Laguna Playhouse - Our People

Leadership/ Senior Staff

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.

David's directorial credits at Laguna Playhouse include Honky Tonk Angles, The Remarkable Mister Holmes, Eleanor, A View From The Bridge, Holmes And Watson, A Shayna Maidel, The Angel Next Door, Chapatti, Alexandros and, as an actor, playing "Einstein in Picasso At The Lapine Agile. Among the more than 60 productions directed at North Coast Rep, favorites include The Remarkable Mister Holmes, which he co-authored, An Iliad, Dr. Glas (Streaming), Becoming Cuba (World Premiere), The Father (West Coast Premiere), Travels with My Aunt, Words by Ira Gershwin (World Premiere), Freud’s Last Session, Becoming Dr. Ruth and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

At other venues memorable productions include The Glass Menagerie (Alabama Shakespeare), A Shayna Maidel (Gaslamp Quarter Theatre), The Chosen (Papermill Playhouse, The Coconut Grove Playhouse), Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Renaissance Theatre), Conversations with My Father (Portland Repertory Theatre), and Cyrano de Bergerac (Southwest Theatre Company).

Favorite roles as an actor include Andrey Botvinnik in A Walk in the Woods, Max Prince in Laughter on the 23rd Floor and Matt in Talley’s Folly at  North Coast Rep, title roles in Hamlet at Los Angeles Theatre Center and Los Angeles Repertory Company; Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Moonlight Stage, Richard III at California Shakespeare Festival; Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Laguna Playhouse; Calisto in The Illusion and Harker in Dracula at the Arizona Theatre Company; Jonathan in Sight Unseen at North Coast Rep and Portland Repertory Theatre. David has appeared in more than two dozen roles in film and television, and has been guest faculty for several universities including California State Northridge and Cal Arts.

Adele Adkins, Managing Director, is an arts leader with over 25 years of experience in nonprofit theater management and programming. She most recently served as Managing Director of Bucks County Playhouse, where she expanded revenue, increased subscriber growth, and spearheaded key initiatives in equity, accessibility, and community engagement. She has booked performances across the full spectrum of venues—from intimate 100-seat theaters to 7,000-seat arenas—presenting everything from classical music and Broadway tours to major country music stars and a wide range of genres in between. Adele has also led the Clark State Performing Arts Center in Ohio, the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine. Her early career includes leadership roles at the Collins Center for the Arts and the Maine Center for the Arts. A Juilliard-trained cellist, she brings a lifelong dedication to performance, education, and cultural leadership. Adele is a sought-after consultant for performing arts centers and theaters, known for her expertise in strategic planning and innovative revenue growth strategies.

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.

Board of Trustees

Lisa Hale
Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLC
Chair

Justin Myers
Entrepreneur
Vice Chair

Harley Bassman
Managing Partner at Simplify Asset Management
Board Treasurer

Jeff Winston
Retired, Chief Technology Officer, Allergan, Inc.
Board Secretary

Jared K. Mathis
CEO, Moulton Company
Governance and Nominations

Heidi Miller
Owner, Tight Assets, The World Newstand
Executive Committee at Large

Heather Anne Chalmers

Torin J Cunningham
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery

James Hale
Managing Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLC

Dr. Gary Jenkins
Retired Pediatrician

Barbara MacGillivray
Executive, MacGillivray Freeman Films

Ryan Smith
Attorney, Greenberg Traurig

Artistic Director
David Ellenstein

Emeritus Trustees

Glenn E. Gray

Joe Hanauer
Combined Investments, LLC.

Otis Healy
Sr Vice President and Western Regional Director, Smith Barney & Co (retired)

Ilona Martin
Artist

Melinda Masson
CEO, Masson Strategic Advisors LLC

Staff

Artistic Director, David Ellenstein
Adele Adkins, Managing Director

MANAGEMENT
General Manager, Denys Baker
Assistant General Manager/Company Manager, Rachel Garlington

FINANCE
Controller, Rae Metcalf
Bookkeeper, Karsyn VonAchen

ADVANCEMENT
Director of Advancement, Erin Simon

Development Coordinator, Nicole Armour
Marketing Manager, Gracie Fleischman
Ticketing Systems & Data Analytics Manager, Jason Hughes
Marketing Coordinator, Alexus Lombera

PATRON SERVICES
Patron Services Manager, Morgan Leal
Ticketing Services Lead, Nikki Johnson
Ticket Service Representatives, Marlon Gomez-Smith, Olivia Mancillas

PRODUCTION
Production Manager, Jordan Muller
Technical Director, Paul Rossi
Lighting Supervisor/Light Board Operator, Jeremy Plant
Wardrobe Supervisor, Stacey Nezda
Production Management Assistant, Devon Rieckhof

EDUCATION
Education and Outreach Coordinator, Nakisa Aschtiani
Teaching Artists, Jack Clark, Sabrina Harper, Anthony Kairouz, Corrine Mohr, Luzma Ortiz, Hillary Pearson, Toni Redman, Kelsey Redmond, Evan Troutt, Meghan Andrews, & Ella Wyatt

FRONT OF HOUSE
Artistic & Audience Services Manager, Wally Ziegler
House Manager, Clara Bush
Assistant House Manager, Jane Sabarre
Parking Supervisor, Curtis Pebley

Leanne Nolan, Bartender

FACILITIES OPERATIONS
Facilities and IT Operations Manager, David Bryant
Facility Maintenance Technician, Brandon Sandoval

CONSULTANTS
Legal Services, Stephen Berry
Press Consultant, David Elzer, Demand PR
IT Services, Method Technologies
Graphic Designer, Teresa Meza
Website Consultant, Andrew Lombardi
Financial Services, Fohrman and Fohrman Inc.
Medical Provider, Caduceus Medical Group, Dr. Gregg deNicola