bios

Sarah Thermond

Sarah Thermond is thrilled to join the Paly Theatre family! A Bay Area native, Ms. Thermond was an active participant in her high school theatre program, Thespian troupe, and choir. She began working in theatre education as a teenager, running an after-school theatre program for middle school students in San Jose and spending her summers as an intern teacher and performer for California Theatre Center.

Ms. Thermond received her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts (as well as a BA in Comparative Literature with an emphasis on comparative Media Studies) and received her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of San Francisco. Sarah taught Drama and English at Saratoga High School, where she ran the Theatre Arts program for eight years and directed productions including The White Snake, Julius Caesar, Les Misérables, and Mary Poppins. She is actively involved with California State Thespians and also continues to hone her skills as a theatre professional by working and performing with various local companies.

Some of her favorite Bay Area roles include Rosalind in As You Like It, Horatio in Hamlet (Silicon Valley Shakespeare), Lily St. Regis in Annie (Hillbarn Theatre), and the title role in Educating Rita (California Theatre Center).  She is grateful every day for the chance to share her love of theatre with students, and to help their development as the next generation of artists!

Alyssa Bond

Alyssa Bond joined the Paly community for the 2016-2017 academic year and teaches Dance 1 and Dance 2 and choreographs with the theatre department. In addition, she is the choreographer for the Main Stage productions and has been a Theatre and Dance educator for over 15 years. She has been honored by the National Society of High School Scholars as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction for excellence in teaching.

Alyssa began dancing at a very young age and hasn’t ever stopped. Originally from the Seattle area, she trained in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, musical theatre, and hip hop and moved to California where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with degrees in both Drama and Dance. After graduation, Alyssa began to choreograph, teach, and dance professionally for regional theatre companies in the Bay Area and has worked with Berkeley Playhouse, Contra Costa Musical Theatre, and many others. She feels privileged to be able to share her love of theatre and dance with new generations of performers.