FWCD Alum Hits the National Touring Circuit

From November 4 through December 29, Walker Smith ’21 will immerse himself in holiday magic, working as an Assistant Audio Technician (A2) for the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The tour started in Bloomington, Indiana, on November 2 and will bring Smith to Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Texas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Missouri. That Texas location: Bass Performance Hall, November 19-24. 

For an audio professional, a touring role is a significant milestone – one that Smith has been building toward since he was an FWCD Upper School student. He first became interested in audio production as a sophomore transfer student. Eager to find his place in the Falcon family, he approached Eric Tysinger, FWCD’s Technical Theatre Director. A member of the Actor's Equity Association since 2001, Tysinger has stage-managed for Broadway, off-Broadway, regional, and local theatre productions across the country, working with some of the industry's most notable producers, actors and creative teams. After six years as the Production Stage Manager for the Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center, he joined the FWCD family in 2017. The following year, he was recruited to join the national tour of Broadway's Hamilton (Angelica Tour) as Stage Manager for 14 months. Since returning to FWCD, Tysinger has continued teaching Theatre Tech, managing the Scott Theater, and mentoring students. 

He told Tysinger, “I think I want to do this for real,” who, in turn, advised him to sleep on it. When Smith returned with even more certainty, Tysinger opened a world of opportunity for him. Over the next three years, Smith worked alongside Tysinger on FWCD productions such as The Drowsy Chaperone, Chicago: The Teen Edition, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 10 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview, The Miracle Worker, and more. Tysinger also connected Smith with industry leaders, like Brian McDonald, Global R&D Manager at Yamaha Corporation of America. 

By graduation, Smith had a solid audio skillset, and his responsibilities in the Theatre Department earned him a reputation as a reliable sound engineer. With that foundation, Smith set his sights on college, attending Middle Tennessee State University in Nashville, where he enjoyed the city’s music scene and honed his skills on productions like Sweeney Todd. “It was the perfect place to study audio production,” he reflected. “Not only was I learning the technical aspects, but I was also in a city where sound and music are everywhere.” 

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in audio production, Smith returned to Texas, where he landed a role as Lead Engineer at the Dallas Theatre Center. There, he managed sound for high-profile performances, including an awards show and a large-scale production of The Little Mermaid with a cast of 100 performers. This experience demanded meticulous planning and execution, preparing Smith for the challenges of touring work.

The pivotal moment came for Smith in the summer of 2024 when Tysinger invited him to New York City to observe The Hollow (a play he had worked on at the Amphibian Theater in Fort Worth) at the 52nd Street Project. Smith worked behind the scenes on the production, which proved transformative, especially when he met Joshua D. Reid, a renowned sound designer known for his work on award-winning Broadway shows. “We hit it off,” Smith said, recalling the connection. “I had read about people like Josh in college, and now, here I was in a room with all the people who do what I do — Tony Award-winning people. It felt unreal.” Reid became a mentor, further solidifying Smith’s professional network when he hired Smith for the national tour. 

As an A2 on tour, Smith is responsible for maintaining audio equipment, ensuring the reliability of microphones and communication systems, and managing backstage monitors. “It’s a lot of moving parts, and it all has to work seamlessly every night,” he explained. “It’s challenging, but I love every minute of it.”

Through it all, Smith continues to hear Tysinger’s voice in his mind, reminding him of the importance of perseverance and professionalism. Tysinger had compared the audio engineering world to a “family tree,” where mentors pass down knowledge and connections. Thanks to Tysinger, Smith is now part of “the Josh Reid Tree of Sound.” When Tysinger reflects on Smith’s success, he is proud, “I knew this summer in New York would be a turning point for Walker,” he said. “He was in the room where it could happen.”

Smith remains grateful for all that Tysinger and FWCD’s Theatre Department have given him. As he takes the stage in cities across the country, he is aware of the rare path he’s been able to follow. “I wouldn’t be here without the support and connections I built along the way,” he shared. “It’s incredible to think of how far I’ve come.” 

Smith’s journey from the FWCD stage to a national tour is a testament to the power of mentorship, dedication, and the belief that with enough hard work, dreams can indeed come true.