The Covert Team
GENERAL MANAGER
Edith Fumarola
ACTRESS | IMPROVISOR | WICKED ENCHANTRESS - Edith has been an active member of the Covert Theatre since 2018 and joined the Improv Bandits in 2021. She is passionate about the Covert Theatre and the wonderful community it serves. She weaves her magic to ensure the Theatre runs smoothly and lives its purpose.
EDUCATION MANAGER
Nik Edwards
ACTOR | SINGER | DANCER | IMPROVISOR | EDUCATION MANAGER - Nik is an experienced actor, singer and dance teacher. Nik is especially passionate about working with young people and has done so in many guises - as a primary school teacher, on a cruise ship, as a drama teacher, and a museum educator. He loves sharing the joy of improv through performing and teaching.
DIGITAL MARKETING
Christine Rogers
MARKETING | SOCIAL | DIGITAL - Specialising in content creation and social media management, Christine has been in marketing for over a decade serving businesses that hold their values high in every step they take. With a love of theatre and self-expression, the fit was perfect to have Christine jump on the team. You'll see her brilliance on our social channels as well as putting together our weekly newsletters.
DESIGN
Matt Allen (mata)
DESIGNER | CREATIVE | NERD | DEVELOPER - Matt has been in the design industry since 1991, witnessing the change from traditional design through to digital. Matt has been covertly creating promotional collateral for the Covert Theatre for many years now. He looks after the website and helps with regular event promotional design.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Wade Jackson
FOUNDER | IMPROV | COACH | SPEAKER | BLACK BELT - Wade is the founder of The Improv Bandits and the Covert Theatre. He began improvising in 1994 and just hasn’t stopped. He has toured around the world directing, teaching and performing improvised comedy. He was asked to audition for Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1999, won the International Maestro title in 2000 at the Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary and was a member of The Improv Bandits when they won the 2002 World Cage Match Championship at IO in the Chicago Improv Festival. He’s an award-winning producer of live theatre and is the co-founder of the Auckland Improv Festival.
As Artistic Director, Wade is responsible for the Covert Theatre’s vision, direction and quality of improvisation. He is the guardian of the culture within the theatre and the ever increasing high standard of performance.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Matt Armstrong
IMPROVISER | CREATIVE | DIRECTOR - Matt has been performing improv for over 20 years and has been on stages throughout NZ and in the US and Japan.
Matt is the co-producer of The Fother Muckers, the late night puppet show and creator of the improv shows In Bono Veritas and the Game of Life which was performed in the Brisbane Improv Festival.
As an Associate Director, Matt brings vision, analysis and a strong desire for everyone to be the best improviser they can be.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
CJ Le Mon
IMPROVISER | COMMUNITY | CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DESIGN - After 10 years of getting so much joy from the Covert Theatre, Carolyn is excited to give back as an assistant director. Her role is to support the Covert community, to help the members grow and develop, and milk as much fun as they can from this awesome place. She brings her varied experience in improv and from her day job in customer experience design, but most of all she brings her heart, cheerleading skills, and total confidence in everyone’s amazingness. Go team!
TECHNICAL MANAGER
Keir Robertson
LIGHTS | SOUND | IMPROV - Keir is responsible for all things technical at the Covert. He joined the Covert in 2001 after graduating from South Seas film school. He played with the kids onstage for a few years before finding his niche doing lights and sound where he has remained as a stalwart techo for most of the Covert shows since. Keir really relishes the chance to use his improv experience alongside the cast with light and sound, and from the techie’s box; enjoys the best and funniest view in the house.