Rowan Joseph - Producing Artistic Director

Rowan Joseph has worked in the entertainment industry for over 35 years as a producer, director, and actor; 2017 marks his fourth season as the Producing Artistic Director at Totem Pole Playhouse. As founding Managing Director, Joseph built, opened and operated The Century Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, where he presented Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize winning drama, How I Le...

arned to Drive, starring Mary Louise Parker and David Morse. He served as the Executive Director of the Laurie Beechman Theatre, on Theatre Row in Manhattan, for seven seasons presenting hundreds of both new and established artists, including Holly Hunter, Ben Stiller, Robert Sean Leonard, Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke, Lewis Black, and the early work of such acclaimed writers as Aaron Sorkin, Alan Ball, Donald Margulies, and Peter Hedges. In Los Angeles, he ran the legendary film & TV director Garry Marshall’s the Falcon Theatre for five seasons. Under his management the Falcon began a five-play subscription series, a highly-regarded children’s theatre program, numerous theatrical & TV events and several workshops of the musical, Happy Days, a New Musical based on Marshall’s hit TV series from the ’70s. Joseph continues to co-own and operate Theatre A Go-Go, Inc., along with business partner Shane Partlow. TAGG has presented such national tours as An Evening with Jack Klugman and the all-male production of The Queen of Bingo, which Rowan directed and co-stars in with Partlow. Other productions include: Tapestry, The Music of Carole King: Off-Broadway (Union Square Theatre), Cincinnati (Playhouse in the Park), Cleveland (Playhouse Square); The Queen of Bingo: off-Broadway (Greenwich House Theatre), Chicago (Buckingham Theatre), and Los Angeles (Coronet Theatre); Bent, Los Angeles (Coast Playhouse); and One Slight Hitch, Charlotte, NC (Charlotte Rep), Kansas City, MO (Waldorf Astoria DT). As an actor, Joseph began his career as a member of the prestigious Mirror Repertory Company in New York City alongside Academy Award-winners Anthony Hopkins, Geraldine Page and F. Murray Abraham. He has appeared in leading roles in numerous stage productions in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and across the U.S. His TV credits include roles on Gilmore Girls, Boston Legal, Treme and most recently on HBO’s critically-acclaimed series, Veep alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Hugh Laurie. His film credits include Raising Helen starring Kate Hudson, Princess Diaries 2 with Anne Hathaway, The Campaign, with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, and Grudge Match, starring Robert DeNiro and Sylvester Stallone. He was also featured with his business partner, Shane Partlow, on the 23rd edition of the Emmy Award-winning reality series The Amazing Race.s


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James Nadeau - Associate Producer

This is James’ second season with Totem Pole Playhouse and is excited to continue being a part of this wonderful Playhouse.   He recently finished a ten-year contract with Stiletto Entertainment in Los Angeles, as a Casting Director. His experience also includes House Manager for The Geffen Playhouse as well as Production Manager for several other production houses in the Los Angeles area. In Ne...

w York, James worked as Assistant Box Office Manager for the popular show Blue Man Group at the Astor Place Theatre and helped open The Century Center for the Performing Arts as Assistant Box Office Manager/House Manager.   James has also had the pleasure of working with the Andrew Lloyd Webber team performing in “Music of the Night” as well as Cameron Mackintosh performing in “Hey, Mr. Producer!”  Some of James’ favorite Equity roles include, Bud Frump in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hannah in La Cage Aux Folles, Freddie in My Fair Lady and Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street.


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Sue McMurtray - General Manager

Having enjoyed a brief retirement of 10 months from her position as Managing Director in 2013 after 25 years at Totem Pole Playhouse, Sue was delighted to return to her old desk as Director of Marketing and Promotion. Recently she took on the role of General Manager. A local gal, she graduated from Waynesboro Area Senior High with the class of 1965.  A graduate of The Wilmington School of Radiolog...

ic Technology, her career has been as varied as the web of a spider. Employed as an x-ray technician at The Chambersburg Hospital, she operated Penn National Inn and Caledonia Station restaurants, and was a floral designer for several local florists. During Thunderbird, Ltd’s original production of A Christmas Carol she created the role of Mrs. Fezziwig. Upon retirement she started her own catering business, but believes her best and most fun job was driving Jean Stapleton’s VW Bug cross-country with her best friend, Judy Houser. Some of her most enjoyable catering jobs were catering to the cast and crew of John Putch’s films “Route 30 Three” and “The Father and The Bear” starring veteran actor Wil Love. Sue is a member of The Chambersburg Rotary Club where she has served as a past President, was named Rotarian of the Year, and currently serves as Secretary. A member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, she has served as a Deacon, chair of Fellowship Ministry and Church and Ministry. Sue loves to travel abroad, but found her best trip to be to Poland, homeland of her paternal grandparents. When not at the theatre or catering, she spends her spare time with her Kizhi, her 4th black standard poodle.


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Renee Rankin - Box Office Manager

Renee is a native of Chambersburg. She received her MFA in Creative Writing in 2011 from Goddard College in Plainfield, VT. She wrote the INSPIRATION column for JLTNews, the e-newsletter for Juneteenth Legacy Theatre. She’s had ten-minute plays produced by The Queens Players Act 5 New Play Festival in Queens, NY and the InGenius Fesitval and Testogenius Festival at Manhattan Theatre Source. In Sep...

tember 2011, her one-act play, Zap Belly, enjoyed a successful public reading at Manhattan Theatre Source as part of the Writers’ Forum New Play Reading Series.


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Cole Bachman - House Manager

Born and raised in Franklin County, Cole is returning to Totem Pole Playhouse for his eighth summer. Previously an usher, Cole will begin his role as House Manager for Totem Pole’s 2019 Summer Series. Graduating from Shippensburg University in 2019 with a B.A. in Communication and Public Relations, Cole has experience in nonprofit work, marketing and sales. Most recently, he worked in Consumer Mar...

keting at one of America’s largest civil rights nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C. He also actively volunteers as a fundraising coordinator for a local animal rescue. Cole is looking forward to a fun and exciting season at Totem Pole!


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Stephanie Allee - Graphic Designer

Originally from Kennett Square, PA, Stephanie has lived in the Chamberburg area for 14 years.  She is a 1999 graduate of Immaculata University with a BA in Music and a minor in Psychology.  After a time as a stay at home mom, she followed her passion and dove head first back into the local theatre community.  She has performed locally with Chambersburg Community Theatre, Washington County Playhou...

se and on the Totem Pole stage as well.  At Rowan’s encouragement, Stephanie signed on to be the marketing director at Totem Pole for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.  She left due to an impending move to Texas.  Her husband ultimately changed jobs which kept them here in Fayetteville for the foreseeable future. She and her husband will celebrate 20 years of marriage this summer and she is the mother of two teenagers. She continues to perform locally as well as serve on the board of directors for Chambersburg Community Theatre.  She is also employed at the Cumberland Valley School of Music as their marketing director. She considers herself blessed to have such a wide variety of theatrical and musical friends.


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Robert Salm - Production Manager

Robert graduated from Texas Tech University in 2007 with Bachelors Degree in Theater, and is currently working on a MFA at University of New Orleans in Theater Design. Prior to joining the Totem Pole Playhouse, Robert has taught high school and Middle School Theater all across the state of Texas and currently serves as Technical Director at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA.

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