Placer Community Theater Announces New Leadership

A new vision promises to revive Placer Community Theater (PCT), after a Board President and a Vice President were elected by the outgoing board of trustees last April, 2023. Luisa Handem Piette and Matthew Piette were respectively elected President and Vice-President of the Board following weeks of uncertainty as to the future of the 20-year-old community theater.

“We are new to the area, but when we heard that PCT was to fold after so many past theatrical successes that have brought the community together, we quickly stepped in and said to ourselves, the show must go on! Bus Stop will be staged at the General Gomes Arts in Auburn in September, and a 20th anniversary gala fundraiser will also be held there July 22 this year”, announced Handem Piette.

She comes to her new role with PCT from a background in non-profit management, broadcast journalism, human rights law, and a strong track record as a corporate communications executive for Information Technology firms. Handem Piette is also known for her philanthropic work and love of the arts.  

"Our vision is one of positive camaraderie, high quality performances, and partnership with the City of Auburn and Placer County at large. Our focus now is to listen to our partners, cast members, the community, and our area leaders. We are also appealing to all theater lovers to support our upcoming work by donating at our website placercommunitytheater.org and through volunteer work,” added Handem Piette.

Handem Piette briefly served as Director of UPI Next, United Press International's former media development division, worked overseas as a Knight International Journalism Fellow with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), after a long international broadcasting career with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Radio France International (RFI) and Voice of America (VOA). She has early experience acting, and she enjoyed appearances in school performances while growing up in Portugal, as well as radio performances dramatizing Mia Couto's books live on air through the Portuguese programs of the BBC World Service in London.

“We stand on the shoulders of previous volunteers, cast members, and board leaders, especially Diane Ott, Andy Poston, David Weller, Philip Jacques and Julie Rosch who have been gracious in bringing us on board, and are continuing to be supportive of the new leadership,” said Matthew Piette, the new Vice President. 

Piette has a long history of supporting the arts and theater and acting in productions at the Loft Theater in Leamington Spa, England, and appearing in a variety of shows including the London premiere of "A Dog in A Manger" by Lope De Vega, Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and Tom Stoppard's "The Real Inspector Hound."  Matthew has since accumulated over 20 years of global and high-tech experience in executive-level management for Fortune 500 companies and startups in the United States, as well as playing key roles in non-profit organizations, including CSIS, a Washington DC-based Think Tank. He is currently Head of Brand Marketing at Exact Sciences Corporation, working on multi-cancer early detection solutions.

Luisa holds a Master's degree (LLM) in International Law, and a BA in French & Government from the University of Essex, U.K. Matthew holds a BA and a Master's Degree in English Literature from the University of Cambridge, U.K.

Matthew and Luisa reside in Cool, CA. They are the proud parents of John and Natasha, and grandparents to toddler Cosima.

ABOUT PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER (PCT)

We are a nonprofit 501 (C) (3) organization founded in 2003. We are dedicated to providing entertainment and cultural enrichment while supporting the arts and education in our community. Visit us at placercommunitytheater.org and on Twitter @PlacerTheater