Who we are

Johanna Pfaelzer
Artistic Director

Johanna joined Berkeley Rep in the 2019/20 season as its fourth artistic director. Prior to her arrival at Berkeley Rep, she served for 12 years as the artistic director of New York Stage and Film (NYSAF), a New York City-based organization dedicated to the development of new works for theatre, film, and television. Notable works that were developed under Johanna’s leadership at NYSAF include the Tony Award-winning Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Humans by Stephen Karam, Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell, The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe, Junk and The Invisible Hand by Ayad Akhtar, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music by Taylor Mac, The Homecoming Queen by Ngozi Anyanwu, The Great Leap by Lauren Yee, John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer- and Tony Award–winning Doubt, The Fortress of Solitude by Michael Friedman and Itamar Moses, The Jacksonian by Beth Henley, and Green Day’s American Idiot. In addition, Johanna is proud to have developed the work of many notable writers, both established and early-career, including Jocelyn Bioh, Zach Helm, Halley Feiffer, Billy Porter, Lucy Thurber, Duncan Sheik, V (formerly Eve Ensler), Steven Sater, Jaclyn Backhaus, Patricia Wettig, and Marcus Gardley. She was formerly a producing director of Zena Group, and served for five years as the associate artistic director of American Conservatory Theater. Johanna is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Actors Theatre of Louisville Apprentice Program, and has taught in the MFA Theatre Program at Columbia University School of the Arts. She lives in Berkeley with her husband, Russell Champa, and their son, Jasper.

Susie Medak
Managing Director

Susie has served as Berkeley Rep’s managing director since 1990, leading the administration and operations of the Theatre. She has served as president of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and treasurer of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), organizations that represent the interests of nonprofit theatres across the nation. Susie has served on the Yale School of Drama’s Editorial board, since its inception. She chaired panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Arts Council and has also served on program panels for Arts Midwest and the Joyce Foundation. Closer to home, Susie served on the board of the Downtown Berkeley Association (DBA) and currently sits on the Labor Commission for the City of Berkeley. She is the founding chair of the Berkeley Arts in Education Steering Committee for Berkeley Unified School District and the Berkeley Cultural Trust. Susie taught at the Yale School of Drama for over fifteen years during which time she mentored many of the managers leading theatres across the country. She is an Assistant Lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and teaches with the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum and the Mont Blanc Ladies’ Literary Guild and Trekking Society. She was awarded the 2012 Benjamin Ide Wheeler Medal by the Berkeley Community Fund and the 2017 Visionary Leadership Award by TCG. During her time in Berkeley, Susie has been instrumental in the construction of the Roda Theatre, the Nevo Education Center, the renovation of the Peet’s Theatre, and in the acquisition of the Harrison Street campus. She also worked with three consecutive mayors to help create Berkeley’s Downtown Arts District.

Tom Parrish
Incoming Managing Director

Tom has served as a theatre leader and arts administrator for over 20 years, with experience in organizations ranging from multi-venue performing arts centers to major, Tony Award-winning theatre companies. Prior to Berkeley Rep, he served as Executive Director of Trinity Repertory Company, Geva Theatre Center, and Merrimack Repertory Theatre and as Associate Managing Director/General Manager of San Diego Repertory Theatre. As a producer, he has produced over 140 productions, including over 30 world premieres, 11 of which were world premiere commissions. Recognized as a thought and industry leader, he has served as Treasurer of the League of Resident Theatres, on the Board of Directors of Theatre Forward, and as a consultant to theatre producers and arts organizations around the country, most recently as Interim Chief Operating Officer of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. His work has been recognized with a NAACP Theatre Award for Best Producer; “Forty Under 40” recognition in Providence, Rochester, the Merrimack Valley, and San Diego; the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award from the National Eagle Scout Association; and the Best Practice Award for Leadership from the Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence at the Rhode Island Foundation. He received his MBA/MA, Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University; BA in Theater Arts and Economics from Case Western Reserve University; attended the Commercial Theater Institute, National Theater Institute, and Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management; and is certified in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Northwestern University.

Artistic

Director, The Ground Floor / Resident Dramaturg
Madeleine Oldham

Artists Under Commission
Todd Almond
Christina Anderson
Rafael Casal
Daveed Diggs
Dipika Guha
Richard Montoya
Nico Muhly
Lisa Peterson
Sarah Ruhl
Tori Sampson
Jack Thorne
Joe Waechter

Production and Company Management

Director of Production
Audrey Hoo

Associate Production Manager
Kali Grau

Company Manager
Peter Orkiszewski

Stage Operations

Stage Supervisor
Julia Englehorn

Staff Stage Crew
James McGregor

Properties

Properties Supervisor
Jillian A. Green

Associate Properties Supervisor
Amelia Burke-Holt

Properties Artisan
Lisa Fong

Scene Shop

Co-Technical Directors
Jim Smith
Matt Rohner

Head Carpenter
Read Tuddenham

Scene Shop Supervisor
Patrick Keene

Scenic Art

Charge Scenic Artist
Lisa Lázár

Costumes

Costume Director
Maggi Yule

Draper
Star Rabinowitz

Wardrobe Supervisor
Barbara Blair

Resident Design Associate
Kiara Montgomery

Electrics

Lighting Supervisor
Frederick C. Geffken

Associate Lighting Supervisor
Sarina Renteria

Production Electrician
Kenneth Coté

Production Electrician
Desiree Alcocer

Sound and Video

Sound and Video Supervisor
Lane Elms

Associate Sound and Video Supervisor
Chase Nichter

Sound Engineers
Angela Don

2021–22 Berkeley Rep Fellowships

Bret C. Harte Artistic Fellow
Des’ree Brown

Company Management Fellow
Naomi Schiller

Costumes Fellow
Rachel Mandelstam

Development Fellow
Maya Simon

Education Fellow
Elijah Punzal

Harry Weininger Sound Fellow
Akari Izumi

Lighting Fellow
Kiahana Toomer

Peter F. Sloss Artistic Fellow
Abigail Holland

Production Management Fellow
Emily Betts

Properties Fellow
Robin Maegawa-Goeser

Scenic Art Fellow
Jimmy Nguyen

Scenic Construction Fellow
Maggie Wentworth

Stage Management Fellow
Olivia McQuerry

Administration

Interim General Manager
Sara Danielsen

Finance Director
Jared Hammond

Associate Managing Director
Sunshine Deffner

Director of Operations
Amanda Williams O’Steen

Executive Assistant
Kate Horton

Associate Finance Director
Katie Riemann

Bookkeeper and Payroll Administrator
Jennifer Light

CRM Project Manager
Destiny Askin

Web and Database Specialist
Christina Cone

Director of Human Resources and Diversity
Modesta Tamayo

Development

Director of Development
Lynn Eve Komaromi

Associate Director of Development
Daria Hepps

Director of Individual Giving
Laura Fichtenberg

Institutional Grants Manager
Kelsey Scott

Special Events Manager
Elaina Guyett

Development Coordinator
Nicky Martinez

Marketing and Communications

Director of Marketing and Communications
Steve Tate

Associate Director of Marketing
Seth Macari

Director of Public Relations
Tim Etheridge

Communications and Digital Content Director
Karen McKevitt

Senior Videographer and Producer
Marianna Ellina

Video and Multimedia Content Creator
Calvin Ngu

Marketing Associate
Katherine Gunn

Operations

Facilities Director
Mark Morrisette

Facilities Manager
Adam Johnson

Building Engineers
Kevin Pan | Thomas Tran

Building Technician
Jesus Rodriguez

Facilities Assistants
Lemont Adams | Theresa Drumgoole | Sophie Li | Guy Nado

Patron Services

Director of Patron Experience
Brian Davis

Front of House Director
Kelly Kelley

Front of House Manager
Phoenyx Butts

Subscription Manager
Laurie Barnes

Box Office Manager
Julie Gotsch

Berkeley Rep School of Theatre

Director of the School of Theatre
Anthony Jackson

Associate Director
Dylan Russell

Director of Classes and Summer Programs
MaryBeth Cavanaugh

Curriculum and Educational Programs Manager
Si Mon’ Emmett

Classes and Communications Administrator
Ashley Lim

Programs Administrator
Tate Lancaster

Board of trustees

Past presidents

Helen C. Barber
A. George Battle
Carole B. Berg
Robert W. Burt
Shih-Tso Chen
Narsai M. David
Thalia Dorwick, PhD
Nicholas M. Graves
Richard F. Hoskins
Jean Knox
Robert M. Oliver
Stewart Owen
Marjorie Randolph
Harlan M. Richter
Richard A. Rubin
Edwin C. Shiver
Roger A. Strauch
Gail Wagner
Martin Zankel

Founding director

Michael W. Leibert
Producing Director, 1968–83

Board members

Edward D. Baker
Erica Brown
Susan Chamberlin
David Cox
Lauren Edgerton
Sandra Eggers
William T. Espey
Chuck Fanning
Steven Goldin
Scott Haber
Jonathan C. Logan
Sandra R. McCandless
Susie Medak
Juan Oldham
Johanna Pfaelzer
Chris Rupp
Sherry Smith
Roger A. Strauch
Gail Wagner
Brian Watt
Steven C. Wolan
Felicia Woytak

Sustaining advisors

Rena Bransten
Diana Cohen
Robin Edwards
William Falik
David Fleishhacker
Paul T. Friedman
Karen Galatz
David Hoffman
Richard F. Hoskins
Helen Meyer
Dugan Moore
Peter Pervere
Marjorie Randolph
Patricia Sakai
Jack Schafer
William Schaff
Richard M. Shapiro
Michael Steinberg
Jean Z. Strunsky
Michael S. Strunsky
Martin Zankel

Who we are

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