Little Theatre Staff
Kevin Harris
Managing Artistic Director
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Kevin Harris received his MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa (2007), his BFA in Acting from New York University (1996), and his California Teaching Credential from Chapman University. While at NYU, he spent three years at the Atlantic Theatre Company studying acting under David Mamet, William H. Macy, and Felicity Huffman; he also spent a year at Musical Theatre Works (CAP 21) learning the finer intricacies of “jazz hands”. Favorite roles include: The Russian (Chess), Alan Strang (Equus), Jamie (The Last Five Years), Orsino (12th Night), and Rev. Hale (The Crucible) at the Atlantic. For the last several years, Kevin has been a freelance director in L.O.R.T./Equity theatres across the nation. Favorite shows: The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy of Errors, The Exhibitionists, Militant Language, Woyzeck, Ghost Sonata, The Cherry Orchard, Man of la Mancha, and several original plays which have gone on to be produced at such venues as the New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theatre, The O'Neill, Cherry Lane, and many others. From 1999-2002 he was the Artistic Director of Centerpoint Theatre Group in San Luis Obispo, CA. In 2005, he traveled to the West Bank and Gaza Strip to co-write and direct an original play with Ashtar Theatre, Palestine’s only professional theatre company. The subsequent play, The Era of Whales, has been performed in Gaza, Ramallah, Nablus, Jerusalem, and several international theatre festivals. Currently, he is collaborating on an oral history theatre piece exploring the past, present, and future of the Gaza Strip. Kevin has taught at the University of Iowa, University of Chicago, and has led dozens of workshops on A Practical Handbook for the Actor across the country. He is very happy to be back on the Central Coast with his two beautiful children, Dominick and Ella.
Patty Thayer
Communications and Development Director
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Patty Thayer’s first love was theatre and she always knew she’d come back to it someday. After earning a BA degree in Theatre and Speech Communications, Patty began her professional life at Lamb’s Players Theatre in the San Diego area, working as an actress, in the box office, house managing, scheduling, fundraising, marketing and even bookkeeping. Thus are lifelong arts administrators born! After relocating to the Central Coast with husband David and their two sons, Patty worked as a part-time office manager and full-time Mom. She soon discovered CenterPoint Theater Group where she enjoyed flexing her acting muscles from time to time, and where she first met Kevin Harris. Patty was hired by the San Luis Obispo Symphony in 1997 and successfully led the marketing and communications efforts for that organization for over 15 years, playing a significant role in countless sold-out concerts, three successful tours and an education program that continues to reach over 16,000 people every year. A graduate of Leadership San Luis Obispo Class XI, Patty is active with the SLO Chamber of Commerce, currently serving on the Tourism Council. In her spare time, she is a freelance voiceover artist for various local clients. Patty is thrilled to be a part of the Little Theatre, working with this talented staff and over 250 dedicated volunteers, to bring insightful, compelling and entertaining live theatre and creative education experiences to San Luis Obispo County for many years to come.
Kerry DiMaggio
Academy of Creative Theatre Coordinator
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A native of the Central Coast, Kerry has been involved in theatre since she was young, including several productions on the Little Theatre stage. Kerry holds a BA (with honors) in Theatre Arts from Cal Poly’s Theatre and Dance Department, where her interest in teaching was piqued by a course in Children’s Drama. Kerry has also trained with the Utah Shakespearean Festival, PCPA, and Cal State Fullerton’s Musical Theatre program. In addition to teaching for ACT, Kerry holds a substitute teaching permit and teaches consistently in K-12 classrooms throughout the county. Her passion for teaching young performers continues to grow, and she encourages you and your family to “Get into the ACT!”
David Linfield
Technical Director
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Dave was bitten by the theater bug in 1990, when an audition notice for a community theater production caught his fancy. He discovered a whole new circle of friends and has spent a large portion of his evenings since then rehearsing and performing with theater groups around the county. Over the years, he has migrated away from performing, and has embraced technical stagecraft as much more than a hobby. While Dave hasn't had any formal theater arts schooling, his educational background in graphic design and his occupational experience with retail display and housing construction have all blended together nicely with his passion for designing and building sets.
Lauren Moore
Volunteer Coordinator/House Manager
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Lauren is a native of San Luis Obispo County. After graduating from Paso Robles High School, she attended CalArts as a vocal performance major. She has since returned to the central coast and is currently finishing her degree at Cal Poly. Lauren has been involved on stage with several theatre groups in the area including Pioneer Players, Pewter Plough Playhouse, Brickyard Theatre and the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. She's excited at the opportunity to participate in another facet of theater as the House Manager and Volunteer Coordinator at such a wonderful theatre and is incredibly lucky to work with such amazing volunteers.
Rachel Authier
Assistant House Manager
Rachel Authier is a young thespian who will be graduating high school this spring. She has been involved with theatre since the tender age of nine with the production of A Christmas Carol at West Hills Community College in Coalinga, California. Since then, theatre has been in her life. In the beginning of 2010, her family moved from Coalinga to the central coast. During the summer, she was introduced to the ACT program at San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. Her first play with ACT was The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. Following her first play, she started to volunteer for hospitality and box office shifts. Rachel was then approached by Jessi Brown-Carlin, the House Manager at the time, to see if she would be interested in an internship at the Little Theatre. Rachel enjoys the interactions with the volunteers and the audience before each show in the lobby. She has learned a whole new side to theatre as Assistant House Manager and knows she will use her experience for her career in theatre.