David Ellenstein, Artistic Director, Born into a theatrical family, David Ellenstein has worked in theatres across the country. After filling the role in an interim capacity since September 2022, In May 2023, David was named Artistic Director of Laguna Playhouse. In addition, David has been the Artistic Director of North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, CA since 2003. He is the former Artistic Director of Los Angeles Repertory Company and Arizona Jewish Theatre. A veteran of over 300 theatrical productions, over nearly five decades, his credits include The Coconut Grove Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Alabama, Great Lakes, and California Shakespeare Festivals, Portland Stage, 59E59, The Meadowbrook Theatre, and Colony Theatre.
Denys Baker, General Manager, joined the Playhouse in 2017 following a six-year stint as the Administrative Project Manager at the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) where she is proud to have worked on the $34M conversion of the Strand Theater. Prior to her work at A.C.T., Denys spent 25 years in NYC managing Broadway productions including the Tony Award-winning production of CABARET at Studio 54. She holds an MFA in Performing Arts Management and first came to Southern California in 2010 as General Manager for threesixty Entertainment’s production of PETER PAN performed in a circus tent. Denys is thrilled to be in Laguna where she can pursue her love of hiking and backpacking and continue training to reach her goal of climbing to Everest Base Camp.
Tom Horvath, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations, is a marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in the theatre industry. He began his career as a performer, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from Wagner College, followed by a Master of Arts in Arts and Culture Management with a marketing concentration from the University of Denver.
With a background that combines both on-stage and off-stage expertise, Tom has focused on adapting to post-COVID operations in his work. Most recently, he served as Director of Brand Development for a senior living community, where he enhanced brand identity and secured major partnerships with organizations such as Hoag and California State University Long Beach, strengthening the overall well-being of residents and providing an appropriate environment for them to age-in-place. Now, Tom is thrilled to apply his skills at the Laguna Playhouse, where his passion for the arts and marketing will help create impactful, community-driven initiatives.
In addition to his work at the Laguna Playhouse, Tom serves as a Board Member for the non-profit agency Professional Arts Education Center (PAEC) in Torrance, where he assists with marketing, fundraising campaigns, and creating opportunities for South Bay youth to achieve their dreams of becoming theatrical performers.
Joe Alanes, Director of Education & Outreach, has had the privilege of being the Director of Education & Outreach at Laguna Playhouse since October 2021, and it has been such a joy to be able to serve the community in this way, and to be a small part of Laguna Playhouse’s monumental legacy. He especially loves to direct the students in the Youth Theatre productions, in shows such as Wanda’s World and The Lightning Thief: the Percy Jackson musical. Joe is also a teaching artist at South Coast Repertory, where he performed in his first Actors Equity contract many years ago. Aside from acting and teaching, he has also directed there as the Junior Players Director for a number of years, directing plays such as The Jungle Book, and Riding the Wind: Story Plays of Old China. Joe was also Co-Artistic Director of Modjeska Playhouse, where he had directed and acted in a number of plays, including True West, She Kills Monsters, and The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (abridged), and many more. He has also taught at the Orange County School of the Arts, where he directed several plays including Spoon River Anthology, a collaboration between OCSA and Modjeska Playhouse, and several other shows. He taught many grade levels and many different subjects while there. He was also formerly Director of Theatre at Mater Dei, having directed shows such as All Shook Up, Little Shop of Horrors, You Can’t Take it With You, and Les Miserables, among many others. He enjoyed getting to do unique things there, like playing Lafayette from Hamilton in the Homecoming Rally and staging a surprise flash mob performance of One Day More at another rally (you can find it on YouTube, it’s hilarious). Joe has also toured the country with various productions as an actor, ASM, stage manager, and company manager, and was a director and program manager at Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre. Joe graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and is currently completing his MA in Education and CTE Credential in Performing Arts and Media. He is a proud member of Actors Equity Association, and a new member of The Parents-of-Kids-in-Out-of-State-College club.
Lisa HalePartner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLCChair
Justin MyersEntrepreneur Vice Chair
Harley BassmanManaging Partner at Simplify Asset Management Board Treasurer
Jeff WinstonRetired, Chief Technology Officer, Allergan, Inc. Board Secretary
Jared K. MathisCEO, Moulton CompanyGovernance and Nominations
Heidi MillerOwner, Tight Assets, The World NewstandExecutive Committee at Large
Heather Anne Chalmers
Torin J CunninghamPediatric Orthopedic Surgery
James HaleManaging Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLC
Dr. Gary JenkinsRetired Pediatrician
Barbara MacGillivrayExecutive, MacGillivray Freeman Films
Xiaohong RoseEntrepreneur
Ryan SmithAttorney, Greenberg Traurig
Richard Thomas
Artistic DirectorDavid Ellenstein
Emeritus Trustees
Glenn E. Gray
Joe HanauerCombined Investments, LLC.
Otis HealySr Vice President and Western Regional Director, Smith Barney & Co (retired)
Ilona MartinArtist
Melinda MassonCEO, Masson Strategic Advisors LLC
Jim Mellor
Artistic Director, David Ellenstein
MANAGEMENTGeneral Manager, Denys BakerAssistant General Manager/Company Manager, Rachel Garlington
FINANCE AND ITBookkeeper, Rae MetcalfeWebsite Consultant, Andrew LombardiManaged IT Services, Method Technologies
DEVELOPMENTAssociate Director of Development, Savannah CaseyDevelopment Manager, Mary GrantGrants Writer, Annamarie Maricle
PRODUCTIONProduction Manager, Jordan MullerTechnical Director, Paul RossiResident Sound Designer/Audio Engineer, Jesse WorleyLighting Supervisor/Light Board Operator, Jeremy PlantWardrobe Supervisor, Stacey NezdaProduction Management Assistant, Devon Rieckhof
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSDirector of Marketing, Communications and PR, Tom HorvathMarketing Manager, Mackenzee OsborneMarketing Assistant, Alexus LomberaGraphic Designer, Teresa EnglishPress Consultant, David Elzer, Demand PRBroadcast Consultant, Nancy Pank, Nancy's Media BuysTICKETING SERVICESAssociate Director of Ticketing and Customer Service, Chelsea MorganAssistant Ticketing Services Manager, Morgan LealBox Office Lead, Nikki JohnsonTicket Service Representative, Robert Phipps, Marlon Gomez-Smith, Olivia MancillasSeason Ticket Sales, Theatre Direct
EDUCATIONDirector of Education, Youth Theatre, Joe AlanesEducation and Outreach Coordinator, Nakisa AschtianiTeaching Artists, Jack Clark, Cynthia Hamidi, Sabrina Harper, Anthony Kairouz, Mary Sherg Kaye, Toni Redman, Keya Vance
FACILITIES OPERATIONSFacilities Manager, David BryantFacility Maintenance Technician, Brandon Sandoval
FRONT OF HOUSEArtistic & Audience Services Manager, Wally ZieglerHouse Manager, Clara BushAssistant House Manager, Jane SabarreParking Supervisor, Curtis PebleyBartender, Leanne Nolan
CONSULTANTSLegal Services, Stephen Berry, Paul Hastings
