Deb Carpenter
Board President
Deb is a lifelong Bismarck resident who has been involved in the theater community for over 45 years, as an actor, director, writer, and producer in community theater, schools, and churches. She loves, loves, loves the wonderful theater folks who give of their talents in so many ways to entertain their neighbors, families, tribe, and friends, as well as the friends they haven't met yet.
In addition to serving to serving on the Capitol Shakespeare board for the last several years, she is also busy with other community organizations: the Bismarck Cancer Center Advisory Board, Thursday Music Club and Rhapsody singing group, PEO women's organization, River worship team and Living Water worship band, Stitchers needlework group, and various church committees. She has been a board member for the Abused Adult Resource Center, a workforce equity presenter on elder issues, and a presenter on employment, disability, and housing issues. She is a retired attorney and public speaker, and has had two books of poetry published: "Backwards and Forwards (A selection of reverent, irreverent, and no-so random observations)" (2020), and "The Odd Girl's Guide to Poetry, Etc." (2022)
Deb enjoys cooking, candy-making, and crocheting (the Three C's), as well as reading, entertaining, gardening, and learning new foodie techniques. She is a slightly obsessive list-maker.
Tyler Sander
Vice President of the Board
Tyler has been the Vice President of the board for the past 4 years. Tyler is a lifelong resident of the Bismarck-Mandan community. As one of the founding members of Growing BisMan, he is the manager of the finances. He is a supervisor at Aetna, a CVS company, and has over a decade of experience working in health insurance in the community.
Tyler is active in the Bismarck-Mandan artistic community. Working with Capitol Shakespeare has helped give Tyler an insight into the nonprofit community within the Bismarck-Mandan community.
In his free time Tyler enjoys reading and traveling, always looking for ideas to bring back to help his community.
Erin J. Weichel
Artistic Director
Erin has been with Capitol Shakespeare since it’s inception in 2008. Erin is a Bismarck native, where she acted in productions at Shade Tree Players, Dakota Stage, and Sleepy Hollow. She attended Bismarck State College, where she worked with Dan Rogers, who encouraged her to continue her acting training at the University of Minnesota Mankato. From Mankato, she received a BA in Theater Performance. After graduation, Erin moved to New York City and participated in two national tours of Shakespeare for Kids with Hampstead Stage Company and an Off-Off Broadway production of Into the Woods. She returned home in 2008 to help care for her father. Since returning home, Erin has completed a second BA in Music and a Masters in Education at the University of Mary. She currently teaches choral music at Simle Middle School as well as directing their theater program. She directed the Bismarck High School One Act this past year, and has also directed for Shiloh Christian, Dakota Stage, Shade Tree Players, BSC, and U-Mary. Some of her past directing work includes the BSC and U-Mary joint production of Titanic: The Musical and BSC’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Erin received an award at KCACTF (Region 7) in 2013 for her work as movement coach for Comic Potential at BSC. She was named NDHSAA Region 7 Coach of the Year for Speech for 2017 and 2019 and NDHSAA Region 7 Coach of the Year for One Act Play for 2017 and 2018 as well as State Class B One Act Coach of the Year 2018.
Board Secretary
Kim Miller
Board Treasurer
Justin Weichel
Board of Directors
Dean Bellin
Dominic Fitzsimmons
Derek Pich
Past Presidents/ Board of Directors
Dawn Kopp
Emmalee Reigler
Michele Renner