Cynthia Stokes
Stage Director
American stage director Cynthia Stokes makes her company debut during the 2011 – 2012 season directing Pagliacci. Ms. Stokes has devoted her professional career to creating provocative and thrilling productions across America. Her work has been described as having existential depths and evoking mythical resonance.
Recent productions directed by Ms. Stokes include the world premiere of Sextet, a new opera, by Nicolas Reveles at Diversionary Theatre in San Diego, Italian Straw Hat for Amarillo Opera , Dooley for Diversionary Theatre, and Roméo et Juliette for San Antonio Opera.
For Glimmerglass Opera, Ms. Stokes directed Le nozze di Figaro (cover cast) and staged members of The Young American Artists Program in Killer B’s, a cabaret-style celebration of American Composers whose last names begin with the letter ‘B’. For San Diego Opera, she directed Romeo et Juliette, Madama Butterfly for Opera Company of Philadelphia, Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison’s opera Margaret Garner for Cincinnati Opera and Opera Carolina, Così fan tutte (student touring production) for San Diego Opera, Il trovatore (second cast) for Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Pacific. For Los Angeles Opera, Ms. Stokes collaborated with some of America’s most exciting composers including Edward Barnes and Michael Abel to create new operas. She co-wrote Murder at the Opera with composer Edward Barnes and directed it for Los Angeles Opera. For The Thornton School of Music’s Opera Department at The University of Southern California she directed The Crucible and The Magic Flute.
An accomplished theatre director, her work has been seen at American Conservatory Theatre, The Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Wellfleet Harbor Actor’s Theatre, Manhattan Punchline and North Coast Rep. Credits include: Urinetown, Waiting for Lefty, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Diary of a Scoundrel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Defying Gravity and In Perpetuity throughout the Universe.
Deeply committed to encouraging the next generation of theatre and music artists, Ms. Stokes started La Jolla Playhouse’s Summer Conservatory (now is its 16th year) and San Diego Opera’s Summer Opera Institute. Her awards include: The New York Foundation for the Arts, The Lotta Crabtree Grant for Women. a National Arts Education Research grant and The Lila Wallace Foundation. She has taught acting and directing at The University of California at San Diego’s Department of Theatre and Dance where she received her M.F.A. in Directing.
