Page 10 - STA SS Tamara Siler Playbill 091020FINAL

WHO’S WHO

CIARA AYALA (Production Stage Manager) MARK FOLKES (Managing Director) Mark
is so happy to be joining Stages Studio Folkes joined Stages as Managing Director
Sessions! She was first an intern in in 2015 during an important time of growth
2011 on The Great American Trailer for the company. In the role of Managing
Park Christmas Musical, and has always Director, Mark leads Stages’ administrative
admired that Stages is at the forefront functions with a focus on financial
of innovation in Houston Theatre. After management, fundraising, marketing and
her internship, Ciara moved away from strategic planning. In recent years, Stages’
Houston to work on Comedy of Errors, annual operating budget has more than
A Wrinkle in Time (Oregon Shakespeare doubled from $2.1 million to $5.5 million
Festival), By The Way Meet Vera today, driven by transformational growth
Stark, Angels in America: Millennium in ticket sales and philanthropic support.
Approaches, A Winter’s Tale (The Juilliard In January 2020, Stages celebrated the
School), Arsenic and Old Lace, The opening of a three-theatre new venue,
Producers, Constellations, The Whipping The Gordy, funded by a capital campaign
Man, Steel Magnolias,, OH! Coward, The that has raised more than $35.8 million
39 Steps, and many more (Peterborough including one of the largest individual gifts
Players), and A Chorus Line (Theatre to support the performing arts in Houston’s
Under the Stars). Upon her return to history. Prior to joining Stages, Mark served
Houston, she has become a resident as Senior Director, Development for the
Assistant Stage Manager at Houston Grand Houston Symphony, and has worked for
Opera, working on The Flying Dutchman, a variety of arts organizations including
La Boheme, La Florencia en el Amazonas, Canada’s National Arts Centre, the
Don Giovanni, The Phoenix, El Milagro Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the College-
del Recuerdo, and Saul. Ciara is a proud Conservatory of Music at the University
University of Houston Alum and member of of Cincinnati, and Houston Grand
Actors Equity Association. Opera. Mark is a Certified Fund Raising
Executive and holds Master of Arts (Arts
Administration) and Master of Business
Administration degrees from the University
of Cincinnati. He studied theatre as an
undergraduate at the University of Waterloo
and the Canadian College of Performing
Arts. In 2018, Mark was recognized as
a Houston Business Journal 40 Under
40 Honoree.