Creative Leadership

Larry Reitzer

Executive Director & Artistic Director

Larry Reitzer (Producer/Director) is currently the Producing Artistic Director of the Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre (HEART) and most recently directed the HEART productions of: Grease, The Lion King, Jr , Cabaret, Avenue Q, The Prom, Beauty and The Beast, Biloxi Blues, Home for the HiloDays, Songs in the Key of Love, The Palace Pride Show, Gypsy and Aladdin Jr. Right out of High School, Larry served as Arthur Laurents' production assistant on the original Broadway production of La Cage Aux Folles. Larry went on to assist such Broadway directors as Tommy Tune, Michael Blakemore and Herb Ross. After attending NYU, Larry switched his sights from directing producing/company management working on the Broadway, First National and Los Angeles companies of Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. While in Los Angeles, Larry switched careers again, and went into television production and writing, working on such shows as Spin City, Just Shoot Me, Melissa and Joey, and Ugly Betty. Larry has developed pilots for Disney Channel, ABC, NBC, Universal, Warner Brothers and ABC Family. Larry currently serves as the Resident Theatre Director of the East Hawaii Cultural Center as well as on the Board of OHANA (Oceania Hawai'i Action Network for the Arts). Larry lives in Onomea Bay with his husband of 29 years, Matthew, their dog, Mabel, and their cat, Pippin

Tyler Dela Cruz

Director Social Media and Marketing

Tyler Dela Cruz was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai'i and graduated from Waiākea High. She is currently a Communications student at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. You may recognize her from The Last Princess (Young Princess Ka'iulani), Our Town (Emily), The Hawaiian Nutcracker (Princess Lydia Kamaka'eha), The Prom (Alyssa Greene), and other hula dance features in our local theater community. Tyler also works with UH Hilo's Center for Community Engagement in their Bonner Program which focuses on leadership development in volunteer opportunities. Here at HEART she is collaborating with the UH Hilo Bonner Program to gain experience in Social Media and Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations. She is grateful to be working alongside this amazing team to gain more manaʻo that she will use the share with others in the future!