Jonathan Berry – Artistic Director
JONATHAN BERRY is a director, producer and teacher from Chicago. He spent five years as an Artistic Producer at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and he remains a proud ensemble member of both Steep Theatre and Griffin Theatre. Steppenwolf directing credits include: Lindiwe (Co-directed with Eric Simonson and featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo), The Children, You Got Older, Constellations, and the SYA productions of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, The Crucible, and A Separate Peace. Steep Theatre productions include: Paris, Red Rex, Earthquakes in London, Posh, The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle, If There Is I Haven’t Found it Yet, The Knowledge, Festen, Moment, The Hollow Lands and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. At Griffin, productions include: The North American premiers of Simon Stephens Punk Rock (Jeff award Director, Lead Actor, and Ensemble) Port, and On the Shore of the Wide World, as well as The Harvest, Winterset, Pocatello, Balm in Gilead, Golden Boy, The Burnt Part Boys, Spring Awakening Company, Picnic, Time and the Conways, Dead End, The Hostage and Journey’s End. He directed the NY premiere of Andrew Hinderacker’s Suicide, Incorporated for The Roundabout. His work has been honored with numerous Joseph Jefferson Award nominations, as well as frequent representation on the end of year Top Ten lists of the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun Times and Timeout Chicago. He won the Joseph Jefferson award for directing for his work on Simon Stephen’s Punk Rock.
He served as Assistant Director for Anna D Shapiro’s Broadway productions of Of Mice and Men and This is our Youth. At the Gift Theatre, he directed the world premieres of Andrew Hinderacker’s Dirty and Suicide, Incorporated. At the Goodman Theatre, he directed the New Stages productions of Martin Zimmerman’s The Solid Sand Below and Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s The World of Extreme Happiness. Other work includes: American Theatre Company; Kill Floor, American Blues; Little Shop of Horrors and Sideman; Redtwist; Look Back in Anger and Reverb, Chicago Dramatists: I am Going to Change the World, Jackalope Theatre: The Casuals, Strawdog: Conversations on a Homecoming, Remy Bumppo: The Marriage of Figaro, Theatre Mir: The Sea and Caucasian Chalk Circle, Lifeline Theater: The Piano Tuner (Afterdark award – Best Production) He pursued his MFA in directing from Northwestern University under the tutelage of Anna D. Shapiro. He has taught acting, directing, and viewpoints at University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois – Chicago, Vagabond School, Act One Studios, and Columbia College Chicago. For 17 years he played an integral role in the esteemed ensemble training program The School at Steppenwolf, serving as director of the program from 2015-2019. (He/Him) Jonathan@penobscottheatre.org
Jen Shepard – Executive Director
is thrilled to join the staff of The Penobscot Theatre Company. She’s the proud co-owner of ImprovAcadia in Bar Harbor. She moved to Maine in 2004 to open ImprovAcadia and has been operating and performing there since the beginning. A graduate of University of Iowa and an improv alumni of iO and The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago, she also worked for The Second City on Norwegian Cruise Lines. Her Bangor artistic home is The Penobscot Theatre Company and she’s appeared many times on stage most recently as Suzette in Don’t Dress for Dinner. Shepard applies a “Yes, and..” philosophy to her day to day and business life.(She/Her) Jen@penobscottheatre.org
Andrew Speed – Business Manager
is excited to join the team at Penobscot Theatre Company. He is a Maine native and current resident of Bangor, ME. He attended the University of Maine Orono and is excited to be back in Penobscot County after an almost 20 year career in Finance & Administration in Southern Maine. Andrew is a visual artist and poet and has been in numerous group and solo shows with paintings in collections across the country and abroad. Other interests include cooking and spending time with family. He would like to thank his wife Lori and her “let’s just ask the question” philosophy that has made so many things possible.(He/Him) Businessmanager@penobscottheatre.org
Rachael Bechtel – Operations Manager
Rachael joined the Penobscot Theatre team as the Artistic Administrator in 2019. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina Rachael received her BFA in Technical Theatre with minors in Communication and Deaf Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Since graduating in 2016, Rachael has worked as a stage management intern with Florida Repertory, as an Assistant Company Manager at Theatre by the Sea in Rhode Island, and as a General Management Representative for Food of Love Productions, an Off-Broadway immersive Shakespeare company in New York City.(She/Her) Rachael@penobscottheatre.org
John Siedenberg II – Director of Marketing
John fell in love with Penobscot Theatre Company after heading the Tech team for PTC’s Dramatic Academy in 2016 with School of Rock and Transformer Tales. As the former Box Office Manager at PTC, John’s dedication to Bangor, its artists, and PTC has only grown. Originally from Kentucky, John is an alum of Morehead State University where he became a “chameleon of the arts”. John has acted, designed, and taught for companies all over the country including Stage Right Theatre Company, The National Theatre for Children, Missoula Children’s Theatre, Shooting Starts Youtheatre, and Stagedoor Manor. His favorite credits include Noises Off (Actor), The 39 Steps (Actor), Amelia Earhart (Scenic Design), School of Rock (Design), Aida (Design), Jesus Christ Superstar (Design), Jekyll & Hyde (Design), An Evening of Culture (Director), The Wizard of Oz (Director), and The Boys Next Door (Director). Recently John’s favorite PTC credits include Don’t Dress for Dinner (Actor), Mamma Mia (Prop Design), and Woody Guthrie’s American Song (Projection Design). (He/Him) Marketing@penobscottheatre.org
Aimee Gerow – Box Office Manager
Aimee is a Bangor native who’s spent time living and acting in London, Boston, and most recently, New York, where she studied at the American Academy for Dramatic Arts. She’s performed in numerous productions in the area, with PTC, as well as Ten Bucks Theatre and True North Theatre. She currently serves as president for Ten Bucks Theatre.(She/Her) BoxOffice@penobscottheatre.org
Frank Bachman – Front of House Manager/Box Office Associate
You may recognize Frank from recent PTC productions and even years back on the Unitarian Vestry Stage. He has been a fixture in the greater Hancock County performing community since 1984, beginning at the Deck House and then The Unusual Cabaret, the Acadia Repertory Theatre, and a featured soloist for the Bagaduce Chorale. In addition, Frank spent a number of years touring in several stage productions, most notably with the International Company of EVITA, 1989-92. Since 1998, Frank has directed over 30 productions at Mt Desert Island High School. He is pleased to now be a part of the PTC front of house staff. (He/Him) Housemanager@penobscottheatre.org
Ira Kramer – Development Associate
Development Associate. Originally from London Ontario, Canada Ira (AEA) has lived, worked and studied (UMaine graduate) in the United States since 2008. Ira began working as an actor at PTC in 2012 and has worked there consistently since. In 2019 he joined the PTC Team as a Development Associate. With many years of experience in hospitality Ira is well equipped to continue growing relationships within the community. Additionally, Ira works with the Marketing Department, filming and doing voice over work. Ira is a 2019 NH Theatre award nominee and continues to work both on and off stage with The Penobscot Theatre Company and the Weathervane Theatre NH. (He/Him) Ira@Penobscottheatre.org
