Ira Bauer-Spector previously directed the AMT of Zanna, Don't! for San Diego Junior Theatre. Other San Diego directing credits include Spring Awakening and 13: The Musical (American Rose Theatre), Once Upon a Mattress and Seussical: The Musical (ACT-San Diego), Moscow and Lunch and Dessert (Diversionary) and Into the Woods and Songs for a New World (SDSU). He served as Directing Intern/Assistant to Rupert Holmes on The First Wives Club: The Musical at The Old Globe in summer 2009. Other favorite regional directing credits include: Cabaret (Kennedy Center SSD and C Directing Fellowship Finalist), bare (Assistant Director) and The Twilight of the Golds. He has performed as an actor all over the country, including the New York Fringe Festival production of Dear Harvey (FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award for Outstanding Ensemble) and the Chicago premiere production of Zanna, Don't! (as Zanna), in addition to performance work with San Diego theatre companies such as Diversionary, North Coast Repertory and American Rose Theatre. He is the only student to have earned two Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Musical Theatre and Theatre Performance and also holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre (Directing Emphasis) from San Diego State University.

Julianna is an actor, educator, facilitator, activist and world traveler. She's currently a Master in Arts candidate from Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester England, in conjunction with Teatr Piesn Kozla (Song of the Goat Theatre) of Wroclaw, Poland. Her training and experience is largely based in physical theatre, movement, song-based theatre, and cultural traditions of theatre. Julianna is currently working on a project with Save the Children, FimAid, the UN Foundation, and the US Department of State to begin a theatre project in the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya, Africa.

is our new Technical Director. Cynthia enjoys building and designing a multitude of things, including scenery, quilts, and other creative objects. She studied languages and theater, and graduated with a BA in Technical Theater and Design from Brigham Young University. There she directed her theatrical pride and joy: an original script of C.S. Lewis' "The Magician's Nephew" in American Sign Language and spoken English. Her actual pride and joy is a little boy who likes to take her wrenches when she is doing lighting. Cynthia is learning how to juggle.

Freia studied music theory, harmony and piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Barcelona, the city where she was born. Later on she combined her nursing studies with the performing arts. She appeared in comedy and improvisation shows at Universal Studios Portaventura and was awarded as Best Support Actor for her performance of Miss Hannigan in Annie. She has worked in different bilingual children theatre companies: Robin Hood, The Jungle Book, Hansel and Gretel and The Canterville Ghost among other. She was cast in the musical productions of Snoopy the Musical, Pippi Longstockings., Singing in the rain, Blood Brothers, Nunsense and The Producers (directed by BT McNicholl and Jerry Zaks) that won her a nomination for the "Gran Via" Award (the Spanish Tony Award). In Spain, she also hosted TV shows and was featured in different TV series. In London: Mathilde, The Devil's Tale, and Xmas Dreams. In New York: Sex, relationships and Sometimes Love, Serono Cervantes, La Estupidez, Midnight in Havana (Jerry Orbach Theater), Yes I Yes (Ass. director), danced at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway, performed at The Duke at 42^nd St (Wearing Lorca’s Bowtie) and is the Assistant Director for the acclaimed The Gronholm Method in L.A. (www.thegronholmmethod.com)

 

Freia is a voice-over talent, part of the New York Panel (and also Interviewer's Assistant) for the International Auditions of University of London and a year ago she founded her own bilingual theater company which is currently touring the U.S (www.alitatheshow.com). She's been an artist teacher for many years and currently teaches Spanish through the Arts in different schools in San Diego.

Becky Cherlin Baird

is a native San Diegan who is the founding Artistic Director of The J*Company, an award winning children’s theatre company, at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla, California.

Becky is a graduate of the University of Arizona, Theatre Arts Program. She traveled the country with the Broadway National Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as the casting and choir director for the Dreamcoat Choirs.

She is an alumni of Junior Theatre, 1979-1989, receiving the Bank of America scholarship in 1989.

Becky has directed and choreographed several original musicals for youth written by award winning playwrights from across the country including; Number the Stars (based on the book by Lois Lowry), Hello, Tomorrow and Benjamin and Judah.

In her spare time, Becky records voice-overs, jingles, performs on stage and freelance directs and choreographs. Becky is known as the 'Pied Piper' of Children's Theatre.

Benjamin Cole has experience acting, teaching, directing, and fight choreographing all over the country. He recently relocated from Michigan where he was the Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre at Grand Valley State University. Ben earned his MFA in Acting from Western Illinois University, his BFA in Acting/Directing from Central Michigan University, and studied acting through New York University in Ireland. Locally, he has had the pleasure of acting or teaching with such companies as Scripps Ranch Theatre, Moxie Theatre, ion Theatre Company, San Diego Junior Theatre, North County School for the Arts, San Diego Opera, the Monarch School, and North Coast Rep. Some favorite acting roles outside of San Diego include Davey in The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Imogen in an all male production of Cymbeline, and Gary in Noises Off, for which he received a Grand Award for Best Supporting Actor. For more information, check out Benjoelcole.com.

 

Courtney has worked on stages across the country, understudying the role of Elphaba in both the original Los Angeles and Chicago companies of WICKED, as well as touring with the 1st and 2nd National Broadway tours of RENT. She originated the roles of Eleanor in Frank Wildhorn's BONNIE AND CLYDE and Older Hannah Chaplin in LIMELIGHT, both at The La Jolla Playhouse. Other acting credits include: OVER THE TAVERN and JACQUES BREL (NCRT, San Diego), THE WIZ (La Jolla Playhouse), HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (The Old Globe), SUDS and THE PAJAMA GAME (Starlight Musical Theatre, San Diego), and SHEAR MADNESS with SDJT's Steve Anthony (MTP at The Theatre in Old Town, San Diego.) She has directed THE TENDER TRAP (Actor's Asylum, San Diego), co-directed/choreographed RENT (Lewis Family Playhouse, Rancho Cucamonga), choreographed RENT (RMTC, Birmingham) and has worked on MAN 1, BANK 0, an award-winning one-man show starring Patrick Combs.

Lettie was born and raised in the west Texas town of El Paso. In 2005 she received her MA in theatre from the University of Texas at El Paso. She directed and wrote her thesis on Josefina Lopez's play Simply Maria, Or the American Dream. After grad school Lettie moved to San Diego in 2005. She has worked as a teaching artist for over ten years in San Diego County and in Texas. She has taught at Kids-n-Co, Kids Act, Kids College, La Jolla Playhouse, Young Audiences San Diego, and other organizations. She is pleased to include Junior Theatre as part of her teaching resume. In addition to working as a teaching artist, Lettie also enjoys directing and acting. Her most recent credits include directing Bang Bang You're Dead by William Mastrosimone. In her spare time she enjoys creating puppet skits with her best friend and her husband. Lettie also has a Floral Design Certification and is an avid photographer.

Crystal Mercado is a graduate from Arizona State University's Theatre for Youth MFA program. She has worked as a community-based artist, stage manager, director and teaching artist for organizations and individual projects in Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego County and Tijuana, B.C., MX. She received her BA in Theatre from San Diego State University.

Richard holds a BFA in theater from Webster Conservatory, and has been a professional musician and stage manager since he was in high school.
He is overjoyed to return to his native San Diego after spending the last several years working in New York City and around the country. Richard loves sharing his experience and enthusiasm with the next generation of artists.

David grew up in San Diego, receiving a B.A. in Art from San Diego State University and a Masters in Education from Point Loma Nazarene College. After thirty-three years of teaching in San Diego, David recently retired and is excited to be a part of the SDJT teaching staff. David has been with Junior Theatre since the 2003-04 season and has been a part of twenty-two shows as coordinator, hair and make-up designer, or costume designer. David most enjoys supporting his students through sharing his knowledge, ideas, and creativity while giving hands-on experience to assist students in accomplishing their goals.

Bio coming soon!

is an actress, director, and educator born in Oaxaca, Mexico and raised in San Diego, California. Marisol joined La Jolla Playhouse as the Education & Outreach Associate in September 2010. In 2009 Marisol spent six months in Oaxaca working with Mixtec kids in Etlatongo introducing creative drama to pre-schools and elementary. She conducted device work with the local middle and high school students. For teachers, she conducted Teacher Developments. In 2004, she graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s of Arts, double majoring in Theatre and Spanish. During her time at SDSU Marisol became the artistic director for Teatro ALTO.  In 2007, she earned her MFA in Theatre Performance with a thesis entitled “Waiting for Godot: The study of Pozzo.” While completing her MFA she became the acting director for a local middle school in Florida taking her students to Thespian competitions. Upon completing her contract in Florida she moved to Seattle to intern, complete an apprenticeship and become part of the Seattle Children’s Theatre faculty. Marisol has traveled to northern California, Idaho, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Greece and England with different theatre programs.

Matt comes to JT from Los Angeles where he spent the last 5 years acting, teaching, and improvising. He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Theatre and has been fortunate to work with a number of fantastic arts organizations, including Seattle Children's Theatre, Story Pirates, ACLE, and Young Storytellers. He has been working as a teaching artist for over 8 years and is thrilled to join the JT community!

Jeffrey's theatre experience began at California State University, Northridge. As a student, he was able to work with many theatre professionals; including Vincent Dowling, Tony Tanner and Jules Aaron. Upon graduation, he founded the Sons Of Beckett Theatre Company. Their first production of Waiting for Godot drew wonderful reviews from Los Angeles Times and the LA WEEKLY, who called it “Superb.” Jeffrey produced over eleven shows with the S.O.B. Theatre Company including a Vaudeville Musical Version of Oedipus the King and the West-Coast Premier of Gao Xingjian’s The Other Shore Jeffrey has also worked on productions with companies such as East West Players, Tres Chiganos, Meadow’s Basement and Veterans for Peace. In 2011, Jeffrey received his MFA in Theatrical Directing from UCSD where he studied under Gabor Tompa, Kim Rubinstien, Dominique Serrand, Les Waters, Karl Webber and Christopher Ashley. In his time at UCSD, Jeffrey directed Chay Yew’s adaptation of The House of Bernarda Alba and The Threepenny Opera . He has also directed several world premier plays as part of the Baldwin New Play Festival. Jeffrey is currently working as a freelance director. He lives in San Diego, California.

Jennifer was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She holds a B.S. in Communication with a minor in Dance from Brigham Young University-Idaho. She has been involved in theater and dancing from a young age, but started studying them exclusively in college. Specializing in Ballroom and Latin dancing she has studied with legendary teachers such as Buddy Schwimmer, Paul Winkleman, Shawn Fisher and Corky Ballas. Jennifer is the mother to two lovable boys and is thrilled to be joining the SDJT family.