Meet Our Teaching Artists

Allen, Megan

Megan Allen

Teaching Artist

 

Megan Allen

Teaching Artist

Megan Allen studied Acting and Musical Theatre at Marymount Manhattan College in NYC. Then, after years working as an actor and teaching artist in Los Angeles, Megan relocated to Madison with her family and is enjoying acting, teaching, and choreographing in her new home. Favorite work includes playing a gutsy butterfly in the children's yoga musical "The Ohmies" in LA and choreographing Four Seasons Theatre's "The Little Mermaid" here in Madison. She feels grateful and inspired to be working with CTM!
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Baldauf, Aaron

Aaron Baldauf

Teaching Artist

 

Aaron Baldauf

Teaching Artist

Aaron Baldauf (Music Director/Accompanist) joined CTM’s Summer Stage program in 2019 as music director and accompanist for Beauty and the Beast Jr. His previous theater credits include Otto in UTA’s production of Spring Awakening and music director/accompanist for UTA’s production of Songs for a New World. He graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Vocal and General Music Education, and he currently teaches music, chorus, and musical theater at Glacier Creek Middle School in Middleton.
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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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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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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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Evenson, SaraLynn

SaraLynn Evenson

Teaching Artist

 

SaraLynn Evenson

Teaching Artist

SaraLynn Evenson (Choreographer) challenges your budding performers to become the most dynamic and confident storytellers possible through collaborative practice of musical theatre dance fundamentals, historical studies and acting techniques. SaraLynn has performed professionally across the US, including New York City, Milwaukee and Madison and holds a BFA in music theatre and dance from Viterbo University with additional studies at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Previous choreography/dance credits include work with Extraction Dance Theatre, Broadway Cares – Equity Fights Aids, Ballet Academy, Village Playhouse, Weathervane Youth Arts, Children’s Theater of Madison, Pius XI HS and more. www.backstage.com/saralynnevenson
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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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Kime, Robin

Robin Kime

Teaching Artist

 

Robin Kime

Teaching Artist

Robin Kime is an actor and freelance director based in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with degrees in Theatre: Performance and Theatre and Drama For Youth. Recent credits: Amadeus (Oster Regent), Poetry Alive! 2018-2019 National Tour, Hair (TheatreUNI), Mother Courage and Her Daughters (TheatreUNI). Directing credits: 30 Reasons Not To Be In A Play (North Tama High School), Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Sturgis Youth Theatre). In her free time Robin enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and her three-legged dog Jack.
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Mattaini, Molly

Molly Mattaini

Teaching Artist

 

Molly Mattaini

Teaching Artist

Molly Mattaini is a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies with a Specialization in Theatre for Youth and a doctoral minor in Special Education. She studies Ability-Inclusive Sensory Theatre, a genre within TYA which creates theatrical experiences for young people who are neurodiverse, particularly children on the autism spectrum. In her work as a teaching artist, she is passionate about creating ability-inclusive drama education spaces. In her free time, Molly enjoys walking her dog Sam, reading mystery novels, and singing along to musicals in the car. www.mollymattaini.com
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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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Probst, Caleb

Caleb Probst

Teaching Artist

 

Caleb Probst

Teaching Artist

Caleb Probst was a theatre artist and educator in Chicago for 15 years before moving to Madison in 2018. His theatre teaching resume includes Superheroes, Shakespeare, and everything in between. He has taught theatre students aged 3 to 18 years. Caleb is now a doctoral student at UW-Madison researching arts integration and social emotional learning, and he teaches and performs with Whoopensocker. He is also a twin-dad of toddlers.
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Reihmer, Kyle

Kyle Reihmer

Teaching Artist

 

Kyle Reihmer

Teaching Artist

Kyle Reihmer is a Cincinnati based actor and educator with a passion for children’s programming and a knack for anything whimsy or eccentric. Kyle works as Fight Choreographer, Movement Coach, Improv Guru, and Puppet Master.
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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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Ross, Joe

Joseph Ross

Teaching Artist

 

Joseph Ross

Teaching Artist

An experienced soloist, collaborative pianist and composer, Joseph Ross has studied and appeared in concert in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Joe received a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University and a Master of Music degree from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. Joe performs regularly with several institutions in the Madison area including the Avanti Piano Trio, the Madison New Music Ensemble, Madison Opera, Children’s Theater of Madison, and the Universities of Wisconsin – Madison and Whitewater. Ross is also a ballet accompanist for the UW-Madison Dance Department.
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Sanders-Andrews Megwyn

Megwyn Sanders-Andrews

Teaching Artist

 

Megwyn Sanders-Andrews

Teaching Artist

Megwyn Sanders-Andrews is the Access for All Coordinator at CTM. She specializes in creating inclusive and adaptive drama programs and productions and loves creating drama with all ages - pre-K through adult. Megwyn has been a teaching artist at the intersection of arts and disability for sixteen years. She regularly teaches the Setting the Stage class, in partnership with CI Pediatric Therapies and Achieving Collaborative Treatment, at CTM.
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Saplan, Kailea

Kailea Saplan

Teaching Artist

 

Kailea Saplan

Teaching Artist

Kailea Saplan is a third generation Filipina-American, originally from the Big Island of Hawai'i. In 2016, Kailea received dual bachelor's degrees in Theatre and Philosophy at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR. Since graduating from college, Kailea has predominately worked on Shakespeare productions in Portland, OR and Madison, WI. She received her Master's of Science in Education at UW Madison in 2018, and recently began her Ph.D. also in Education, studying the relationship between social justice and arts education. Kailea loves being a teaching artist for Whoopensocker!, the Bubbler at Madison Public Library, and CTM.
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Shimskey, Emily

Emily Shimskey

Teaching Artist

 

Emily Shimskey

Teaching Artist

Emily Shimskey received her BFA in Acting from University of Michigan. Recent Chicago credits include Tug of War: Civil Strife (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Southern Gothic (Windy City Playhouse), Three Sisters (UV Theatre Project). Television Credits include The Chi (Showtime). She has studied First Folio at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, improvisation at iO Chicago, and Acting for the Camera at The Chicago Actors Studio. Emily has taught numerous acting intensives, helping many students get into top theatre schools in the country. In 2017 she taught Voice for the Performer for the UMich BFA program and acted as dialect coach for university productions. Emily is excited to be part of the CTM family!
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Spiers, Jenna Grossman 2

Jenna Grossman Spiers

Teaching Artist

 

Jenna Grossman Spiers

Teaching Artist

Jenna Grossman Spiers is the Education Associate at CTM. As a teaching artist, Jenna has worked with ages 4-16 in school, theater and community settings across the country, working with organizations like the Portland Stage Company and the Viola Project. Jenna has presented at the American Alliance for Theater Education twice and has presented at other theater education conferences nationally. Jenna leads CTM’s residency program at the Lussier Community Education Center, she teaches in CTM’s academic year classes and leads most of CTM’s pre-show workshops in schools. Jenna’s favorite things to teach are devising, playmaking, improv and Shakespeare.
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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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Weber, Barry

Barry Weber

Teaching Artist

 

Barry Weber

Teaching Artist

Barry Weber lives with his wife in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he works as both a performing arts teacher and children's theater director. He is also a member of the Dramatists Guild and has written over two dozen plays for young people. His absurdist children’s comedy, ASSEMBLY, was recently published by Stage Partners, and his other plays have won the attention and accolades from such artists as Jack White and David Lynch. Barry rides his bike everywhere, plays the accordion, and collects 80s nostalgia for his retro-themed bathroom. His favorite place in the world is the Amtrak Hiawatha train.
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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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Wurzelbacher, Mark

Mark Wurzelbacher

Teaching Artist

 

Mark Wurzelbacher

Teaching Artist

Mark Wurzelbacher’s CTM mainstage music directing credits include Beat Bugs, Peter Pan, Matilda, Willy Wonka, How I Became A Pirate, Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly, Madagascar, Seussical, along with countless summer camps. Mark has worked with numerous Madison-area organizations as a music director, accompanist, teacher, arranger, 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 maintains a private piano teaching studio. markwurzelbacher.com
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