Two new Board Fellows will begin their terms as part of the Sherry Wagner-Henry Board Fellowship. Congratulations to our newest Board Fellows — Frankie Charles and Dr. Jennifer Leigh Sears Scheier.

In 2014, USITT’s Secretary, Sherry Wagner-Henry, conceived and launched the USITT Board Mentorship Program. With feedback from former participants, and renamed in her honor, the program has refocused to become a flexible, 12-18-month long Fellowship with particular emphasis on finding the future leaders of USITT and investing in their growth.

"Mentoring is about supporting and fostering the full potential of a person, with the goal that they will one day surpass you," said former Board Mentee and current Director Pinky Estell.

This opportunity serves as a bridge to connect emerging professionals with current leaders in the theatre and entertainment industry, as well as an opportunity to learn new skills that will help the Fellow develop valuable expertise on their journey to nonprofit leadership. This Fellowship provides an open door to the Executive Director and board members of USITT, as well as, positions on Committees and a greater understanding of nonprofit governance structures.

Frankie Charles

Frankie Charles is an Education Coordinator in the Education Department at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He uses his skills in technical direction to support the logistics and operations of the department and his connection to USITT to advocate for the development of training and education programs for production technicians and designers. Frankie is originally from a northern suburb of Chicago and is a proud, queer, Afro-Cuban American, Trans-Man who graduated with a BFA in Theatre Technology from The Theatre School at DePaul University. He was a Gateway mentee back in 2016 and had the privilege of being a mentor in 2024. If you are in New York City, metro New Jersey, or Conneticut and want to get involved with your USITT Regional Section, Frankie also serves as the manager of the leadership group reviving the section and would love to hear how the section can serve its Members. 

Some highlights from his work in Technical Direction include the 2019 Chicago premiere of That Night with Erasing the Distance. From 2019 to 2021, Frankie was the first Resident Artist Assistant Technical Director at The Minnesota Opera. In 2022, he was the Technical Director for the premiere of Brownbody’s Tracing Sacred Steps, a blend of modern dance, social justice practice, figure skating, and ring shout. He supported the project in its Minnesota premiere and a residency at The Yard in Martha’s Vineyard. Since moving to New York, Frankie has had the joy of Technical Directing the off-Broadway premiere of The Christine Jorgenson Show, which tells the story of the first transgender celebrity in the 1950s. You can keep up with Frankie on his Instagram.

"I want to thank my colleagues at Lincoln Center for supporting my career and passion for USITT. I would also like to express my appreciation for the past and present members of the IDEAS committee. I must also thank Tim J. Conway, my high school theatre teacher; may he rest in peace. He didn't let the young, confused, and angry child that I was, settle for a life of mediocrity. Most importantly, I want to thank my mom, uncle, Andi Lyons, Shane Kelly, and my many friends and colleagues within the industry for their continued support. You know who you are; I love you. Thank you. 

I have spent the last 11 years in and around this fantastic organization and appreciate the Institute's continued faith in me. In so many ways, this organization has provided me with a profound sense of belonging. So, to me, this award is a meaningful investment from the leadership of USITT during a tumultuous time in our history that people who identify as I do, a member of the trans and gender expansive community and as a member of the global majority, belong in this industry. We may not have always been able to see ourselves, but we are here and not going anywhere." -Frankie Charles

Dr. Jennifer Leigh Sears Scheier

Dr. Jennifer Leigh Sears Scheier, also known as Dr. J, is an Assistant Professor of Stage Management at Point Park University and a freelance AEA stage manager in Pittsburgh. As a stage manager, she splits her time between opera, dance and theatre, and is especially interested in new works and/or working in non-traditional theatre spaces. Her scholarly work analyzes the complex relationship between Actors' Equity Association and the stage management community, which has irrevocably altered the field of stage management and transformed U.S. stage management practices to be decidedly different than stage management in other parts of the world. She aims to draw attention to U.S. stage management history and bring much-needed context to present-day challenges so that contemporary stage managers can learn from past mistakes to better negotiate for the field.

Several of her research articles have been published in Stage Directions Magazine and she contributed to the Focal Press book Off Headset: Essays on Stage Management Work, Life, and Career, edited by Rafael Jaen and Christopher Sadler. Dr. J earned a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and MFA in Stage Management from the University of Iowa. Dr. J is a proud Member of USITT, Actors’ Equity Association and the Stage Managers’ Association. Her past stage management credits include: Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Knoxville Opera, La Jolla Playhouse, Lamb’s Players Theatre, Long Beach Opera, San Diego Repertory Theatre, and Tennessee Repertory Theatre. You can keep up with Dr. J's work on her website.

"Special thanks to the stage management community who have been incredibly supportive on my quest to unearth U.S. Stage Management History. You inspire and motivate me to continue giving back in my own unique way. I also want to thank USITT, the Management Commission, and Erin Joy Swank for inviting me to participate in the "Paperwork across the Centuries" exhibit hosted at the 2021 Virtual and 2022 Baltimore Conferences. I look forward to serving on the Board this year and contributing in anyway I am able!

This award means giving back to an institution who gave me the opportunity to present my work and showcase all my research in 2021 and 2022. I am thrilled at receiving this award and look forward to working with the other USITT Board Members this year." -Dr. Jennifer Leigh Sears Scheier

To learn more about Sherry Wagner-Henry and the Board Fellowship, click here.