Mara Ellis
Founder and venue editor
Mara brings fifteen years of producing independent concerts and a sharp eye for audience experience.
About NookStage
We make the room part of the story.
Our story
NookStage began with a simple observation: venue research often buries the details that determine whether a concert feels natural. We built a considered directory for people who care about audience flow, artist comfort, local context, and honest production notes.
Today, our Oakland-based team works across the Bay Area to present venues with clarity and respect. We do not promise a perfect event; we help teams ask better questions before they choose a room.
Our mission
To make live performance spaces easier to understand, easier to compare, and more thoughtfully matched to the people who use them.
A terracotta compass for practical decisions.
The people behind the list
Jonah Reed
Operations lead
Jonah turns access, timing, staffing, and load-in information into useful planning language.
Priya Shah
Community partnerships
Priya builds durable relationships with venue owners, artists, and neighborhood organizations.