Maggie Petersen

Maggie Petersen began playing the piano at quite a young age, mostly because her mother was a piano teacher. At Montana State University, she continued to study piano but also began to pursue her interest in mime and movement theatre. After graduating in 1977, Maggie began her acting career.

In 1978, Maggie formed the Magic Circle Mime Company with her creative partner, Douglas MacIntyre. Since then, they have created and performed concert programs with orchestras throughout the United States and around the world.

Maggie lives with her family in Walnut Creek, California. In addition to piano, she now plays the accordion and harp and teaches music and movement workshops throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mark Douglas MacIntyre

After completing his university studies in Theatre Arts, Douglas MacIntyre began working professionally as an actor, playwright, and director in regional theatres of the West and Midwest. After serving as Assistant Stage Director for an opera production, he was given the opportunity to create and perform a touring educational concert for symphony orchestra by the Music Director of the Spokane Symphony. This program was so singularly successful, it soon led to invitations from other orchestras.

In 1978, Douglas formed the Magic Circle Mime Company with his creative partner, Maggie Peterson. Since then, they have created and performed concert programs with orchestras throughout the United States and around the world.

In addition to performing, Douglas has also created and lead workshops in theatre and music for public and private schools, youth orchestras, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and in 2010, the U.S. Army School of Music.

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka became the first associate member of the Magic Circle Mime Company in 2007, the same year she graduated from Northwestern University with a double major in Bassoon Studies and Social Policy. While at Northwestern, she performed in numerous musical ensembles and as a member of The Mime Company. Since joining Magic Circle Mime, Sara has performed in numerous national and international productions.

Originally from Seattle, Sara is now a Los Angeles-based improviser and actor and performs regularly with Los Angeles Theatresports. Regionally, she has worked with Book-It Repertory Theater, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Seattle Children’s Theater, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and has appeared in numerous local and national commercials.

Gordon Carpenter

In addition to his work with the Magic Circle Mime Company, Gordon Carpenter is an actor and stage fight choreographer. He has performed numerous roles with The Seattle Shakespeare Company, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, and the Georgia Shakespeare Festival as well as many Seattle area theaters. He has worked as a fight choreographer for Shakespeare productions including Macbeth, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet. He has also performed as a sword fighter in a Seattle Opera production of Rigoletto and served as fight choreographer and movement specialist for the Young Artist Program at Seattle Opera.

His performances with the Magic Circle Mime Company include the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

K. Brian Neel

K. Brian Neel comes to Magic Circle Mime with more than 20 years of experience in professional theatre. He began working with a physical improvisation company as a student at the University of New Mexico—moving to Seattle in 1989 where he completed his studies at the University of Washington. He has worked in Seattle area theatres and toured the U.S. with the Seattle Mime Theatre. Brian’s résumé includes musical performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, stage directing Verdi’s “Louisa Miller” for Puget Sound Opera, clown work for Teatro Zinzanni, and performing in the web-based science fiction series, “The Coffee Table.” He has created 6 solo theatre pieces including a one-man ukulele opera. His performances with orchestra include the Seattle, Kansas City, Wheeling, and Regina Symphonies.

Brian lives in Seattle with his wife and 2 daughters in a house that he largely designed and built himself—a holdover activity from his days as an architecture student in New Mexico.