Laurel Frank was a member of the Australian Performing Group in Melbourne from 1973 to 1980. She was a founding member and principle costume designer of Circus Oz. She also worked at Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant in Melbourne and was a resident costume maker at Handspan Theatre. Frank was a Performing Unit Designer for the Expo '88 Light Fantastic Parade along with Frances Joseph, Peter Tully, Tina Matthews and Catherine Hahn. Designs for the parades were developed over two sessions in 1987 and in early 1988 a workshop was established in West End (Brisbane) to manufacture them. The designers constructed their own work with assistance from local professionals.