At the Ark at Eight
Meet the Production Team!
Adam Rowe-Johnson (First Penguin) was born and raised in McFarland, WI, only a few miles south of Madison. He is currently studying both theatre and law and hopes to one day become a police officer. When he's not studying, Adam enjoys video games. He also loves playing sports, especially hockey. He has also played football, tennis, soccer, lacrosse, and rugby throughout the years.
Ben Fleer (Stage Manager) has been helping to put on plays for over ten years, but this is the first time he has ever gotten to be a stage manager! When he isn’t working on plays, Ben is a teacher and a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studies theatre. His favorite color is green, his favorite food is pepperoni pizza (with extra cheese), his favorite superhero is spider-man, and his favorite hobby is going fishing. Oh, and his best friends in the whole world are his wife, Lindsay, and his kitty-cat, Izzy.
Scott Harman (Associate Director) is a graduate student who studies how people use their imagination to make theatre. Every summer he teaches young people at Interlochen, a summer arts camp in Michigan. He has acted, directed and built scenery all over the country. He wants to make theatre and eat pizza for the rest of his life.
Abigail Graf (Dove) is so excited to be in At the Ark at Eight! Ever since her first role sixteen years ago as a news-reporting princess in her first grade play, Abigail has loved doing theater. Abigail has also been lucky enough to learn how to sew costumes and direct plays as well as act. When she's not busy rehearsing for a show or doing school work, Abigail loves cooking with her friends, singing, playing the ukulele, and taking pictures of her two silly cats. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Manon van de Water (Director) teaches theatre and drama to people of all ages in all countries. She is originally from the Netherlands where it rains a lot, but rarely snows. There are no penguins there but lots of doves. Manon likes to travel to far away places, meet new people, and find out about their culture. She writes about theatre for youth in Europe, Russia, Latin America, and the United States.
Bridgett Vanderhoof (Second Penguin) has a degree in theatre from Grand Valley State University in Michigan, where she was born and raised. She enjoys eating tacos and nachos more than any other food. Her favorite pastimes are watching tv and singing along with the radio.
Andrea Watkins (Third Penguin) is a freshman at UW-Madison. She is absolutely delighted to make her college acting debut in At the Ark at Eight. When she's not pretending to be a penguin, Andrea is usually tripping over her own two feet. Some of Andrea's favorite acting memories include playing Grace Farrell (Annie), and Gertrude McFuzz (Seussical the Musical). On Wednesdays, Andrea wears pink. She'd like to thank her family and all the people from Brown Deer, WI who've always supported her endeavors.
James Gavins (The Old Man) is University of Wisconsin student. He likes making music, dancing, and making people laugh. He loves eating food. Food is one of the greatest things on Earth to James. He came to UW as a part of the First Wave Hip Hop Theater Ensemble. He has also was a dancer on cruise ships.
