The Bedrock Team
Founders Emily, Joellen, and Sean met in Portland, Oregon while completing a yearlong mentorship program with Third Rail Repertory Theatre. Through collaboration on numerous projects, they fell in love with working together and began exploring a long-term vision for that work. Many days spent daydreaming in the woods convinced them that Portland’s enchanted forests were the perfect backdrop for a reimagined fairytale, and the idea for Bedrock Theatre began.
EMILY EISELE
(Managing Director/Founder)
Emily grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, where her appreciation for the outdoors began. After spending the past decade or so in Portland, Oregon, she continues to be amazed by our fortunate proximity to mountains, ocean, forests, and more. Emily has a wide range of experience as both an artist and administrator with companies including CoHo Productions, Artists Repertory Theatre, and Third Rail Repertory Theatre. She currently works in nonprofit accounting at Susan Matlack Jones & Associates. A “many hats” type of collaborator, Emily is a performer, writer, musician, bookkeeper, and list-maker for Bedrock—depending on the day.
JOELLEN
SWEENEY
(Development Director/Founder)
Joellen was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and grew up hiking and exploring the beautiful Oregon coast and the Columbia River Gorge. An actor, director and teaching artist, Joellen's regional credits include work with Artists Repertory Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Shaking the Tree Theatre, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Renegade Opera and Northwest Children's Theatre. Joellen earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Washington, and currently works as a teaching artist for Portland Center Stage and serves as a member of The Verdancy Project Advisory Board.
SEAN GROSSHANS
(Audience Experience Director/Founder)
Sean is from Lincoln, Nebraska. He received his B.A. in Theatre Directing/Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He moved to Portland, Oregon after graduation for the mentorship program with Third Rail Repertory Theatre. He immediately fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. Sean loves creating new works with an ensemble of artists. Sean tells his stories through music, photography/video, food and beverage.
BECCA WIRTA
(Communications Director)
Becca is a theatre artist, performer and collaborator in Portland, where she has lived and worked in public relations and marketing for the past 8 years. A graduate from Willamette University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Theatre Performance as well as Rhetoric and Media Studies, she sees herself at a crossroads as a person and as an artist. Art is no longer merely a fun venue for escapism for Becca, and through the past couple of years she has discovered that experiencing, participating and consuming art is when she feels the most awake, present and capable of deeper understanding. Becca is a recent graduate of the Institute of Contemporary Performance with the Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble.