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From Recruiting to Curtain Calls, Elizabeth Glyptis Never Misses a Cue

Whether she's guiding a candidate through the hiring process or stepping into the spotlight at a community theater, Elizabeth Glyptis is most at home when she's connecting with people.

A recruiter in the Office of Human Resources, Glyptis supports Facilities, Infrastructure and Risk Management (FIRM) and the Cyert Center for Early Education. She posts positions, coordinates applicant communications and facilitates the job offer process.

"I love interacting with people," said Glyptis, now in her third year at ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉúTV. "The human element is what drew me into recruiting, and it's definitely something I love about doing theater."

Home to more than 60 theater companies, Pittsburgh is a thriving hub for the arts. Glyptis has performed with several companies, including in Canonsburg, , and in Trafford.

"I find it easier to be in front of a bunch of people as my character than maybe even as myself," Glyptis said. "If you really embrace a role, you just disappear into the character."

Glyptis has tackled an array of roles, from the comedic Ado Annie in the musical "Oklahoma!" to the soul-searching Sister James in John Patrick Shanley's powerful drama "Doubt: A Parable." Her other credits include Charlotte Corday in "The Revolutionists," Hermia in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Mary Debenham in "Murder on the Orient Express."

Last December, Glyptis played Baroness Elsa Schraeder in "The Sound of Music" — a role she describes as refreshingly unlike her real-life self.

"Playing the Baroness was a great challenge and it was really fun," Glyptis said. "It's definitely easier to play a character like Sister James, which is a lot more like my real personality."

Like many actors, Glyptis caught the performing bug early. Roles in grade school plays led to lead parts in high school musicals and college productions.

After earning a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in corporate communication, Glyptis began her career as a corporate recruiter. The role unexpectedly widened into a range of HR duties. "I became a jack-of-all-trades HR administrator," she said.

To focus on her career, Glyptis decided to step away from acting. The hiatus lasted about six months. A friend recommended Glyptis to a nearby theater company, which asked her to audition. The moment she stepped back onstage, Glyptis was hooked again.

"I realized I should stop pretending that I'm not going to keep doing theater for the rest of my life," she said with a smile.

Since then, Glyptis has performed in a steady stream of productions, often rehearsing four nights a week after work. The schedule is intense, but the energy she draws from acting makes it sustainable.

"It is definitely time consuming, but it's worthwhile," Glyptis said. "When I couldn't do it during the pandemic, I felt the loss of that creative aspect of my life."

Glyptis finds that theater improves her work performance. With rehearsals often running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. four days a week and workloads increasing before opening night, there's no room for procrastination.

Even her commute to Oakland becomes a rehearsal time, as Glyptis practices with line-learning apps in her car.

"I'm more on top of things at work when I'm doing a show," Glyptis said. "I understand that I only have a brief period to do things that need to be done, so I do them without hesitation. And the character work and memorization are good mental exercises."

Beyond the personal benefits, Glyptis appreciates the broader impact of storytelling through community theater.

"It feels really good to be a part of something that gives to the community," she said. "Storytelling is something that makes people human. It feels cool to keep engaging in that tradition in a modern context."