Ellen Richard, Executive Director, joined the Laguna Playhouse in 2016 after serving as Executive Director of the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) in San Francisco. There she oversaw the purchase, design and construction of the Strand Theatre, secured grants enabling ACT to offer no-cost rehearsal space to local artists and greatly expanded the company's education programming. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of the Second Stage Theatre in New York City. There she oversaw the purchase of the historic Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway, and provided the initial home for the Broadway productions of Everyday Rapture, Next to Normal, and The Little Dog Laughed. Ellen also enjoyed a rich and varied career with Roundabout Theatre Company. When Ellen first joined the Roundabout, it was a small nonprofit theater company in bankruptcy. By the time she departed as Managing Director, Roundabout had become one of the country's largest and most successful theatre companies in the country. Ellen produced more than 125 shows at Roundabout, and is the recipient of six Tony Awards as producer, for productions of Cabaret (1998), A View From the Bridge (1998), Side Man (1999), Nine (2003), Assassins (2004) and Glengarry Glen Ross (2005). She began her career working as a stagehand, sound designer and scenic artist assistant. Ellen serves on the board of Theatre Communications Group, the nation’s largest service organization for the theatre field.
Ann E. Wareham, Artistic Director, joined Laguna Playhouse in 2010 as Associate Producer and assumed the role of Artistic Director in August 2011. She worked for 27 years as a producing partner and Producing Associate to Gordon Davidson at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, producing such plays as Ain’t Misbehavin’, Pippin, Spring Awakening, No Child…, Sweeney Todd, Distracted, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Edward Scissorhands, In the Continuum, Pyrenees, The Black Rider, Without Walls, Stuff Happens, Like Jazz, The Talking Cure, A Perfect Wedding and Putting It Together. Ann was part of the producing team for Deaf West Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening at Inner City Arts and the Wallis Theatre in Los Angeles as well as for its critically acclaimed production on Broadway in 2015. In 2010, she supported the Pasadena Playhouse as Associate Producer for the West Coast premiere of Dangerous Beauty. Her early producing career included productions at the CAST Theatre, the Met and Theatre Rapport in Los Angeles, and The Victory Theatre where she served on the board of directors.
Denys Baker, General Manager, recently joined the Playhouse 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 climb to Everest Base Camp in 2022.
Dee Dee Irwin, Associate Producer/Director of Marketing and Communications, joined Laguna Playhouse in fall 2013. Under her direction, the Playhouse has been named "Best in OC" in Live Theatre every year since 2015 by the OC Register. She is part of the team that presents Puppet Up! at the historical Jim Henson Studios, and has served as part of the producing, marketing or box office team for shows including Twist (Dir, Debbie Allen), Baby It’s You (pre-Broadway run), Eric Idle’s What About Dick (now streaming on Netflix), and John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown. She has extensive experience in large-scale multi-day music, television and film festivals, served as the ticketing and events manager for Visa’s Hospitality program at the 2000 and 2002 Olympics. She holds her BA in Theatre, her Masters in Humanities, and is a proud member of IATSE Local 857/ Treasurers and Ticket Sellers and Laguna Beach Arts Alliance (Chair 2019-present; Secretary 2017-2019). She lives in Laguna Niguel with the true love of her life, her dog Pickle.
Veltria Roman, CFO/CTO, joined the Laguna Playhouse team in fall 2014 as Box Office Manager, bringing with her almost 20 years experience working in performing arts and live events in every aspect of including stage management, artistic planning, theater management, human resources, event production, and ticketing operations. Prior to coming to Laguna Playhouse, Veltria spent 3 years working in New York at the Kaufman Music Center restructuring their venue rental and ticketing operations to increase sales in both areas. During this time she also expanded her event production experience working with DeVoe Signature events, the leader in Plus Size Fashion Events. She is responsible for all Finance and Ticketing Operations at the Laguna Playhouse and lends her 8+ years experience in the Tessitura ticketing software to assist in improved patron interaction and Customer Service. Veltria holds a Bachelor's degree in English with a Theater Emphasis and was a panelist and conference planner for TLCC 2016.
Dylan Russell, Director of Education and Outreach, is a specialist in new play development and devised theatre. She has directed productions for the American Conservatory Theatre Conservatory (ACT), TheatreFirst, California Conservatory Theatre, Alchemy Works, New Conservatory Theatre Educational Programs, Cassandra’s Call, and Actors Lab Arizona. Her play Evanescence was workshopped at the Southampton Theatre Festival. She served as Assistant Director on productions with ACT and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Favorite productions include – Future Me (TheatreFIRST), Cassandra (ACT), Persistent Vegetative State (Dog² Productions), Speed-the-Play (BRT), as well as adapting & directing two of Roald Dahl’s works, A Lashing of Malice…(Alchemy Works at JMCA) and the North American Premiere of Dahl’s hit children’s book, Matilda (NCTC). She served as Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Jewish Community High School of the Bay, where she created the program and directed/produced over 45 productions. She was recognized as one of the top high school theatre programs in America by Stage Directions Magazine and performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland. She has taught at California Shakespeare Theatre, Northwestern University's National High School Institute, Marin Theatre Company and New Conservatory Theatre Center. Currently, she is Artistic Director & Co-Founder of Dog² Productions. She has studied at SUNY Stonybrook Southampton, Vassar College, Lincoln Center Leadership Lab, Tectonic Moment Institute, A.C.T. and is a graduate of the University of Washington. She is a proud member of AEA, SDC, TYA/ASSITEJ, and TCG.
Glenn E. GrayRetired, Bank CEOBoard Chair
Lisa HalePartner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLCVice Chair
Jared K. MathisCEO, Moulton CompanyGovernance and Nominating
Paul SingarellaPartner, Latham & Watkins LLCImmediate Past Chair
Kate E. Phelan-LowenSenior Vice President, US Bank Private Wealth ManagementSecretary
James HaleManaging Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLCTreasurer
Toni AlexanderPresident and Creative Director, InterCommunicationsInc.
Joe HanauerPrincipal, Combined Investments, LLC
Mo Honarkar4-G Ventures
Dr. Gary JenkinsPediatrician
Barbara MacGillivrayExecutive, MacGillivray Freeman Films
Greg MacGillivrayChairman, MacGillivray Freeman Films
Jeff Meberg Retired, Environmental Recycling Developer
James R. MellorRetired Chairman, CEO General Dynamics Corp.
Heidi MillerOwner, Tight Assets, The World Newstand
Justin MyersEntrepreneur
Xiaohong RoseProgram Developer
Sandra WirtaEntrepreneur
Ann E. WarehamArtistic Director, Laguna Playhouse
Ellen RichardExecutive Director, Laguna Playhouse
Emeritus Trustees
Otis HealySr Vice President and Western Regional Director, Smith Barney & Co (retired)
Ilona MartinArtist
Melinda MassonCEO, Masson Strategic Advisors LLC
Ellen Richard, Executive DirectorAnn E. Wareham, Artistic Director
ManagementDenys Baker, General ManagerRachel Garlington, Assistant General Manager/Company Manager
DevelopmentTeryll Sindell, Director of Major GivingErin O’Flaherty, Grants and Community Outreach ManagerJulian Leal, Development Manager
Education Dylan Russell, Director of Youth Theatre, EducationBethanie Knieser, Associate Director, EducationDiana Burbano, InstructorDiana Brown, InstructorEllen Prince, InstructorErin Sawyer, InstructorLojo Simon, InstructorChristopher Smith, Instructor
Facilities OperationsJamie McGraw, Director of Facilities Operations
FinanceVeltria Roman, CFO/CTOMackenzee Osborne, Assistant Box Office ManagerJadtec Computer Group, IT ServicesAndrew Lombardi, Website ConsultantBonny Yee, Assistant Controller
Front of HouseWally Ziegler, Artist & Audience Services Manager
Marketing and CommunicationsDee Dee Irwin, Associate Producer/Director of Marketing and CommunicationsJohnny Eberhardt, Marketing/Media ManagerDavid Elzer, DEMAND PR, Press ConsultantNancy Pank, Nancy's Media Buys, Broadcast ConsultantTheatre Direct, Season Ticket Sales
Dogs-in-Residence Bailey, Grants CoordinatorCharlie Brown, Community OutreachFinley, Board MemberGusto, Board MemberJack, Executive DepartmentJax, Community OrganizerMoe, Education DepartmentMorgan, Executive DepartmentMurphy, Artistic DepartmentPickle, Head of Security & ActorTamzen, Audience Service ManagerVinnie, Board Member
