Principles and Values
Guided by the principles of Education, Performances, and Partnerships, Fuse Theatre projects create awareness for some of the most pressing social issues affecting our community today. Through partnerships and presentation of works, Fuse provides a stage for individuals and communities to discuss and empower social change.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about our upcoming or current events, or would like to start a conversation with us, please send us an email at info@fusetheatre.org
keep up-to-date: @fuse_theatre
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Meet The Sparks
Stacey Ardelean
staceya@fusetheatre.org
Stacey is the founding Artistic Director of Fuse Theatre. Her work includes theatre for social justice projects with local partners and creating collaborative performative experiences in and with the community. Her main creative roles include director, educator, and facilitator. She has worked as a theatre educator in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years and is an advocate for arts education. Her studies and work in devised theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, and theatre for social justice drives the mission of Fuse Theatre. Stacey is currently serving as the Board Past Chair of AATE (American Alliance for Theatre and Education) – a national professional organization.
Chelsea Unzner
chelseau@fusetheatre.org
Chelsea is a SPARKS member at Fuse Theatre. In 2011, she graduated with her BA in Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies from UC Berkeley. After working with theatre companies all over the country, she went back to school where she received her MA in Theatre Education and Theatre in Communities with an emphasis in theatre for social change from Emerson College in 2017. While at Emerson, she became Chair for the Theatre Education Graduate Association, where she produced many social justice plays and created theatre festivals and workshops for her graduate department. After graduate school, she directed and produced many productions all over the country. She is also a playwright and performer. Her new play, What We Remember, was produced in digital format in December 2020 and was presented at the 2022 American Alliance for Theatre and Education Conference.
Christina Diaz
christinad@fusetheatre.org
Christina is a performer, actor, singer, playwright, and lover of the arts. Her past credits include the role of Rosa Perez in Fuse Theatre’s touring production of Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans and costume designer for the 2019 Redwood City Play Festival partnership with Fuse Theatre and Dragon Theatre. Christina is currently developing a new play for youth about gun violence with Fuse Theatre. When she is not wearing one of her many artistic hats, she is taking care of her jungle of houseplants, upcycling discarded furniture she finds on the side of the road, and spending time with her rescued chihuahua-mix, Audio Hamilton.
Cleo Sonski
cleos@fusetheatre.org
Cleo is the Graphic Designer and a SPARKS member at Fuse Theatre. She holds a BFA in Web Design + New Media from Academy of Art University. She has been interested in theatre since high school where she was a member of the backstage tech crew and stage artist. She’s a creative soul with a mission to generate awesome projects that are beautifully crafted, filled with passion, and are engaging for anyone. Cleo is inspired by positive messages, kind people, happy house plants, and powerful women. When she’s not at her desk, you’ll find her exploring the neighborhoods of Los Angeles or cuddling up with her orange tabby kitty, Fry. @designby.cleo
Elana Hershman
elanah@fusetheatre.org
Elana is a Bay Area-born actor and creative with a big spot in her heart for art and people. These passions led her to UCLA, where she graduated with her BA in Theatre. She is proud to have served as the Director of Education and Outreach for The Shakespeare Company at UCLA and used her quarantine time to continue teaching and encouraging young artists in the virtual world. She is constantly moved by the connective power of theater, and she is excited to build community and make meaningful, accessible art with the Fuse team as a SPARKS Member and Operations Team Member.
Haleyann Hart
haleyannh@fusetheatre.org
Haleyann (she/her) is thrilled to be a SPARKS member/Operations Team member, serve as the Fuse Cabaret Night coordinator, and work with all the inspiring artists at Fuse. She has always been passionate about theatre, particularly the power it has to bring people together. In June 2020, she graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in Musical Theatre Performance. At UCLA she was a part of many projects, including BruinsCare– a benefit cabaret for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. She was also a member of YOUTHphonics A Cappella- a group that focuses on community service and music education. Haleyann has a passion for arts education and is a dance teacher to children ages 1.5-8 years old. Haleyann also works for Embody Dance Conference- a nonprofit dance competition and convention working towards inclusivity and accessibility in the dance industry. She hopes to use art to bring communities together and tell stories that need to be heard. Art is powerful, beautiful, and essential! Instagram: @haleyannh
Hedvig Flores
hedif@fusetheatre.org
Hedvig is a SPARKS Fuse Theatre Ensemble Member. She is a skilled, purposeful, and trilingual actress/playwright/director with extensive experience in theatre and film for more than 15 years. She spent the first 10 years of her professional career in Hungary, Europe; where she played as an actress in one of Budapest’s most popular theaters and also founded the Teatro Surreal, an independent theatre ensemble. She holds a BA in Acting from Hungarian Acting Academy, GNM and learned dramaturgy at Hungarian Writers Academy. Before she moved to the Bay Area in 2015 with her family, she worked as an artistic director at Teatro Surreal, where two of her plays were presented with success in 2010 and 2013. In the Bay Area, she worked in Fuse Theatre’s first devised production, The Unfinished Story Of Docktown, and became a Board of Directors member at Dragon Theatre. Her last play Because I Went There was first presented in 2019 at the First Redwood City Play Festival, a co-production of Fuse Theatre and Dragon Theatre. Because I Went There was remounted online during 2020’s pandemic as part of Fuse Theatre’s mini-festival “3 Sparks in the Dark” which was created for the Bay Area Women’s Theatre Festival.
J. Adan Ruiz
adanr@fusetheatre.org
J. Adán Ruiz was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. His passion for acting started when he was five years old when he got on stage on a production that he was not part of. That was the moment when Adán fell in love with the stage and the attention of the audience. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in performing Arts. He strongly believes that theatre is one of the best tools to educate our future generations. Adán has been participating in Spanish and English productions in theatre companies in California like The Marsh Theatre, SF Youth Theatre, Teatro Vision, Teatro Nahual, MAAC, Teatrical Souls, Fusion Theatre, All Terrain Theatre, Woodminster Musicals, BATCO, Black Swan Theatre Co, Fuse Theatre, and more. @jadanruiz
Operations Teams
Stacey Ardelean
Financial/Development
staceya@fusetheatre.org
Elana Hershman
Audience/Engagement
elanah@fusetheatre.org
Haleyann Hart
Marketing/Social Media
haleyannh@fusetheatre.org
Board of Directors
Rick Freedman
Rick has over 30 years in hi-tech marketing and management. He is an avid lover of theatre and music, starting with frequent visits to Broadway as a child. Rick is thrilled to support Fuse Theatre and serves as a member of the board providing marketing, IT, and management direction.
Lola Obamehinti
Lola is a technology professional who is passionate about creating opportunities for other historically excluded individuals in the tech industry. She is also the Founder of Nigerian Techie, a company that provides technology solutions and consulting services to individual and corporate clients. Additionally, she is a freelance TV Host and keynote speaker who specializes in discussing travel, finance and technology topics. Some of the media outlets she has been featured in are The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, Salesforce Trailhead LIVE, Silicon Valley Business Journal, and Cybercrime Magazine. In her free time, Lola enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures – she has been to over 15 countries overall and on 6 countries solo.
Matthew W. Jower-Ho
Matt has worked a plethora of shows on stage and backstage for theatre companies in Atlanta, San Francisco, and New York. Some of Matthew’s stage management credits include Atlanta: Jekyll & Hyde (Atlanta Lyric), Baby That Is Rock ‘N Roll, The Lieber Stoller Era, Somewhere Over the Rainbow: The music of Harold Arlen (Theatrical Outfit), San Francisco: Nan and the Lower Body (TheatreWorks | Silicon), Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, & Fifty Million Frenchmen (42nd St. Moon), Grease, Hairspray & Sound of Music (Broadway By the Bay), New York: Kedagawan (NY Fringe Festival), National Tours: Wizard of Oz, Hairspray USA and Japan Engagement (Networks Presentations), Evita (Theater League). Matthew also worked as a Stage & Production Manager for Celebrity Cruises. He is a graduate from UC Santa Barbara in Stage Management.
Shaunna Jones
Shaunna brings a diverse background made up of professional contributions in the private sector and nonprofit board leadership. She has enjoyed more than 20 years supporting people through her corporate Human Resources, Leadership Development, and Learning & Growth roles as well as nearly 50 years in the Arts community performing, assisting behind the scenes, and directing theatre. Shaunna is a musical theatre aficionado and enjoys traveling for work and play. Her three children are “all growed-up” professional artists and are her favorite people in the entire world. If given the opportunity, she will happily talk your ear off about how incredibly talented and entertaining they are!
Dave Thompson
Dave has spent over twenty years fighting for economic justice in the nonprofit and education sectors and is excited to be a part of Fuse Theatre. Dave has played a leadership role in a number of nonprofit organizations and is adept at strategy development and organizational design. Dave founded the award-winning economic justice organization, SparkPoint Contra Costa, and recently led the creation of the largest fund for undocumented immigrants in Contra Costa County. Dave is passionate about democratic workplaces and creating equitable structures, both inside organizations and in the larger community.
Lisa Flosznik
Lisa Flosznik is a seasoned marketing professional and fractional CMO at Type 26 LLC with over two decades of experience in the high tech industry. She has held top marketing roles at Roku and Adobe, where she has led teams and driven growth. Lisa is recognized for her expertise and serves as Advisory Board Member for BWG Strategy, is a former Customer Advisory Board member for Adobe Target, and conference speaker. Outside of her professional career, Lisa has been cast in many community musicals and reviews. She has also taught dance, yoga, and group exercise at various fitness center franchises in the San Francisco Bay Area. She also co-created Bruise Cruise, a board game, with her partner. Lisa holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, a Business Administration and Management certification, and certifications in Nutrition Education and Group Exercise Instruction. She continues to share her knowledge through teaching and writing on marketing best practices and leadership topics.