Magic Theatre Names Perla Vanesa Barraza as Managing Director

The Magic Theatre has appointed Perla Vanesa Barraza as Managing Director. She joins the new Executive Leadership Team which also includes Sarah Nina Hayon as the new Artistic Director, Daniel Duque-Estrada as the Producing Director, and Joan Osato as Director of Sustainability and Growth.  

“I am honored to step into the Managing Director role and to lead alongside Sarah Nina, Joannie, and Danny,” says Barraza. “I feel so lucky to contribute to the legacy of the cultural landmark that is The Magic Theatre. I believe in the power of artists as story tellers, disrupters, and cultural change makers and the Magic Theatre is a space where artists feel invested in and are given the space to foster their artistry to cultivate new works. Sarah Nina and Danny have the vision and plans to make the Magic Theatre the place where even non-traditional theatre goers feel welcome and are excited to go. I am very familiar with Joannie's strategic mind and development expertise; I know that she can tangibly match the vision. In this role, I am bridging the finance, operational, and project manager hats with my artist hat. I plan to improve our internal processes and systems to create the foundation for more thoughtful planning, sustainable growth, and informed decision-making for the Magic. Committed to strengthening our relationships with Bay Area artists and our community partners my goal is to exercise transparency and clarity so that collaboration is filled with intention and care.” 

This new Leadership Team brings in a level of experience, vision, and connection that will uplift the Magic Theatre to new heights. This expansion into an Executive Leadership Team comes as part of a long gestating transition to sustain and expand the most recent era led by Sean San José and team.

About Perla Vanesa Barraza – Managing Director

Perla Vanesa Barraza (she/her/ella) is a teatrista and a formerly undocumented fronteriza. Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, she migrated to the United States when she was 3 years old. She is lucky to call the Bay Area her home and Tucson, AZ her hometown. 

When Perla was cast in the Borderlands Theater's Production of El Ausente she began to understand the importance of narrative. The play was about a father's disappearance after crossing the Mexico-United States border and the impact his absence had on his family. Perla felt a deep connection. The story mirrored her own father's incarceration and deportation story. Through theater and community organizing she saw the power of storytelling as a path toward healing and as a means to disrupt harmful narratives. Perla is committed to uplifting her immigrant and marginalized communities in all that she creates. 

Perla is a MFA Candidate in Theater, Directing at Randolph College and holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from Mills College. She has had the pleasure of serving as Assistant Director on Luis Alfaro's, award winning plays, Aztlán (Magic Theatre) and The Travelers (Magic Theatre), Kat Evasco's, Be Like Water (With You Productions) and Migdalia Cruz' translation of Macbeth (Magic Theatre). She has performed in multiple Rolling World Premieres including Richard Montoya's, Nogales (Campo Santo), Hilary Betis', Ghost of Lote Bravo, Milta Ortiz', Más (Borderlands Theater), and Paul Flores, Pilgrim St/Stockton 21 (The Living Word Project).