John Anker Bow, originally from Hamilton, NJ, graduated from Rider University in 2003 with his BA in English Literature and Secondary Education. Alpha Psi Omega credits include I Hate Hamlet (Barrymore), Anne Frank and Me (Jack Polin), as well as numerous improv shows and cabarets.
Rider Theatre Department performance credits include The Boys Next Door (Jack), Company (Bobby), My Favorite Year (Benjy Stone) and Forum (Hero). His student teaching was conducted in Montgomery Township, NJ (7th grade Language Arts/Drama).
His first “gig” as a performer was as a singing server at the Show Place Ice Cream Parlour on Long Beach Island in the summer of 2000. John would later manage and host the Show Place from 2001 until 2005 and directed children’s theatre for the adjacent Surflight Theatre from 2002 until 2006. Surflight credits include Beau Jest (Joel), Forever Plaid (Smudge), Biloxi Blues (Hennesey) and The Lion in Winter (Geoffrey). In 2004, John became Director of Educational Outreach at Surflight Theatre and founded the educational touring company Surflight To-Go, now in its 7th season.
John has taught and performed for Pennsylvania Youth Theatre in Bethlehem, PA since 2004 and has directed productions of James and the Giant Peach and Charlotte’s Web. He substitute teaches at the Theatre Arts Center of Doylestown, PA and also coaches acting privately. John’s recent credits include Lloyd in Noises Off at the Palace Theatre in New Hampshire, Forever Plaid (Smudge) at the Boothbay Opera House in Maine, a season at Bucks County Playhouse (Oklahoma!, Carousel, Oliver!), four seasons with Nebraska Theatre Caravan’s A Christmas Carol tour, voiceover work for Little Fox Productions, Hello, Dolly! (Cornelius) with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra and an outreach job working as The Storybook Man for the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership.
In addition to his performance credits, John is an inventive writer and has developed several musical plays for young audiences that have been performed at hundreds of schools in NJ, NY, PA, DE and CT, as well as at St. Michael’s Playhouse in Colchester, VT.
His newest work, Maggie McGee Goes Green premieres with Surflight To-Go in September of 2010. To read Maggie’s environmental blog and find out how you can “go green” too, visit www.maggiemcgeegoesgreen.blogspot.com.
