Guest Artists

Discover more about the Theatre Department Guest Artists!

See personal biographies

Lisette Sims

Lisette works throughout the Central Valley as a music director, director, and vocal coach. Her credits that work with Gallo Center Repertory Company (All is Calm, Into the Woods), Opera Modesto (The Merry Widow, Dead Man Walking, Sweeney Todd), Yes Company (Mulan Jr., A Year with Frog and Toad), and Turlock Youth Performing Arts (Seussical the Musical, Guys and Dolls, Bring It On: The Musical).

In addition to her theatre and music directing work, Lisette is deeply committed to arts education. Having previously served as choir and theatre arts instructor at Central Valley High School, she currently works as vocal coach for Pitman High School, most recently working on their productions of Hadestown – Teen Edition (PHS), while also pursuing a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – Musical Theatre Education at Stan State. Sims is also an experienced voice teacher, having maintained a large private vocal studio for many years, as well as a veteran performer and songwriter/composer. She has contributed to several notable university productions, including The Wolves, The Thanksgiving Play, and Ride the Cyclone, and is excited to return as music director for The Selfish Giant.

Ambrose McIntosh

Ambrose McIntosh is a fight director, stunt/fight choreographer, and martial artist. They have collaborated with Merced Shakespearefest, Westside Theater, Murphy’s Creek Theater, Gallo Repertory Company, and numerous schools and non-profit organizations. Ambrose has trained with the Society of American Fight Directors and Fight Directors Canada, and is certified as an actor combatant through both the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat and Dueling Arts International. After staging last season's bloody duel in Hamlet, they are delighted to return for an even more chaotic family feud in Charles Mee’s Big Love.