Our Mission
We exist to provide a place for individuals and families to belong in community by experiencing theatre arts education together.
Our Values
Our Team
Evan Aldrete
Artistic Director, Resident Artist
Evan is originally from California but spent the first 5 years after HS traveling/ performing and directing. Evan since has almost 15 years of performing experience and is thrilled to be sharing it with young budding artists. His real passion is to teach young singing actors to be in touch with their emotion and how to filter real life into their performance. Evan has been recently getting into directing youth theater beginning with Journey Theater Arts Group and is now the artistic director of Lovegood Performing Arts Company.
Acting the Song
Amy Bowman
Program Director
Amy has years of experience as both a parent and staff in a youth performing arts company. She most recently served as Show Coordinator with Journey Theater prior to joining Lovegood as a board member and the first Lovegood staff member! Amy has both performed and taught dance throughout her life and has a passion for the role dance plays in the overall performing arts. At Lovegood she works tirelessly to ensure all of our programming runs as smoothly as possible and is often seen with her husband Matthew Bowman behind the scenes making all the magic happen. The Lovegood community is incredibly lucky to have Amy Bowman in this role.
Angela Russell
Business Manager
Angela is excited to combine her love of sequins, show-tunes and spreadsheet as Lovegood’s business manager. Angela has a background in both the legal and technical fields, as well as having costumed approximately 20 shows. Angela loves taking care of the math so the creators can create and very much enjoys being a part of such a welcoming community. When not working, Angela enjoys spending time with her family, reading, traveling, embarrassing her three children, and hoarding craft supplies.
Anna Fort
Instructor
Design for the Stage: Costumes
Meet Anna! A fun-loving, creative professional with a Fine Arts degree and over 25 years of experience in technical design . Anna’s passion for the performing arts and costume design began at Portland State University and continues to inspire her work. She also hosts Sewing Saturdays at her home and is a member of the Oregon State Button Society, where she enjoys collecting unique buttons. Anna’s life is a blend of creativity, community, and dedication to her craft.
Becky Lennnon
Instructor
KIDS Musical Theatre Revue: Matilda (ages 10-14)
Becky started dancing at age four and never really stopped! She earned a minor in Dance at Connecticut College and has experience teaching tap, jazz, ballet, and creative movement to children of all ages. Becky loves sharing her passion for music and dance! She recently played Madame de la Grande Bouche in Disney's Beauty and the Beast here at Lovegood. In her free time, Becky likes to sing show tunes with her two daughters.
Brooke Flood
Production Manager, Resident Artist
Brooke grew up in Long Beach, WA where the love of theatre was planted. She enjoyed growing up in an environment of young kids and retirees taking the stage. She earned her BA in Theatre: Acting/Directing & Tech/Design from George Fox University.
Brooke is an accomplished actor, director, designer and manager. She hopes to inspire students of any age in their pursuit of theatre and in their pursuit of life, and loves inspiring actors and technicians to bring their best self to the table.
When she’s not working you can find her raising her two young boys, trying to keep her plants alive, making a mess of a DIY or reading a book.
Dania Berhens
Instructor
KIDS Musical Theatre Revue: Matilda (ages 6-9)
Dania believes in the incredible power of community and story, they are the things that connect us, inspire us, and give us compassion for one another. Each and every role in the production is an important part of that. She spent her younger years finding her place in choirs and performing in school in Southern Oregon before completing a B.A. in Acting and Directing from George Fox University. She is the mom of 2 kids, coming back into theater when her oldest expressed an interest in performing. She loves being a maker, of stories, of food, of spoken-word poetry in her local church, of crafts of assorted types, and spaces for people to feel loved.
Grace Jordan Thompson
Resident Artist, Program Coordinator, Lovegood Youth Supervisor
Intro to Theatre Jazz for Adults
Grace grew up all over the United States, but spent most of her life sporadically in the good ol’ Midwest. A lonely childhood with solace found in musicals from the Golden Age of Broadway ignited her zealous love of theatre. She is passionate about art, storytelling and character development through movement and choreography. She views the actor as an athlete and strives to grow students in their technique, strength and stamina.
Grace earned her BA in Fine Arts from Indiana University where she also studied dance and theatrical arts. She has worked in multiple facets of theatre since then including directing, choreographing, tech/design, teaching and performing.
Holly Counts
Instructor
Hello Dolly: A Look At Broadway’s Leading Ladies
Holly has been in the performing arts her whole life, and loves sharing her experience and passion with students at Lovegood! Originally from Spokane, WA, Holly received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from Washington State University, and then worked as a choir director for Spokane Schools. In 2009, she moved to Oregon and earned her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Portland State University. Her focus since then has included running her own studio for voice and piano, and directing, teaching and performing for various organizations, including Lovegood Performing Arts Company since its beginning in 2020. Holly believes anyone can improve their singing voice and enjoys helping students discover vocal abilities they didn’t realize they had.
When she’s not teaching lessons or vocal directing, Holly is busy keeping up with her three girls, and enjoys playing board games and drinking tea with her husband, going to book clubs, and being involved with her church community.
Lisa O’Reilly
Instructor
KIDS Musical Theatre Revue: Matilda (ages 10-14)
Riley Fissell
Instructor
Find Your Groove (ages 10-18)
Riley has been performing over half her life and loves dancing and acting. Alongside performing, Riley has taught many kids production classes, directed summer camps, and stage managed Lovegood’s summer productions. She has extensive training in hip hop, tap, and theatre jazz and is thrilled to inspire her students to find their own style. She hopes to help every student grow in their individuality and forge their own path- to not get caught up in comparing their abilities to others’ because she believes everyone has their own strengths to shine onstage. When not at Lovegood, Riley is most likely frosting cakes at Nothing Bundt Cakes, spending time with friends or eating snacks.
Sofia Cook
Instructor
Find Your Groove (ages 6-9)
Sofia has been passionate about the performing arts her whole life. 4 years ago, Sofia was engulfed in musical theater and discovered an outlet for her boundless performing joy. In addition to acting, singing and dancing, Sofia has also experienced teaching dance through choreographing several theater productions at Beaverton High School and co-directing Lovegood’s Finding Nemo Kids Summer Camp. Sofia wants to encourage an environment that balances play and dedication with a fiery excitement for the performance. When she isn't teaching or at rehearsal, Sofia is most likely learning something new or spending time with friends and family.
Sophia Komarek
Instructor
KIDS Musical Theatre Revue: Matilda (ages 6-9) & Murder Mystery
Sophia exudes the heart of a storyteller in all she does. With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and English, she has spent the last four years studying acting, directing, writing, literature, voice and movement in her time at George Fox University. Sophia’s heart is for people to connect with one another through storytelling. She believes the arts can be an expression of what is true, good and beautiful and she delights in discovering these things within a compassionate community. Sophia loves spontaneous dance parties, serving at her local church and spending time outside with Jesus. In her spare time you will usually catch Sophia with a cup of coffee or singing a silly song (or both!).
Our Board
Ames & Evan Aldrete
Evan serves as the President of the board and also the Artistic Director for Lovegood Performing Arts Company. Ames and Evan have years of experience in the performing arts, both performing and leading performers on stage. They have a passion for improv, coffee, and the arts!
Matthew Bowman
Matthew and his wife Amy made their way from Florida to Oregon more than 5 years ago and quickly enrolled their daughter in Journey Theater where Amy eventually served as a Show Coordinator. They both joined the founding board to help get Lovegood off the ground. Amy now serves on staff and Matthew is the board Secretary.
Amy & Nathan Goff
Nathan serves as the Treasurer of the Lovegood Performing Arts Company board. Amy and Nathan stumbled into youth performing arts after signing their youngest Ellie up for a Journey Theater class over 6 years ago. Little did they know that would lead to a founding board role for Lovegood. They are so excited to be part of an organization that gives all students a place to belong and thrive!
Jack Wharfield
Jack brings to the Lovegood board a 35-year history of working with organizations that focus on mission and purpose to change the world. He has had the privilege to lead teams across a wide array of not-for-profit marketing and development functions from brand identity and communications to the complete range of fundraising activities.
In his most recent international child welfare not-for-profit work, Jack has traveled and worked throughout the world, engaging, and collaborating with various international NGOs that serve more than 1.5 million of our world’s children and families most in need.
Presenting Sponsor
A giant thank you to our presenting sponsor: Andrew Misk with The Agency Portland!
