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. 

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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, The Boulevard Theatre, Kith & Kin Theatre Collective, Quasimondo Physical Theatre, Sunstone Studios, Voices Found Repertory, Bard and Bourbon, Theatre Nervosa, Windfall Theatre and Cooperative Performance. Outside of theatre, he enjoys baking and spending time in the great outdoors.

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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 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.

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Pia is a multidisciplinary theatre educator who finished her degrees in Theatre Arts and Secondary Education from Marquette University in 2022. Their favorite shows they did at Marquette include ANTIGONE, MAMMA MIA! and GIDIONS KNOT. They’ve taught a little at a lot of places, including Wauwatosa West, Pius XI High School, West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, Maple Dale Middle School (with Pink Umbrella Theatre Company) and Milwaukee Youth Theatre, and they’ve even done some theatre with grown-ups at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and Rennaissance Theaterworks. She also interned at Door Shakespeare, where she mostly overcame her fear of bugs, and she helped run the Next Actors program with her predecessor Grace DeWolff before taking over. When not at Next Act, she can be found playing board games, rock climbing, chilling with her roommate and cats and yelling about how much she loves her students to anyone who will listen.

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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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