Laurie spent the next few years honing her songwriting skills and recording experience. Then, having been an actress in the Wichita theatre community during the early 1980’s, Laurie found herself participating once again in local theatre during 2000 at which time she used her talents as Sound Designer for a number of productions at the Wichita Center For The Arts. Although her passion for being a performing musician has curtailed her involvement in theatre production, she is very pleased to have won Wichita’s “Mary Jane Teal Award” in 2001 for her last work in “Tru”, which is staging to be performed off-Broadway.

Laurie ventured into the local jazz scene in 2000 and enjoyed being a featured guest vocalist at several jazz venues. Then in 2001, as a singer and guitarist, she joined the classic rock and jump blues band, The Del Reys, eventually departing from The Del Reys to concentrate on her musical performance schedule with Larry Hucke..