Board of Directors
FAUQUIER COMMUNITY THEATRE
BOARD MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES 2024 – 2025
Sheryl Solow (Board Chair) Sheryl Solow’s career as an educator extends over 40+ years, serving as a Teacher, Principal, Curriculum Supervisor, Staff Developer, IB Coordinator, Assistant Superintendent, and Educational Consultant in PA, CO, and VA. She served on the board of Arts Councils in Bucks County, PA and Montrose, CO. Sheryl spent 3 years as a Board Member and 9 months as President of the Magic Circle Theatre, a community theatre in Montrose, CO, where she was a Production Coordinator for The Road to Mecca (2014) and Assistant Director of Talley’s Folly (2015). Currently she is a member of the Regency Players, a community acting club, where she serves on the board and has performed in nine shows, as well as directed three productions since 2015. Sheryl volunteered for FCT’s summer drama camps from 2016-2019 and 2022. Sheryl was delighted to co-produce Lion in Winter and serve as props manager for Rabbit Hole at FCT. Sheryl served on the Artistic Committee of FCT from 2017- 2022. She became the Artistic Committee Chair, leading the committee from 2018-2022. She currently serves as the FCT Board Chair. Dr. Solow received a B.S. in Education from Temple University, M.Ed. and C.A.S. in Educational Leadership from Arcadia University, and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University.
Maggie Swan (Vice-Chair)
Maggie’s love for theatre began when she was attending Junior High School in Twinsburg, Ohio. In High School, she started with acting but found herself becoming interested in the production side of theatre to include directing, producing and designing sets. She became a Thespian and was the Vice President of the Thespian Society. Her experience in the theatre helped her in college and in her career as a Nursing Home Administrator. Things like speaking to large groups, advertising, leading others and management. She married an Army officer and moved to Little Rock Airforce Base in Arkansas. There, she became involved with the theatre company on base and worked with the families and military staff putting on plays. During Desert Storm the person playing Victor Hugo in “Les Mis” was deployed. The result was that she was thrust into the role of Victor Hugo’s great aunt. Later, Maggie became involved in her church teaching and leading youth ministry. She started doing plays with the youth and adults during the holidays and vacation bible school. She has directed, produced, designed sets, coordinated summer camps for kids and teens and sat on the board for many years as a member, vice president and president of theater companies. She started her first year as a board member at FCT in July 2023.
Sherry Bendt (Treasurer)
Sherry Bendt is a retired senior staff accountant, who was with Updegrove, McDaniel, McMullen & Chiccehitto, PLC, a local CPA firm in Warrenton, for 24 years. Sherry has been with FCT in many capacities over the last 34 years. She has performed in over 25 shows, as well as produced, stage managed, and crewed on at least 10 other shows. Sherry is currently serving on the FCT board as Treasurer, and is an active member of the FCT Artistic Committee.
Elizabeth Steimel (Secretary)
ElizabethSteimel has been performing in shows since she was 7 years old. She has performed in 45 (going on 46) shows throughout different community, school, and student-run theatre organizations. Elizabeth received her Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies with a Minor in Drama from the University of Virginia. She is currently working in Sales Operations and as a Vendor Onboarding Manager at Carahsoft Technology Corporation in Reston, VA.
Matt Moore is an award-winning Creative, Theatrical and Live Events Director who has worked with hundreds of government, nonprofit, political and private sector clients worldwide. He has over two decades of extensive experience in not-for-profit management and governance with several national organizations. Matt’s enthusiasm, creative vision, drive for flawless and profitable execution, and ability to assemble a team of consummate professionals has made him one of the top creative forces in the region. He has directed more than 25 plays and musicals in the past 15 years in addition to performing in hundreds of shows with the 24-year continuously running Fools! Improv Troupe. Noted directorial credits include Jesus Christ Superstar and Shrek: The Musical at FCT, Our Town, Cyrano De Bergerac, Amadeus (Seton Players), Captain Dangerous, Fortress, Ending the Dustbowl Dream (Ignite Players), and many more. A performer in his own right, Matt has played lead roles in several musicals including Thenardier in Upper Room’s Broadway World Musical of the Decade, Les Miserables. He is a voice actor and MC with an extensive list of credit, including the featured voice of the Super Bowl XXXV Pre-Show. Matt is a produced playwright and serves as a leader in numerous community organizations. Moore resides fifteen minutes from historic Warrenton, Virginia with his wife and family. For FCT, he wishes to use his skills in governance, management and creativity to continue the mission of providing high quality theater with deep meaning and emotional connection to our regional audience while continuing to operate with a strong focus towards profitability. He has served on the FCT board of directors since July 2022.
Jennifer Ayers
Jennifer is a sought-after voice/acting coach last seen at FCT as Sophie in Mamma Mia!. Credits include: Mistress (Evita), Narrator (Joseph), Cinderella (Into the Woods), Laurey (Oklahoma!), Hero (Much Ado), Julie (Carousel), Sarah (Guys & Dolls), Irene (Dolly!), Dorothy (Millie), Philia (Forum). Favorite role in life: wife & mother of two. Jennifer started acting at FCT as a child and now wants to give back to the theater and community by mentoring and began serving on the FCT board in July 2023.
Drew Fleming
Drew owns his own Real Estate Appraisal Business. He is at present the leader of an Americana Band “Uncle Drew and The Scoundrels”. He has performed with the band throughout Northern VA since 2020 as well as being a songwriter, and recording artist. In 2018 Drew performed on stage for the 1st time with FCT in Big Fish, Since then he has co-directed Shoah as well as The Greatest Generation, ran lights for She Loves Me, ran sound for Night Must Fall, Co-directed and stage managed for Evita, and is in an advisory position for Annie Get Your Gun.
Scott Pierce
In his professional life, Scott Pierce is the Director of Global Field and Partner Enablement for Bizagi, a leader in the low-code process automation software world. Additionally, he is a partner in the research-based consultancy Broad Run Consulting, LLC, which specializes in identifying and fixing human performance problems related to commercial go-to-market teams. Outside of work, he’s the fortunate husband to Hilary and the outmanned dad to their nine children and two grandchildren. Hilary and Scott are founding members of Journey Church in Vint Hill, where Hilary started and co-leads their annual free Clothing Give-Away in the Fall. Scott and his family have been involved with FCT since 2006, when several of Pierce kids were cast in Oliver! and the Director “volunteered” Scott for a walk-on role (Mister Percy Snodgrass, who would often take the odd glass). Hooked by the experience, he’s now been on stage or backstage for over 20 FCT productions, not counting the ones his wife and children have done and he’s come along for the ride (to drive to and from rehearsals, to build sets, to paint sets, to strike sets, etc.). Favorite FCT experiences for Scott include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour® Dreamcoat, It’s a Wonderful Life, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Tuck Everlasting. Scott’s been on the Board of Directors since 2021, when then-Board Chairman Mike Markley convinced him to join.
Rob Tessier
Rob Tessier was born and raised in Virginia. His family moved to Fauquier County in 2013 where they quickly found a home at Fauquier Community Theatre. Rob earned a theatre degree from Miami University in 1996 followed by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He toured as a professional clown with the Greatest Show on Earth, but after returning home dedicated himself to being an educator, a minister, and an artist. In 2001, Rob founded Upper Room Theatre Ministry as an extension of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas where he serves as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. He has directed for the past 21 years shows including Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, Mary Poppins, and most recently West Side Story. In 2020, BroadwayWorld named Rob as “Best Director of the Decade” in the DC region for Upper Room’s Les Misérables. Also a performer, Rob played Nathan Detroit in Upper Room’s Guys & Dolls and appeared as the Turkey in FCT’s HONK! His wife Carole and most of his 9 children have performed in FCT productions over the past decade. Most recently, Rob’s son Jack directed James and the Giant Peach and several children performed. In 2004, Rob founded Spotlight on the Arts Summer Camps in which over 200 kids each summer take part in theatre and art camps in Burke and Manassas. After serving on FCT’s Artistic Committee for the past 6 years, Rob was happy to take a role on the Board of Directors and has served since July 2023. He hopes that his background and expertise in community theatre continue to be a positive influence in assisting FCT to become a place where families and audiences alike can come together to create beautiful experiences and wonderfully professional high-quality productions.
Mike Markley (Immediate Past Board Chairman)
Michael Markley is employed as an engineer and technical manager for the Federal government. He is currently a Chief of Licensing for operating nuclear reactor facilities in the Southeast U.S. and was previously the Acting Deputy Budget Director for his agency. Mike has a B.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University, M.A. in Arts Management from George Mason University, and is the principal of Lynrose Arts Consulting. He also has M.S. degrees in engineering and technical management from Georgia Tech and Johns Hopkins University, respectively. Mike has served on the FCT Board since 2013 and has been the Board Chairman since 2014. He leads the FCT Board’s Strategic Plan development process, theatre renovation, writing grants, and is an occasional actor onstage. From 1998-2012, he served on the Board of Directors of the Windmore Foundation for the Arts, Inc., and was its Vice President in 2011-2012. As Director of Development, he guided Windmore in forming the Crossroads Youth Orchestra. Mike is also a Destination Imagination (DI) enthusiast, having been a team manager for Fauquier County elementary and middle school DI creative problem-solving teams for seven years, a DI Instant Challenge Appraiser for two years, and a Challenge Master for 2017. Mike served on the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) Region IVB Grant Advisory Panel for General Operating Support and Project Grants from 2011-2013. In 2019 he was appointed as a commissioner for the Virginia Commission for the Arts which is guided by 13 commissioners appointed to five-year terms by the Governor and confirmed by the General Assembly. Mike also engages with state elected officials to encourage their support of arts funding and policies that benefit the arts including participating in Arts Advocacy Day at the State Legislature in Richmond.
Rick Davis (Advisor) Rick Davis is a Professor of Theatre, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and Executive Director of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, of George Mason University (GMU). Prior to joining GMU, Rick was the Resident Dramaturg and Associate Artistic Director of Baltimore’s Center Stage, Associate Director and co-founder of the American Ibsen Theater in Pittsburgh, and taught drama at Washington College. Dr. Davis has also published four books including Calderon de la Barca: Four Great Plays of the Golden Age; his co-translations of Ibsen with Brian Johnson, Ibsen: Four Major Plays, Vol. 1; and Writing About Theatre. With composer, Kim D. Sherman, he was the librettist for the opera, Love’s Comedy, and the oratorio, The Songbird and the Eagle, commissioned by the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Davis received his B.A. from Lawrence University and his M.F.A. and doctorate degrees from the Yale University School of Drama.
