Our Mission Statement:

Brickworks Theatre Company builds theatrical events, inviting audiences to ask questions, play, and experience community.

Brickworks Theatre Company is a scrappy, community-rooted indie theatre company based in St. Louis. We believe great theatre should be accessible, playful, and made by artists who care deeply about the people in the room. Our shows are pay-what-you-wish, built with handmade aesthetics, and driven by collaboration and heart.

Current working board members include:

Matt Bender - Artistic Director // Matt is a Midwest-based theatre maker, artist, and educator who cut his teeth in Chicago’s storefront theatre scene. He holds an M.F.A. from Western Illinois University and holds stage combat certifications in vario

Matt Bender - Artistic Director // Matt is a Midwest-based theatre maker, artist, and educator who cut his teeth in Chicago’s storefront theatre scene. He holds an M.F.A. from Western Illinois University and holds stage combat certifications in various disciplines through both the Society of American Fight Directors and Dueling Arts International. In addition to this ongoing artistic training, Matt has worked as a director, movement director, fight choreographer, actor, and educator for over a dozen years.

Geordie Denholm - Production Manager // Geordie is a theatre maker from youth and is now based in STL. He graduated from Concordia University Chicago with a Bachelor's in theatre and received both a Master's of Divinity and of Sacred Theology from Co

Geordie Denholm - Production Manager // Geordie is a theatre maker from youth and is now based in STL. He graduated from Concordia University Chicago with a Bachelor's in theatre and received both a Master's of Divinity and of Sacred Theology from Concordia Seminary. Geordie has been involved in dozens of productions, but favorite credits include: A Christmas Carol with Brickworks Theatre, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot with Cat's Cradle, Burning Bluebeard by The Ruffians, and Romeo & Juliet with Artists of Concordia Theatre.

Marleena Garris - Marketing Director // Boston-born and St. Louis-based Marleena is an actor and digital marketer who leads the social media presence for Brickworks Theatre Company. Building online worlds that feel intimate, curious, and community-dr

Marleena Garris - Marketing Director // Boston-born and St. Louis-based Marleena is an actor and digital marketer who leads the social media presence for Brickworks Theatre Company. Building online worlds that feel intimate, curious, and community-driven, her work spans social media copy, audience growth, and storytelling that bridges indie theatre and small business brands with the people who keep it alive. Onstage and online, she’s drawn to character, connection, and crafting brand initiatives that stick. Connect with her to de-bland your brand!

Kara Grimm-Denholm - Board President // Kara is a St. Louis based theatrical designer. She holds a BA in theatre with an emphasis in design from Concordia University Chicago. She relocated from Chicago to St. Louis after completing an internship at S

Kara Grimm-Denholm - Board President // Kara is a St. Louis based theatrical designer. She holds a BA in theatre with an emphasis in design from Concordia University Chicago. She relocated from Chicago to St. Louis after completing an internship at Steppenwolf Theatre. Since then, she has worked with COCA, Stray Dog Theatre, and other local theatre makers. She currently serves as a board member for Intersect Arts St. Louis. She lives in Benton Park West with her husband, two overexcited dogs, and approximately 500 house plants.

Alison Hibbeler - Board Secretary // Alison is a St. Louis based theatrical designer and actor. She is originally from Colorado but moved to Chicago to get her BA in Theatre from Concordia University Chicago. She moved to St. Louis in August 2021 and

Alison Hibbeler - Board Secretary // Alison is a St. Louis based theatrical designer and actor. She is originally from Colorado but moved to Chicago to get her BA in Theatre from Concordia University Chicago. She moved to St. Louis in August 2021 and went on to meet her husband. She has worked with multiple theatre groups in the Chicago-land, Colorado, and St. Louis area. Her favorite shows she has worked on are In the Soundless Awe with Saltbox Theatre Collective, Pirates of Penzance with Saltbox Theatre Collective, Women of Lockerbie with Concordia University Chicago, and A Christmas Carol with Brickworks Theatre Collective. She is very excited to see what the future has in store for her.

MK Perling - Board Treasurer // MK is a St. Louis transplant with a B.S. in Acting from Illinois State University. She first joined Brickworks as a company member in A Christmas Carol, and is honored to now serve on the board. She worked with Kara, G

MK Perling - Board Treasurer // MK is a St. Louis transplant with a B.S. in Acting from Illinois State University. She first joined Brickworks as a company member in A Christmas Carol, and is honored to now serve on the board. She worked with Kara, Geordie, and Alison on Cat’s Cradle Theatre’s production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot in 2021, and trained with Matt at the 2018 Central Illinois Stage Combat Workshop. She lives in St Louis with her wife and 2 cats.