ABOUT
Art-In-Relation (AIR) is the brainchild of Co-Producers Jonas and Heidi Sills. Mentored by Producer Emeritus and co-founder Ray Buffer, AIR takes its acronym name as a nod to the Hindu deity, Vāyu who was known to give life through breath. AIR hopes to breathe new life into musical theatre productions, concert music, choral presentations, plays as well as creating opportunities to experience healing arts. Their goal is to house all of these ideas under one roof.
The group's first project outside of producing choral concerts by Los Angeles Musical Theatre Youth Chorus, was the West Coast Premiere musical theatre production, Frankenstein - a New Musical in October, 2014. The Christmas Carol followed in December, 2014 following up in 2015 season of shows with full orchestra including Forever Plaid, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Chess, The Musical. These shows were all performed in the gorgeous Ernest Borgnine theater in the Scottish Rite Building in downtown Long Beach!
In 2016 AIR made the leap to LA in two successful productions with the Ovation Recommended Production of Andrew Lippa's Wild Party as well as a "reanimation" of it's inaugural production Frankenstein, A New Musical for Los Angeles audiences in a new exciting staging!
2017 was our most successful year yet starting with Broadway L.A. a grand benefit with over 40 performers at the Founder's Center in LA. We followed this up with, It's Only Life also in Los Angeles at the intimate Chromolume Theatre. This was written and accompanied on piano for our opening weekend by composer John Bucchino and this production garnered a Scenie Award for best Ensemble for a small theater! Later in 2017 we returned to Long Beach with a remount of The Christmas Carol this time in period costumes and directed by Executive Director, Jonas Sills. 2017 also has seen the addition of Jon Peterson to our producing team!
2018 looks to be our most prolific year yet starting with Tick, Tick, Boom (Chromolume) , Pirates of Penzance (Ernest Borgnine), Broadway LA - 2 - Dream Roles! (Ernest Borgnine and Founder's Center), Fiddler on the Roof (Ernest Borgnine), They're Playing Our Song(Chromolume), and The Christmas Carol (Ernest Borgnine)!
Jonas Sills grew up in Manhattan Beach, CA and was a sought after performer even as a young child. He continued to perform in operas, musicals and plays while also working as a soloist for concerts and churches. He taught public school music for many years, molding our future performers. Currently, Sills owns an artistic/intentional store called "Beebop Shop" with his wife, Heidi, is still a busy professional performer, guest teaches with Long Beach Unified School District, and is conductor of the Los Angeles Musical Theatre Youth Chorus.
Heidi Sills has a degree in child development from CSULA. She is thrilled to work side by side with her husband doing "all the important jobs" like running the box office, stage managing, taking care of cast members, performing, and lending her wonderful ideas to A.I.R. She also keeps her husband, Jonas sane by always being there for him!
Jon Peterson With over 30 years of professional stage experience as a Singer/Dancer/Actor/Director/Musical Director/Choreographer, Jon is thrilled to join the Art-In-Relation (AIR) family as a Producer. He has done three wonderful shows with AIR to date, and is so grateful to his fellow AIR producers and longtime friends Jonas and Heidi Sills for allowing him the opportunity to create art with them. Jon was introduced to the theater life in high school where he attended the Chula Vista High School for the Performing Arts. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Drama at UC Irvine and a Master in Business Administration in Finance at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is currently pursuing certification in HR Management and a Master of Science in Accountancy. Jon hopes to bring his expertise, both onstage and off, to Art-In-Relation with the hopes of continuing and advancing the amazing and groundbreaking work and opportunity that Art-In-Relation has created in the Performing Arts. This “role” is a dream come true. SUPPORT LOCAL THEATER!
