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Gabriela Holland (’24) and Catalina Sonnenburg (’23) didn’t think it was possible to recreate their experience from the Theatre Arts program at The ����aa���� after they graduated. But to their welcome surprise, both were hired at Sight & Sound, a renowned ����aa����ian theater company in Branson, Missouri, where they’ll get to live the dream and utilize the experience they gained on set as students.

Holland arrived on TMU’s campus in 2020, majoring in communication studies with the hope of working in graphic design. But her time on crew in Theatre Arts fostered another love — for hair and makeup.

“I love that aspect of storytelling and helping the actors become part of their character,” Holland says. “It’s really cool to be part of the visual, but not have to be on stage to do that.”

Holland never considered that her new passion could become a career. It wasn’t until Steven Inabnit, TMU’s director of events and production, suggested the idea that it even occurred to her as a possibility.

“I felt weirdly encouraged but also terrified,” she says, “because I didn’t know how I would even start.”

After graduation, Holland moved to Kansas City and began applying for jobs in the communication field. But then Tricia Hulet, director of TMU Theatre Arts, saw job postings for Sight & Sound and encouraged Holland to apply — which she did.

Though she didn’t know it at the time, one of her close friends, Sonnenburg, also applied for a position at the company.

Sonnenburg, a fellow communication major, was heavily involved in TMU Theatre Arts through the costume crew. Although at first she participated in order to spend more quality time with friends, over time she realized that crafting costumes was what she wanted to do as a career.

After graduating in 2023, Sonnenburg worked for various theater programs around the country until Hulet forwarded the Sight & Sound job postings to her.

Ultimately, Holland and Sonnenburg moved to Branson together — Holland being hired in the hair and makeup department, and Sonnenburg brought on as a costume shop assistant and craftsperson.

Sonnenburg figured that her time at TMU was her last opportunity to work in a theater program that wanted to produce a beautiful product for the glory of God. So she says it is surreal that she gets to do exactly that in her new job.

“Everyone here wants to glorify God with their art, and it is everything that I strive for,” she says. “It’s an amazing opportunity.”

Holland agrees, saying it’s like a dream come true. She’s excited to pursue her passion for the arts for the glory of ����aa����.

“Something that’s really important to me being a creative is excellence for ����aa����,” she says, “I think it’s such a beautiful way to reach people and share the gospel.”