Meet Our Season 24 Directors!
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M E L I S S A M E I J O N E S
Dir. The Art of Murder | OCT. 3 - 19, 2025
Melissa Mei Jones (she/her) is a Chinese-American multihyphenate artist and arts administrator with a rabid need to cultivate inclusive community-oriented spaces, a big laugh, and a deep love of a well-told story. Past directing/assistant director credits include Silicon Valley Shakespeare’s 2024 production of The Comedy of Errors, Pride and Prejudice (online), The Tempest (online), and Henry V (assistant); Center Stage Productions’ Squabbles; Northside Theatre’s The Little Dog Laughed (assistant); and countless children’s productions. Artistic credits elsewhere include The Pear Theatre, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, City Lights Theater Company, Palo Alto Players, South Bay Musical Theatre, Los Altos Stage Company, Opera San José, and 19 seasons with Silicon Valley Shakespeare where she is also the resident hair/makeup designer.
M I L L E R L I B E R A T O R E
Dir. Ada & The Engine | NOV. 21 - DEC. 7, 2025
Miller Liberatore (they/them) is a trans–nonbinary theatre director, performer, and producer from the Bay Area. They assistant–directed Giovanna Sardelli for TheatreWorks’ world premiere musical, Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean after playing the role of Joe in the 2024 New Works Festival. Liberatore played the role of Dean and assistant–directed Jeffrey Lo for TheatreWorks' world premiere musical, Happy Pleasant Valley. Liberatore directed/produced/hosted the 2023 Portland Trans Voices Cabaret (An Evening in Trans-Galactic Outer Space) after assistant–directing/producing/ASM–ing the 2022 version. They graduated cum laude from Barnard College of Columbia University with two degrees: sociology (gender/sexuality thesis) and theatre (directing thesis). Liberatore's collaborative leadership is all about using theatre as a sociological instrument for community–building. They also have a wealth of experience working with kids of all ages in theatrical and collegiate contexts. www.MillerLiberatore.com
S A R A K. D E A N
Dir. & Choreographer, My Fair Lady | FEB. 20 - MAR. 8, 2026
Sara K. Dean (she/they) is proud to be a non-binary arts leader, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Theater Bay Area (TBA). With a passion for advancing inclusive, equitable arts practices, Sara is the Artistic Director for The Pear Theatre in Mountain View. They have worked in arts management for many South Bay organizations including American Musical Theatre of San Jose, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Starting Arts and South Bay Musical Theatre. Sara holds a BFA in Theatre (NYU) and is completing a MA in Arts Admin (SUU). Creative highlights - As Director & Choreographer: Los Altos Stage (Twelfth Night, the Musical; Elf, BATCC nom), SBMT (The Spitfire Grill), and Redwood Symphony (Follies). As a performer: Mrs. Greene in The Prom (FMT), Jacey Squires/Quartet in The Music Man (Palo Alto Players), Dora in Singin’ in the Rain (SBMT), and Emilia Lanier/ Ed Knight in The Book of Will (FMT).
V I N H G. N G U Y E N
Dir. Anon(ymous) | APRIL 18 - MAY 3, 2026
Vinh G. Nguyen is a queer, Vietnamese American theatre maker, director, and educator. Some of his recent directing credits include: The Wizard of Oz (Las Positas College), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Cabrillo Stage), Allegiance (Palo Alto Players), Company (South Bay Musical Theatre), Private Lives (A.C.T., asst dir) and The Little Shop of Horrors (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, asst dir). Vinh wrote Tales of Ancient Vietnam, a play with music, in collaboration with Emmy Award-winning composer Vanessa Van Anh Vo. He has taught theatre at San Jose State University and Las Positas College, and holds an MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University. Vinh is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), and Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance (MTEA). www.MrVinhNguyen.com
K I M B E R L Y
R I D G E W A Y
Dir. God of Carnage | JUNE 12 - 28, 2026
Kimberly Ridgeway (she/ her) is an award-winning director, playwright, and actor. Kimberly has directed for many Bay Area theaters including Altarena Playhouse, Central Works, City Lights Theatre Company, Dragon Productions, Oakland Theatre Project, New Conservatory Theatre Center, SF Playground, St. Mary’s College, Palo Alto Players, 3Girls Theatre and TheatreFirst; as well as for Three Willows Theatre (TX), National Black Theatre (NY), and Spokane Civic Theatre (WA). Some of her favorite acting roles include Shelly in Colman Domingo’s DOT, Mrs. Muller in Doubt, Duchess in Wonderland (World Premiere), Biz in The Human Ounce (World Premiere), and Camae in Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop for which she won the BroadwayWorld San Francisco Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play. Kimberly the Artistic Associate at Altarena Playhouse, a Brady Fellow Recipient for her play Soulmates, the recipient of the Theatre Bay Area Arts Leadership Residency, and the 2024 winner of the June Anne Baker Prize.
J O E Y D I P P L E
Dir. Pear Slices | JULY 2026
Joey Dippel (he/him) is a Bay Area–based director, choreographer, and arts leader making his Pear Theatre debut with Pear Slices. A passionate advocate for new work and emerging voices, Joey is thrilled to help bring these fresh, bold stories to life. His directing and choreography credits include Annie and School of Rock (Palo Alto Players), The Lightning Thief, Wizard of Oz, Cats, Evita, and Legally Blonde (CMT San Jose), among others. As a performer, Joey has worked professionally across the country at regional theaters including Starlight Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Weston Theatre Company, and Bucks County Playhouse. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he received the Lehman Engel Award for Achievement in Musical Theatre Dance. Joey currently serves as Donor Relations Manager at CMT San Jose and remains deeply committed to building inclusive, artist-centered creative spaces.
T O N Y A M A R A
Dir. Pear Slices | JULY 2026
Tonya Mara (she/her) has been a Bay Area director, actor, & all-around theatre lover for over a decade now. She loves directing classical works, while putting a modern lens on them, making them new and relevant to today’s audiences. This was on full display with her LGBTQ+ version of Romeo & Juliet for Silicon Valley Shakespeare in 2022. She’s also a staple at SVS’ 48-Hour Fest, with pieces she directed being voted Audience Favorite on four separate festivals. She believes in the power of storytelling to bring people together, and loves this crazy ephemeral medium we call theatre.