Amber joined PrideArts in 2022 as the Managing Director. She has a Master's Degree in Nonprofit Management and extensive experience in development. Since joining PrideArts, she has directed Shakespeare's R&J and produced Sapphic Showcase. She and her wife are huge fans of theatre. Their dog Merlin has become PrideArts’ mascot.

Jay is a proud Filipino-American actor, writer and director who has collaborated with some of the best artists in Asia, Canada and the US. A Musical Theater grad from Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore, Jay has played roles from Shakespeare to jukebox musicals. In 2015, he earned his MFA in Film Directing from Columbia College Chicago. His thesis film, Mahal, won numerous awards in several film festivals and is being optioned as a feature film. He recently directed the world premiere of Aztec Human Sacrifice (CityLit Theatre) and Boeing Boeing (Dunes Summer Theater). For PrideArts, he has directed Things I Could Never Tell Steven, 4000 Days, Tommy On Top, A Christmas Karol, Girlfriend and [title of show].  When not on stage, Jay practices and teaches yoga.

After graduating from Ohio State with a BA in Theatre, Michael ventured west to Dallas. Over the next 22 years he worked as a corporate drone by day and a stage manager by night. Tired of the TX heat, Michael made the decision to move to Chicago. His original intention was to find an awesome job and live a quiet, happy life. Those plans changed, as plans often do. The corporate world decided to downsize and it was goodbye Michael. After an eternity of submitting resumes and getting nowhere, he decided to go back to where it all began – stage managing. Since then Michael has worked for several storefront companies throughout the city. He also spent 2 seasons as the stage manager for the Northwestern University Opera Department. In 2018 Michael was hired to be the stage manager for PrideArts’ production of Yank! A WWII Love Story and basically never left.

Merlin is a 10 year old Pomapoo who does not have a theatre degree. He has not directed anything nor has he acted in anything.  Merlin is very proud of his extensive collection of canine couture.