Meet our team of professional artist/educators!
Our faculty and academic staff consists of seven distinguished theatre artists and educators whose combined experience represents: seven terminal degrees; over 600 production credits ranging from director to actor to designer and over 150 professional production credits in venues from Off-Off Broadway to, Maui, Hawaii. This notable combination of talent creates the atmosphere whereby theatre of distinction is produced at UW-Parkside.
Misti Bradford
Costume and Make Up Designer
Contact: misti.bradford@uwp.edu / 262.595.2702
Office: Communication Arts 246Position: Lecturer and Professional Artist
Education: MFA in Design – University of Nebraska; BA in Theatre – Cameron University (Oklahoma); AA – Eastern Oklahoma State College.
Courses Taught: Costume design, costumecraft, make up and wig design, theatre crafts and properties, theater appreciation.
Professional Bio: Misti is thrilled to join the UW-Parkside Theatre Arts Department as its newest faculty member and professional artist/educator. Misti has extensive professional design and academic theatre experience, and has recently taught courses in costume design and construction, make up and wig/hair design, theatre crafts and properties, and theatre appreciation at Santa Rosa Junior College and the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA). Her professional design credits include costume, make up, and crafts designs at the PCPA Theaterfest, The Pacific Repertory Opera, the Sierra Repertory Theatre, and the Nebraska Repertory Theatre. Misti has received a number of national and regional design awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, including a special internship in costume design at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.
-
Jamie Cheatham
Artistic Director and Head of Acting Program
Contact: 262-595-2522 / jamie.cheatham@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts 216Position : Associate Professor
Education : SUNY Binghamton , BA (Theatre); Virginia Commonwealth University , MFA (Theatre Pedagogy)
Courses Taught : acting sequence, acting styles, movement, stage combat, and production director
Professional Bio : Prior to joining the UW-Parkside faculty as the head of the acting program, Jamie taught in New York City at many prestigious institutions: American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Brooklyn College, Wagner College, Marymount Manhattan College and Juilliard, to name a few. He has 16 years of professional teaching and performance experience as a New York City-based actor, movement specialist, and stage combat choreographer. He holds the dual title of Fight Director and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. Jamie has worked extensively as a freelance artist at many New York theatres and at numerous regional theatres across the nation. As a member of AEA and SAG actors unions, Jamie continues to work actively in the professional theatre.
-
Carole Ciannelli
Contact: 262-595-2522 (office)
Office: Communication Arts 216Professional Bio: Carole spent the majority of 16 years in New York City as a Musical Theatre performer. She toured in the US , Europe and enjoyed performing in regional theatre as well. Her work includes: the national tour of Ziegfeld: a Night at the Follies, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (featured singer/Mrs. Claus), and the NY revival of 42 nd Street (starring Jerry Orbach, Tammy Grimes and Karen Ziemba). Recently Carole began coaching private voice lessons to both adults and children. At UW-Parkside, Carole is teaching Musical Theatre Performance and Voice for the Actor.
-
Michael Clickner
Fireside Theatre Technical Director & Scenic Lab Supervisor
(Fireside Theatre Grant)
Contact: 262-595-2299 (office) or 595-2568 (scene shop) / michael.clickner@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts D157E
Position : Associate ArtistEducation : University of Wisconsin-Parkside , BS (Communication/Theatre); Utah State University , MFA (Technical Direction)
Professional Bio: Michael has virtually hundreds of productions in professional and university venues to his credit. He has worked in professional theatre for over 20 years, serving at least four as a professional Stage Manager. With his specialization in Technical Direction and Scenic Construction, Michael has amassed nearly the same number of years in University theatre. Michael is the facilitator of our very successful partnership with the Fireside Playhouse in Fort Atkinson. Michael is a PROUD Alum of UW-Parkside.
-
Contact: 262-595-2564 (Box Office Number) / John.Costigan@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts D165
Postition: Director of Theatre Arts Admissions, Artist, Costume Lab Supervisor
Contact: 262-595-2373 / Darice.Damata-Geiger@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts D119
Education: MA (Northeastern Illinois University), MFA (Wayne State University)
Professional Bio: Darice has over 30 years of professional and educational theatre experience as a costume design and costume lab supervisor. Darice earned her BA and MA degrees in Theatre and Speech at Northeastern Illinois University and an MFA in Theatre Design at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, where she was awarded the highly regarded Hillsberry Fellowship. Prior to her service at Parkside, Darice served as the Costume Lab Supervisor at Northwestern University for 9 years. While at Northwestern Darice worked closely with undergraduate and graduate theatre students and professionals from the Chicago theatre community to create costumes and crafts for shows directed by such renowned directors as Frank Galati and Mary Zimmermann. Darice also has extensive costume design experience at such professional Chicago theatres as Pegasus Players, City Lit Theatre Company, The Famous Door Theatre, The Next Theatre Company, and The Bailiwick Repertory Theatre. Darice is dedicated artist/educator who is passionate about working with undergraduate students of all ability levels who want to learn and discover their own skills and talents.
Contact: 262-595-2969 / Brian.Gill@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts 223
Theatre Facilities Manager & Scenic Designer
Contact: 262-595-2564 (office) or 595-2568 (scene shop) / keith.harris@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts D165Position : Academic Staff ( School of Arts and Sciences) / Artist
Education : Northeast Missouri State University , BSE (Theatre); University of Kansas , MFA (Sceneography)
Professional Bio: Keith has worked in education for over 22 years as well as garnering professional credits in Milwaukee , Kansas City and Hannibal , Missouri . A talented designer, with a National Design Award from the American College Theatre Festival at the Kennedy Center, his artistry and expertise have been seen on the Parkside stage in over 20 set designs. His organizational skills have made the UW-Parkside theatre, the jewel of the University, a model of efficiency.
Lisa Kornetsky
Department Chair and Theatre Education Director
Contact Information: lisa.kornetsky@uwp.edu / 262.595.2352
Office: CART 286Position: Associate Professor
Education: Hampshire College, BA; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MFA (Directing)
Courses Taught: Voice for the Stage, Acting Sequence, Sophomore and Senior Seminar, Theatre History and Dramatic Literature, Theatre Pedagogy, Gender and Sexuality on Stage and Screen, Theatre Appreciation, and Production Direction.
Professional Bio: Lisa, a nationally-recognized artist/educator, has worked in higher education for over 21 years. She has served on the UW-Parkside Theatre Faculty for over 16 years. From 1998 to 2008 Lisa served as the Director of the Office of Professional and Instructional Development for the University of Wisconsin System in Madison. Her work has led to national recognition for Wisconsin in the areas of faculty development and teaching and learning. She serves on the Executive Board for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and works closely with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. She has received a Regents' Teaching Award, Stella C. Gray Teaching Excellence Award, Hesburgh Award for Faculty Development programming, and most recently the Eugene Craven Award given each year by UW System to a staff member for service. A founding member of Upstart Theatre, Lisa has also directed at the Piccolo-Spoleto Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Director of Public Speaking
Office: CART 276
Phone: 595-2673
Website: http://homepages.uwp.edu/petersob/
Courses Taught: Freshman Seminar, Communication and Community Engagement, Public Speaking, and University Seminar.
Bio: Bonnie Peterson holds degrees from Alverno College and Marquette University. Peterson is an established Motivational Speaker and former administrator of a statewide not-for-profit corporation. She has been a requested speaker before the United States House of Representatives and Wisconsin State Legislature. Peterson is the Director of Public Speaking at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her strong commitment to education, research and community service. Bonnie has received the Stella Gray Teaching in Excellence Award, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Provost's Community Based Learning Fellowship, Alverno College Alumnae of the Year in Community Service, In Her Footsteps Award, The National Federation of the Blind's Blind Educator of the Year Award, Marquette University's Merit Award for scholarship, and the Paulo Freire Award (Teacher of Teachers) from Milwaukee Access Telecommunication Authority.
-
Contact: 262-595-2594 (Fine Arts Office) / Nicholas.Ravnikar@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts 295
-
Contact: 262-595-2967 / Jody.Sekas@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts 294
Title: Scenic & Lighting Designer
Position: Associate Professor
Education:
– BA (Theatre Arts: Technical)
– University of Wisconsin
– Eau Claire. MFA (Scenic Design & Technical Direction)
– Humboldt State University.Courses Taught:
Stagecraft, Theatre Appreciation, Scenic Design I & II, Lighting & Sound Design I & II,
Model Making & Miniatures, Scene PaintingBio:
Jody has over twenty years experience in scenic design, lighting design, and technical direction. He is associate professor of Scenic/Lighting Design & Technology at Parkside and comes to us from Humboldt State University, CA where he taught courses in scenic design, scene painting, technical production, properties design, theatre history, and CAD and computer rendering. Prior to Humboldt, Sekas was assistant professor and scenic & lighting designer for the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and for four seasons was the resident scenic and lighting designer for the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse in South Dakota. In addition to his resident design and collegial experience, Sekas has worked as a freelance designer and technician for such venues as the North Coast Repertory Theatre, Dell'Arte International, Omaha Theatre Company for Young People, Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild, Eau Claire Children's Theatre, Ferndale Repertory Theatre, The Western Stage, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and on several recent independent films. www.sekas.net
-
Contact: 262-595-2594 (Fine Arts Office) / Michael.Seyller@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts 295
Scene Shop Foreman (Fireside Theatre Grant)
Contact: 595-2568 (scene lab), 595-2564 (Box Office) / vernon.wienke@uwp.edu
Office: Communication Arts D165Professional Bio : Chip is the foreman for UW-Parkside's scenic lab as for the many Fireside Theatre sets that are built here. A 1999 graduate of our program, Chip's professional credits also include union stagehand crew work at the Milwaukee Ballet, Pottawatomie Casino, and various professional tours. Chip has also performed on stage in UW-Parkside productions of Romeo and Juliet and The Scarlet Letter.
