School of Theater

Anthony Nikolchev grew up in California’s Bay Area, cut his teeth in Central Europe, and holds a dual degree in theater and something like bioethics from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He's an actor, writer, director for theater, film and experiential movement performance,... Continue reading »

Yuri Okahana-Benson is a scenographer based in Los Angeles, CA. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, she has been working both nationally and internationally. Recent theatrical design credits include Hungry Ghost at Skylight Theater (World Premiere), Smile at IAMA Theater, The Drowning Girls at The... Continue reading »

Maria V. Oliveira is a freelance stage manager based in LA and Orange counties. She was drawn to live performance at an early age, dancing since she was three years old and in high school discovering a penchant for storytelling through acting and singing. Her time in university expanded her... Continue reading »

Daniel Passer creates work as a performer, writer and director.  For the past 12 years, Daniel has been a lead Clown and Comedy Conceptor for Cirque du Soleil and Dragone Entertainment. He was the comedy and clown act designer for Cirque’s critically acclaimed “Zarkana”... Continue reading »

Jane Pickett is a writer/director based in Los Angeles. In 2008, she received her MFA in Writing for Performance from CalArts, and her play Autopilot was featured in the REDCAT NOW and Philadelphia and Edinburgh fringe festivals. In 2009, she directed her play Someone in Florida Loves Me,... Continue reading »

Melissa Ruge is a Ventura County based freelance stage manager and the Production Manager at the Lehrer Vocal Institute of Music Academy of the West. Her love of storytelling through performance started at an early age singing, acting, and dancing at community events and producing small scale... Continue reading »

Victor Sandoval Torres holds a BFA in Theater Management from California Institute of the Arts, and has been Associate Costume Shop Manager for the School of Theater since 2017. At CalArts, Victor enjoys guiding BFA and MFA students through the physical production process, including sourcing and... Continue reading »