Alyssa Kakis
Matt DeMaria
-
Artistic Director
Alyssa Kakis (she/her) is an award-winning theatre director, and received her degree in Directing from Pace University’s School of Performing Arts. Recently, Alyssa directed the NYC premiere of Vincent by Matt DeMaria (Teatro LATEA), which won awards for Best Direction and Best Score at New York Theater Festival’s 2023 Summerfest. In 2024-2025, Vincent will be produced at Long Island University. Other recent credits include Stuart Little (St. John’s University) the world premiere of The Death of The Living Club by Matt DeMaria (Open Jar Studios), Heathers (The Riverside Theatre), Happy Hour with Rum & Choke (The Tank), Spring Awakening (Bellmore Showplace), Dark Matter (Pace University’s Devised Theatre Festival / The PIT), A Millennial Play (Dixon Place), and Warning! Contents May Be Hot! (Institute of the Arts Barcelona).
-
Composer / Executive Director
Matt (He/Him) is a Chilean-American, award-winning composer based in Long Island. As the Executive Director of Dead Star Theatre Co., he is dedicated to fostering an endlessly inclusive and progressive theatre industry. Matt is passionate about creating a space that celebrates individualism, uniqueness, and hard work. Through his work with Dead Star, he aims to produce shows that empower people and allow them to shine in their unique ways.
Matt has enjoyed many years dabbling in all facets of the arts. From acting on stage, to composing, to directing, to orchestrating. His original musical VINCENT, inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, had its New York City premier in May of 2023. It was nominated for 5 awards and won for Best Score and Best Direction. He served as a production assistant for the Toronto and Broadway runs of Come From Away. In 2017 he began traveling the world as the Music Director/Conductor on the 20th Anniversary tour of the Pulitzer Prize winning show RENT. After a brief hiatus he went back on the road touring RENT for its 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour. He served as associate conductor of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (The Gateway). A concept album of his original musical The Death of The Living Club was released in April of 2024.
Mission
A place where everybody gets a seat at the table.
Dead Star Theatre Co. fosters a community where people can shed the skin of what we’ve been told theatre creatives “should” be and embraces authenticity, individuality, and the potential of what theatre creatives CAN be.
History and Vision
Dead Star Theatre Co. was created as a vessel to tell new stories and forge our own creative path with intentionality and creativity. Our inaugural project, a studio cast album of Matt DeMaria’s The Death of the Living Club, marked the beginning of a collaborative journey where talent and community converge. We firmly believe in the collaborative nature of our work and as our community grows, our work is continuously transformed and enhanced.
We are dedicated to celebrating uniqueness, fostering diversity, and elevating artistry. Through our commitment to inclusivity and innovation, we strive to support and uplift the creative community, making space for new and compelling narratives.
