Staff:
Victoria Detres | RISE Program Manager
Victoria is a Puerto Rican and Albanian producer born and raised in New York City. She is passionate about building a platform for contemporary theatre’s innovative voices, particularly those of the global majority. Victoria, while highlighting these voices, also aims to dismantle the structures that do not allow for access, and restructure for equity and accessibility. Victoria is a graduate from the New York Theatre Workshop 2050 Producing Fellowship for the 2018-2019 season. Formerly, Victoria has worked as the Producing Assistant at Octopus Theatricals and Associate Producer at Broadway & Beyond Theatricals. Victoria was an inaugural member of the Shubert Organization’s Artistic Circle Initiative and a recipient of the “The Stacey Mindich ‘Go Work in Theater' Award”, Lilly Awards 2021. She is currently a Broadway League fellow, member of SOCIETY Theatre Collective and a founding member of the re-launch of Theatrical Happy Hour. Learn more at www.victoriadetres.com.
Laura Ivey | Consultant &
Maestra Board of Directors Liaison
Laura Ivey is a solution driven producer of film, television and theater with 25+ years of experience. Projects include: Broadway musical MRS. DOUBTFIRE which opened at the Stephen Sondheim Theater in 2021; the film WALKING OUT which premiered in competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival; Meg Ryan’s directorial debut ITHACA; and the musical adaptation of Jason Robert Brown’s THE LAST FIVE YEARS, starring Anna Kendrick. In development is the musical AMERICAN ECLIPSE, from the genius musical mind of Michael John LaChiusa. Laura is a member of the Board of Directors of Maestra Music, the only organization providing support, visibility, and community to the women who make the music in the musical theater industry. Previously she served for two terms as Co-President of the Board of Outfest in Los Angeles, CA. Laura received her Juris Doctor from Fordham University Law School and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Georgia Stitt | Founder & President of Maestra
Georgia Stitt is a composer, lyricist, music producer, and pianist. Her original musicals include Snow Child, Big Red Sun (Harold Arlen Award), The Danger Year, Samantha Spade, Ace Detective (“Outstanding New Musical” from the National Youth Theatre), The Water (winner of the 2008 ANMT Search for New Voices in American Musical Theatre), and Mosaic. Georgia has released four albums of her music: A Quiet Revolution, My Lifelong Love, Alphabet City Cycle, and This Ordinary Thursday. She is currently writing a collection of theatrical art songs, a new show called The Big Boom, and an oratorio to be developed at Princeton University where she is an artist-in-residence. Georgia’s non-theatrical compositions include several choral pieces and Waiting for Wings, an orchestral suite for orchestra that was premiered and recorded by John Morris Russell and the Cincinnati Pops. Georgia has worked as a music director on projects including NBC’s The Sound of Music (Live!), The Last Five Years (starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan), Off-Broadway’s Sweet Charity (starring Sutton Foster), several musical TV shows and the upcoming film 13: The Musical for Netflix. In addition to her work at Maestra, Georgia holds leadership positions at The Dramatists Guild, The Recording Academy, and MUSE (Musicians United for Social Equity). She has received Artist/Activist Awards from Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) and The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
Judy Yin-Chi Lee | Chief Program Officer, Maestra Music
Judy Yin-Chi Lee, native of Taiwan, is an active musician in the New York Metropolitan area. As a commercial player, Judy has performed and/or recorded with more than 20 Broadway shows, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Hugh Jackman, Audra McDonald, Jason Robert Brown, CBS news, the NFL, Lang Lang, award winning or nominated recordings, Netflix and Warner Brothers movies, commercial jingles and more. As a freelance classical musician, Judy has performed with many orchestras, including the New York City Ballet, the New Jersey Symphony, the American Symphony Orchestra and many more. Judy has also traveled to many countries as a soloist and is the first female Asian French Horn player to have performed on the Great Wall of China. Currently, she is the French Horn player in the hit Broadway musical “Moulin Rouge!”.
Amy Pastrana | Director of Marketing and Communications, Maestra Music
Amy Pastrana is a first-generation Ecuadorian-American with a passion for performing arts and education dedicated to amplifying voices at all artistic levels. Amy leads with a focus on digital marketing, arts administration, project management, content creation, media relations, and branded web design for performing arts, small start-ups, and educational organizations. She has fulfilled production roles such as playwright, actor, stage manager, light designer, script supervisor, and director. Amy has worked in marketing and communication roles with Ballet Hispánico, Gibney, Writers Theatre of N.J., the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Cherry Lane Theatre, Morado Lens Podcast, The English Language Studies Department at The New School, New Latin Wave, Union County Afterschool Center of Music, and Writer in the Dark Productions. Amy caters to developing initiatives by empowering all forms of artistry in every active role while bringing awareness, accessibility, and intentional content to both RISE and Maestra Music.