HMTC STAFF
We have grit and there is power and we will soar. Our Non-Profit Organization is for all people. Meet some of our incredible staff members below.
SILVIA GONZALEZ SCHERER
Executive Artistic Director and Co-founder
Silvia is co-founder and executive artistic director of HMTC. She is a playwright by profession, and has done standup comedy, been in improv groups, plays, commercials, t.v., and movies. Silvia was recently named Artist of the Year by Senator Melissa Hurtado for her work in Hurtado’s district with Hanford Multicultural Theater Company which she co-founded. Silvia is a proud alumnus of three playwright residencies: New Dramatists, Chicago Dramatists, and INTAR Playwright Lab in New York. She is a long-time member of the Dramatists Guild and a member of the Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights (ALAP). Silvia also wrote ALICIA IN WONDER TIERRA (Or I Can't Eat Goat Head), BOXCAR/EL VAGON, and THE MIGRANT FARMWORKER’S SON which is in high school drama textbooks and published by Dramatic Publishing. Her newest play THE MUSSEL SLOUGH CHRONICLES – A CALIFORNIA TRAGEDY received a public staged reading recently for the 142nd anniversary of the 1880 gunfight in Hanford. She recently participated in the Goodman’s Theater’s GeNarrations with her monologue NO MORE PICTURES OF SILENCE. She is the producing director of the citywide Hanford Dia de Los Muertos community event. She also writes a column for the local paper and keeps active the HMTC blog. She recently turned her stage play PEDRO THE PUPPETEER into a film. Her plays have won awards and are performed coast to coast. Her plays are published and her work and work history is included in anthologies. She writes a column in the local newspaper called HMTC This Week. Check her other works on www.SilviaGonzalezS.com
CAMIA SCHERER
Managing Director and Co-founder
Camia prefers to be behind the scenes but she is the co-brain of the whole theater company. Her skills are enormous. She is intuitive, too, knowing the right direction and people to work on HMTC mission. The theater began with her skills. She is also a co-host of the HMTC Behind the Scenes podcast. She's a professional photographer and will be doing cinematic work with the film Hanford Private Detective.
BRANDI AGUILAR
Social Media Technician
A bi-coastal actress, Brandi has been acting in commercials since she was 8 years old. She has been in numerous Indie films and has her own YouTube Channel. We are proud to have her on board.
DON BRAKEMAN
Acting coach, actor, director and Shakespeare educator
Don has lots of tv, film, and theater credits to list here. He is a gigantic force in our theater and he is a joy to listen to when he explains Shakespeare to the younger generations. He has acted in Hollywood and Las Vegas before coming to Hanford. His personal website is www.DonBrakenman.com
MARK SALTZMAN
Master puppeteer, fight choreographer, actor, set builder, writer,
Mark Richard Saltzman has been performing for audiences from a very young age and began acting, dancing and choreographing professionally in 1990. Having toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico as a cast member in popular touring shows such as South Pacific, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music and Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat, Mark’s love of performance puppetry was kindled when he was cast as a principle actor and dancer in Disney’s “Bear in the Big Blue House” and “Sesame Street LIVE”. Working with professional puppeteers was an inspiring experience which unlocked the magic of the art of puppetry for him. Mark began constructing custom puppets and performing with puppets in 2000. He is an alumni of the US National Puppetry Conference at the prestigious Eugene O’Neil Theatre Center in Waterford Connecticut. Mark creates amazing puppets with his company Kiwuppet Studios.
GRACE CHA
Freelance Grant Development
Grace was awarded a California Arts Council grant to extend her skills for applying for grants for our theater company. She is also an author of Korean stories. Due to the pandemic she is working for HMTC in a freelance status.
JANIE ISIDORO
Board of Trustee
Trustee Janie M. Isidoro is a writer and photographer from the beautiful Valle Central de California. She has lived all over the United States but there is no place like home. She discovered her passion for writing over a vivid dream she had, a dream which changed the course of her life, she was inspired to write 7 novels, full of amor, familia y cultura .
Jasmin Posey
Interim Board of Trustee
Jas Posey is a passionate storyteller dedicated to bringing compelling characters to life. Her credits include the 2022 Monologue Slam, The Mussel Slough Chronicles: A California Tragedy, The Trial of Bookus, voicing a character for an exhibit at the Colorado Springs Discovery Center, and appearing in Top of the Morn’n Ta Ya. Beyond acting, Jas serves as an interim board member for HMTC. She is also a fierce advocate for literacy, an avid explorer, reader, singer, content creator, wife, and mother.
JULIO CESAR GONZALEZ, JR.
Literary Manager who left to pursue his education.
We can't wait until he comes back to us.
Julio is a film and theater director. He directed two of our shows in the beginning and though we had very little equipment and finances, he made it happen. Julio also won an award for best film directing of UBER DRIVER. Locally filmed and acted.
SCOTT YARBOURGH
Tech Director
Scott Yarbrough is an experienced computer, sound, and light technician. Without Scott's skills, we would be very limited with our effects. He also helped secure the building with security cameras. A programmer and digital expert, Scott has become more than a technician. He has become a valuable staff member and helper with all the activities that occur at our building. He has also connected our theater with valuable people to help our theater continue to thrive. We appreciate Scott and his wife, who has helped us with puppeteering and continuity when we shoot our shows.ur shows.
LILIA CHAVEZ
Advisor and Fresno Arts Council Director
Experienced and consistently available to provide HMTC advice. We admire and appreciate this lady for her support and knowledge. She is a true advocate for artists. Without her caring support, we would not be where we are today. She has paved the way for our organization to thrive. She is always ready to answer our calls, and her advice has always been spot-on. She understands our limitations and advocates for Kings County to be noticed by the California Arts Council. We are grateful for this woman with a big heart.
DAVID ACEVEDO
Advisor and Director and founder of San Francisco Theater and Teatro Latino de San Francisco
Theatre director David Acevedo, a San Francisco native and a graduate of The American Conservatory Theatre Academy (1989), is the co-founder of SF City Theatre company and El Teatro Latino. Although he took a leave of absence to care for a family member, his support and legacy remain important to HMTC. As a veteran actor, director, and producer, David has established himself as the "real deal" in the live theatre scene. Some of his acting credits include Richard Roma in "Glengarry Glen Ross," Corporal Acevedo in the bio-play "Wasted," as well as productions like "Hamlet’s Orphans" and "The Normal Heart," among many others.
David made his assistant-directing debut in the comedy "Kvetch" by Steven Berkoff, followed by his first directorial debut in David Mamet’s "Speed the Plow."
Teatro Vagon was formed with partner Marte Mejstrik. During this period, David directed the award-winning drama "Boxcar" by Silvia Gonzalez, "12 Angry Men," and "Oleanna." He also co-produced "The Exonerated." The company emphasized multicultural casting when producing and directing Edward Albee’s "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" at the Southside Theatre at Ft. Mason.
As a director, David's credits include "Electricidad," "Trail of Ebenezer Scrooge," "Speech and Debate," and "The Migrant Farmworker's Son," among others.
HMTC
For the people
We are situated and ready to put your creative ideas to work. Just get in touch! We will see what we can do to help your artistic growth.