Gary Landis

Executive Artistic Director

Gary Landis has spent almost forty years working in theater as an actor, director, set and sound designer, stage manager, arts marketer, and fundraiser. He first became interested in theater through Los Angeles youth programs and continued through high school and college in Southern California, where he began directing and designing shows. Gary has a B.A. in Theater Arts from California State University, Northridge, an M.A. in Theater History, Theory, and Criticism from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.F.A. in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

When Gary joined Los Altos Stage Company in 2012, he brought more than 25 years of experience managing arts programs in theater, music, and visual arts, working with groups both big and small. He has worked at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., and Creative Arts Team in New York City. After moving to the Bay Area in 1998, he worked with well-known institutions such as Theater Artaud, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (de Young Museum), and the San Jose Museum of Art, before returning to live theater.

During his 14 years at Los Altos Stage Company, Gary has helped in almost every role. As a Sound Designer, he worked on shows like The Wizard of Oz, 1984 (TBA Award Recipient), and Steel Magnolias. He also created visuals as Projection Designer for Assassins, Pippin, and Oslo, and as Set Designer for more than 18 shows, including Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, Cabaret, and Waiting for Godot. He has acted in 12 shows, including The Crucible, The Grapes of Wrath, and A Christmas Carol. As a Director, Gary has led over 16 shows, earning recognition as a TBA Award Finalist for Distracted and an SFBACC Award for Admissions. He has also directed The Glass Menagerie, The Cherry Orchard, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

When the Covid-19 pandemic closed theaters, Gary helped the Los Altos Stage Company switch to creative online shows, ensuring the company continued sharing its art. The San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle gave these efforts a Certificate of Commendation for outstanding online work during the pandemic