Staff

Kikau Alvaro is thrilled to be the new Artistic Director of CMTSJ. He returns to San Jose with his husband Derrick and puppy Boggnes after several years on the East Coast.

At CMTSJ, he worked on the following shows over the years: The Who’s Tommy, Secret Garden, The Drowsy Chaperone, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Oklahoma!, Babes in Arms, Once on This Island, Avenue Q, Annie Warbucks, and West Side Story.

This past year Kikau taught musical theater students at Marymount Manhattan in New York City. Previously, he was an Associate Professor and Program Director of Musical Theater at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He served as the Associate Artistic Director of the Virginia Repertory Theatre and was the head of Musical Theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University where he directed and choreographed Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, Monty Python’s Spamalot, and Spring Awakening on the Raymond Hodges Stage; as well as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Something Wonderful, a collaboration between the Music and Theatre departments at the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall.

At Virginia Repertory Theatre, Alvaro directed and choreographed A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Richmond Theatre Critics Circle nominee for Best Direction: Musical), and The Wiz (RTCC award winner for Best Choreography, 2019); additionally, he choreographed Atlantis: a New Musical (World Premiere – RTCC nominee for Best Choreography), was the Associate Director of In the Heights, and Associate Director and Choreographer of Fun Home, a co-production with Virginia Rep and Cadence Theatre Company.  He also provided direction or choreography for Theatreworks Silicon Valley in Palo Alto, CA for productions:  Big River, [title of show], and The Trouble With Doug.  Some of his other favorites include: Shrek, and Guys and Dolls (Diablo Theatre Center in Walnut Creek, CA—Shellie Award Nominations for Direction and Choreography); Fiddler on the Roof, Anything Goes, and Oklahoma! at Cabrillo Stage in Aptos, CA, Lysistrata Jones (Pace University), and Urinetown (San Jose State University and University of the Arts).

Alvaro earned his MFA in musical theatre from San Diego State University and his BA in theatre with an emphasis in directing from San Jose State University.  Kikau is an Associate Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and served as the VP of Conferences for Musical Theatre Educators Alliance (MTEA).

Season 58 marks Dana’s 11th year as Managing Director of CMT. Under her leadership alongside Kevin Hauge, Dana proudly led a successful capital campaign which allowed the organization to renovate and open its first state-of-the-art Creative Arts Center in 2021 to serve its community for years to come.

Dana is a proud alumna of the organization and has had a rewarding career in the arts. Prior to becoming Managing Director in 2016, Dana spent over 15 years in theatrical management and broadway marketing.

Previous clients include the Broadway touring production of Wicked, Disney Theatrical Productions (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aida), Broadway touring productions of Hairspray and Contact, The Roundabout Theatre Company, and the Vineyard Theatre. She also served as Marketing Director for CMT from 2003 to 2005.

Dana holds a BA in Communications from University of California, San Diego and an MFA in Theater Management from Brooklyn College. She has participated in a leadership forum through Georgetown University and serves on the Board of Directors for Team San Jose.

Lakshmi Parige has been working with CMT San Jose since September of 2008. She has over ten years of experience working with nonprofit organizations.

Lakshmi holds a Master’s degree in Commerce and has a strong background in office management. As the Finance Director of the organization, Lakshmi is in charge of Financial Operations and Human Resources of CMT San Jose.

Joel earned a BFA from the University of Wyoming and launched his career as a Scenic Carpenter and Assistant Technical Director at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. In 2006, he joined Children’s Musical Theater San Jose, where he spent over a decade as Technical Director before taking on the role of Production Manager in 2022. Today, he expertly oversees the production of 11 shows a year, along with a variety of special events, ensuring each performance shines. Joel’s dedication to the craft and his team is evident in every project he undertakes. Outside the theater, he enjoys quality time with his wife and their two teenage children, who are often found onstage at CMTSJ, continuing the family’s passion for the arts.

Blue Arios is a multidisciplinary artist from San Jose. After spending their childhood performing at CMT, they studied Theater and Performance Studies and built a career in marketing across the nonprofit and music industries. Most recently, Blue worked as a professional nail artist in Los Angeles. Everything they do is for and with their angels, ancestors and QTBIPOC family.

Joey Dippel started his journey with CMT at six years old, when he stopped the 1998 production of Cinderella with his one line (or at least, that’s how he remembers it). During his childhood, Joey participated in over thirty CMT productions, has worn many hats for CMT’s Summer Camp, and has been on eight creative teams for shows like Cats, The Who’s Tommy, The Lightning Thief, and The Wizard of Oz. After graduating from Archbishop Mitty High School, Joey earned his BFA in Musical Theatre from the prestigious University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he choreographed the college’s productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Street Scene, and Into A Lamplit Room, in addition to producing original works and benefit concerts. Joey has spent the majority of the last decade based in New York City, working professionally as a performer, educator, and choreographer at such places like Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, Alabama Shakespeare Company, Pioneer Theatre Company, Weston Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse, and the Nashville Symphony. On his pursuit towards artistic leadership, Joey is fortunate enough to return home as CMT’s Donor Relations Manager, where he gets to become re-immersed in the community and advocate for an organization that has aided him in being the individual that he is today.

Ryan is a So Cal Native with an extensive background in Musical Theatre. He is so excited to be joining the CMT family!

He got his start at a young age in Bill Edwards ‘On Stage Kids’ with Dance Instructor and Choreographer Patsy Swayze. He continued his education in dance and theatre at Santa Susana Performing Arts Magnet HS where he developed his passion for Choreography, Lighting Design and Leadership. He went on to Moorpark College where he majored in Dance. He received the Jennifer k. Prouty scholarship as well as the TANE award for Outstanding Student-Dance-Choreographer from Moorpark College Dance Department. While at Moorpark he took on leadership roles as President of the Dance Club and Student Producer for their Summer Dance Concerts ‘Undressed’.

Ryan worked for the Youth Academy of Dramatic Arts and Third Street Theatre as a Director, Choreographer, Lighting Designer and Technical Director from 2007-2015. He then went on to pursue his passion on stage and spent a few years performing professionally as well as making magic down Main Street! Ryan worked as a Box Office assistant for Pomona College and is thrilled to be continuing his work in the Box Office at CMT!

He looks forward to meeting everyone at the window and helping you have a wonderful theatre experience!

Originally from St. Louis—Sean joined CMT in November 2016 as the Philanthropic Engagement Manager. His favorite part of the job is meeting new people and hearing their stories.

Prior to this position he worked with several other arts organizations, including Opera Theatre St. Louis, St. Louis Black Repertory, California Repertory and the Arts Council for Long Beach.

Sean holds a BA in Theatre and a BS in Business Management from St. Louis University, and an MBA/MFA in Theatre Management from California State University—Long Beach.

Emily Pennington is thrilled to be a part of the CMT family. Her loves of theater started when she was in her first play at 6 years old and has never stopped. She earned her BA in Theater Arts, emphasis in Directing and Acting, from SJSU.

She has been working at varies theater companies around the South Bay ever since (including AMTSJ, TSJ Ticketing, Starting Arts, Silicon Valley Shakespeare).  She also directs and choreographs for Children’s Playhouse and Playful People Productions and recently help start an after- school theater program at her children’s school.

Brigid is proud to make theater her life’s work, and feels so fortunate that she can pass on the love for theater to younger generations. Brigid has been involved in the theater arts in some way or another since she was 14. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts, with a Minor in Music from California State University, Long Beach. There she studied acting and lighting, and also received a well-rounded theatrical education. Brigid has acted in numerous productions around the Bay Area, such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Company, and Urinetown with Coastal Rep, West Side Story, and Next to Normal with Broadway By the Bay, and The Lieutenant of Inishmore with San Jose Stage. Brigid can often be found in the prop shop, tinkering with various props!

Ivy’s journey with CMT started when her own children attended a musical class here. She quickly fell in love with the theater’s vibrant energy and sense of community, and she is now proud to work for an organization that helps bring dreams to life.

As a skilled Assistant Accountant and Enrolled Agent, Ivy specializes in financial recording, and managing vendor accounts. She also assists the director in implementing the company’s financial policies.

When she’s not working, Ivy loves to travel, read, and enjoy a good drama.