Welcome to Lovegood
Our Mission
We exist to provide a place for individuals and families to belong in community by experiencing theatre arts education together.
Our Values
Receptivity
Ownership
Courage
Authenticity
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.
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.
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.
Claire McClish
Instructor
Claire has loved music and stories for as long as she can remember. She is graduating class of 2024 with an AAS degree in Early Childhood Education and is excited about combining two of her greatest passions in life: working with children and the performing arts. She desires to share the social and emotional rewards of music and storytelling with all the children that she teaches. Claire was involved with youth performing arts organizations for 10 years prior to joining Lovegood, and has performed in three mainstage productions with the company. Most recently, she was seen as Chava in Fiddler on the Roof. In her free time, she enjoys watching television comedies and singing with her 4-year-old nephew.
Danielle Coudriet
Instructor
Danielle has loved the last 7 years as a theater mom. She continues to work and volunteer at Lovegood, because she knows the blessing this theater was for her own daughter, and because of the amazing community Lovegood has grown to be. Danielle has spent the last 6 years serving on Hair and Makeup committees, generally designing and leading them. Over the years she has branched out to working on sets and props, and can’t find an area of theater she doesn’t love (that’s a lie, please keep her away from costumes). Away from the theater, Danielle enjoys being outdoors, going to shows in the area, spending time with family and friends, with her two shadows (dogs) by her side.
Grace Thompson
Resident Artist, Program Coordinator, Lovegood Youth Supervisor
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
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, being involved with her church community, and volunteering with the Oregon Music Teachers Association.
Maddie Coudriet
Instructor
Maddie has spent her whole life in between the pages of books, scripts, sheet music, and her own works of art. Maddie is a 3rd year Psych major with a focus on Pre-Occupational Therapy and is currently attending Western Oregon University. She has been with Lovegood Performing Arts Company since it started and was on its founding youth leadership team. Maddie has had the honor of being a Student director, Student Assistant Director, Summer Camp Staff, and many more amazing opportunities at Lovegood. She also teaches improv at her unofficial club at WOU. Maddie has been passionate about helping in the theater arts and making it the home and safe space it has been for her. In her spare time, you’ll find her hanging out with her CRU friends, writing poetry, reading a good book, or finding every excuse she can to procrastinate on her classwork.
Riley Fissell
Instructor
Riley has been performing over half her life and loves dancing and acting. Alongside performing, Riley has taught many kids production classes, directed summer camp, and stage managed Lovegood’s summer production. 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.
Ruth Walker
Instructor
Ruth is an Oregon native who has been bringing musical theater to life with the Beaverton youth theater community since she was 9 years old. Now, having thoroughly and irreversably aged out of the youth portion, she is overjoyed to bring her years of experience in acting, teaching, classical and musical theater vocal training to the next generation of students.
Ruth has previously taght both acting and musical theater classes and received vocal training both privately and at George Fox University. When not sharing her love for singing and acting, Ruth can be found spending time with her husband, any cat she comes across, and the rest of her friends and family.
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!
Laura Taylor
Laura brings her rockstar accounting experience to the Lovegood board along with a love for the performing arts. Like the rest of the board her kids pulled her into this world of youth theater and she is excited to help shape the future of Lovegood.
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.
A giant thank you to our presenting sponsor: Legacy-GoHealth Urgent Care!
