Our Backstage Team

Stage Director

Having appeared in a variety of venues in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and beyond, Rusty is an accomplished actor and singer.  His outstanding credits include Outdoor Dramas, World Premiere performances, appearing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., regional television commercials and performing for a number of years for the Walt Disney Corporation.  Some of Rusty’s favorite roles include: Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Sancho Panza in Man of LaMancha, Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, and Captain Petroff in Beacon on the Rock.  When not performing on stage, Rusty can be found backstage. He has extensive technical credits for Sound Design, Lighting, Make-up Design & Application and Stage Management. He is a founding member of the Lake Superior Theatre board and a past board member of the First Nighters Club for the Forest Roberts Theatre at NMU and also former Chair of the Arts and Culture Committee for the City Commission of Marquette.  Presently he is President of the Peninsula Arts Appreciation Council for the Vista Theater in Negaunee. He is an avid vinyl and comic book collector. He also has an incredible knack for music trivia. He is the owner of his own business, Rusty Bowers Entertainment, a Studio Production facility and Professional Mobile DJ Service.  Rusty is a graduate of NMU’s Communication and Performance Studies Department.

Assistant Stage Director

Jennifer (Skogman) Timm earned her BS at Northern Michigan University with a Major in Media Production and New Technology and a Minor in Performance Theatre. She currently works as a Human Resources Market Manager for Meijer supporting 17 stores across the Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, & Illinois. In addition to her primary role at Meijer, Jennifer also serves as a Co-Lead on the Communications Board for the Meijer Disability Awareness and Advocacy Group; a Team Member Resource Group which serves as a resource and liaison for all team members across the company on issues of equity; providing programs to educate, support, and create opportunities around empowering all employees toward greater disability awareness and advocacy. Jennifer previously owned JLSW Design, LLC which specialized in Event Production and Makeup Design for Theatre, Stage and Pageantry. She has 18 years of experience working with the Miss Universe Organization, and while operating as an Official Recruiter for MUO, Jennifer was the Executive Director of the Miss Upper Peninsula USA and Miss Upper Peninsula Teen USA Pageants for 8 years. Also during her time with MUO, Jennifer assisted in producing other local preliminary Pageants in Lansing, MI and Dublin, OH. While working for PBS, Jennifer assisted in media production at such events as the 2009 US Olympic Speed Skating Trials and US Olympic Speed Skating World Cup. Jennifer has vast experience as a model and actress appearing on the Forest Roberts Theatre and Vista Theatre stages, and has appeared in a series of Subaru Commercials. She also has modeled at the NAWBO Fashion Stars and Cars Fashion Show in Detroit, MI, appeared on the Michigan Sights and Sounds show that was broadcast in Central Lower Michigan, and even had a spread in Supermodels Unlimited Magazine.

Backstage Handler

Although you have seen Stephanie Jones in front of the camera on TV6 talking real estate, she started backstage with Trisha Signs’ ballet school in the 70s and has been backstage ever since.  From dinner theater productions to pageants, fashion shows, to fundraisers, she has been backstage for it all. And we/she is just delighted to be with Dancing with Our Stars since the beginning of this fabulous event to support hospice!