Magenta Board Members Bios

Board Member Bios

Jaynie Roberts
President, Treasurer & Artistic Director

Amy Baumgarten

Chris Ponder
Vice President

Member
House Manager
Heidi Slagle

Treasurer
Tony Provenzola

Member Amanda Goff

Member Bonnie Littleton

Member Dave Roberts

Member Julie Harrison

Member Melissa Barnick

Magenta Theater

Jaynie Roberts Bio

Born in Great Britain.
Educated in the UK, Asia and the US.
Graduated from Chapman University, California, BA degree in Communications (theater and film). Graduate courses at University of Houston.
Acted, directed, worked tech crew in university productions, community theater, churches. Productions include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Rumpelstiltskin, Pygmalion, The Madwoman of Chaillot, Marat Sade, Story Theatre, The Women.
Award-winning playwright. Plays written to date include: Oh, Baby, Baby!, Twist & Shout, Sealegs, The Bitter End, Once Upon a Palace Purple.
Theater arts instructor.
Favorite movies: You’ve Got Mail, Moonstruck.
Favorite Christmas Carol: O Holy Night.
Dislikes talking on the phone, driving across bridges.
Likes Thai, Indian and Japanese food, boating on the Columbia, spending lots of time with my family.

Former member, Slocum House Theatre Company Board of Directors, City of Vancouver's Cultural Commission.

Amy Baumgarten Bio

Amy Baumgarten has been with Magenta Theater Company since its premier production in 2003 and has served on the board since 2004. She started in theater at a young age – participating in church drama programs and, eventually, the drama department of Hudson’s Bay High School. During her years with Magenta, she has held various tech positions, acted, directed and authored one-act pieces. Amy has worked as a paralegal with a Vancouver bankruptcy law firm since 2003. She is grateful for the artistic outlet, growth opportunities and friendships that Magenta offers.

Chris Ponder Bio

Chris Ponder has been active with Magenta Theater since the fall of 2008 working mostly behind the scenes. He made his acting debut in Magenta’s version of A Mid Summer Night’s Dream. By profession he is an electronics design engineer but has found Magenta Theater to be a great creative outlet. He loves the sense of community, working with people of all ages and the family friendly atmosphere. Chris is married and has two daughters. His wife, who loves making props, and one of his daughters, has been involved in several of Magenta’s plays too.

Heidi Slagle Bio

Heidi Slagle is a nanny by day, but theater fanatic by night. She came to Magenta in 2005 to audition for the one acts production. She was not cast but that didn't stop her from diving head-first into helping the company on the technical side. Heidi quickly demonstrated her deftness with painting, and has worked in practically all areas of the company to date. Her directing debut (with Magenta) is with The Wind in the Willows in July 2009. Heidi shares her love of theater with her husband, Martin, and her daughter Kelsie. A couple of crazy cats round out their family.

Tony Provenzola Bio

Tony Provenzola grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where he, his cousins, and friends made movies as kids. As an adult, he has been involved in the drama and music programs at his church, and had several roles in his children's high school plays. Tony and his wife, Amy, have 2 children, both married, making him an empty-nester with the time to devote to his love of drama. He has been an active member of Magenta Theater since 2008, working in plays and improv.

Tony enjoys the relationships, the opportunity to work with people of different ages, and being a part of the Magenta family.

Amanda Goff Bio

Amanda Goff started theater and dance at a young age and has been going strong ever since with involvement in community theater, school productions and church drama. In 2006 Amanda graduated from Metropolitan State College of Denver with a BA in Broadcast Communications and a minor in Theater. While living in Colorado, she was the artistic director of the youth drama team (All The King’s Fools) for seven years and was very involved with the adult drama and worship team at her church. Amanda still has a large passion to work with youth and young adults as a teacher and director. This is what initially brought her to Magenta Theater in 2007, where she has taught a few workshops. “I am very grateful for the creative outlet Magenta offers. I value the standards and vision Magenta has as a family friendly theater in the community”.

Bonnie Littleton Bio

Bonnie Littleton wandered into a Magenta audition in 2007 and stayed. She started performing in musical theater at age 16, and has sung leading roles, chorus, and even been a pit-singer for various professional and/or nonprofessional musical theater companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. After a twenty year hiatus to raise her two sons (Tony,31 and David,25), she re-entered theater, re-studied acting, and began performing in non-musical theater as well.

Bonnie and husband/ musician Bob live in the mountains above Camas, where Bob builds acoustic and steel guitars. He is a pedal steel guitar player who performs regularly in the Portland area. Bonnie is a Learning Disability Specialist with an office in Camas where she teaches reading, specializing in teaching dyslexic students.

Bonnie looks forward to performing in more Magenta productions as well as serving on the board. She enjoys working with such loving, warm, and talented people.

Dave Roberts Bio

Dave has been involved with theater since he was in grade school. After a short break for college, he returned to the theater and eventually started his own theater company in 2004. After 3 years the venue closed and decided producing was not his passion and pursued acting opportunities with Magenta Theater. He has acted in 8 Magenta productions and directed the most recent "Wait Until Dark" for the company. He continues to want to act and help Magenta theater grow. He currently runs the website and helps with the online ticketing for Magenta.

Julie Harrison Bio

Julie is new to Magenta Theater, having joined the Magenta family in 2009. A Native Oregonian, Julie has loved theatre since her high school days, which drew her to Ashland where she attended college. She reluctantly admits education was secondary: the primary purpose was "to see all the Shakespeare and other great theatre she could." Julie is very excited to be a member of Magenta, so much so, she drives all the way from Salem, Oregon (where she lives) to take part. Her previous theatrical experience includes many years and productions at Pentacle Theatre in Salem, where she also served on their Governing Board of Directors. In addition, she has worked with Albany Civic Theatre in Albany, OR and Tapestry Theatre in Portland. Julie is currently the coach/coordinator of MIT - Magenta’s Improv Theater, and performs improv with the ComedySportz’s Farm Team in Portland.

Melissa Barnick Bio

Melissa Barnick is excited about her warm welcome into the community here at Magenta Theatre. An accomplished actress she comes to us with an MFA, a terminal degree in theatre, from The University of Southern Mississippi, and a BFA from The University of Texas at Arlington. A few of her favorite roles include Gladys in A Lesson from Aloes, Hyacinth in Scapin, Leonardo’s Wife/ Moon in Blood Wedding and Jackie in Hayfever. As a director she has won awards for her work on The Universal Language, Metamorphosis and The Most Massive Woman Wins. Her training has included hand to hand combat, bull whip and quarterstaff, for which she earned a certification from the ACFD. Melissa has had the opportunity to take two classes from the Tony Award Winner Betty Buckley as well as serve as her personal assistant for a time. Though most of her work has been in front of the curtain she has also given workshops in facial hair design and construction, Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints and taught theatre in high school, college and at Magenta. Melissa is happily married to local chiropractor Dr. Roger Barnick.