Creative Team

We have an amazing behind-the-scenes team, making the magic happen onstage! Get to know them a little better here...

HOPE VILLANUEVA

Director/Creative Team 

Hope returns to DC from a two-year run as Production Stage Manager for the national tour of Rock of Ages. She as been on tour with My Fair Lady and Young Frankenstein, and PSM on Studio Theatre’s The Big Meal, Imagination Stage’s Wake Up, Brother Bear, was Resident Stage Manager for Honolulu Theatre for Youth and Associate Production Manager on Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey’s Bellobration. She has participated in Capital Fringe on F#@king Up Everything, Bully, and Districtland. Upcoming projects include Laugh at Studio Theatre. Hope is a proud AEA stage manager and a graduate of UC Santa Barbara’s Playwriting Program.

J. ROBERT RAINES

Sound Designer

J Robert Raines is an actor, composer, sound designer, and musician in the DC Metro area, and is ecstatic over the opportunity to work on such a dynamic production. J has sound designed both Equity and Non- Union productions in NC, DC, New York, Chicago, and CT, as well as two of his own musicals Off-Broadway. You can hear his design coming soon on Hamlet with Taffety Punk, and contact him to enquire about production or commission design/composition work at thetheatrek@gmail.com

MIMI d'AUTREMONT

Projection Designer

LELIA TAHABURT

Assistant Director

Lelia TahaBurt is a director, producer, and actor with a passion for new works. Recent directing credits include La Llorona at the Capital Fringe Festival 2014, Miller Lite Monologues at the Catholic University of America, and Alien Love Triangle at the Colonial Players of Annapolis. She currently works as the Assistant Producer for the Source Festival, and was the Assistant to the Production Manager and Artist Relations Manager at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company last season. Lelia is a proud Arab-American who grew up in Cairo, Egypt and Annapolis, MD. She is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, with a degree in theoretical mathematics.

CANDICE LAUREN NEWTON

Costume Designer

Candice Lauren Newton is a Washington DC based costume designer and costumer. She attended the University of the Arts, London from 2009-2013, majoring in costume design for screen and stage. During her time in London, she worked on the London 2012 Ceremonies, at Shakespeare’s Globe, and on various award winning short films. Since returning to the United States, she has worked regularly with Local 772 dressing theatre and concerts in the Washington DC area and has designed several productions for the MNCPPC Teen Performance Ensemble as well as custom pieces for local artists and athletes.

DEIVID SCARLINO

Visual Artist

WILL POMMERENING

Production Stage Manager

Will Pommerening is a stage manager in the DC area. He most recently stage managed The Typographer's Dream, with Hub Theatre where Will is a company member. Other Hub credits include Abominable, Carried Away On The Crest Of A Wave, and Act A Lady. Will was the touring stage manager of Big Nate and Five Little Monkeys with Adventure Theatre MTC. He graduated from Elon University with a BA in Design and Production.

MAGGIE PELTA-PAULS

Assistant Stage Manager

Maggie Pelta-Pauls is an American Studies major at the College of William and Mary. After graduating she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in stage management. Prior to her time at William and Mary, she attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland where she co-produced for St Andrews’ oldest, best, and only improv comedy troupe, Blind Mirth. During her time with them she co-produced their Edinburgh Fringe festival shows in 2013 & 2014. Other credits include the AFI DOCS 2015 film festival (stage manager) and William and Mary Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening (properties master).

DAVID AUGUST

Social Media Advisor