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Happy 2025 and welcome to our new regular roundup of news about the Peninsula arts community, where we’ll share season announcements, changes in leadership, other comings and goings and more.
This week: The Pear Theatre in Mountain View has a new artistic director; Portola Valley’s Coast Live Music will soon launch its second season; Woodside’s Filoli estate will hold a winter ballroom concert series and the Computer History Museum in Mountain View temporarily closes for renovations.
Pear Theatre announces new artistic director
The Pear Theatre has announced the appointment of Sara K. Dean as the company’s new artistic director. Dean takes over the role from Executive Artistic Director Sinjin Jones, who last summer shared plans to step down.
The Mountain View-based theater company announced Dean’s appointment in a Dec. 24 press release. Dean “is proud to be a non-binary arts leader based in the Bay Area, currently serving on the Board of Theater Bay Area. With a passion for advancing inclusive, equitable arts practices, Sara has led as Managing Director of Starting Arts and as Executive Artistic Director for South Bay Musical Theatre,” the release said.
Dean got their start on Broadway, as a production assistant for the original company of “The Lion King” and has worked with Bay Area companies like American Musical Theatre of San Jose and San Jose Repertory Theatre. Peninsula audiences may know Dean’s work both on-stage and behind the scenes: She served as director and choreographer for productions such as Los Altos Stage Company’s “Elf” and Redwood Symphony’s “Follies” and has been seen as a performer in shows such as Palo Alto Players’ “The Music Man” and “The Book of Will” at Foothill.
Dean has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and is pursuing a master’s degree in Arts Administration at Southern Utah University. They have also taught dance and pilates for 15 years and created Glitz Dance Fitness, a cardio dance class that draws on musical theater and jazz.
“Under Sinjin’s leadership, The Pear has become a driving force in the local theatre scene, presenting engaging, unique, and captivating stories that highlight diverse perspectives and talents. Alongside the exceptional Pear team, I am excited to continue connecting audiences with artists and fostering creative expression,” Dean said in the press release.
Next up on The Pear’s stage will be Ken Ludwig’s “The Gods of Comedy,” opening Feb. 21.
Coast Live Music to kick off second season Jan. 25
Tickets are available for the second season of classical concerts presented by Coast Live Music. The Peninsula-based nonprofit announced its 2025 schedule last month. The organization, founded by Portola Valley resident and professional violinist Livia Sohn, launched in January 2024. Sohn serves as the group’s artistic director.
The season kicks off Jan. 25 with “An Evening of Stars,” a program featuring Palo Alto-raised violinist Alexi Kenney and pianist Amy Yang performing works by Witold Lutosławski, Clara Schumann, Arvo Pärt and George Enescu. The concert will take place at the Portola Valley Town Center.
Also part of the season:
- A March 28 concert titled “Cathedrals to Courtesans” with harpist Bridget Kibbey, who has “a special commitment to using music new and old to weave and showcase deep connections across cultures,” according to an event description.
- On May 17, cellist Luigi Piovano and pianist Bernadene Blaha will join Sohn to perform Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 3 A major, op. 69 and Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, op. 87.
- The season concludes Oct. 2 with “Wines and Winds at Fogerty Winery,” with a gathering of top wind players – oboists Kemp Jernigan and James Austin Smith; clarinetists Alan Kay and Alicia Lee; bassoonists Gina Cuffari and Eleni Katz; and horn players David Byrd-Marrow and Eric Reed – performing works by Mozart, Ruth Gipps and Smetana. Ticket price includes wine, light bites and roundtrip shuttle service to the winery from the Portola Valley Town Center.
For more information, visit coastlivemusic.com/events.
Filoli launches winter ballroom concert series
Woodside’s Filoli estate is offering a monthly concert series this winter in the historic mansion’s ballroom, according to a Jan. 3 announcement.
The winter series kicks off Jan. 29-31 with performances by jazz pianist Connie Han, whose program will honor the traditions of Lunar New Year. The concert series also features jazz concerts Feb. 13-15 for Valentine’s Day and performances March 11-13 from Opera San José, highlighting works from the company’s 42nd season, including a preview of Héctor Armienta’s “Zorro,” which will have its Northern California premiere with the company in April.
Han’s January concerts are part of festivities at Filoli marking the Year of the Snake, which, among other events, also features a family day and a discussion about Lunar New Year food traditions on Feb. 9, with panelists such as chef Martin Yan.
For more information, visit filoli.org/performance.
Computer History Museum closed in January for renovations
Whether you’re taking part in Dry January, Veganuary, or just trying to keep a New Year’s resolution or two, if you’re planning some self-improvement this month, you’re not alone — even a local institution is getting in on the act. The Computer History Museum announced on its website that it will be closed between Jan. 6 and 28 for what’s described as a “facilities upgrade.”
Although the museum will be shuttered this month, its website offers plenty of ways to learn more about exhibits past and present, including a behind-the-scenes look at its most recent exhibit: “Chatbots Decoded: Exploring AI.” The museum’s YouTube channel also offers a variety of videos about the museum, its exhibits and important milestones in the history of technology.
For more information, visit computerhistory.org.
