Meet Ovation!'s Board of Directors (click a photo to read an expanded bio):
Meet Ovation!'s Board!
Margaret Johnston, President
Margaret is a long-time theatre enthusiast and has appeared in three shows with Ovation!, most recently as a nun and understudy for Mother Abbess in "The Sound of Music" in December 2022. She also sings with Crescendo, Ovation!'s adult choir. After creating and leading Amazon.com's Customer Service Training team in the late 90s, Margaret left to become a stay-at-home parent and frequent volunteer. Recently, she's spent a lot of time doing political organizing, including a stint working for Indivisible's national texting team in 2020. Margaret has served on three local non-profit boards prior to joining the board of Ovation! and brings a wealth of governance and strategic planning knowledge to the table, as well as a passion for local theatre and for Ovation!'s mission. (Keith Brofsky, photo)
Julia Douthart, Vice President
A scientist and entrepreneur, Julia was the developer of the first online database of streaming music for independent musicians in 1998, known as The Musicians Registry, which sold in 2000. Prior to moving to Bainbridge Island, she spent 15 years in New York City helping to launch several startups and producing large scale events in the biotech, technology and aesthetics industries. On island, she has been actively involved in the performing arts, coaching Destination Imagination teams to use theatre as an expression of scientific understanding, ultimately bringing her team to 15th at the world championships in 2019. She currently oversees on-demand content and is a podcaster and online personality for Fierce Biotech, Pharma and Healthcare. A single mother by choice, Julia lives on Bainbridge Island rising her theatrical daughter Alexandria. Her passion is in bringing the opportunity to perform to underserved, overlooked and wonderfully diverse youth.
Giselle Vincent, Community Liaison and President Emerita
Giselle made her adult acting debut as Bloody Mary in Ovation's 2017 winter production of South Pacific. She continued her new found passion in the role as Sergeant of Police in the 2018 summer production of Pirates of Penzance and as Rosie in Ovation's 2020 production of Bye Bye Birdie.When not involved in the performing arts, Giselle is a stay-at-home wife and mother of a college graduate and an eleven year old daughter with aspirations of becoming an actress (just like mom). Giselle brings project management, marketing experience to Ovation!’s board with the hope of continuing Ovation’s philosophy as a teaching company. (Keith Brofsky, photo)
Peter Vosshall, Treasurer
Peter has been a board member and treasurer of Ovation! Performing Arts Northwest since 2016 and has had roles in five Ovation! mainstage productions, including portraying Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein, Mr. Bumble in Oliver!, and Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd. He has also played string bass and/or electric bass in the orchestra for four other Ovation! mainstage productions. Peter sings with the Amabile Choir, Bainbridge Chorale, Crescendo, and Men's Compline Choir of Bainbridge Island and plays bass with Buckshot, a local four-piece string band. Peter also serves on the boards of the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation and the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College, is a member of the Bainbridge Island Rowing competitive masters team, and is a marathon runner. Peter received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Dartmouth College in 1992 and has had a long career as a software engineer with a focus on large-scale highly available distributed systems, including at Apple, Infoseek, Amazon.com, and Amazon Web Services. (Keith Brofsky, photo)
Jenn Osburn, Secretary
Jenn brings an educator’s perspective and a great love of musicals to Ovation!’s board. As a self-proclaimed “foodie,” Jenn also channels her skills toward thematic concession’s tables for each Ovation! show. Her daughter, and sometimes son, can be seen gracing Ovation!’s stage. Jenn is transitioning to Central Kitsap School District after teaching for seven years at The Island School. Prior to joining The Island School, she worked for eleven years as a teacher/counselor. Jenn has a Master’s Degree in Education and a Washington State Professional Education Certificate with a K through 8 elementary education endorsement.
Myriah Riedel, Costume Manager
Myriah has appeared in almost 40 shows, 14 of them with Ovation!. Her favorite roles include Frederick and Kate in Pirates of Penzance, Nellie in South Pacific, Peter in Peter Pan, Eliza in My Fair Lady, Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore , and the Blind Hermit in Young Frankenstein. When not on stage, she's styling at Phoenix Rising Salon or playing lots of board games with her husband Thomas Gonzales. Myriah brings her years of theater experience to manage our costume department. (Keith Brofsky, photo)
Ross Eide, Board Member and President Emeritus
Ross has lent his singing voice and comic flare to Ovation!’s stage in a number of productions. He also sings with Crescendo. When he’s not participating in Bainbridge Island’s performing arts scene, he’s a busy stay at home dad, raising two young boys while figuring out what comes next. (Keith Brofsky, photo)
Brian Guy, Board Member
Brian’s two biggest passions are theatre and neurodiversity advocacy, and he frequently merges them. Brian is a member of the Community Advisory Group at Seattle Theatre Group (Paramount, Moore, and Neptune Theatres) and is also active with ACT Theatre and The 5th Avenue Theatre, especially related to inclusion and sensory-friendly performances. Brian is also a volunteer usher at The 5th Ave Theatre, a volunteer at Bainbridge Island Special Needs Foundation (aka Stephen’s House), and a volunteer at Vitalize Kitsap. Brian’s day job is at Google, and he has an MBA from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and an Advanced Computer Security Certificate from Stanford University. Brian has no theatrical talent, and his dream is to one day perform as a tree on stage. He has completed his first improv class and is preparing to take his first acting class in preparation for his tree audition. Brian lives on Bainbridge Island with his autistic son, rescue dog, and 2 rescue cats. Brian also has a son at North Seattle College and a daughter at the University of Washington. Brian can frequently be spotted sprinting from a Seattle theatre to the ferry late at night.
Dan Opalski, Board Member
Ezra Osburn, Board Member
Ezra has been acting in Ovation! shows since he was 8 years old, appearing in 13 Ovation! shows total. He is currently studying Theatre and English at Northwestern University, focusing on acting, costuming, and lighting. Ezra is passionate about spreading theatre for young audiences and directed Beauty and the Beast Jr. for 8-14 year olds in the summer of 2022. He has been focusing more specifically on theatre for disabled and autistic people, creating theatre as a sensory experience as well as an art form. He is also interested in how theatre affects the environment and making more environmentally friendly theatre and what that looks like on the stage.
Marijane C. Milton, Honorary Board Member
Marijane is an Ovation! co-founder and served as our volunteer Managing Director since our inception in 2003 through early 2019. She has worked on and/or appeared in every Ovation! production from the chorus, to leads, to tech crew, to costumes - whatever is needed. She, and Ron, are transitioning their leadership roles with Ovation! to bring in fresh, new leadership to guide Ovation! into the next 15 years and beyond. Professionally, Mj is the VP of Sales for the Puget Sound Business Journal. (Keith Brofsky, photo)