David Ellenstein, Artistic Director, Born into a theatrical family, David Ellenstein has worked in theatres across the country. Since 2003, David has been the Artistic Director of North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, CA. He is the former Artistic Director of Los Angeles Repertory Company and Arizona Jewish Theatre. A veteran of over 300 theatrical productions, he has worked at theatres across the country for nearly five decades, including Coconut Grove Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Alabama, Great Lakes, and California Shakespeare Festivals, Portland Stage, 59E59, The Meadowbrook Theatre, Colony Theatre, and Laguna Playhouse.
Among the more than 60 productions that David has 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), Cyrano de Bergerac (Southwest Theatre Company), Chapatti, and Alexandros (Laguna Playhouse).
Favorite roles as an actor include Andrey Botvinnck 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.
Bill Kerlin, Managing Director, Originally from Valparaiso, Indiana, Mr. Kerlin brings over 30 years of finance, marketing, and sales experience to the Laguna Playhouse, including 12 years as Managing Director for North Coast Repertory Theatre and sixteen seasons as the Director of Administration at the legendary Coconut Grove Playhouse, in Miami. During the time that Bill served at Coconut Grove, it was the largest professional not-for-profit producing theatre in the State of Florida. Mr. Kerlin graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Miami in 1984. While he completed his Master of Science from Florida International University, he concurrently taught classes at Miami-Dade College. He was also the Chief Financial Officer for Professionals’ Retirement Strategy, a national insurance and retirement planning service firm in Irvine, CA. He has also served as a Board Member for Camposition, a performing arts company whose mission was to push the boundary between contemporary performance and activism through live performance, interactive outreach programs, and professional development trainings.
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.
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.
Teryll Sindell, Director of Development and Major Giving, has been serving the Laguna Playhouse and its patrons in various roles from the Box-Office, to her current role since 2011. Teryll is intimately involved in the fundraising and communications that support the Playhouse. Her prior decades of success in the world of advertising and sales in TV, Newspapers, and direct mail, along with her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration & Marketing have proven to be an excellent foundation for her work here at the Playhouse. Since her teenage years when she used to spend summers in Laguna Beach, Teryll’s dream was to one day work with the Playhouse as it has been one of her great “loves”.
Joe Alanes, Director of Education
Lisa HalePartner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLCCo-Chair
Jared K. MathisCEO, Moulton CompanyCo-Chair
Kate E. Phelan-LowenSenior Vice President, US Bank Private Wealth ManagementVice Chair
Harley BassmanManaging Partner at Simplify Asset Management Board Treasurer
Jeff WinstonRetired, Chief Technology Officer, Allergan, Inc. Board Secretary
Justin MyersEntrepreneur Board Governance and Nominations
Scott ArmaniniAssistant Professor at USC
Torin J CunninghamPediatric Orthopedic Surgery
James HaleManaging Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLC
Joe HanauerPrincipal, Combined Investments, LLC
Robert HarperVP of Operations, Agiliti Health
Dr. Gary JenkinsRetired Pediatrician
Barbara MacGillivrayExecutive, MacGillivray Freeman Films
Greg MacGillivrayChairman, MacGillivray Freeman Films
Suzanne MellorRetired Artist
Heidi MillerOwner, Tight Assets, The World Newstand
Xiaohong RoseEntrepreneur
Jordy SpiegelCEO & Chairman, IKM
Sasha TalebiManaging Director, Sequence Venture Group
Interim Artistic DirectorDavid Ellenstein
Emeritus Trustees
Glenn E. Gray
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
Managing Director, Bill Kerlin
MANAGEMENTGeneral Manager, Denys BakerAssistant General Manager/Company Manager, Rachel Garlington
FINANCE AND TICKETINGChief Financial Officer/Chief Technology Officer, Veltria RomanAccounting/HR Assistant, Larry StotzTicketing Services Senior Manager, Chelsea MorganAssistant Ticketing Services Manager, Morgan LealBox Office Lead, Nikki JohnsonTicket Service Representative, Stephanie Eng, Peter Knick, Robert PhippsWebsite Consultant, Andrew LombardiIT Services
DEVELOPMENTDirector of Development and Major Giving, Teryll SindellGrants and Community Outreach Manager, Erin O'FlahertyDevelopment and Donor Relations Manager, Savannah CaseyGrants and Community Outreach Associate, Bria Holt
PRODUCTIONProduction Manager, Jordan MullerWardrobe Supervisor, Stacey NezdaResident Sound Designer/Audio Engineer, Ian ScotLighting Supervisor/Light Board Operator, Jeremy PlantMaster CarpenterTechnical Production Consultant, Paul RossiTechnical Director, Vincent Logozzo
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSMarketing & Media Manager, Johnny EberhardtMarketing Coordinator, Mackenzee OsbornePress Consultant, David Elzer, Demand PRBroadcast Consultant, Nancy Pank, Nancy's Media BuysSeason Ticket Sales, Theatre Direct
EDUCATIONDirector of Education, Youth Theatre, Joe AlanesTeaching Artists, Eric Hagen, Sabrina Harper, Ben Hartley, Stephanie Holt, Steve Northeast, Emily O’Flaherty, Ellen Prince, Toni Redman, Christopher Smith, Arizsia Stanton
FACILITIES OPERATIONSFacilities Manager, David BryantFacility Maintenance Technician, Brian Lyter
FRONT OF HOUSEArtistic & Audience Services Manager, Wally ZieglerHouse Manager, Jules ButlerParking Supervisor, Curtis PebleyBartender, Leanne Nolan
CONSULTANTSLegal Services, Stephen Berry, Paul Hastings
