First Stage - Theater Academy - Teaching Artists and Staff

	Adam Baus Adam Baus is a Wisconsin native and a graduate of Drake University. He teaches piano privately at Ronald Reagan High School (“Piano Club”), and teaches musical theatre for First Stage Theater Academy. Adam is the pianist for Four Guyz in Dinner Jackets, performing regularly in the Skylight Bar & Bistro as part of their cabaret series. Recent projects are First Stage Young Company's INTO THE WOODS and LITTLE WOMEN, CINDERELLA at Concordia, GREEN SNEAKERS at Windfall Theatre, and YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at Cedarburg High School. Baus plays regularly for Cedarburg High School choirs, Reagan High School, UWM students, and has worked for In Tandem Theatre, Skylight Opera Theatre, Acacia Theatre Company and Off the Wall Theatre.
	Ryan Cappleman Ryan is a few credits shy of a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from UW-Milwaukee. Ryan has performed professionally with the Skylight Opera Theatre, In Tandem Theatre, and Sunset Playhouse. He has been teaching at First Stage for 4 years and thoroughly enjoys working with kids. Favorite roles include BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Lumiere), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Orin, Others), HAIR (Woof), COMPANY (Paul), and OLIVER (The Artful Dodger). Ryan has served as Music Director for many shows and cabarets in the area, and is branching into choreography at venues such as UW-Milwaukee and Slinger High School.
	Matt Daniels Matt Daniels is an actor, director, educator, and coach. As an actor, Matt has appeared in various media, including award-winning independent films, on television, and on many stages in New York and regionally. Local audiences may recognize him from stints at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, In Tandem Theatre, First Stage, Lake Geneva Theater Company and the late Milwaukee Shakespeare. Matt is a co-founder of goats & monkeys in Milwaukee, and Tyrannosaurus rep in NYC, for which he also served as Artistic Director. Locally, his directing work has been seen at goats & monkeys, Sunset Playhouse, First Stage Theater Academy, Broadway Baby, and various Milwaukee area high schools. In addition to First Stage, Matt has taught for Act One Studios (Chicago), The Actors Institute (NYC) and Milwaukee Shakespeare. He coaches voice and acting privately, and is an independent teaching artist of Shakespeare in local schools. Matt is a graduate of the Juilliard School Drama Division.
	Todd Denning Young Company Co-Director
	Marti Gobel Upon receipt of a B.A. in Performance Theatre (Philosophy, minor) from the University of Whitewater in 2008, Marti began a career as a professional actor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Marti has had the honor of working with Milwaukee Shakespeare, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Renaissance Theatreworks, First Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Forward Theatre and UPROOTED Theatre, and an ongoing role as the Civil Rights suffragist, Ida B. Wells for the Kenosha Civil War Museum in Kenosha. She also had the extreme pleasure of working with Aaron Greer on the short film Spare Change as well as the new series Getting' Grown in 2010. To date, her most challenging role has been as the Managing Director of UPROOTED theatre. The new African American Theatre Company (of which Marti is a co-founder) seeks to be a representation for the many voices found within the African American community. Marti is also proud to be an instructor of theater at First Stage. Helping young thespians find their voice through the performance arts is a joy.
	Alex Grindeland Alex has been acting, improvising and performing stand-up comedy in Milwaukee since 2004. He regularly teaches and performs with ComedySportz as well as with other locally successful improv troupes, including Meanwhile, Worst Case Scenario and Al and Jim's One-Man-Show. Alex has been seen in plays with both professional and semi-professional theatre companies, including The Alchemist Theatre, UW-Milwaukee Theatre Dept., and the former Milwaukee Shakespeare Company, among others. Alex earned his B.A. in Theatre Education from UW-Milwaukee in 2008. Since that time, he has been teaching theatre classes and directing plays at Brown Deer High School. Alex also co-coaches First Stage's teen improv troupe, Organized Chaos.
	Lori Hartman-Keiser Lori holds an M.A. in Theater and has taught kindergarteners through fourth graders at First Stage since 2003. She teaches Creative Drama classes at First Stage as well as leads school workshops, and especially enjoys teaching history and language arts through theater. Lori is also the acting teacher and director at Glen Park Elementary in New Berlin. She lives in Wauwatosa with her husband and three terrific children.
	Briana Hubbard After completing a degree in Early Childhood Education at UW-Milwaukee, Brianna has taught Kindergarten and early childhood special education for the past four years. She holds a certification in yoga instruction and is currently completing a master's degree in Community Counseling. Along with her passion for teaching, yoga and First Stage, she has been involved with theatre and acting since middle school. After participating in theatre and forensics in middle school and high school, she has since been involved with local theatres in Milwaukee and Racine.
	Bo Johnson
	Marcella Kearns Marcella Kearns is a Milwaukee-based actor, teaching artist, and coach. She holds an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of South Carolina and completed a Fulbright fellowship in dramatic literature in Vienna, Austria. She served as Education Director of Milwaukee Shakespeare, managing the company's participation in the NEA's Shakespeare for a New Generation initiative, and as education artist for Metropolis and Studio Arena before coming to First Stage. A co-founder of the independent education partnership What You Will, Marcy is also a member of the adjunct teaching artist team at the Milwaukee Rep.
	Mary Kelly This is Mary Kelly's sixth year with First Stage, and her third year as a teacher. She graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a bachelor's degree in theatre studies as well as a degree in creative writing. She also works with Vanity Theatre Company, currently managing casting. Mary spends much of her free time writing and enjoying local theatre.
	Karl Miller Karl has been active in Milwaukee theatre for over 30 years as an actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, director and teacher. Karl has worked with many high schools, community and professional theatre companies as one or more of the above mentioned. At First Stage Karl has choreographed EINSTEIN, HERO OF THE MIND; THE MAGIC MRS. PIGGLE WIGGLE; MY SON PINOCCHIO; GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK and has directed YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN and CARNIVAL. Karl has been teaching for the Academy for seven years as Lead Teacher for the Musical Theater classes.
	Samantha Montgomery Samantha D. Montgomery believes that theater is a powerful instrument that can be used to educate and change the hearts and minds of people around the world. Samantha holds a B.A. in Communications with support areas in religion and philosophy and a M.A. in Education from Alverno College. She holds a M.S. in Administrative Leadership and Supervision from UW-Milwaukee.
	Angel Mullen Angel Mullen, or "Miss Angel," has been a teaching artist with First Stage since 2003. Her favorite class is Creative Drama where she gets to "Rock in Role!" When not teaching Theater Academy or In School Education programs, she can be found at Muskego High School where she is the Drama Club advisor. She lives in Muskego with her husband and two teenage boys who keep life exciting.
	Patrick Schmitz Organized Chaos Director Patrick has performed/taught for Comedy Sportz, taken classes through Second City and IO in Chicago, taught for Comedy College, performed stand-up comedy throughout the state, and created Sketch 22. He was the full-time lead teacher at First Stage and has put together an improv army of close to a hundred students (grades 7-12) coaching a group called Organized Chaos. Additionally, he has written and performed for a sketch/improv group called The Gentlemen's Hour. Patrick wrote/directed/produced RUDOLPH THE PISSED-OFF REINDEER and BACK AND FORTH and is the co-producer of the Milwaukee Comedy Sketch along with founder Matt Kemple.
	Tyne Turner Tyne Turner is a nationally recognized voice and speech coach and Equity actress since 1984. 　She and her husband Michael Warren founded the Theater Academy in 1992 while she was voice and speech teacher for the Professional Actor Training Program at UW-Milwaukee. 　Subsequently she taught voice and speech for Southern Methodist University, UW-Madison, and the University of Minnesota/Guthrie program. 　She currently teaches theater for Golda Meir School for the Gifted and Talented.
	Thomas Weissgerber Glee Club Director Thomas Weissgerber was born and raised in Chicago. He came to Milwaukee in 1997 and is the artist in residence at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School. Thomas can be found at numerous high schools in the area directing and choreographing. He also is the Theatre Manager at the Jewish Community Center of Milwaukee. At First Stage, Thomas is the director of the Glee Club, the Theater Academy's advanced musical theater class. Thomas enjoys working with young performers and really enjoys being an educator.
	Christopher Wszalek Glee Club Musical Director Christopher Wszalek is the artistic director and director of piano studies at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, where he has worked since 2002. Mr. Wszalek is a graduate of Milwaukee High School of the Arts (class of 1998) and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance from UW-Madison. He is active in the Milwaukee theater community, providing music for companies such as First Stage, Off-the-Wall Productions, Renaissance Theaterworks, Windfall Theatre, Waukesha Civic Theater, and Bay Players. Mr. Wszalek is the pianist for the First Stage Glee Club and has taught musical theater for the First Stage Theater Academy since 2000.