Monika’s involvement with Theatre B dates back to 2012 when she debuted as a guest performer in ReEntry. Her active engagement expanded over the years, encompassing diverse roles, including performing (The Art of Bad Men, Hamlet, Small Mouth Sounds, Decked!, etc), directing (Meditation Retreat– a collaboration with the Plains Art Museum, The Cake), and designing for various productions (Straight White Men, Church and State, Blackbird, The Last Schwartz, The Roommate, The Lifespan of a Fact, to name a few). In 2017, she was invited to join the artistic ensemble and subsequently assumed the Operations and Production Manager position in 2018.

Currently, Monika is stepping into the role of Managing Director, undertaking pivotal responsibilities such as overseeing business aspects of Theatre B with a primary focus on operations and finance, artistic support, marketing and audience services, fundraising and development, audience engagement, board relations, and human resources. Her commitment to advocating for art and artists is a driving force behind developing a strategic vision for the company alongside her valued colleagues.

“I believe that art is a public good, and as a non-profit theatre company, we provide this good for our community through high-quality artistic work.”

Contact Monika at monika@theatreb.org

Jon Micheels Leiseth is thrilled to serve as Theatre B’s Artistic Director. He’s drawn to the company’s commitments to theatre as fundamental and the arts as essential, to ensemble, and to creating new works and reimagined existing works that ignite conversation and action; conversation and action that contribute to the transformation of our perspectives, our lives, and our communities.
Theatre B credits include directing What the Constitution Means to Me (upcoming), This Random World, The Roommate, and the ND reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later at the Fargo Theatre as part of the national premiere. He also acted in Ellis Island: The Dream of America, B’s collaboration with the Fargo Moorhead Symphony.

Regional professional credits (acting, directing, improvising, and devising) include Dudley Riggs’ Brave New Workshop, Guthrie, Minneapolis Fringe Festival, Ten Thousand Things, and 15 HEAD – a theatre lab, his artistic home for nearly a decade. In addition, Leiseth has worked as a teaching theatre artist for 25+ years, teaching students from grade school to grad school with Century College, College of St. Catherine, Liquid Labyrinth (MT), Moorhead High School, SteppingStone, the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and more. He earned an MFA from the University of Montana in Missoula and has trained with Anne Bogart, Sojourn, North American Cultural Laboratory….
Jon is married to Tessa Moon Leiseth and they have two fabulous young adult children and one beloved dog, named Thula (TOO-lah). The whole family enjoys travel, exploring food, reading and all kinds of storytelling.

Contact Jon at jml@theatreb.org

Bekah Fornes has been working as a Technical Director and Scenic Designer since she graduated from North Dakota State University in 2015. She has enjoyed her time working in educational theater, but is excited for her next chapter. She has worked on many shows with Theatre B and is looking forward to continuing her time with the company in a staff position. Bekah enjoys working with the many talented artists that this community has to offer. She loves the collaborative aspect of theater and the unique perspective it brings to each new production. 

Bekah has always appreciated the thought provoking stories Theatre B has shared with our community. She hopes to further Theatre B’s mission by providing cohesive and bold imagery that helps to bring the important stories being told to life.

Contact Bekah at bekah@theatreb.org

Whitney began her work at Theatre B in January 2024 and holds the position of Operations Assistant. She’s a bit of jack of all trades here, meaning she does just about a little bit of everything! She assists in managing the social media accounts and with the marketing for shows during the production season, dives into community engagement, and helps with the box office during performances. Working at Theatre B has been a rewarding time because it has given her the chance to learn and gain experience in a different facet of the industry as well as make connections with some fantastic members of the F-M community.

“Prior to working at Theatre B I had always heard about their work in challenging the perceived narratives. Getting to see how that work is done and actively participating in fostering more conversations is thrilling and I’m excited to continue supporting those values.”

Contact Whitney at whitney@theatreb.org