Who we are

Staff

Elizabeth Bettendorf Bowman –Executive Artistic Director

Elizabeth Bettendorf Bowman (she/her) is a theatre artist dedicated to making the arts truly accessible. Since graduating from Northwest Missouri State University in 2012, she has made Kansas City her home and has worked at several area not-for-profit companies. She received her Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is a faculty member at Benedictine College where she teaches theatre courses. She has also taught for Kansas City Kansas Community College at the Fort Leavenworth correctional facilities.

As a director and administrator, Elizabeth has worked at such companies as the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Coterie Theatre, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, Act ONE Theatre Academy, Corbin Theatre, and KC Fringe. Through her work in theatre education and outreach, Elizabeth was inspired to create a theatre which reaches all corners of the diverse Kansas City community. By producing free theatre, Elizabeth hopes to foster the creativity of our citizens and explore the truly global nature of the Kansas City region.

Nathan Bowman, Ph.D. –Producing Artistic Director

Nathan Bowman (he/him) is a theatre artist from Kansas City, MO. Embracing an interdisciplinary approach to theatre, Nathan holds a Master of Arts in Religious Studies and his PhD in Theatre from the University of Kansas.

Nathan has worked professionally in the Kansas City area for over a decade and has trained at both the New York based SITI Company and at Second City in Chicago. As an actor and technician, Nathan has worked in several area theatre, film, and television productions, including several years at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Nathan has worked internationally in Montreal and in Greece as an actor and director, most recently directing Hippolytus at the Ancient Theatre of Messene and working with the Athens Institute of Education and Research. Currently, he is Co-Chair of the Playwriting Symposium and the Anti-Racism Committee at Mid-America Theatre Conference, and he has presented and published work both nationally and abroad. By producing free theatre, Nathan hopes to create an open space for intercultural exchange and imaginative new ways of telling stories.

Amanda Arany –Artistic Associate

Amanda Arany (she/her) is a creative administrator and producer based in Kansas City, MO. Her career focus is on supporting the humanity at the center of the art, and doing the work to ensure safe, compassionate, & efficient spaces for creativity to thrive. Amanda received her BA in Theatre from Florida State University and worked in Production Management in St. Augustine, FL before returning home to KC. Amanda has worked as the Company Manager at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Production Assistant at The Coterie, and was a member of the LORT Theatre ED&I Mentorship program (2020 cohort). Most recently, she was Co-Producer + Stage Manager of La Intrevista by Freddy Acevedo, a one-act featured in KC Public Theatre’s Theatre Lab Fest (2022).

Amanda is the General Manager of Programs & Services at ArtsKC: Regional Arts Council, and a founding board member of Theatre Community Fund of Kansas City. As a queer Latina woman, Amanda strives to bring an intersectional lens to every project and continue identifying and breaking down the systemic barriers that exist within our local arts community.

Board of Directors

Marvin Byas IV – Acting President
Gary Mosby –Treasurer
Emmy Panzica-Piontek –Secretary
Elizabeth Bettendorf Bowman
Kathleen Breeden
Mark Exline
Kris Kirkwood
Delano Mendoza-Holt