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 Coordinator
Megan is a local teaching artist based out of her hometown of Davis, CA. She is a graduate of UC Davis and holds a BA in Theater and Dance, 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) - Production Coordinator/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) - Design Coordinator/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) - Program Coordinator
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.
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.
Caitlin Gurtner (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Caitlin Gurtner has been in community theatre her whole life, growing up in historical reenactment fairs all around the Bay Area and participating heavily in her high school's drama department. She attended the University of Denver where she studied theatre, teaching artistry, and creative writing. After earning her BA, Caitlin returned home to Sonoma County where she has found work as a coach, substitute teacher, theatre technician, and director. She's worked with Spreckels Performing Arts Center and Sonoma Arts Live as well as Music to my Ears where she is a camp director and private instructor.
Erin Monks (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Erin Monks is originally from Bakersfield, but has spent the last 20 years performing all over California and Oregon. She has taught vocal performance and competitive improv for nearly a decade, and currently works as a traveling improv actor with the American Immersion Theater. When not performing or teaching, Erin runs a small business designing and creating websites for folks. www.ErinMonksCodes.com
Sara Curtis (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Sara Curtis (she/her) is a working actor from Napa. She spent 7 years entertaining at Disneyland and now shares her love of storytelling with the local community.
Rain Ibarra-Pina (they/them) - Teaching Artist
Rain is a current student at Woodland Community College transferring in the Spring to UCD to pursue a BA in Theatre Arts. They have been involved with theater since high school both on stage as an actor and off stage as an Assistant Stage Manager for Acme Theatre Company. They also had experience as a camp counselor during this time and loved getting to work with kids and help their creativity flow. They are excited to be back in the Theater world and can't wait to work with Sandcastle's participants!
Kira Smit (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Kira Smit (she/her) is thrilled to be joining the Sandcastle team this summer! She is currently in her final year at UC Davis, where she is perusing an undergraduate degree in Genetics and Genomics. She has been involved in theater since she was 10 with her first experience being at a theater summer camp. She is excited to share her love of theater this summer.
Shannin Stein (she/her) - Teaching Artist
Shannin Stein (she/her) is a Sacramento-based actor, vocalist, and model who spent the first 25 years of her life on stage, including a BA in Theater Arts from Cornell College. In 2017 - after a 20 year hiatus doing non-theater stuff - she decided to pursue her love of performing and resumed her theatrical training at ACT in San Francisco and TV/film training at Studio 24 in Folsom. Shannin joined Sandcastle's Emerging Voices 2024 professional ensemble, is about to wrap her first short film as a featured actor, and can be seen in advertising campaigns for Sky River Casino, Sutter Health, and Princess Cruises. Other joys include her dogs Maz and Beth, the Sacramento Kings, and spending time with family.
EJ Agata (he/they) - Teaching Artist
EJ Agata (he/they), is a Theatre and Dance/English double-major at UC Davis, originally from Los Angeles. He has mostly focused on technical theater though he has some acting experience (but we don’t talk about that). Outside of classes and shows with the department, EJ loves spending time with his friends and his cat, baking, cooking or playing life sim games like Stardew Valley or Unpacking. He is very excited to join Sandcastle this summer and can’t wait to work with everyone!
Aimen Malik (she/her) - Assistant Teaching Artist
Aimen Malik is currently a student at Petaluma High School. She has been involved in theater since the age of 12 and hopes to continue to pursue it in the future. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, spending time with friends, indulging in good food, and playing video games. She is thrilled to work with students, showing them the joy of theater and the valuable lessons it offers.
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.
Sophie Martinez (she/her) - Social Media
Sophie is a UC Davis Design and Materials Engineering graduate. Her acting and design experience comes from the filmmaking realm which she has been involved with for over 12 years.