The Pear Team
Pear Staff
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Sara Kannen Dean
sara@thepear.org
Sara Kannen Dean (she/ they) is a non-binary arts leader who currently serves on the Board of Directors for Theater Bay Area. Sara’s career began on Broadway, where they worked as a Production Assistant for the original company of Disney’s The Lion King. She later brought her expertise to the Bay Area, working in management with organizations such as Hammer Theater Center, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, San Jose Repertory Theatre, South Bay Musical Theatre and Starting Arts. Sara holds a BFA in Theatre (New York University) and is completing a MA Arts Admin (SUU). They direct locally for the Pear (My Fair Lady, The Book of Will), Silicon Valley Shakespeare (The Importance of Being Earnest), Los Altos Stage Company (Elf, Twelfth Night, the musical), South Bay Musical Theatre (The Spitfire Grill) and Redwood Symphony (Follies, A Little Night Music).
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Kelly Weber Barraza
kelly@thepear.org
Kelly has been happily working at The Pear since 2014 and became their resident Stage Manager in 2020. Some of her favorite Pear productions include: Constellations, Once on This Island, Pass Over, Noises Off, The Chinese Lady, Love Letters, Fairfield, Eight Nights, What You Will, Uncle Vanya, August: Osage County, and Taking Steps. Other favorite works are: The Bridges of Madison County (South Bay Musical Theatre), Yellow Face (Los Altos Stage Company), Bright Star (Palo Alto Players), The Oskar Education Tour (TheatreWorks), and working with "The Misfit of Magic", Ed Alonzo of "Saved By the Bell" fame. Kelly is always grateful for the love and support of her theatre widowed husband, Michael, and their fur babies: Sopaipilla, Houdini, and Baxter.
ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE
Lysander Abadia
lysander@thepear.org
Lysander Abadia (he/him) is thrilled to be giving the Pear treatment to the classic Guys and Dolls for this community. For the Pear he last choreographed My Fair Lady. He was also the Assistant Director for Come From Away at Theatreworks. Lysander has also directed Pippin, All Shook Up, and Triumph of Love for West Valley Light Opera, as well as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Starmites for Playful People. He was also the choreographer for Kinky Boots at City Lights. South Bay audiences have seen him onstage as Walter in Los Altos Stage’s Elf, Trevor in Palo Alto Players’ The Play That Goes Wrong, and Angel in Ohlone Summerfest’s Rent. His upcoming projects include directing Joseph…Dreamcoat for Los Altos Stage and choreographing for Theatreworks’ next season.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Louis Stone-Collonge
louis@thepear.org
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Tim Garcia
tim@thepear.org
PATRON RELATIONS & BOX OFFICE ASSOCIATE
Skyler Riordan
skyler@thepear.org
Pear Board
of Directors
Max Beckman-Harned, President
max@thepear.org
Elaine Ray, Vice President
Greg Lam, Secretary
Darryl Compton, Bookkeeping & Treasurer
Sanjit Sengupta
Efsun Sweet
Kevin Payne
Maya Capur
Cherielyn Ferguson
Vanessa Yeh