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ALTON - Alton Little Theater has a new executive director.
Eric Sykes will step into the role starting in January. Kevin Frakes, the artistic director, will be retiring after his run of “A Christmas Carol” concludes in December, and current executive director Lee Cox will take on a mentorship role as she finishes out the 91st season through May 2025. Sykes’s new role will combine the two positions.
“Stepping into one role is hard enough. Having both of those combined is going to be challenging,” Sykes said. “But I’ve always thrived on challenge, so I think it’s going to be good for me and hopefully great for Alton.”
Sykes said he fell in love with theater during high school. He continued to act through college and eventually found his way to community theater. He currently serves as the managing director at Alfresco Performing Arts Center in Granite City, where he is directing his final show, “Legally Blonde.”
This past May, Sykes took on the role of Don Lockwood in the Alton Little Theater (ALT) production of “Singin’ in the Rain.” He enjoyed working with Cox and Frakes, and they became friends. When they announced that the executive director position was open and Sykes expressed interest, Cox said it was a relief.
“Kevin and I, we did doubt. Who’s going to pick this up and love it the way we do?” Cox said. “And then when the interviews were done, we were like, oh, thank God. Literally, thank God.”
While it’s a big job — ALT puts on eight to ten productions every season, and Frakes said he regularly spends between 12–14 hours a day at the theater — both Frakes and Cox are confident that Sykes will succeed.
They noted that change can be difficult, and they understand that some of ALT’s theatergoers might be skeptical. But they believe Sykes is passionate and will continue to put on high-quality productions, which, Frakes said, is what’s most important.
“You can’t just find somebody who’s qualified for the job, because it’s not just the job; you’ve got to feel it in your heart. If you don’t feel it in your heart, it will never make it,” Frakes explained. “We’re on our 91st season, so we’ve got to keep it going, and I think he’s the right person to keep it going.”
Sykes is looking forward to taking on the executive director role. He said that his partner, Bethany, is a pediatric eye doctor who loves kids, so she will likely be involved in the children’s classes and workshops. Sykes and Bethany will also perform in a “Bobby Darin and Friends” showcase in March 2025.
In the meantime, Sykes will be working with Cox and Frakes to learn more about ALT and start the transition into his new role. He expressed excitement about his new position and can’t wait to begin in January 2025.
“Alton Little Theater is top notch,” Sykes added. “I’m really excited to get on ALT’s stage and see what we can do over there.”
For more information about Alton Little Theater, visit their official website at AltonLittleTheater.org.
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