Leadership and Staff

Rick Lombardo, Artistic Director

  Rick Lombardo has been the artistic director of the San
  Jose Rep since October 2008. He is the recipient of
  four Elliot Norton Awards and a nine time winner of the
  “IRNE” award for his productions of The Clean House,
  Sweeney Todd, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are
  Dead, A Streetcar Named Desire, Ragtime, Waiting for
  Godot and The Weir. His world premiere of According
  to Tip has transferred for an extended run to Boston’s
  theatre district. His production of Bill W and Dr. Bob
  enjoyed an extended run off-Broadway in 2006. In the
  New England area, Mr. Lombardo has directed at
  Opera Boston, The Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre and
  the Actors Shakespeare Project. He was previously the
  Artistic Director of the Players Guild in Ohio, as well as
  the Founding Artistic Director of the Stillwaters Theatre
  Company in New York City. He is a member of the
                                                      Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

Nick Nichols, Managing Director

Nick Nichols has worked in professional theatre for over 30 years.  He has worked professionally as a Stage Carpenter, Rigger, Stage Manager, Lighting and Set Designer, Technical Director, Director of Production and now Managing Director.  Nichols was Technical Director for The American Musical Theatre of San Jose for 11 years, Production Manager for Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley for two years, Production Manager for Symphony San Jose Silicon Valley in their inaugural season and, in 2003, came to the San Jose Rep as Director of Production. He became Managing Director of the Rep in November 2006.  He has worked and/or taught at The University of Nebraska, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University and the University of California Santa Cruz.  Mr. Nichols has worked as a consultant for such clients as NASA/Ames, Princess Cruises, Holland-America Cruise Lines, The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, The Rosicrucian Museum and Univision.  Nick holds a B.A. in theatre arts from Santa Clara University, an M.F.A. in technical production/lighting design from Temple University and has done post graduate work in Arts Management and Administration at Golden Gate University.  He is a member of the Advancement Board for the Santa Clara University Center for the Performing Arts. He is co-chair of Rota-Arts, a committee of the Rotary Club of San Jose, which is working to bring music and arts appreciation and education to under-served grammar school students in San Jose.
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Sheri Frumkin, Director of Development
sherif@sjrep.com

Sheri Frumkin has worked in performing arts and non-profits since 1994.  Her extensive South Bay non-profit fundraising experience began at Santa Clara University in central development, then as Corporate Gifts Manager for the San Jose Symphony, the Software Development Forum as their Business Development Manager, and lastly spent five years as Director of Development for Ballet San Jose.  Sheri holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Musicology from University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a board member of American Ice Theatre and an Advisory Board member of the Jewish Studies Program at San Jose State University.

Bruce Elsperger, Associate Producer
brucee@sjrep.com

Bruce Elsperger is in his 15th season as Casting Director as San Jose Repertory Theatre.  He has stage managed the Rep’s productions of Mary’s Wedding, The Wind Cries Mary, Aliens in America, Love in the Title, Communicating Doors, Old Wicked Songs, The Lady’s Not for Burning, Holiday, Mirandolina, Blithe Spirit, Later Life, Sylvia, Banjo Dancing, Beehive and Redwood Curtain.  Elsperger stage managed for eight seasons with American Conservatory Theatre, where his credits include Home, Oleanna, The Duchess of Malfi, Nothing Sacred, Golden Boy, Right Mind, A Christmas Carol, Cyrano de Bergerac, Learned Ladies, and Hecuba.  Mr Elsperger was Production Stage Manager with Seattle’s Intiman Theatre, the Bathhouse Theatre and for a western U.S. tour of The Big Broadcast, as well as at PCPA Theaterfest.  He has also appeared onstage at the Rep in Anna Christie and Desire Under the Elms.  Elsperger’s directing credits include The Dying Gaul, A Breeze From the Gulf, Bag Lady, and A Streetcar Named Desire.  He was resident casting director at NCTC in San Francisco for five seasons and has been engaged to cast several independent productions in the Bay Area.

Karen Altree Piemme, Director of Outreach
karenp@sjrep.com

Karen Piemme was invited to the Rep in 1993 to help develop and expand its Red Ladder Theatre Company for which she is Associate Director. Ms. Piemme additionally develops and implements the Rep’s many education and outreach programs, including internships, job shadowing, classroom study guides, acting classes, artists-in-schools, and the Creative Playshop Series—a unique program for children and families that has been replicated by other regional theatres. As an active Bay Area theatre staff member and community leader, Ms. Piemme is a community mentor, often appears as a guest speaker, and serves as a member of the Theatre Services Committee for Theatre Bay Area. Ms. Piemme is an accomplished director, actor and acting instructor specializing in youth and community access. She received her degree in Acting and Directing from Syracuse University and also trained in England at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Christopher Morris, Production Manager
christopherm@sjrep.com

Mr. Morris has been working for with San Jose Repertory Theatre since the start of the 2003/04 season.  He has over 12 years of production experience from prominent theatres such as Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, and The Old Globe Theatre.  Mr. Morris earned his BFA in Theatre Design from Millikin University, and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama in Technical Design and Production.