Meet the Team
Ariella Wolfe (she/her) - Artistic Director
Ariella has worked with Arts Education and Community Programs across the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Yolo and Sacramento counties and beyond. With a focus on directing, she has experience serving as a producer, stage manager, dramaturg, and arts administrator. Ariella received her B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon (2015) and is a founding member of Sandcastle Theater Company. When not making theatre, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her family, dog, and friends.
Nicholas Maurer (he/him) - Executive Director
Nick works as a construction estimator by day and a playwright and technical theater artist by night. He has worked both in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. He has a passion for creating wacky stories that lend themselves to encourage plenty of play. He graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics and Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon. He is currently working toward a Masters of Business Administration at UC Davis.
Lyn Dutra (they/he/she) - Assoc. Artistic Director
Lyn is a recent California transplant, after working on education programs throughout Oregon and Alaska for 20+ years. With focuses in stage management and special education, they have experience as a designer, director, performer, and theatre technician. Lyn received their B.S. in Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon (2015). Outside of the theatre, Lyn enjoys making music, practicing martial arts, and playing video games.
Megan Abbanat (she/her) - Program Manager
Megan is a local teaching artist based out of her hometown of Davis, CA. She is a 4th year Theater and Dance major, with an interest in applied and educational theater. She is a company member with Sandcastle Theater Company, bringing her experience in acting, stage management, technical theater, and theater education to their Education Programs. Megan is passionate about working with young artists and helping them find their own creative voice, and especially loves getting to do so with students in the community she also grew up in.
Corinne Balmain (she/her) - Lead Technician
Corinne is a local theater technician and stage manager with a background in education. After graduating with a B.A in Theater and Dance (focusing on technical theater) from the University of California, Davis (2020) she has been working at Veterans Memorial Theater as their production coordinator. She is absolutely thrilled to be joining Sandcastle Theater as a company member and sharing some theater magic with students!
Rose Curfman (they/she) - Designer / Teaching Artist
Rose is a UC Davis graduate who graduated with degrees in English Literature and Theatre & Dance. They are a writer, performer, and designer who believes that everyone deserves a space to be creative and tell their own stories. Access to arts education is something Rose cares deeply about and she loves how many awesome ideas her Sandcastle students have; she can’t wait to see how they come to life!
Sam Cubbage (they/them) - Teaching Artist
Sam has been involved in the arts from the age of 9. They started on stage performing and eventually made their way to the technical side of shows. Sam spent 4 years working with local theater company ACME, first as their company stage manager, then acting their last year of high school. Sam has always loved getting to show younger generations how much fun theater can be. They have assisted with multiple camps as well as teaching theater games.
Zouapa Lor (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Zouapa is an alumna at UC Davis, graduating with Psychology and Theatre & Dance. She has been working in the creative field for about 10 years now and hopes to continue in this path, specifically dancing and acting. Chocolate, films, and boba milk tea are her simple pleasures.
Natalie Mitchell (she/her) - Community Partner
Natalie Mitchell has a B.F.A. from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an M.F.A. from the Graduate Acting Department at New York University. She has performed with Shakespeare Theater Company in D.C., appeared in various National Commercials and was the Host of Crime Stoppers on CBS. She has coached actors internationally and is a producer and co-founder of Emergence Films, an all-female production company that prides itself on producing films offering multi-dimensional female roles. Natalie is based in Petaluma, CA where she is the co-owner of Grand Central Petaluma.
Lana Richards (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Lana Richards is a director focused on new work development, site specific work, and adaptation. She likes big plays about small things, the tender awkwardness of growing up, and stories that connect people to place. She has been in residence at Montalvo Arts Center, The Dragon’s Egg, Access Theater, and The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and is an alumna of Connecticut College where she studied theater and environmental studies. Training: SITI Company, The Michael Chekhov Association, Bread and Puppet, Complicite, and the National Theater Institute for Advanced Directing. Recent credits: Alice in Wonderland (Stage Manager, We Players) at Golden Gate Park & Montalvo, Please Don't Slow Me Down at Potrero Stage, Tips for Nervous Fliers at Potrero Stage, My Girl (co-developer) at Dixon Place, Arabella at Planet Connections Theater Festivity, Ithaca at The Electric Lodge, and Eurydice (Sarah Ruhl) at Connecticut College.