Alyssa Kakis
Matt DeMaria
-
Artistic Director
Alyssa Kakis (she/her) is an award-winning theatre director, and received her degree in Directing from Pace University’s School of Performing Arts. Recently, Alyssa directed the NYC premiere of Vincent by Matt DeMaria (Teatro LATEA), which won awards for Best Direction and Best Score at New York Theater Festival’s 2023 Summerfest. In 2024-2025, Vincent will be produced at Long Island University. Other recent credits include Stuart Little (St. John’s University) the world premiere of The Death of The Living Club by Matt DeMaria (Open Jar Studios), Heathers (The Riverside Theatre), Happy Hour with Rum & Choke (The Tank), Spring Awakening (Bellmore Showplace), Dark Matter (Pace University’s Devised Theatre Festival / The PIT), A Millennial Play (Dixon Place), and Warning! Contents May Be Hot! (Institute of the Arts Barcelona).
-
Composer / Executive Director
Matt (He/Him) is a Chilean-American, award-winning composer, actor, director, and orchestrator whose work spans musical theater, new works development, and national touring productions. Known for his dynamic and genre-blending style, Matt’s work reflects a passion for pushing artistic boundaries while maintaining a deep emotional core.
His original musical, VINCENT, received a full workshop and production at Long Island University in 2024/25 after premiering at the New York Theater Festival in 2023. The production garnered five nominations, including "Best Musical," and Matt won “Best Score.” VINCENT explores the life of Vincent van Gogh through a modern, musical lens, merging emo, pop/punk and progressive rock.
Earlier in his career, Matt joined the music team for Come From Away during its Toronto production, continuing with the show's celebrated Broadway debut. In 2017, he became Music Director for the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour, a role he reprised for the show’s 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour. His work on RENT took him across the US as well as China & Japan with one of Broadway’s most iconic rock musicals.
Beyond large-scale productions, Matt contributed to the music preparation for Whitney White’s acclaimed Macbeth in Stride and has a growing body of original work. In spring 2024, he released a concept album for The Death of the Living Club, a new project that fuses theatrical storytelling with pop-punk and video game soundscapes.
Mission
A place where everybody gets a seat at the table.
Dead Star Theatre Co. fosters a community where people can shed the skin of what we’ve been told theatre creatives “should” be and embraces authenticity, individuality, and the potential of what theatre creatives CAN be.
History and Vision
Dead Star Theatre Co. was created as a vessel to tell new stories and forge our own creative path with intentionality and creativity. Our inaugural project, a studio cast album of Matt DeMaria’s The Death of the Living Club, marked the beginning of a collaborative journey where talent and community converge. We firmly believe in the collaborative nature of our work and as our community grows, our work is continuously transformed and enhanced.
We are dedicated to celebrating uniqueness, fostering diversity, and elevating artistry. Through our commitment to inclusivity and innovation, we strive to support and uplift the creative community, making space for new and compelling narratives.
