2017/18 Professional Training Institute Ensemble Announced

Milwaukee Repertory Theater is pleased to announce the 2017/18 Professional Training Institute (PTI) ensemble, an advanced actor training program for students in 8th-12th grade who may have an interest in pursuing a career as a professional theater artist. The 2017/18 PTI ensemble includes Elliott Brotherhood, JuliAna Garcia-Malacara-Flynn, Lindsay Gleason, Durran Goodwin Jr., Kamani Graham, Meguire Hennes, Nathan Kabara, Maricella Kessenich, Logan Muñoz, Bradley Nowacek, Reese Parish, Dominic Schiro, Payton Elizabeth Stovall, Kenyon Terrell, Saleaqua Winston, and Mainyia Xiong. These sixteen students hailing from fourteen different high schools will receive free training from some of the top theater professionals in the world, culminating in a capstone summer performance where they will be employed as paid, professional actors.

PTI ensemble will train with leading theater artists including Broadway star Nicholas Rodriguez (Guys and Dolls), Soraya Broukhim (The Who & The What), Milwaukee Rep casting director Frank Honts, Milwaukee HS of the Arts graduate and creator of Murder for Two Joe Kinosian, new Associate Artistic Director May Adrales, playwright of the upcoming World Premiere One House Over Catherine Treieschmann, music mogul Abdul Hamid Royal (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill), local favorites Norman Moses, Mark Corkins, Elizabeth Ledo and Rep Associate Artists James Pickering and Angela Iannone.

The capstone performance will be produced in Summer 2018, with more specific dates to be announced soon.

Support for PTI program is provided by funders of The Rep's new community engagement initiative Mpact, which is designed to further the theater's mission of creating positive change in the cultural, social and economic vitality of Milwaukee. Mpact supports include Northwestern Mutual, The Lubar Family Foundation, The Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation with additional support from GRAEF.

For more information, please visit our website www.MilwaukeeRep.com

Elliott Brotherhood is a senior at Pathways High School as well as the theater director of the school. Elliott has spent the past two summers performing with Door Shakespeare most recently in their productions of Twelfth Night as a servant and as an ensemble member in The Heart of Robin Hood. Elliott has been in numerous First Stage Main Stage shows including Robin Hood as the Deputy and Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars as Wiggins. Elliott is also a proud member of First Stage's Young Company and appeared in their production of Animal Farm last spring as Boxer. Elliott is thrilled to be returning to The Rep where he performed as Peter Cratchit (2013) and ensemble (2012) in A Christmas Carol.

JuliAna Garcia-Malacara-Flynn (Juju) is a junior at Horlick High School. She's a local artist that lives in Racine, Wisconsin that divides her time between two households with her Mom, Stepdad Gary, Dad, little brother AJ and fur sister Morgan Faye Flynn. Most recently, Juju played JoJo in Seussical, Ursula Merkle in Bye Bye Birdie, and Pinocchio in Shrek the Musical. She spent the last 6 years as an ensemble member in the Racine Theatre Guild's performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, and Willy Wonka. Aside from her love of theatre, Juju has a HUGE love of drag queens and was very excited to meet thee RuPaul Charles in Los Angeles at RuPaul's DragCon.

Lindsay Gleason is an active senior at Oak Creek High School. Some of her recent credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with First Stage, and Fly By Night with Oak Creek High School Theatre. In addition to acting, Lindsay also enjoys writing poetry, singing in various vocal ensembles, dance, and choreography. Some of her favorite choreography projects have included Godspell with Collaborative Community Youth Musicals, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Vocal Arts Camp (2016), and Knight Club Acapella Ensemble (2016-present). After graduation, Lindsay plans to pursue theatre in college, hoping to receive a BA in Theatre Arts including directing, playwriting, and performance.

Durran Goodwin Jr. is currently a senior at Rufus King International High School. He's extremely active at his school serving in various capacities within the community. His love for performance resulted from membership in Rufus King's Speech & Debate program. Durran is the 2017 Wisconsin State Champion in Dramatic Interpretation. He's also ranked amongst the Top 60 Dramatic Interpreters' within the nation and Top 45 Poetry competitors in the nation. Aside from performance, he holds a passion for social justice. He plans to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts next fall and is excited to start that theatre career with Milwaukee Rep!

Kamani Graham is a freshman at Pius XI High School where he is a member of the Mixed Choir and an active member of the theater department. Kamani is part of First Stage where he has been seen in Welcome To Bronzville as Mike Jr. and an ensemble member in Big Nate: The Musical. Some Other shows included The Wiz where he played The Lion(Rufus King: Middle Years) and The Lion King where he played Young Simba (Golda Meir). This year Kamani made it all the way to State in Forensics and won 1st Place in storytelling.

Meguire Hennes attends eAchieve online school as a sophomore so she has the flexibility necessary to participate in auditions and train. Meguire is a quadruple threat with the ability to dance (tap, ballet/pointe, hip hop, jazz, modern and ballroom), play the piano, sing and act. Meguire enjoys teenager activities such as fashion, archery and photography. Meguire also performs regularly with her three sisters as the keyboardist in The BAND Hennes. Her recent credits include: Youth Swing (Magic Flute, Lyric Opera of Chicago), Baby Louise (Gypsy, Northwestern University Dolphin Show), Jane (Mary Poppins, Fireside Theatre), Young Cosette (Les Miserable, Fireside Theatre), Alice Cratchit (A Christmas Carol, Milwaukee Rep), and Nellie (Annie Get Your Gun, Fireside Theatre).

Nathan Kabara is a sophomore at Whitefish Bay High School. He has worked with various theaters across Wisconsin and some of his favorite productions include, Ella Enchanted (First Stage), Les Misérables (WFBHS), Mole Hill Stories (First Stage), and Romeo and Juliet (American Players Theatre). In addition to performing, Nathan enjoys participating in the WSMA Solo Ensemble Festival where he received the highest ratings for both his classical and musical theatre pieces in addition to earning the Exemplary Soloist Award this past year.

Maricella Kessenich is a senior at Shorewood High School. For the past four years Maricella has been an active member of Shorewood Drama. Most recently she was seen as Martha in The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd, South Pacific, American Idiot, and Cabaret. She is also a member of Shorewood's Advanced acting program, Choir, and Orchestra. At Shorewood she is involved in Mock Trial, Eco club, Guatemala club, and Feminism matters. Outside of acting, Maricella enjoys music composition, hiking with her dog Olive, and studying Opera.

Logan Muñoz is a junior at Racine Horlick High School, where he is co-president of his International Thespian Society troupe, leader of his school's Chorale choir, and a member of LINK CREW, a club which helps incoming students. He most recently played the role of Harry MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie at the Joseph L. Mooney Theater of the Performing Arts, as well as previous performances of Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Jesus in Godspell. In addition, Logan has performed in the ensemble in Les Miserables and played Benjamin in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, both productions at the Racine Theater Guild. He has participated in the WSMA State competition and won gold on his solos, as well as exemplary on his musical theatre piece. He loves his volunteer work as a cast member at the Bristol Renaissance Faire and enjoys writing vast stories and plays, as well as drawing and animating cartoons. Logan is seething with anticipation for his opportunity to be part of such an amazing program like PTI.

Bradley Nowacek is a junior at Wauwatosa West High School, where he is the Treasurer of the school theatre department. He has been in productions at his school as well as at First Stage, and is a member of the First Stage Young Company. Favorite roles include Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors (Tosa West), UPS man/Retiree in Working 2012 (First Stage), and Papa Ge in Once On This Island (First Stage). In addition to theatre, Bradley plays the cello, and is currently one of the co-principal cellists of MYSO's Senior Symphony.

Reese Parish is a sophomore at Nicolet High School. She has performed in a variety of theater and film productions and participated in several theater, dance and voice training venues. Most recently Reese was cast as the lead actress in a short film called, The Revolt of Color, that has been accepted into the L.A. Cinefest and the Millennial Film Festivals. Her theater stage credits include Jasmine in Aladdin, Jr. and Lorraine in Hairspray through Menomonee Falls Patio Players; Sarah's Friend in Nicolet High School's production of Ragtime; five main stage productions through First Stage, and other roles with Milwaukee Youth Theater, and Racine Theater Guild. Reese was also selected to participate in the Open Jar Institute during the summer of 2017. She has been a member of First Stage programs including, Touring Company, Advanced Musical Theater, Young Company and Summer Academy. She is a returning member of the Nicolet Varsity Dance Team and Nicolet's Concert Choir and is new to Nicolet's Varsity Cheerleading team this year. When not on stage, Reese may be found singing, dancing, running track or perfecting her make-up techniques.

Dominic Schiro is a senior at Pius XI High School and is very excited to be in the second PTI ensemble. Recently he was seen as Lady Capulet in the first year PTI production of So Thrive My Soul, Dr. Horrible in a student directed production of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Joe Keller in All My Sons, and Orestes in Electra. He has appeared at the Sunset Playhouse as Lucas Beineke in The Addams Family and was an ensemble member in Anything Goes. Last summer he had the opportunity to train as part of the Ten Chimneys High School Actor Fellowship program.

Payton Elizabeth Stovall is a junior at Whitefish Bay High School. She is active as an actress, athlete, vocalist and as a natural leader. She has had the opportunity, for the past three years, to be accepted into the Tonea Stewart 3T Camp in Montgomery, Alabama. The camp is a residential camp for young adults age 13-18 that offers the members classes in acting, singing, dancing and interpretation. Over the years Payton has also been involved in the African American Children's Theater, singing in her church choir, community choirs and with professional recording artists in the studio. Payton is the organizer of the diversity club at Whitefish Bay High School, called The Mix. Payton was chosen to head this open group in establishing dialogue that will assist in a better understanding for cultural differences. She is an active track runner and participates in the 100, 200, 4x1, 4x2, long jump, triple jump, discus and shot-put. Payton participates in community youth programs such as Urban Underground; through this program youth utilize social justice campaigns in the areas of health, education, public safety and juvenile justice reform to propel their commitment to building safe and sustainable communities. Payton lives in Milwaukee with her mom and dog, Malcolm.

Kenyon Terrell is a senior at Marquette University High School. Although he didn't realize it at the time, Kenyon had his start in theater by regaling his friends with humorous tales around the lunch table. He took his enthusiasm for entertaining people into the world of forensics where he experienced success in the categories of group improv, oratorical declamation, and oral interpretation of literature. It wasn't until Kenyon reached high school that his interest in theater began, but once it did it grew exponentially with every show he participated in. To date Kenyon has had the pleasure of starring in MUHS's productions of Franz Kafka's The Castle as Barnabas, The Importance of Being Earnest as Earnest, and 12 Angry Jurors as Juror #3. He is most proud of his performance in Divine Savior High School's production of A Piece of My Heart, where he navigated playing every male role in the mature, emotional play. He is eager to participate in a professional show after his experience performing a live read through of one of the plays entered in Milwaukee Chamber Theater's Young Playwright's Festival.

Saleaqua Winston is an 12th grade theatre major at Milwaukee High School of the Arts. She is a local artist that lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her Mom, Dad, and dog (Homie). She loves acting, music, writing and performing poetry. She played the role of Dr. Harper and Lt. Rooney in Arsenic and Old Lace (MHSA), Elaine Brown and Elvira Evers in Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 And was also an ensemble member in the Milwaukee Rep's PTI program and final performance So Thrive My Soul. She has won an Outstanding Actor award from Wisconsin's One-Act play competition and also won 2nd place at the 2017 Wisconsin state "Poetry Out Loud" competition. She is a National Honor Society member and plans to pursue her career as a professional actor, writer, and performer.

Mainyia Xiong is a senior at Menomonee Falls High School, where she participates in many activities. She has been in choir for three years, and entered the advanced choir at her high school Master Singers. She's has been in seven productions, six of which were in Menomonee Falls and one at the Waukesha Civic Theatre. She has sung with her choir at Carnegie Hall twice in her high school career. She loves the arts, cosmetology, and fashion, but wants to pursue her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre in the future. She is excited to embark her new adventure with The Rep and the Professional Training Institute.

Milwaukee Rep is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and full-scale musicals housed in its three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual A Christmas Carol, featuring the World Premiere of a new adaption in 2016, at the historic Pabst Theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Managing Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee's rich diversity.