Katie is a technical theatre specialist who has worked on just about every type of live event you can think of. After graduating from Kalamazoo College in 2015 with her B.A. in Theatre and Studio Art, Katie went on to work as the Lighting/Sound Design Intern at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, designing shows and teaching volunteers of all ages. After her internship, she went on to work for Exclusive Events, Inc. in St. Louis, MO as a technician, building scenery and lighting for corporate meetings, weddings, live concerts and everything in between. Eventually, she moved up to Milwaukee to work for Blizzard Lighting as a full-time repair tech, while continuing to freelance as a technician and designer for live music and street festivals around town. 

Her favorite shows she has worked on include CARRIE: THE MUSICAL, ROMEO AND JULIET, TK NEW PLAYFEST, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, STILL LIFE WITH IRIS, HAIRSPRAY, IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY), OF MICE AND MEN, SIDESHOW, PEER GYNT and A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL.

When not in the theatre, Katie enjoys knitting, rock climbing, swing dancing and cuddling her two cats. 

Email Katie

Jessica first began working with Next Act Theatre in 2003. Since 2006, she has been Next Act’s Resident Stage Manager, stage managing 70 productions. A few of Jessica’s favorite projects include: DEAR ESTHER, MASTER HAROLD… and the BOYS, LAST OF THE BOYS, MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, GREETINGS, FAITH HEALER, PURGATORIO, GOING TO ST. IVES, VIGIL, GRACE, THREE VIEWS OF THE SAME OBJECT, TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES 1992, BLOOMSDAY, SILENT SKY, EQUIVOCATION, I and YOU, BLOOD AT THE ROOT, THE REVOLUTIONISTS and 9 CIRCLES (Next Act Theatre); A RISING WIND (J.M. Kohler Arts Center); CHESAPEAKE, TROJAN WOMEN, THE SHAPE OF THINGS, the U.S. premiere of SKIN TIGHT, ACTUALLY (Renaissance Theaterworks); DISGRACED, FENCES and BLUE ROSE (Milwaukee Repertory Theater); SANTALAND DIARIES (Marcus Center for the Performing Arts) and HAIRSPRAY (Little Theatre on the Square). Jessica is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and an honors graduate of UW-Milwaukee.

Email Jessica

A Milwaukee-based arts administrator and actor, A.J. holds a BA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Public Relations from Marquette University. He has performed various administrative duties for Summit Players Theatre, First Stage, Theatre Gigante and Theatre Nervosa, and came to Next Act from Bottom Line Marketing and Public Relations.

In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, A.J. has been seen onstage with First Stage, Renaissance Theaterworks, Theatre Gigante, Sunstone Studios, Voices Found Repertory, Acacia Theatre Company, Summit Players Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (Young Playwrights Festival), Theatre Nervosa, Quasimondo Physical Theatre, Windfall Theatre and Cooperative Performance. Outside of theatre, he enjoys baking and spending time in the great outdoors.

Email A.J.

Alabama native Caroline Norton moved to Milwaukee in 2016 to obtain a BA in Theatre Arts and Digital Media from Marquette University. Since then, she has worked as an Artistic and Education intern with Skylight Music Theatre, a Teaching Artist with First Stage, a House Manager with Next Act Theatre and she currently serves as Director of Education with Summit Players Theatre. In addition to her efforts in arts administration, Caroline is an actor and director who has worked with companies such as Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (Black Theatre Festival, Young Playwrights Festival), Summit Players Theatre, Sunstone Studios, Forte Theatre and Voices Found Repertory.

Caroline comes to Next Act from MainStage Theatrical Supply, where she served as Sales Administrator. Outside of theatre, Caroline enjoys reading, camping and running her small business, Millennial Granny.”

Email Caroline

Pia is a multidisciplinary educator who graduated from Marquette University in 2022 with degrees in Theatre Arts and Secondary Education. While most of her credits are still from Marquette, such as directing GIDION’S KNOT and DOUBT and stage managing ANTIGONE, she has also interned at Door Shakespeare, where she mostly overcame her fear of bugs, and has helped run the Next Actors program with her predecessor Grace DeWolff. She has taught a little at a lot of high schools, including Wauwatosa West and Pius XI High School. When not at Next Act, she can be found playing board games, chilling with her roommate and cat and yelling about how much she loves her students to anyone who will listen.

Email Pia

Tawnie is an actor, fight director, podcaster and writer. After graduating from UW-Whitewater with a BFA in Theatre and relocating to Milwaukee in 2013, she began studying stage combat and holds a number of certifications with the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) and Dueling Arts International (DAI). She has since worked with a wide variety of theatre companies as both a performer and fight director. Tawnie comes to Next Act with three years of experience in the nonprofit space and was most recently the grant writer for Meta House.

In her spare time, Tawnie can be found playing tabletop games, backpacking, biking, rock climbing and cheering on the NWSL (Go Red Stars!).

Email Tawnie

Christine discovered the world of audience services when she joined the staff of Milwaukee’s Performing Arts Center (n/k/a Marcus Center) in its inaugural season. She has worked with dozens of arts organizations and their audiences as ticketing evolved from paper and pencil to computer systems to the internet, providing new ways to enhance patrons’ experiences. Long a friend of Next Act Theatre and supporter of its mission, she was pleased to become part of its dedicated team in 2014. Since then, she has found in her interactions with Next Act audiences ample validation of her often-stated opinion that the nicest people come to theatre. Christine’s abiding interest in the fine and folk arts of diverse cultures means that she herself is often found in an audience.

Email Christine