Board of Directors
David Montgomery-Blake – President
David Montgomery-Blake’s first foray into the theatrical world was during a freshman class in 1993 when he was approached to audition for a Sardou satire because he “looked like a butler.” Since then he has acted, directed, stage managed, plotted lights, designed and constructed sets for the theatre program at Idaho State University, Westside Players, and other local community groups. He has served as vice president for a few years and recently was voted in as the president of the Board of Directors at Westside. The crowning achievement of his life is marrying Marni Montgomery-Blake. David and Marni are ardent fans of regional theatre, attending every performance that they possibly can at Old Town Actor’s Studio, Actor’s Repertory Theatre of Idaho, American Falls Little Theatre, Mystique, Theatre/Dance ISU, Blackfoot Community Players, and any number of groups in the region. David is an IT Computer Analyst at Idaho State University and the Community E-Mail Support Manager for Torque Products at InstantAction.
Tom Potter – Vice-President
Born and raised in Idaho Falls, Tom moved to Pocatello over 30 years ago. Tom’s wife Diana followed her love of acting and theatre and got involved with the Westside Players when they first moved into the Warehouse. Tom got involved as well helping to staff the shows and the many tasks needed to keep the Warehouse going. Tom soon realized that his talent helping run the business of theatre while forming friendships with the many actors, directors, volunteers and thousands of patrons. Tom is a board member and always looks forward to the next show.
Brian Grant – Secretary
Brian Grant grew up in Cedar Falls, Iowa and moved to Idaho Falls in 1990 after being on both coasts for a time during his Navy career and after five years in Pennsylvania cleaning up the damaged Three Mile Island reactor. His wife Johannah (Rhoads) grew up in Pocatello and was active at Westside when they met. Brian started out doing odd jobs at the theater like cleaning toilets, painting, and taking coats. Brian was voted onto the board of directors in 1994 and has been secretary since 1996. He is often the “face” of Westside, managing the house and check-in desk several nights each show. When not at Westside, Brian enjoys singing tenor in his church choir and watching his two daughters dance. He is currently employed as a radiological engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory.
Steve Maheras – Treasurer
Stephen A. Maheras is a native Pocatellan and a graduate of Idaho State University with a B.A Degree in Accounting. For the past 30 years he has been employed by Farmers Insurance serving as a Supervisor at their Service Operations Office located here. He began his association with Westside Players in 1993 as an actor and has been in a number of productions over the past 17 years. He became a Westside Players Board of Directors member in 2001, and assumed the Treasurer’s role which he has held since 2002.
Jackie Czerepinski
Jackie Norby Czerepinski is a native of Pocatello and a Senior Lecturer in ISU’s Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies who holds a PhD in Theatre from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She loves being part of Westside Players because of the opportunity to do a bit of everything: directing, acting, costuming, set decoration, scene painting, newsletter and program writing, and lobby displays. She’s proud to have received a Pocatello Arts Council Community Partnership Award in 2009.
Deborah Flair
Travis W. Hopkins
Travis W. Hopkins is a native of Soda Springs and a graduate of Idaho State University with degrees in computer programming and networking. He has been active in community theatre for over 20 years. He joined Westside Players in 1998, was named to the Westside Players Board of Directors in 2001, and has been involved in over 25 Westside productions in the last twelve years. Outside of Westside players Mr. Hopkins works as a computer technician to “pay the bills” and has done shows with ISU, Caribou Community Theater, Missoula Children’s Theatre, and several other organizations. He is very proud to be a member of Pocatello’s oldest community dinner theatre.
Lynn Leonard
Lynn Leonard was born in Denver, Colorado, and was always a ham. She studied English and Theatre at Southern Illinois University (Carbondale), earned a Masters degree in West African Theatre History from University of Ibadan School of Drama (Nigeria), and chaired the Speech and Theatre Department at Voorhees College in South Carolina. She returned to SIU (Carbondale) for doctoral work in Oral Interpretation of Cross Cultural Literature. Gradually, she evolved into “the world’s biggest fan of other people’s talent”. She came to Pocatello in 1986 from Denver to start a noncredit continuing education/Communiversity/conference division at Idaho State University. Later she directed the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, specializing in speaking and accent reduction. Lynn got involved with Westside Players in 1998 as an usher, then assisted board members when they produced shows for Women’s History Month. This led to an invitation to join the Board of Directors in 2004, where she has contributed by coordinating publicity, serving as Historian, and helping behind the scenes. ” Being part of Westside Players keeps you young and the variety is perfect for a Gemini.” Since retiring from Idaho State University in July, 2009, she has traveled, read, volunteered, and visited her daughter, a publicist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Walt Mecham
Who knows what drama lurks in the scripts of Westside? Walt Mecham knows! The Actor, Walt Mecham, a man of talent, a student of Thespis, a master of speaking, devotes his life to acting, acting, and more acting. Mecham is known to Westside Board as the shadow, seldom seen, rarely heard. His true location is known only to his loyal son.
Marni Montgomery-Blake
Marni Montgomery-Blake began acting in high school. She has been on Westside Players’ Board of Directors since 2004. Her day job is as a secretary in the curriculum department at the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District. While Marni’s first theatre love is Westside, she has also acted at Mystique and attends shows at OTAS, ARTI, ISU, The Gateway Foundation, and many other theatres. Marni is also a member of the Pocatello Arts Council. The best thing about her life is being married to her best friend, David Montgomery-Blake.
Diana Potter
Diana (McAtee) Potter, I was born in Wakeeney Ks and was raised mostly in Idaho. I have a MA in Theatre from ISU. Currently I am a part-time lecture for the theatre & dance dept, where I teach appreciation of drama, beginning acting and makeup. I think I always knew I needed to act. My sister (peggy) is the one who really got me started when we would lip sic and act out all the musical we have records (yes records). I have been on the Board for 20 years and was there when Westside first moved into the warehouse. Since then I have served as a broad member, as secretary and worked on many committees, I have build sets, directed, stage managed, done technical work, but my passion will always be acting. My fave roles at westside (although many) Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginna Wolfe, Ruella in Communicating Doors, and Madame Rosepetal in Oh Dad Poor Dad. These are just few because I have been blessed to be involved in so many fantactic productions (over 60+). I really enjoy giving back to the community and I am very pleased of how far Westside has come from its humble beginnings.
Philip Shepherd
Began working in theatre at American Falls High School where he went on to help found the American Falls Little Theatre. He served there as a director, actor, and vice president of the board. He continued his theatre training at ISU where he enjoyed performing in many shows (Twelfth Night, Shadow Box, Something’s Afoot) and learning as much as he could about the performing arts. While at ISU he participated in Alpha Psi Omega and worked in the box office. In the past few years he has worked as a director for the Mystique Theatre (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) and ISU’s summer community musical (The Secret Garden). He has also enjoyed acting with OTAS (Baby With the Bathwater, Mass Appeal) and the Blackfoot Community Players (Singing in the Rain, The Importance of Being Earnest). So far his experience at Westside has been backstage. Co-directing Who am I this Time? and Art of Murder and directing Oh Dad, Poor Dad. He is excited to be on the board of directors and is looking forward to working on more shows. He is a manager at Fifth Street Bagelry and lives in Old Town with my partner and theatre buddy, Dan.
Daniel Varas
Dan Varas was born in Salt Lake City to Carma and Hernan Varas. It was in Salt Lake that he learned of his unquenchable love for theatre. A counselor told him that he had to choose between being an actor, or working a real job, and that acting would never pay the bills. The decision was an easy one. He then went on to study theatre at Southern Utah University in Cedar City Utah. Now Dan is loving living and doing theatre in Pocatello with his partner Phil Shepherd.
Dan has participated in a number of Westside shows since moving here including; playing Norman in Cash on Delivery, set and prop design for Oh Dad Poor Dad, playing Vincent in Art of Murder, and most recently directing Move Over Mrs. Markham.
Dan is now working at Pocatello Zoo as the Education Assistant, where he can utilize both his love for performance and animals.