Garden Theatre Staff
Artistic Director, JOSEPH C. WALSH – x220
Joseph C. Walsh is an award-winning theatre director and educator who has served the Artistic Director of Arlington Children’s Theatre in Arlington, MA and Wild Oats Productions in the UK. He was the Interim Director of Education at the White Plains Performing Arts Center where he also directed Ghost (starring Natalie Weiss and Steven Grant Douglas) and West Side Story. Joseph directed critically acclaimed productions of Hairspray and Singin’ In the Rain for the Cork Opera House in Ireland. In 2013 Joseph collaborated with West End star Linzi Hateley to devise and direct Linzi Hateley: True Colors – Life Since Carrie at Saint James Theatre in London and 54 Below in New York as well as the London revival of Love Story: The Musical, which was nominated for an Off-West End Award for Best Musical. Joseph directed the Off-Broadway premiere of Sonder at The Player’s Theatre and in London’s West End he served as Assistant Director on Coyote on A Fence and Resident Director on When Harry Met Sally (starring Molly Ringwald and Michael Landes). Joseph spent three seasons as the Touring Director for White Horse Theatre, the world’s largest touring educational theatre company, where his work was seen across Europe and Japan.
Managing Director, ELISA SPENCER-KAPLAN – x203
Elisa Spencer-Kaplan brings 20 years’ arts leadership experience to her role at the Garden. Mostly recently, she served as Executive Director of New York City’s The Acting Company, leading a five-year period of major transition and significant artistic acclaim, including the 2019 Audelco Award-winning Best Play Native Son and the world premiere of Marcus Gardley’s X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation. As Managing Director of Off-Broadway’s York Theatre, she stabilized the organization’s finances while overseeing award-winning productions including Yank! and Enter Laughing, The Musical. She has also been Managing Director of CAP21 Musical Theatre Conservatory & Theatre Company, Chicago’s Shattered Globe Theatre, and the Yale Cabaret, where she produced the world premiere of Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Without/Sin. She has also held roles with Yale Rep, Second Stage, and the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. She was a board member of the League of Chicago Theatres and a recipient of the Guthrie Theater’s Rea Management Fellowship. She holds an M.F.A. in Arts Management from Yale School of Drama and an honors B.A. in English from Carleton College. Elisa is excited to join the Winter Garden community with her husband, Broadway and jazz composer Russ Kaplan, and their daughter Emilia.
Education Director, NICK BAZO – x201
Nick is a Cuban American director, teaching artist, and arts administrator originally from South Florida. Previously he worked in Boston as the Director of Programs for The Theater Offensive where he ran the True Colors: OUT Youth Theater Program for LGBTQ Youth. He also worked as the Manager of School Programs at Boston’s Citi Performing Arts Center and at the Orlando REP as a teaching artist and actor. Nick holds an MFA in Theater from the University of Central Florida, a BA in Theatre from Rollins College, and a Youth Development Training Certificate from The BEST Initiative. He studied with nationally renowned artists including Tectonic Theatre Project (creators of The Laramie Project), Double Edge Theater, Norma Bowles, Octavio Campos, and Michael Rohd. He is a former board member at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and at the Pride Youth Theater Alliance. In 2014 Nick received the Wesley V. Montgomery Memorial Mentorship and Leadership Initiative award from the National Performance Network.
Production Manager, JASON GOLINSKY – x209
Jason joined the Garden Theatre staff as Production Manager in December 2017 after a long and successful career with Theatre Passe Muraille and many years associated with the Fringe Festival in Toronto, Canada. He made the move to the Central Florida area with the goal of being closer to family, and to further his career with another nonprofit arts organization. His experiences all over North America and Japan, in association with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre and Stage Management, have developed Jason’s skills in all phases of production management, lighting design and beyond. He is excited to contribute these skills to the Garden and to be part of this innovative and dedicated team.
Event Manager, BRIAN FALLON – x206
Brian was born and raised in Central Florida. He graduated from UCF in 1989 with a BA in Political Science but while at UCF he worked in the UCF Theatre Department as a House Manager and Box Office assistant. He also took classes in Technical Theatre which led him to a career in event design and production in the Convention and Meeting industry. After spending several years working in the Orlando area he began freelancing as a Meeting and Event Planner. Brian’s career has taken him all over the world, from Casablanca to Hong Kong, with extended work in Switzerland, Ireland, and Italy. Brian has also managed sponsor hospitality for Fortune 100 companies, the Olympic Games of 1998 in Japan, 2000 in Australia, and 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He moved to Winter Garden in 2001 with his wife and in 2003 their daughter was born. They are happy to be raising their daughter in Winter Garden’s family-friendly environment.
Manager of Design and Advertising, JANET HADDOCK – x210
The arts have always been Janet’s passion, and after a long career in banking where her involvement in the arts was limited to being a hobby, she happily embraced her creative side after joining the staff of the Garden Theatre. Janet serves on the marketing team and especially enjoys graphic design. Her hobbies still involve the arts, and she can often be found painting or performing in community theater productions. Janet considers herself blessed to work with such a tremendously talented team.
Manager of Integrated Communications, CANDICE BAILEY – x204
Candice joined the Garden Theatre team in July 2018. She has been active in the arts since she attended community theatre and art classes in her childhood, and has been playing oboe and saxophone in band ensembles and pit orchestras since sixth grade. Candice is a 2017 graduate of Reinhardt University, and received a B.S. in Business Marketing, a B.A. in English Literature, and a Minor in Music. She also holds a Certificate in Leadership Practice from Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. When she’s not at the theatre, she loves to bake, read, cross-stitch, and visit the theme parks.
Front of House and Company Manager, EVAN VALLE – x207
Driven by a strong passion to serve the arts community and foster audience relationships, Evan has been a Box Office Manager in the Central Florida area for the past 6 years. Evan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre from Stevenson University in Stevenson, MD and a Leadership Practice Certificate from Rollins College Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. As an avid fan of Halloween, you can find him screaming through the streets at Halloween Horror Nights or your local haunted house every October! Evan is honored to be a part of the Garden Theatre team and can’t wait to welcome you at the Box Office!
Group Sales Manager, JANA GOUPIL – x208
With over 25 years of experience in group tour and travel sales Jana has worked for attractions, convention and visitors bureaus, group travel planners and theatrical productions. Originally from Grove City, Ohio, Jana moved to Florida in 1986 to work in the group sales department at Wet ‘n Wild. From the tourism industry Jana moved into group sales for Menopause The Musical where she spent 8 years representing the show as it has toured across the country. When not on the phone talking to all of the wonderful group leaders and group travel planners, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons where they reside in Lake Mary. Jana is thrilled to be a part of the Garden Theatre family and looks forward to the many new friends she will make in her role representing the theatre to the group market.
Accountant, CRYSTAL GROSS – x205
Crystal has been a part of the Winter Garden community since 1992 by way of New York. She graduated from Bishop Moore high school and then attended Valencia Community College-West Campus where she received her AA degree. After graduating from Valencia, she then took off from Chicago for three years. She happily returned to the warm weather she so missed and then went to Everest University where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Accounting. She loves animals, reading, and anything to do with numbers.
Technical Director, JIM ZERVAS – x214
Jim joined the team at the Garden Theatre in January 2018. He hails from North Carolina, but is not a total stranger to Florida – his last stint was as the Technical Director at the freeFall Theatre Company in St. Pete. He received his M.F.A. in Theatre with a concentration in Technical Production from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015.
Box Office Lead, MARY JONES – x211
Mary relocated from Northern Virginia to Central Florida 25 years ago, and has loved it ever since! Mary first joined the Garden Theatre family as a volunteer 4 years ago, following a career in the reservations department at US Airways. After a year of volunteering, she joined the staff as Box Office Associate. She loves supporting other local arts organizations, including her favorite: Orlando Ballet.
Lori Weaver, Grants Specialist
Chris Cutillar, Digital Specialist
Kim Kiraly, Volunteer Coordinator & House Manager
Sue Foster, Box Office Associate
Shelley Malone, Box Office Associate
Erica Nowak, House Manager
Lori Pello, House Manager
Kristen Pena, House Manager
Devin Scott, House Manager
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Garden Theatre relies heavily on the dedication of its volunteer Board of Directors and attributes much of its success to countless hours of commitment from this handful of individuals.
Ray Fournier, Chair
Walt Disney World Resort®
Wes Catlett-Miller, Vice Chair
Wiley
Keith Davenport, Treasurer
Production Executive, Public & Private Sector Events
Susan Haugen, Secretary
Stetson University
JoAnn Ankoviak
AdventHealth Apopka/Winter Garden
Allie Braswell
The Braswell Group
Wendy Givoglu
Valencia College
Andrew Hardy
Disney Cruise Line
Bill Hayden
Universal Orlando
Larry Henrichs
Visit Orlando (Retired)
Matthew E. Jassak
Foley & Lardner LLP
Meka King and Felichia Chivaughn
Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy
James Mallonee
House of Blues Entertainment
Greg Mason
Orlando Economic Partnership
Christina McGuirk
Health Central Hospital
Paul Oppedisano, Immediate Past President
The Walt Disney Company
Dr. Jeffery Redding
University of Central Florida
David J. Romano, Ph. D.
Barry University
Keith Smith
The Walt Disney Company
Wayne Weinberg
Rollins College
Todd Wheeler
Wheeler Projects, Inc.
Becky Roper, Emeritus Trustee
Founding Board President
Pilars Martini
Barbara Roper, Emeritus Trustee
Contour Groves
Junior Board Members
Winter Garden, FL 34787