Teaching Artists

Malia Abayon is an actress, choreographer, director, and educator currently residing in Sonoma County. Malia is a trained educator and works in independent schools where DEI and cultural authenticity is at the forefront of her instruction. She works as a teaching artist and as a music ambassador in preschool programs throughout Sonoma County.

Malia obtained her B.A. from UC Davis where she concentrated in acting, modern dance, and human development. She trained at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, and Werk with Broadway in New York City. Theater credits include: In the Heights, Rent, The Who’s Tommy, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Revelations the Musical (off-Broadway).

David has been training as an actor and vocalist since he was 12, and throughout his career he has appeared in such productions as Elf the Musical, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Holly Day & the Rainbow Road, Chess, The Pajama Game, and Company. In 2020, he graduated with a B.A. in Drama from UC Irvine, moved back to Sonoma County, and began to pursue a career as a theatrical educator and administrator. He is currently the Playhouse’s Artistic Associate, and has worked there since December 2022. When he’s not onstage, David enjoys playing chess and walking his dog, Rosalind.

As a lifelong educator, Jeff Diamond has created numerous K-12 programs including chorus, music, and musical theater both in Sonoma County and internationally. He has lived and worked on five continents, and is passionate about storytelling, music, and staying fit. He strongly believes that being a creative artist involves passion, discipline, trust in yourself, respect for your audience, and a desire to have fun with your expressivity.

Katie has been performing from a young age, moving from living room shows of Annie, alongside her very musical family, to musical/opera productions at Sonoma State University where she studied vocal performance. She studied abroad in Germany with fellow actor/sing (and now husband) Ted Smith, where she discovered her passion for travel and learning about different cultures. After graduation, she earned a teaching credential and taught 1st grade for many years. She then took her love of travel and working with children to Poland where she taught at an international school. She has stepped away from teaching at elementary schools, and is now teaching private music lessons, directing youth theatre in Sonoma County, and has found her way back to the stage again. Favorite theatre roles she has played include Jenny in Company, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Adele in Die Fledermaus, and most recently Piggie in Elephant & Piggie’s: We are in a play at 6th Street Playhouse.

Aja has been teaching since forever! She rejoices in making the world a kind place through music and storytelling. Aja also lives with her two favorite students: her 15 year old son and 9 year old daughter. After getting her Bachelors in Voice and Harp, Aja taught a robust studio of voice and piano lessons for two years in Baltimore. In 2006 she started a Music school in Cotati: Music to My Ears. And in 2022 Aja spent a life affirming year as Education Director at 6th Street Playhouse.

Aja has taught over 50 youth musicals since 1998 at different locations including Marin Academy, Rancho Cotati HS, Palo Alto High School, Music to My Ears, 6th Street Playhouse and other places.

Cheryl King is a writer, director, and actor with more than 40 years of theater experience in NYC and Los Angeles, in addition to other regional theaters. Some notable career credits include her solo show “not a nice girl,” as well as serving as Resident Acting Coach for the long-running daytime drama  “All My Children”, from 2007-2010. King is currently the Producing Artistic Director for Way-out Wednesdays at The California Theater in Santa Rosa, CA and teaches improv and writing classes weekly in Petaluma and online. Learn more about Cheryl King at www.stageleftstudio.net.

A native Sonoma County actress and singer, Kaela has taught both music and choreography for the 6th Street Studio productions of Oliver! Jr., Newsies Jr. and Matilda Jr. Onstage, she has recently been seen in She Loves Me and Elf the Musical at 6th Street Playhouse, and as Petra in A Little Night Music and Ermengarde in Hello, Dolly! at Spreckels. She has also been in the ensembles of their productions Tuck Everlasting, The Music Man, and Matilda.

Ava Rudesill began her theatre journey with an acting class at 6th Street and she is elated to come full circle as a teaching artist! At the Playhouse, she works as an assistant director with the Youth Players. Also an actor, costume designer, and director, Ava has grown her theatrical knowledge/experience through four years in Drama Production at Montgomery High School. Some of her favorite roles have been M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias and Beatrice in A View From the Bridge. This last year, she directed The Insanity of Mary Girard, for which she won Bronze at the Lenaea Theatre Festival.

Born and bred in Sonoma County, Erika is thrilled to have recently joined the 6th Street Studio. Being involved in numerous theatrical productions as a child, and an avid audience member as an adult, Erika fell in love with the 6th Street community during her daughter’s first student production, Annie Jr. An amateur photographer, Erika asked to photograph the dress rehearsal, and the rest, as they say, is history! Now photographing all youth and teen shows, Erika has recently added the title of Assistant Director to her resume, beginning with Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS. As a former elementary educator, Erika believes in the magic of youth theater to empower children. When not at the Playhouse, Erika enjoys cooking and spending time with her dogs and chickens.