ASAAD KELADA, Co-Artistic Director
A widely acclaimed Television and Stage Director. After graduating from the American University in Cairo, he traveled to the United State to pursue graduate studies at Yale University School of Drama, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing. Director for Antioch Shakespeare Festival, the Antioch Arena Theatre, Artistic Director for the Trotwood Circle Theatre in Trotwood, Ohio. Three years Head of the Directing Department US International University, San Diego, CA. Also a member of the teaching Faculty at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts West, the California Institute of the Arts at USC School of Cinema and Television.

Directed major productions for acclaimed theatres around the country including the Old Globe in San Diego, Seattle Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Cassias Carter Theatre in San Diego, Philadelphia’s Playhouse in the Park, Delaware Festival of Arts, Mark Taper Forum Lab, the Met, the Tiffany Theatre, and the El Portal Center for the Arts in Los Angeles. In Santa Barbara, Asaad directed the critically acclaimed production of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing during the 2004-2005 Season at the Ensemble Theatre Company. Asaad will direct SBT’s third show of the season, Lee Blessing’s TWO ROOMS, which opens April 26th at the Lobero Theatre.

STEPHEN SACHS, Co-Artistic Director
A multiple award-winning playwright and director. He is the Co-Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, which he co-founded in 1990 and is now celebrating its 16th season as one of the most highly respected theaters in the city. Internationally renowned playwright Athol Fugard chose Stephen to direct the world premiere of Exits and Entrances in 2004. It enjoyed an 8-month sold-out run at the Fountain Theatre and won 3 Ovation Awards. It was SBT’s inaugural production and will make its New York debut with the world premiere cast, under Sachs’ direction, in August 2007. He directed Euripides’ Hippolytos, the inaugural production of a new 450-seat amphitheatre at its Getty Villa Museum in Malibu. Arthur Miller gave his personal permission to Sachs to direct his rarely seen After the Fall at the Fountain Theatre. The revival swept the 2002 L.A. Ovation Awards.

Stephens’ newest play, Open Window, was commissioned by Deaf West Theatre Company (Broadway’s Tony-nominated Big River), and received its world premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse in October 2005. He has written a new bi-racial adaptation of Strindberg’s MISS JULIE, set during the Civil Rights era of 1964 America. This world premiere production will be the fourth play in SBT’s 2006-2007 season.eason.

ALBERT IHDE, Producing Director
An award-winning director of theatre and film. Albert started his professional theatre career as a director, and designer of sets and lights in Washington, DC, where he was the Co-Artistic Director of SART (Saint Albans Repertory Theatre). He adapted and directed the American Premiere of Tom Stoppard’s Albert’s Bridge. At River Arts Repertory in Woodstock, NY, he was the Producing Director and oversaw such productions as the American Premiere of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women, Joanne Woodward in Ibsen’s Ghosts, and a benefit performance of A. R. Gurney’s Love Letters starring Ms. Woodward and her husband Paul Newman. Albert was the Producing Director of StageWest in Springfield, MA, where he oversaw 23 major productions for this LORT regional theatre. In Los Angeles, he received a Drama-Logue Award for his direction of the Brecht/Weill musical, Happy End. Most recently, he was the Executive Director of the Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara, where he negotiated a donation that eliminated a $450,000 accumulated deficit.

In film, he directed and edited the award winning PBS documentary The Sun Dagger, which was narrated by Robert Redford. His feature length film, Bluegrass Country Soul was recently released on DVD by Time-Life Music.

ELLEN PASTERNACK, Managing Director
Ellen has guided this new company through its first year of operation, and is proud that SBT ended its first full fiscal year in the black. She oversees development and sponsorships, box office and group sales, company management, contracts, and other business related areas for SBT.

Ellen has twenty years of experience in arts administration and production in Santa Barbara. Most recently, she served as the Director of Communication and General Manager for the Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara (ETC), where she oversaw marketing and publicity, and financial, benefit, facility and front-of-house administration. She was the Managing Director for the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet, where she retired a multi-year debt in her first year. Ellen also inspired and created successful group sales departments for both the ETC and the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, and has worked as a Box Office Manager, House Manager, and on “the other side of the footlights” as an Equity Production Stage Manager. She has also worked in corporate sales, publishing, and as the manager of Osborne’s Bookstore in downtown Santa Barbara.