First Run Theatre: Management

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Management Biographies

Bradford Slavik, President

Brad has been an employee of the Federal Government since 1979. A Staff Officer for 16 years with experience in budgets, acquisition, information technology and program management. He has had three years experience as a Contracting Officer Representative. He is DAWIA (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act) certified to Level II in Program Management. Aside from his work life he has had over thirty years experience as an actor, singer, composer , conductor and recently director. He has worked with numerous community and professional theatre companies in the Saint Louis area including, St. Louis Shakespeare, Theater Guild of Webster Groves, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, Clayton Community Theatre, New Line Theatre, Spotlight Productions, Stray Dog Theatre, and New Jewish Theater. He has also performed with The St. Louis Symphony Chorus, Belleville Philharmonic, Midwest Lyric Opera, and Union Avenue Opera Theater He is a Webster University graduate 1978 in Music Education.

Mike McDowell, Vice President

Mike McDowell is city manager for the City of Olivette.

Margie Knapp, Secretary

An honors graduate of Central Methodist College (Phi Theta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Chi Sigma Iota, B.S. in Elementary Education), with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Purdue University (plus 40 additional hours in Human Resource Management), Margie Knapp has worked for the St. Louis Community College (Center for Business Industry and Labor) as a Career Assessment Specialist, and for the Ferguson-Florissant School District and the Hazelwood School District as a Counselor and Elementary School Teacher.

She has extensive volunteer experience in various arts and educational activities, and is an active member of the American Counseling Association, the St. Louis Counseling Association, the National Career Development Association, the Association for Play Therapy, and she is a Past Vice President of the Program Committee and Board Member of the American Society for Training and Development, St. Louis Chapter. Ms. Knapp lends well-grounded organizational development skills to the First Run Theatre Board of Directors.

Diane Auth , Treasurer

Diane has had twenty five years experience as bookkeeper and accountant for midsized family business. She is a graduate of McKendree College with a B. S. in Computer Science and Information. She is a database administrator and researcher for the St. Clair County Genealogical Society.

Doug Lane
Dramaturge, Play Selection Committee/Director

Mr. Lane, a retired English/Speech/Drama teacher at McCluer North High School in Florissant, MO, was department chairperson for his last 10 years as a teacher and directed 21 play productions. His educational credentials are a BS degree in Secondary English Education and an MA in Speech and Dramatic Art, both from the University of Missouri at Columbia. He has participated in seminars at major theatre festivals, as well as NEH Summer Seminars in Shakespeare and Shaw. He is also active in local community theatre, having acted in plays, serving on the Board of Directors, and has directed five productions for Hawthorne Players. His lifelong passion for drama is continuing in his retirement; he attended over 70 play performances during the past year, in eight different cities.

Tyler Duenow
Director/Technical Director

Tyler Duenow graduated from Lindenwood University in 1996 with a B.A. in Technical and Performance Theatre, and immediately went to work at the Sunshine Dinner Playhouse as Children's Show Director, Production Manager, Lighting, Set, and Sound Designer, Light & Sound Board Operator, and Set Builder.

One year later he went to work for Goldenrod Showboat until it closed in 2001. He since has worked at Cine Services, Inc. as an outside Sales Representative, Lighting Designer, Set Builder, and Light & Sound Board Operator. He is also certified in Wysicad 3D Lighting Design Software.