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. At Next Act, she was promoted to Production Manager in March of 2024, stepping up to manage her first show, THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY.

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, IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY), OF MICE AND MEN, MIDWEST RADFEST and PEER GYNT.

When not in the theatre, Katie enjoys knitting, rock climbing and cycling.

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Tom is a retired paralegal and teacher who has been enjoying Milwaukee area professional and community theatre for more than 30 years. He started his volunteer theatre career at In Tandem Theatre, where he provided his computer and organizational skills for five years. Since 2019, Tom has been offering the same skills to Next Act. When he is not working at the theatre, he is pursuing his hobbies of genealogy and US road trips and international travel.

Elyse Edelman is thrilled to join Next Act Theatre in the role of Artistic Associate. She thanks her lucky stars to have built a life in the theater, telling stories as a freelance actor, director, and educator.

Wisconsin credits include multiple productions with Forward Theater, Renaissance Theaterworks, Chamber Theatre, First Stage, Third Avenue PlayWorks, In Tandem, Children’s Theater of Madison, American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Rep and Door Shakespeare. Regionally, favorite credits include years in the Twin Cities with The Guthrie, Park Square, Children’s Theatre Co., Mixed Blood, Bedlam, People’s Center and Minnesota Shakespeare, as well as work with Utah Shakespeare Festival and Riverside Theatre.

Elyse is a member of Forward Theater’s Advisory Company, was a company member at Door Shakespeare for eight seasons, and served as director of Camp Will, their summer Shakespeare program. At First Stage, she has worn many hats – both as a longtime faculty member and in administrative roles – for over 15 years. Her teaching and program design have also shaped theater curriculum in schools and youth correctional facilities.

Training: University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA; LISPA.
Website: elyseedelman.com

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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 is a founding member of Summit Players Theatre and served the company for nine years, including four as Executive Director. He has performed various other administrative duties for First Stage, Theatre Gigante and Theatre Nervosa, as well as spending some time in corporate Public Relations.

In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, A.J. has been seen onstage with First Stage, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre,
Renaissance Theaterworks, Theatre Gigante, Summit Players Theatre, Acacia Theatre Company, Brigata Theatre, The Boulevard Theatre, Kith & Kin Theatre Collective, Milwaukee Irish Arts, The Constructivists, Seat of Our Pants Readers Theatre, Quasimondo Physical Theatre, Sunstone Studios, Voices Found Repertory, Bard and Bourbon, Theatre Nervosa, Windfall Theatre and Cooperative Performance. Some of A.J.’s hobbies include baking, hiking, puppetry and block printing.

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Wyatt Meyer is a Minnesota native who relocated to Milwaukee in 2017. Since then, he has become an active part of the local arts community, working as a production manager with Bard and Bourbon and The Constructivists. Wyatt also briefly served as the Operations Manager for Present Music, where he applied his expertise in team leadership and operations to enhance performance logistics. In addition to his work in the arts, Wyatt is the Executive Director of the Milwaukee Trans and Queer Depot, an organization dedicated to distributing hormone supplies and providing sober, queer spaces for the community. Wyatt’s commitment to fostering inclusive, supportive environments extends to his personal and professional life, where he integrates radical care, systems thinking and direct leadership. He is passionate about creating experiences that are welcoming for all patrons, with a particular focus on accessibility and equity. Outside of work, Wyatt enjoys kayaking, cooking and hiking with his partner and their dogs.  

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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 arts administrator with Skylight Music Theatre, First Stage and Summit Players Theatre. In addition, Caroline is an actor and director who has worked with companies such as Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (Black Theatre Festival, Young Playwrights Festival), Renaissance Theaterworks (Br!nk), Summit Players Theatre, Kohl’s Wild Theater, Milwaukee Irish Arts and many more! Outside of theatre, Caroline enjoys book club with her friends, playing boardgames and mixing cocktails in her basement bar.

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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 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 has worked in the non-profit space for four years.

In her spare time, Tawnie can be found playing tabletop games, backpacking, biking, rock climbing and cheering for the Chicago Red Stars.

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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.

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