Milo Anima’s superpower was his empathy toward others. The 17-year-old Scotts Valley High School student and theater juggernaut died suddenly due to a medical complication in May 2024, and his passing left a gaping hole in the hearts of the SVHS theater community.
Anima’s friends still mourn his loss two years later, and they speak with reverence and joy about his enduring passion for theater.
But that mourning has shifted from sorrow to action by SVHS theater students and adult leadership who are rallying to remember Anima in the most impactful way: they’ve created a theater guild to celebrate his contributions to the stage, and they’re launching their first shows this summer.
Milo Repertory Theater is the brainchild of Kavin Pugazhenthi and Asher Hildebrand, both former theater-mates of Anima. The duo pitched the idea to fellow SVHS grads V Nivelle and Val Palmer, who graduated in 2025; soon after, the group approached SVHS drama instructor Kendra Kannegaard with the concept, and she was immediately onboard with the idea.
Palmer speaks about Anima with a delicate, sisterly vibe.
“He was so brave in so many ways, and he had an intuitive way of connecting with others. I would be thinking about something, and Milo would be able to put my feelings into words without me saying anything. He was such a special person, and he deserves to have his memory honored,” Palmer said.
Kannegaard, along with her husband, Luke Thornley; Anima’s parents, Mario and Denise; and local theater royalty Todd Hoffman and Kelly Mack, all sit on the newly formed board of the fledgling company.
“Milo was such an important part of our program, and this is a meaningful way to keep his memory in all of us,” Kannegaard said. “There’s so much to say about this company—pride doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s not surprising to me that there’s so much love for theater, for community and for Milo, and this is an inspiring way to marry those feelings together. It’s been a gift to watch them build this program out of their energy, and I’m honored to play a part in it.”
The Animas are deeply moved by the group’s commitment to remembering their son, and they are honored to be part of the team built around his legacy.
“For the past few years, students from the theater department would call us to get coffee and check in on our family,” said Mario Anima. “When Kavin approached us about launching this company, we were so overwhelmed by the idea, and we’re just honored to be part of it.”
Building a theater troupe takes a lot of resources, with money being the most critical for the needs of the organization.
“We need to fundraise for things like renting a venue, insurance, rights to plays, lighting design, props and costumes,” Hildebrand said. “There are expenses that ticket sales just won’t cover, so we launched a Kickstarter campaign to get us off the ground.”
If the financial goals for Milo Repertory Theater are met before the June 13 Kickstarter deadline, the project will open with “Romeo and Juliet” on July 17, and then “Gruesome Playground Injuries” will play up to two times during the Shakespearean run, with the inaugural season ending on July 26. Each production is in need of financial support, and both shows will be performed at the SVHS Student Union.
The campaign has raised nearly two-thirds of its initial goal of $6,000, and the team has generated some innovative ideas to keep the money coming.
The inaugural 2026 season’s theme is “Star-Crossed,” and features two very different plays that fold neatly into that theme: Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” and the slightly lesser known “Gruesome Playground Injuries,” a play by Rajiv Joseph that chronicles the 30-year relationship between two friends, Kayleen and Doug, using their physical and emotional wounds as a framework to explore love, pain and connection.
There are different tiers of donations available to support the company named after some of the roles that Anima embraced during his time at SVHS, including Nostradamus, Lenny Ganz (from “Rumors”), Arthur the Gardener (from “The Play That Goes Wrong) and Anima’s final role, Gomez Addams from “The Addams Family.” In addition to standard donations, supporters can pay to have a walk-on cameo role in a production, a front-row seat to opening night of “Romeo and Juliet” or “Gruesome Playground Injuries,” or a Shakespearean portrait created by local artists.
The creativity and passion that the team exudes is palpable, and has drawn support from local theater companies like Renegade Theater Company.
“Everywhere we’ve turned, people have given us ideas and made us feel like we’re on the right path,” Hildebrand said. “We’re so thankful for the backing we’re getting from the theater community.”
While Milo Repertory Theater was built to honor Anima, the former SVHS students acknowledge that it’s all thanks to the direction and support of Kannegaard.
“She was the one who brought us all together and made a community out of us,” Palmer said.
Mario Anima sums up his feelings about the company.
“I want to see all of their dreams come true because they’re just some of the greatest people, and they’re doing some of the greatest things,” he said.
What is left unsaid is that it was the way the Animas raised Milo that made him who he was, and continues to be the driving force behind the love felt by everyone involved with Milo Repertory Theater.
To learn more about Milo Repertory Theater or to donate, visit milorep.org.
