Who We Are
Bill Bruner
President | Managing Director
Bill Bruner
President | Managing Director
Bill started acting in 6th grade in a production of “A Christmas Carol” at his elementary school. Then when he went off to high school a few years later he’s older two sisters made him join a production of “South Pacific” because they need more guys.
That’s where his love for theatre was born, he performed in the yearly school musical and did many other shows for drama club and other community productions after that. When Bill headed for college in changed his career goal from being a veterinarian to being an actor.
He was in all the productions at college and continued to other shows throughout the community. Bill then moved to LA to be an actor and missed his “big break” by a telephone call. The next several years Bill did community theatre productions but focused mostly on his business career. Where he became a bank officer and in charge of an $80 million loan department.
After moving back to the mid-west he and his family moved to Flushing, MI where Bill couldn’t find a job so he went back to acting. He started doing voice-over work, print ads and TV ads. In addition, he toured with a Children’s Theatre, did murder mystery dinner theatre shows.
Bill’s two breakout roles in MI were Peter Hunter in “No Sex Please we’re British” & Shep (the bartender) in “Early One Evening at the Rainbow Bar and Grille.” Bill toured all over Michigan, Ohio and Northern Wisconsin doing various shows and was in a regional TV commercial for a tire shop.
Bill then had the pleasure of working three seasons at “Horse Cave Theatre” in Horse Cave, KY where he met his wife Heidi Baker. Horse Cave Theatre won multiple regional awards and was recognized nationally for the quality of their productions. Bill performed in 10 shows in three years at Horse Cave and proposed to Heidi on-stage in front of 325 people.
Bill and Heidi moved to Indianapolis so Heidi could work at Indianapolis Repertory Theatre and Bill got a job doing taxes at Ernst & Young, LLP. After 5 years at E&Y Bill decided to start his own theatre. The Beckman Theatre was born, after 5 years it closed its doors. Bill appeared in one production with the Beckman “American Buffalo.”
After years of people telling Bill he should start a theatre in Bailey thanks to the help of Lauren Drabble & Ina Marlowe, Bill was able to put a team together to make this dream a reality. The Bailey Theatre Company is a newly qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organization looking forward to doing professional productions in the Bailey area for years to come.
Between Bill’s business background including 22 years of doing taxes, 10 years in Banking and his performing skills, over 80 stage plays in his career. Bill looks forward to bringing live theatre to his small mountain town.
Rhianna DeVries
Vice President | Artistic Director
Rhianna DeVries is a multi-industry creator, with passions in directing, design, acting, stand-up comedy, and producing. Their previous directing credits of readings and full productions include None of the Above, Doubt: A Parable (Bailey Theatre Company), Sea Wall (Denver Theatre Ensemble), 7 Stages with poetry by Peter Davis, and U.S. Drag (University of Denver Theatre). Assistant directorships include the World Premiere of Flying Kites by Afram Bill Williams, and Sight Unseen by Donald Margulies; both under the guidance of Ina Marlowe.
Some of Rhianna's theatre acting credits include Romeo and Juliet/The Tempest with Colorado Shakespeare Festival School Tour, Appropriate with Curious Theatre Company, The Misanthrope and Cradle Two Grave (Drama Ensemble Best Actress) at the University of Denver, and the titular role in Antigone (Broadway World Best Actress Nominee) with Fearless Theatre Company. Rhianna is also in film and videogames, most notably as the lead motion-capture and voiceover actor in the BAFTA-nominated game, Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Rhianna has a B.A. in Theatre and a B.S.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Denver. For more information, visit www.RhiannaDeVries.com.
Heidi Baker
Secretary | Stage Manager
A graduate of Butler University, Heidi has stage managed at the Juilliard School, various theatres in Chicago, the Indiana Repertory Theatre, & the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis. She also spent three years as a Production Stage Manager at Horse Cave Theatre in KY. It was at Horse Cave that she met her husband, Bill Bruner, who proposed during a pre-show curtain speech! Heidi proudly supports Bill’s work as the Managing Director of the Bailey Theatre Company.
Among the favorite productions that Heidi has stage managed are: Boston Marriage, The Laramie Project, Sophie Tucker American Legend, and The Miracle Worker.
Tess Neel
Assistant to the Managing Director | Board Member
Tess Neel has worked locally with theatre companies including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Reunion Entertainment LLC, and the Lamont Opera Company throughout the past 6 years. She graduated from the University of Denver with a BA and BS in theatre and business management. As a student at DU, she focused on stage management and production management for various theatre productions. She is currently the Programs Coordinator and Production Manager for the DU Prison Arts Initiative and helps bring theatre and art into prisons across the state.
Tess is honored to be a part of the Bailey Theatre Company's Board of Directors. She is extremely interested in learning more about the process of building a theatre company from the ground up, and looks forward to working alongside the incredible artists who are making this company grow into something incredible for the Bailey community.
Amy Dolan Fletcher
Board Member
Amy is a native New Yorker with 35 years of experience in professional theatre. After performing on Broadway and in numerous touring productions, Amy began pursuing a career as an educator and mentor. She has worked at several high schools, as a professor of Theatre and Dance at Five Towns College and achieved her MFA in interdisciplinary arts and theatre education from Goddard College. She was thrilled to join the Venue Theatre, after relocating to Colorado with her amazing husband Michael and son Matthew. Venue director and/or choreographer credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, Urinetown, Anything Goes, Newsies, Venue on Broadway and Venue Through the Years.
Greg Ungar
Board Member
Greg is delighted and grateful to be a member of the Baily Theatre Company team! Greg is a professional actor and professor of theatre at the University of Denver. Greg is also associate artistic director of New Swan Shakespeare Festival, in Irvine, California where he acts, directs, and does all sorts of managing business. Greg has a varied history of volunteering with theatres, including being the board of directors for Nomad Playhouse, Transversal Theatre Company, and New Swan Shakespeare festival.