ABOUT US

Stage Werx Theatre was founded in 2007 by Cory and Ty Mckenzie. These sisters spent their childhood running around rehearsal halls while their parents performed in community theatre. It only seems fitting that they would wind up running a space of their own.

Stage Werx is dedicated to the community and has been established to:

• Provide a forum in which theatre artists (actors, directors, playwrights, designers) may further develop their talents and skills
  
  
• Further the vitality, stability and development of live theatre in San Francisco by producing and hosting premieres and “reinventions” of previously produced materials
  
  
• Increase the Theatre’s profile in particular and the profile of San Francisco theatre in general by creating unique projects of interest
  
  
• But really, we're here to open opportunities for freaks, starving artists, newcomers, and old hats to get their stage on.

Ty Mckenzie has spent the last 12 years in San Francisco theatres first as a board op, learning light design. She inadvertently picked up skills in sound, electrical and carpentry, audio visual, computers and theatre operations. Ty got to try out all these skills as a theatre co-owner in the Mission District. Her extensive resume can be seen here.

Ty’s first theatre gig was at the Shelton Theatre, funnily enough, across the hall from Stage Werx. She then found herself at The Phoenix Theatre where a patient Mike Burg and Linda Ayres-Frederick let her play, learn, mess-up, re-do it, and grow leaps and bounds. She spent time at the Exit Theatre working with Jason Reis who helped give her the technical skills she would need to further her career. She also credits Bart Grady for helping her not only with her first nerve-wracking light design but always being there for her when she needed him.

Ty concurrently worked in medicine as a Laboratory Technician while pursuing her theatre career until one day she woke up and realized that there’s no place like the theatre and to spend each day immersed in the creativity and joy that the actors and theatre provides is what makes her most happy.

This theatre wouldn't have been possible without the help and support of Linda Ayres Frederick and of course me sis, Cory Mckenzie.

Cory Mckenzie was born butt up against her twin sis and many years later she finds herself butt up against her again in this here Theatre venture called Stage Werx.

While spending childhood playing in the theatre as mom and dad pursued their acting careers, adulthood sent her into the world seeking other adventures.
Cory spent most of her working life doing a variety of jobs she loved but each one so randomly different.
Sign language interpreting, veterinary technician, carpenter, maintenance manager, various theater work, motorcycle mechanic, filming and editing, .... the list goes on. But going back to the womb of childhood playgrounds has led straight to this theatre endeavor.

While Cory would like to list the many people who helped her get to this precious point in life, there is truly only one person whose kindness and generosity allowed for this theatre to be born and that would be Dorothy Boerste. Nuff said. And no, me and Ty never did it.