About Us

Jill MacLean earned her MFA in Musical Theater from San Diego State University. In New York, she was a professor at Marymount Manhattan College for three years teaching Musical Theater Techniques, Scene Into Song and New Musical Developmental Readings, a course she designed for which she commissioned and directed original pieces from emerging lyricists, librettists and composers. She has directed numerous ten-minute musicals for New York University's Undergraduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, and was the Directors Lab Assistant at Lincoln Center Theater for five years. As an actor, Jill has performed in the Bay Area, New York and regionally and is a member of Actors' Equity Association. Since returning to the Bay Area, Jill has joined the faculty for the Young Conservatory at American Conservatory Theatre, has been a teaching artist with Berkeley Repertory Theatre and StageWrite, and is a member of the Magic Theatre Artists Lab. She is currently the Managing Producer of the Playwrights Foundation.

Lee Ann Payne earned her MFA in Musical Theater from San Diego State University and was a professor at Marymount Manhattan College teaching Musical Theatre History. She has spent the last several years as a performer/choreographer based in New York City and has performed in professional venues across the country. Now that Lee Ann is back in town she is continuing to perform, teach and choreograph. She is on staff with Zohar School of Dance teaching Musical Theatre Dance and Adult Tap, and was recently seen as The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods with Broadway By the Bay, and received rave reviews for her choreography of Kiss Me Kate with Sunnyvale Community Players. Lee Ann is a member of Actors’ Equity Association as well as an Associate Member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.