy (Props, 2006)
Carousel (Props, 2005)
Les Miserables (Props, 2003)
How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Props, 2002)
In Her Words:
"I really enjoy taking the students out on prop gathering field trips to thrift shops and antique/junk stores.  When the crew sees props they've made or found being used in the show it pulls them in and totally invests them in the production."

David Zinn
Job Title: Paint Supervisor
Educational Background: Bachelors in Creative Writing and English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan's Residential College
Other Theater Affiliations: Tobins Lake Studios, University Productions (U of M), Emerson School, U of M's Gilbert & Sullivan Society
TG Shows He's Worked On:
Urinetown (Paint, 2009)
The Heidi Chronicles (Paint, 2009)
Miss Saigon (Paint, 2008)
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka (Paint, 2008)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (Paint, 2007)
The Wizard of Oz (Paint, 2007)
Bullshot Crummond (Paint, 2007)
High School Musical (Paint, 2006)
Tommy (Paint, 2006)
The Elephant Man (Paint, 2006)
Carousel (Paint, 2005)
In His Words:
"Theater is my only sociable artistic activity, and is thus the only thing standing between me and life as a crazy paint-smeared hobo."

Susan Pearlman
Job Title: Costume Designer & Costume Supervisor
Educational Background: Bachelors of Nursing from the University of Michigan
Other Theater Affiliations: The Burns Park Players, Ann Arbor Civic Theater, The University of Michigan Residential College, The Tappan Players
TG Shows She's Worked On:
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka (Costumes, 2008)
Thoroughly Modern Mille (Costumes, 2007)
The Wizard of Oz (Costumes, 2007)
High School Musical (Costumes, 2006)
Tommy (Costumes, 2006)
Carousel (Costumes, 2005)
Hair (Costumes, 2005)
The Precious Maidens (Costumes, 2005)
Beauty and the Beast (Costumes, 2004)
Les Miserables (Costumes, 2003)
Fiddler on the Roof (Costumes, 2002)
1940's Radio Hour (Costumes, 1999)
The Music Man (Costumes, 1997)
In Her Words:
"I love working with the students. They are always so enthusiastic!"