Meet Our Teaching Artists

Anderson, Colin

Colin Anderson

Teaching Artist

 

Colin Anderson

Teaching Artist

Colin joined CTM after moving to Madison in the summer of 2021. He has been a Theatre Arts and Social Studies teacher in both Utah and Wisconsin, working with students in grades 7-12. Colin has directed, stage managed, and done costumes and scenic design for both school and community productions. Some of his favorite elective courses to teach are Fashion History as well as Costume Design. Colin received his BA in History Education and BFA in Theatre Education from Utah State University. He is thrilled to now be in Madison and a part of CTM!
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Blazquez, Giana

Giana Blazquez Bultman

Teaching Artist

 

Giana Blazquez Bultman

Teaching Artist

Giana Blazquez Bultman is a director, choreographer and teaching artist from Milwaukee, WI. As a Theatre for Young Audiences professional and advocate for young voices, Giana strives to empower young people through theatre that challenges them artistically, fosters justice and inclusion and cultivates artistic agency. Giana holds an MFA in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities from The University of Texas at Austin. She has worked professionally for Pink Umbrella Theater Company, ZACH Theater, First Stage and the Orlando Repertory Theater. For more information visit: gianablazquez.com
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Breadon, Enda

Enda Breadon

Teaching Artist

 

Enda Breadon

Teaching Artist

At CTM, Enda teaches comedy and improv for teens, creative drama for elementary school students, in-school workshops and playwriting residencies with CTM’s Young Playwrights program. For over 20 years he has worked in professional theatre and comedy while also teaching. He has been a performer, director, playwright, clown, puppeteer, movement coach, and all-around nice guy. His theatre adventures include prominent companies like Honolulu Theatre for Youth, San Diego’s Old Globe, Trinity College Dublin, Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, Nashville Children’s Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre and many more. Enda has four incomplete master’s degrees and a semi-prominent award for the worst play he ever directed.
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Bryan, Kristina

Kristina Bryan

Teaching Artist

 

Kristina Bryan

Teaching Artist

Kristina Bryan (Choreographer) is a performer, choreographer, and composer/lyricist from Madison, WI. After participating in CTM productions and summer camps growing up, she earned a BFA in Musical Theatre with a Dance Minor from Ball State University. With over ten years’ professional performance experience, Kristina loves to share her passion with the next generation of creators. You can also find her dancing and instructing at Barrio Dance, teaching at Madison Ballroom Company, and choreographing with Cedar Fair theme parks. Keep an eye out for Kristina in A Time To Die, an action/horror indie film set to release in fall 2022.
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Ciucci, Jaddy

Jaddy Ciucci

Teaching Artist

 

Jaddy Ciucci

Teaching Artist

Jaddy Ciucci is a theatre artist who has performed with Indiana Repertory Theatre, Beef & Boards, Actors Theatre Indiana, Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis Shakespeare Company, and The Childrens Museum. She is a TYA actor, educator, and director working with Young Actors Theatre, Q Artistry, Trike Theatre, and of course, CTM. She is currently in residence at Trike Theatre developing Social-Emotional curriculum for Pre-K classrooms in Arkansas, as well as acting, teaching, directing, and choreographing. Jaddy received her BA training at Indiana University Bloomington and is currently pursuing Teacher Certification with the National Michael Chekhov Association. Jaddy grew up in Chicago and Northeast Wisconsin.
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Coltrane, Shannon

Shannon Coltrane

Teaching Artist

 

Shannon Coltrane

Teaching Artist

Hailing from the left coast, Shannon is a theatre maker, teacher, and devoted artist with a passion for nature and the wonders of our human world. In addition to acting and directing, Shannon loves to teach young artists. Before moving to the midwest for my acting MFA and falling in love with Madison, she received an MA in drama therapy from NYU. Shannon loves to teach folks interested in theatrical techniques to enact social and personal change for health and happiness. Let's enjoy this journey of life! ShannonColtrane.com
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Cowing, Brian

Brian Cowing

Teaching Artist

 

Brian Cowing

Teaching Artist

Brian Cowing is a Director/Choreographer. Madison directing credits include: Capital City Theatre’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, Four Seasons Theatre’s Spamalot, Les Misérables, She Loves Me, and South Pacific. With Children’s Theater of Madison, he directed and choreographed Matilda, Tuck Everlasting, Seussical, and The Wizard of Oz. Brian has also served as guest director/choreographer at Clinton Showboat Theatre, Binghamton University, and Oklahoma City University. Teaching credits include CTM’s Summer Stage, Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Bootcamp, OCU’s Performing Arts Academy and Tianjin Conservatory. As an actor, National Tours: Annie (Mr. Bundles/Dance Captain), Something Rotten (Ensemble, u/s Nostradamus, Brother Jeremiah). Proud graduate of Oklahoma City University.
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Curry, Bob

Bob Curry

Teaching Artist

 

Bob Curry

Teaching Artist

Bob Curry has performed at The Old Globe Theater in San Diego and American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, as well as Madison community theaters. He is co-writer of the movie "The Last Great Ride" starring Ernest Borgnine and Eileen Brennan and a playwright. A founding member and long-time officer of Playwrights Ink, a play/playwright development group based in Madison, he teaches English Literature and Film at Madison College.
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Curtin, Katelyn

Katelyn Curtin

Teaching Artist

 

Katelyn Curtin

Teaching Artist

Katelyn has music directed, choreographed, and directed with CTM at a teaching artist both in the school year and in summer stage. She grew up in CTM and is thrilled to be back teaching with CTM. Katelyn is a recent graduate of Oklahoma City University where she earned her BFA in Acting and a minor in Directing. Katelyn also teaches private voice student to students in Verona and the greater Madison area!
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Emery, Kristen

Kristen Emery

Teaching Artist

 

Kristen Emery

Teaching Artist

Kristen Emery is an elementary school teacher in Sun Prairie where she leads an after-school drama club program. She is also a professional stage manager and Music Theatre of Madison’s Company Manager, where she manages all company business and stage manages select MTM shows. Before moving to Madison, she worked as a general manager for Cardinal Stage Company in Bloomington, IN. Kristen has also worked for Fresco Opera Theatre and SPCT in Madison, Legacy Theatre and the Long Wharf Theatre in Connecticut, and the Abingdon Theatre Company and OnTheSquareProductions in New York. Kristen is so happy and grateful to be one of CTM’s teaching artists, where she typically works with the elementary grade levels 1 week summer stage programs.
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Garrow, Kelly

Kelly Garrow

Teaching Artist

 

Kelly Garrow

Teaching Artist

Kelly Garrow has directed, choreographed, and accompanied theatrical performances for over 10 years. Her primary experience has been with youth and she has worked with age groups varying from 5-18 years old. Kelly teaches voice, piano, and band instrument lessons to people of all ages. She attended UW-Whitewater where she earned her Bachelor’s of Music with a focus in Music History and Theory. She is excited to share her passion with the wonderful people at CTM.
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Gay, Trevin

Trevin Gay

Teaching Artist

 

Trevin Gay

Teaching Artist

Trevin Gay has directed and performed around the globe for 30+ years. He is a teaching artist, director, actor and arts administrator. He holds an MFA in Actor Created Physical Theatre from Naropa University in conjunction with the London International School of Performing Arts. Trevin is thrilled to serve as the Artist Relations Manager for CTM, Core Ensemble Member of Are We Delicious? and as a teaching artist for Whoopensocker, Theatre Lila, Forward Theatre, and CTM.
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Halminiak, Lauri

Lauri Halminiak

Teaching Artist

 

Lauri Halminiak

Teaching Artist

Lauri Halminiak joined CTM in 2015 as a Teaching Artist. She helped pilot the program “Setting the Stage” for children on the Autism spectrum. That same season, CTM introduced a 4K-K theater camp where Lauri teaches creative drama to our youngest artists. In addition, Lauri has been associated with Verona Area Community Theater, where she produced “Parachute Players” a special needs theater camp. At VACT she’s served as an Assistant Stage Manager, Director’s Apprentice and is an award winning Costume Designer. She works for the Verona Area School District in Special Education and as the Producer for the VAHS Theatre Department.
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Hoel-Neds, Lindsey

Lindsey Hoel-Neds

Teaching Artist

 

Lindsey Hoel-Neds

Teaching Artist

Lindsey Hoel-Neds is a Madison-based teaching artist, director, designer, and dramaturg. She holds a BA in English and Theatre Education from Ripon College and an MA in Theatre Research with an emphasis on Theatre for Youth from UW-Madison. Lindsey has taught and directed drama programs at several public schools in southern Wisconsin, but now enjoys the variety of freelance life. She works with CTM, Overture Center, Milwaukee Rep, First Act, WCATY, and several Madison-area community theatres and schools. Lindsey is also honored to serve as Artistic Director of Proud Theater-Madison.
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Joe, Mynda

Mynda Joe

Teaching Artist

 

Mynda Joe

Teaching Artist

Mynda is has been choreographing for CTM since 2018. Her love of children, the arts, and education permeate every aspect of her life. Her professional dancing career included Chicago City Ballet and Footlight Theatre. She is licensed and certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), a certified Reiki Master, and Level Two Healing Touch Practitioner. She has also volunteered for Hospice care for over 17 years. Mynda’s passions for performing arts, community, and service led her to create Variations Dance Studio, vdsmadison.com. She is a mother of three and grandmother of three, all great dancers!
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Johnson, Ciara

Ciara Johnson

Teaching Artist

 

Ciara Johnson

Teaching Artist

Ciara Johnson joined CTM in the summer of 2019 after moving to Madison. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago and moved to this city to pursue a career combining childhood education and the arts. Prior to CTM, she worked at the Lycée Français de Chicago with children aged 3-5 years old. She has a special interest in early childhood literacy and also volunteers at the Madison Public Library in addition to being a teaching artist.
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Kies, Daniel

Daniel Kies

Teaching Artist

 

Daniel Kies

Teaching Artist

Daniel has had the pleasure of teaching & directing youth at various summer camps for the last eight years! Previously at CTM, he served as a teaching artist for Up, Up & Away & as director for Annie. Daniel is a South Florida native now happily claimed as a Chicago based actor, director & educator. Education includes MFA in Acting from Northern Illinois University, BA in Musical Theatre from Palm Beach Atlantic University and studying playwriting/solo performance abroad at the University of Roehampton in London. Daniel is a company member with the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival & Kane Repertory Theatre. www.danielkies.com
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McConnell, Erin

Erin McConnell

Teaching Artist

 

Erin McConnell

Teaching Artist

Erin McConnell has been working as a professional artist for over a decade, specializing in performance, production, and arts education. She works regularly within the theater departments at UW-Madison and MATC, as well as many regional theater companies. She can frequently be found on the Madison stage. She enjoys teaching the next generation of rock performers at Girls Rock Camp and expanding students’ creative expression through arts-in-the-schools programs like Whoopensocker. Erin believes in an integrative, emotional, and play-based approach to artistic instruction. She approaches teaching with a service based mindset and is eager to help every student meet (and exceed) their goals.
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Michelle, Sabra

Sabra Michelle

Teaching Artist

 

Sabra Michelle

Teaching Artist

Besides being a respected dance teacher and choreographer for all ages and many techniques, Sabra is best known as a triple-threat redheaded soubrette in regional productions of well-loved musicals. She has toured with the Broadway revival of The Pajama Game, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, President Clinton’s Inauguration in George Faison’s KING! A Musical Testimony with Maya Angelou, and The Bear in the Big Blue House LIVE! (video released by Disney/Jim Henson/Columbia Tristar), with whom she toured internationally for 3 seasons. Married to Overture stagehand Brian Weinkauf. Proud member of IATSE Local 251! www.SabraMichelle.com
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Milisch, Paul

Paul Milisch

Teaching Artist

 

Paul Milisch

Teaching Artist

Paul has been the Producing Director of Theater at Madison East High School since 2008. He has worked with MadCAP, Forward Theater, and several other local theatre companies as an actor, director, and teaching artist. Directing highlights include Beauty and the Beat (CTM Summer Stage), Rhinoceros (East High), Six Characters in Search of an Author (Edgewood College), Bunnicula (CTM Mainstage), and PIPPIN (East High).
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Moschea, Tammy

Tammy Moschea

Teaching Artist

 

Tammy Moschea

Teaching Artist

Tammy is excited to return to CTM for her 15th year as a director, choreographer, and teaching artist. She received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre/Dance from Millikin University. She performed in Japan with Raymond Productions and toured nationally with CPTT of Chicago before becoming CPTT's Associate Artistic Director. She has collaborated with The Goodman Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, and Hubbard Street Dance. In the Madison area, she has taught classes, choreographed, and directed shows for schools. She received a Tommy Award for Best Choreography for 42nd Street at Waunakee. She has performed with Madison Repertory Theatre and the Bricks. Tammy also directed Take Care for Tapit New Works Ensemble Theatre, which toured in Alaska.
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Norman, Katherine

Katherine Norman

Teaching Artist

 

Katherine Norman

Teaching Artist

Katherine Norman is an artist, educator, and scholar based in Madison. Some of her favorite teaching experiences include work with the Children’s Theatre of Madison, Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Oakhill Prison Humanities Project, Whoopensocker, and several NGOs in India. Her academic research is focused on the cognitive and neuro-developmental impact of drama practices. Favorite performance credits include Door Shakespeare, Optimist Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park, Double Edge, Adishakti, and the Missoula Children’s Theatre. She holds an MA in Theatre for Youth from the UW-Madison and a BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. www.KatherineENorman.com
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Rees, Trevor

Trevor Rees

Teaching Artist

 

Trevor Rees

Teaching Artist

Trevor is a professional actor, director, educator, movement/fight choreographer, and motion capture actor/stunt performer. He received his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Acting & Directing and his BA in both Theatre and Communications from Cardinal Stritch University. Trevor has worked professionally with Northern Sky Theater, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Children's Theater of Madison, Theatre LILA, Forward Theater Company, Renaissance Theaterworks, Four Seasons Theatre, Capital City Theatre, University Theatre, Six Flags Great America, and Jennifer's Talent (commercial and radio) to name just a few. Trevor has been a motion capture/stunt performer for the Call of Duty franchise since 2013.
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Reiss, Jody

Jody Reiss

Teaching Artist

 

Jody Reiss

Teaching Artist

Jody Reiss is a professional actress who worked for many years with a small theater company in NYC. She has toured Russia as Sonya in Uncle Vanya with the company & taught theater as well as done residencies in the NYC & tri state area. She's also worked with the Madison Repertory Theater and done community theater as well in Madison. Jody's taught acting and improvisation classes to children & adults of all ages & abilities.
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Rosche, Cayla

Cayla Rosche

Teaching Artist

 

Cayla Rosche

Teaching Artist

Cayla Rosché is a second year DMA student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in voice performance with a minor in Vocal Pedagogy. She specializes in helping singers understand how their voice works and how to set up a sustainable vocal technique. Since moving to Madison in 2015, Cayla has been a teaching artist with CTM. She has an extensive musical theater and operatic performance history including the roles Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast, Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, and Anne Sexton in Transformations. When Cayla’s not teaching at CTM, she’s teaching in her home studio.
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Russell, Scott

Scott Russell

Teaching Artist

 

Scott Russell

Teaching Artist

Scott Russell is an AEA actor, SDC fight choreographer, educator, and an Associate Fight Director/Full Instructor with Dueling Arts International, and recently served as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Movement and Stage Combat at the University of Oklahoma. He is recognized as an Advanced Actor Combatant with DAI and the Society of American Fight Directors. Scott is a graduate of The Conservatory at Act One Studios – Chicago, holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from Belmont University, and received his MFA from the University of Arkansas. For more information about Scott and his work, visit www.scottnrussell.com
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Saplan, Kailea - 1

Kailea Saplan

Teaching Artist

 

Kailea Saplan

Teaching Artist

Kailea (she/they) is a mixed race teaching artist, originally from the island of Hawai’i. They hold bachelors’ degrees in Theatre and Philosophy at Pacific University (Forest Grove, OR), and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, where they are currently pursuing their PhD (also in C&I). Since moving to Madison, Kailea has acted with Music Theatre of Madison, Theatre Lila, and Madison Shakespeare Company, and taught with CTM, Whoopensocker, and Madison Public Library. At CTM, they work predominantly with elementary students in the week-long summer stage programs infusing theatre, literacy, and social justice.
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Spurgeon, Katie

Katie Spurgeon

Teaching Artist

 

Katie Spurgeon

Teaching Artist

Katie Spurgeon is a teaching artist with CTM's summer stage. She most enjoys directing the Best of Broadway 2-week camp and the elementary age camps as well. Katie is also involved with Whoopensocker - a program that uses theatre games to teach creative writing to 3rd graders. She loves getting to perform the stories that the students write, because they get to see their ideas come to life on stage. When she's not on stage, Katie enjoys competitive figure skating and her DLI teaching job in MMSD!
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Spurgeon, Leah

Leah Spurgeon

Teaching Artist

 

Leah Spurgeon

Teaching Artist

Leah Spurgeon has worked for CTM for the past six years, choreographing for multiple Summer Stage productions. She recently graduated from Edgewood College, majoring in Biology and double minoring in Chemistry and Nutrition. She also currently works as a personal trainer and figure skating instructor. Leah plans on channeling her theatrical side as long as possible with hopes of dancing her way into medical school in the near future.
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Standish, Audrey

Audrey Standish

Teaching Artist

 

Audrey Standish

Teaching Artist

Audrey Lauren Standish (Wax), M.F.A. Is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the Department of Theatre and Drama (6 years) and a Senior Lecturer at Edgewood College in the Theatre Arts Department (13 years). She received her M.F.A. in Theatre Arts with a concentration in New Works Play Direction from the University of Idaho. Audrey has directed plays all over the Pacific Northwest as well as locally in Madison, WI. She served as the Artistic Director for StageQ, INC., Morgue Theatre, and has produced over 30 plays. Her Areas of expertise are directing, acting, musical theatre, stage management, box office management, script analysis, and new play development.
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Stone, Tyler

Tyler Stone

Teaching Artist

 

Tyler Stone

Teaching Artist

Tyler Stone is a Special Education teacher, Actor, and Teaching Artist. Born and raised in the Madison area, attending college at DePaul University in Chicago, he is excited to bridge his interests of education and theatre together. Previous acting credits include StageQ Productions’ Walt Whitman and the Great Comet of the Apocalypse, Wedlocked (and Loaded), Yours/Mine, and Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Madison Opera’s Orpheus in the Underworld and La Traviata, Four Seasons Theatre’s All Is Calm and Les Miserables, and Middleton Players Theatre’s Beauty and the Beast, Crazy For You and Ragtime.
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Taylor, Sam

Sam Taylor

Teaching Artist

 

Sam Taylor

Teaching Artist

Sam Taylor is a Madison-based performer, music director, and teaching artist. Since starting with CTM in 2019, he’s worked on several camps and mainstage productions, most recently as Music Director for Freaky Friday. You can often find him playing piano or bass in local pit orchestras and as a performer on stage, including Four Seasons Theatre’s All is Calm and CTM’s Stellaluna. Outside of theatre, Sam produces a music-history podcast For FST called Listening with Leckrone and is a songwriter/teaching artist for Overture Center’s Lullaby Project. He received his B.A. in Psychology and Music from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI.
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Welk, Amy

Amy L. Welk

Teaching Artist

 

Amy L. Welk

Teaching Artist

Amy L. Welk has taught many classes for younger children at CTM, including Movers and Shakers, Sing Out, and Sing Out in Summer. She continues to marvel at children’s ability to tell stories in many ways. Amy is the Director of Bernie’s Place Inc., a childcare center for the University. Amy has a BFA in Theatre Performance from UW-Whitewater and attended Graduate School at the University of London: RHC. Favorite acting roles include: National tour: Cabaret (Fraulein Schneider); Regional: Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett), White Christmas (Martha), Oliver (Nancy), Showboat (Julie), 1776 (Ben Franklin), Fiddler on the Roof (Golde), Anne of Green Gables (Marilla), Follies (Hattie), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Mrs. Meers).
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Wills, Emily

Emily Wills

Teaching Artist

 

Emily Wills

Teaching Artist

Emily Wills is a recent transplant to Madison, hailing from the Chicago theater and arts scene. Back in the Windy City, Emily led improv workshops, directed summer camp programs, and taught as the Drama Specialist for grades K-3 at Chiaravalle Montessori School in Evanston. Emily is thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Children's Theater of Madison and to start putting down roots on the Isthmus!
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Wolfe, Tessa

Tessa Wolfe

Teaching Artist

 

Tessa Wolfe

Teaching Artist

Tessa, a Madison-native, is a director and Teaching artist, who has recently moved back to the area. She has a BS in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University. Most recently she was the Education Manager for Boston Children’s Theatre. She is also an Elementary School teacher in the Sun Prairie School District. Outside of her Theatre life, she enjoys playing with her puppy and kayaking. She is thrilled to be part of the fantastic team at Children’s Theatre of Madison!
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Wurzelbacher, Mark

Mark Wurzelbacher

Teaching Artist

 

Mark Wurzelbacher

Teaching Artist

CTM Mainstage music directing credits include A Christmas Carol (Composer), Stella Luna (Orchestrator, Voice Actor), Freaky Friday (Music Supervisor), Matilda, Willy Wonka, How I Became A Pirate, Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly, Madagascar, and Seussical, along with countless summer camps! Mark has worked with numerous Madison-area organizations as a music director, accompanist, teacher, arranger, orchestrator, and composer, including Music Theatre of Madison (Artistic Associate), Forward Theater (Fun Home), Theatre Lila (Romeo & Juliet), Whoopensocker, UW-Madison University Theater, Madison Savoyards, and Fresco Opera. He teaches 5th-8th grade general music in Fitchburg. markwurzelbacher.com
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