John Steinbeck
LITE Show Coordinator
Mae Ding began as Show Coordinator in 2024 and has been a CYT parent since 2022. She holds a B.A. in English and Ed.M. in Language and Literacy. Mae has spent over two decades working with students in a variety of educational contexts. As a former middle school teacher, Mae has a passion to nurture and challenge students to grow in confidence, expressiveness, and character. As show coordinator, Mae is a one-stop resource for parents and actors to gain clarity on details, understand expectations, and thrive during their time in CYT productions.
Camp Coordinator
Rita Baird was first a CYT mom (2019), then a CYT teacher (2020), then a CYT music director (2021), then became the CYT Camp Coordinator in 2024! She performed in her high school's production of The Fiddler on the Roof (she was Rifka, the fish seller) and she has loved musical theater ever since. She graduated with a BA in Music from UC Berkeley, where she sang with the Chamber Chorus, the University Chorus, and the Madrigal Singers. Rita especially loves choral singing and a cappella harmonies, and as a CYT staff member she has arranged music, written a musical based on E. Nesbit's Five Children and It, written original scripts and songs for camp, and composed music to accompany CYT Tri-Valley's most recent production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Rita Baird has 9 children and spends her days homeschooling, teaching piano, and diving into creative projects. She also plays for her church's music team and especially loves "singing a new song to the Lord!"
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Artistic Director
Kristin Baer-Werder (KW) has been Artistic Director of CYT Tri-Valley since 2020. She earned her BFA from the Actor Training Conservatory at UC Santa Barbara and her MFA in Acting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts. She is a proud member of AFTRA/SAG and AEA. KW worked in television and major motion pictures, but most enjoyed her work in regional theatres across the country. Favorite roles include Rosalind in As You Like It and Miss Hyde in Dr. Jekyll and Miss Hyde. KW worked for six+ years with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival as the Props Designer and Backstage Manager and was proud to be on staff of the first company to open the Firehouse Theatre in Pleasanton. KW was on the steering committee and is a founding member of CYT Tri-Valley, where she has also taught classes, trained/developed backstaged tech, developed new programming and venues, and directed many productions, including Shrek, Hadestown: Teen Edition, Matilda, and The Wizard of Oz KW lives in Pleasanton with her husband and their newest rescue dog, Shelby.
Managing Director
Talia Fallis has spent a lifetime on stage, training extensively in diverse disciplines ranging from musical theater and jazz to Scottish country dance and ballroom. While her technical background is broad, her primary expertise and passion lie in classical ballet. For over a decade, Talia has shared this passion with students of all ages. She is the co-owner and co-director of Vineyard Ballet Academy in Pleasanton and the founder and director of Ballet Roots Dance Company, the city’s first and only professional ballet troupe, with whom she still performs. Since 2020, Talia has served as the Managing Director for CYT Tri-Valley. In this executive role, she oversees the operations and growth of the organization, ensuring a sustainable foundation for a program that empowers local children to develop both artistic excellence and strong personal character.
Class Coordinator
Flo’s journey with CYT began as a parent in 2019, eventually leading her to serve as Class Coordinator starting in 2022. She is passionate about "planting the seeds" of musical theater in the next generation, providing the foundational support students need to grow both on and off the stage. While she thrives in the quiet work behind the scenes, her ultimate joy is seeing the vibrant energy and talent of the students come alive on stage.
Show Coordinator
Sarah Yendrey has worked as a show coordinator with CYT Tri-Valley since 2021. She loves working with the directors, parents and actors to help get a show to the big stage. She has enjoyed watching all the changes and growth we have gone through as a company.
