Our Core Design Team:
Elliott Schwab - Artistic Director, Deb Belquist - Managing Director, Erin Greiner - Assistant Managing Director
Elliott Schwab - Artistic Director
Elliott grew up in West Fargo, ND. He discoveredhis love for singing in his sixth grade music class, under the tutelage of Sandy Wohlfeil. Having performed in choirs throughout junior high and high school, Schwab continued his musical education at North Dakota State University – from which he received both a Bachelor’s degree in Music and a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance. Elliott joined the DPRCA Actors Stable as the villainous Caldwell B. Cladwell in the 2012 summer production of Urinetown. He entered the fold full-time in the summerof 2014 when he became Artistic Director. As AD, he directs all, and acts in many, of theDPRCA’s productions. Mr. Schwab resides in a posh New Rockford flat where he watches movies, plays video games, and pursues numerous unfinished creative endeavors. He fancies himself a screenwriter and is an avid lover of other peoples’ cats. For show information or to chat about auditioning for future productions, please feel free to contact him at: elliott.r.schwab@gmail.com.
Deb Belquist - Managing Director
Deb started organizing and directing community theatre in 1979 as a part of the community's big annual 4th of July event organized by Celebration Inc. Through Deb’s direction they added other productions throughout the year, such as Holiday Fantasy, plays, concerts and musicals. In the late 1980’s she served as the first Economic Development Director for the city of New Rockford. In 1988, during the state centennial, Deb was recognized for her contribution to the state of North Dakota by the North Dakota Commission on the Status of Women. In 1991 she used her economic development experience to organize a group of community members to form Dakota Prairie Regional Center for the Arts (DPRCA) a 501 C 3 non profit. The organization started as a small group of volunteers producing and creating summer theatre productions. In the 1990's Deb went back to NDSU and attained her degree in theatre and music She has worked with DPRCA for the past 28 years, growing the organization into a renowned arts organization that employs two dozen full and part time employees and serves tens of thousands of audience members. Deb has directed over 100 productions and has impacted hundreds of students, actors, visual artists, and thousands of patrons of New Rockford, and the surrounding communities. She is proud that her arts lifestyle has not only impacted her community, but has also positively impacted her family. Her husband Bob, after years of performing on stage, now volunteers for many building projects and provides much input, advise and support. Their 3 children, Dr. Shelby Terstriep, Elliott and Alex Belquist have all assisted the organization in some shape or form whether on or off the stage and have utilized their art experiences and creativity in their own professions. Deb's legacy continues with her 7 grandchildren who are now all involved in the arts and can often be seen sitting in the front row of each production.
Erin Greiner - Assistant Managing Director
Erin was born in the Chicago area, but as a child of a minister, spent her childhood virtually criss-crossing between the upper midwest and the east coast. It wasn't until her high school years, that Erin was able to settle down in Brookings, SD. It was during these years that she discovered her love of the theatre. After high school she went on to Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji, MN where she pursured a Worship Arts degree with an emphasis on music. It was also at Oak Hills that she met Joe Greiner, whom she would end up marrying. In 2010 Joe received his first pastoral position at the New Rockford Evangelical Free Church. That fall, Erin started working at the Latte Lobby and in 2012 she began managing it. It wasn't until 2013, however, that she joined the onstage personalities, thereby cementing herself as an official member of the DPRCA’s stable of actors. In 2018 Erin was promoted to Assistant Managing Director. When not working at the Latte Lobby, putting together a production, or singing and dancing for a sold out audience, Erin enjoys spending time at home with her husband and five kids. To contact Erin send an email to ering.dprca@gmail.com.
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