Our Mission
"We strive to create a space where the entire East Boston community is welcome to collaborate on theatre pieces that represent and relate to our population. From children to adults, we aspire to celebrate our cultural diversity through our passion for theatre and community building, in order to create a better neighborhood and a better world."
Our Staff
Javiera Lagunas-Álvarez
Javi was attracted to the stage at a young age. She graduated from Salem State University with a BA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Secondary Education and Spanish. In college, she worked as a Teaching Artist with high school students developing original performing pieces about community, identity, and youth leadership. She earned a Master of Education from Lesley University in the Community Arts program with a specialty in Theatre Arts. Currently Javi is the Teen Programs Manager at the Boch Center in Boston's Theatre District. Here she continues to work with teens from Boston using the arts to create change in the community. Lately you can usually find her lesson planning, teaching workshops, reading plays, directing, writing, and producing with the help of spreadsheets! She has directed or assisted in all of East Boston Playhouse's productions.
From the beginning...
Janet Castro
Janet graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Music from Salem State University. During this time she was employed at Movement City, a youth center in Lawrence, MA, where she was an Acting Teaching Artist and Director. With youth from the city she created original works including their successful musical titled, "In A Yellow Wood". She also briefly worked at the East Boston Camps as a counselor where she also taught theatre classes. In her spare time she continues to perform in the community whether it be in theatre or musical engagements. In 2015 she co-founded East Boston Playhouse and directed Fools, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Almost, Maine. She now resides in FL.
Candice has a BA in Theater Arts from Bridgewater State University. Since college, she has been able to travel abroad, starting drama clubs at schools and organizing theater programs for students. She taught in China for two years, producing the university’s first theater production, Grease. She taught drama in the Boston Public Schools for three years, directing, and choreographing. In 2015, Candice co-founded East Boston Playhouse and directed their debut show, Peter Pan and Wendy, A Musical. She spent the last three years residing in Dubai with her family, where she helped to organize the First International Theater Festival at American University of Sharjah, and partnered with Aliti Productions in Dubai to direct and produce an original musical version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. She is now a theater/dance teacher at East Lake Academy of Fine Art in Chattanooga, TN.