Who Are We?

Julia Pinhey - Technical Theatre Teacher

Julia Pinhey has been the Stagecraft Teacher at Santa Susana High School since 2019. Prior to working at Santa Susana, Julia taught at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. She loves working with students and sharing her passion for the arts. In addition to teaching, Julia works as a Rental Manager for Jabworks, and is a freelance sound designer and engineer. In her free time she loves to work on woodworking projects. She drinks a lot of coffee (and La Croix).

As a sound engineer, Julia has worked on several projects that have gone on to play on Broadway and Off-Broadway such as the original productions of Heathers: the Musical and Deaf West's Spring Awakening. Julia has been the resident mixer for 5-Star Theatricals since 2013, and has mixed over 20 of their productions. Her favorite 5-Star productions include Mary Poppins, Matilda: the Musical, Memphis, Shrek, Peter Pan, and Sister Act. Julia formerly worked for the Walt Disney Company in Technical Services at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

Recent sound design credits include Into the Woods (California State University Northridge), associate sound design Newsies, Addams Family (5-Star Theatricals), and assistant sound design Kinky Boots at the Hollywood Bowl (LA Opera).

Alex Choate - Artist in Residence, set design

Alex Choate was a student of Don and Jane Childs, and some would argue he's the son they never needed. Alex has had his hands in everything from lighting design to prop and scenic design. Notable projects include KFC's Zinger Space Sandwich space launch (which Alex art directed), and Jeep Compass Trailhawk Edition commercial popularized on social media. Recently, he has been working with The Windward School, Santa Susana High School, and 5-Star Theatricals. Alex runs a custom shop for productions, collectors, and high-end cosplay.

Paige Loter - Artist in Residence, costume design

As designer, producer, administrator, manager, board member, performer, and stage mom, Paige has had her hands in all aspects of the theatre world. For the last 20 years she has held artistic positions in the LA area for Walt Disney Co., Domiloo Design, Warner Bros. Studios, Conejo Valley Homeschoolers, Rancho Simi Parks and Recreation, Fairy Pepper Toys, Cabrillo Music Theatre, Musical Theatre Guild, 5-Star Theatricals, Knot Free Productions, Pacific Festival Ballet and California Dance Theatre. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre design from the University of CA, San Diego, and during her time there, worked on projects from designing web pages with Dr. Sally Ride and Nasa to to starting up campus theatre organizations which still exist today. Paige loves every aspect of telling stories on the stage and is thrilled to be working with the students at Santa Susana High School on costume design.

Irene Silbert - Theatre Manager/AME Coordinator

Irene Silbert is an Emmy Award-winning DGA (Directors Guild of America) director, Equity performer, Music Director and Television Lighting Designer (first female lighting director at ABC-TV Hollywood). She has directed numerous documentaries, winning an Emmy in 1993 for Pioneer Women. She has designed lights for shows such as General Hospital, AM Los Angeles with Regis Philbin, Elvira and numerous commercial and cable productions. Her extensive stage experience includes directing classic plays such as Feydeau’s A Flea in Her Ear; Dracula; Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Richard III, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Timon Of Athens, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tempest, Taming of the Shrew as well as performing and music directing for Taming of the Shrew, Tempest, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Winter’s Tale, Pericles, Cymbeline, and Twelfth Night. She was the official folk-singer for Amtrak’s Coast Starlight for five years.
     Irene has taught and directed acting and music to young people at public and private schools, theatres and museums. She earned an MA in Theatre from California State University, Northridge and a BA in Anthropology with a minor in Renaissance Music from the University of California, Berkeley.
     Currently, Ms. Silbert is the Theatre Manager, AME coordinator, Shakespeare Director and Stagecraft Mentor at Santa Susana Magnet High School in Simi Valley. She and Rick Geiger founded the ROP stagecraft program which began in 2002. Utilizing state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment, the program prepares students for a professional career in the entertainment industry upon graduation.
She is the Conductor/Director for the Madrigal group The Merry Minstrels, performing at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum; plays violin and sings for the Ragtime Group Sedalia; and is co-director of the Simi Arts Conservatory (working with youth ages 5 through 18 in theatre, dance, voice and acting). Irene has two lovely children, Evan and Amy, (and three grandchildren) who share her love of the arts.