About Actors' Theatre

Bonnie Ronzio & Wilma Marcus Chandler

Founded in 1985, Actors’ Theatre has a long history of being a vital part of the greater Santa Cruz area’s theatre community, known for its productions of contemporary, cutting-edge plays like The Mountaintop, Red and Looking For Normal - as well as new plays.

Actors' Theatre produced one of the first short play festivals in the U.S. - which has become the renowned 8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival. Now the longest running short play festival in the world, it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020. The Festival always brings together the best talent from all the local theatre companies and beyond.

Actors' Theatre also supports emerging playwrights from around the country and internationally, with possibilities to show their new works, in their annual short play-writing contest.

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Executive Director/Board President/Artistic Director

Wilma Marcus Chandler

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Associate Artistic Director

Andrew Ceglio

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Managing Director/Board Secretary

Sandy Bieser

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Marketing & Creative Director

Jana Marcus

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Production Manager

Emily James Fontana

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Executive Board

MarNae Taylor, Board Vice-President

Marcus Cato

Anita Natale

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General Board

Robin Aronson

Karin Babbitt

Deborah Bryant

Evan Hunt

Donna Johansen

Joyce Michaelson

Andre Neu

Joan Van Antwerp

Steve "Spike" Wong

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Advisory Board

Wallace Baine

Tandy Beal

Gail Borkowski

Skip Epperson

John Laird

Camryn Manheim

Ian McRae

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