As The Comedy of Errors was winding up, we pinned our twins down long enough bring you a fresh "10 Questions!"

What brought you to theater and to Shakespeare?
// Connor - I saw Jack Black in School of Rock and wanted to be an actor. I auditioned for plays in high school and played Falstaff in my first Shakespeare play, Merry Wives of Windsor. During the production I fell in love with the language.

// Cole - Orientation for my freshman year of high school included improv games and some acting exercises. I had a lot of fun with them and the drama teacher, so I auditioned for the fall one-act. I've loved acting and been close friends with Mr. Ivkovich ever since. The first Shakespeare show I was in was A Midsummer Night's Dream at UW-Parkside, directed by Matt Schwader (I was Snug) and the concept was Steampunk which was a lot of fun.

// Rebekah - I was in my first play when I was six. It was a play my brother wrote and I didn’t have any lines, but I have loved being a different person on stage since then. As far as Shakespeare goes, my first favorite “book” was Twelfth Night. In middle school, I fell in love with the twin confusion and Feste the fool. How fitting that in this show, I not only got to play a clown, but also a confused twin!  

// Thorin - I grew up in rural Wisconsin, I loved books and movies (storytelling), but there wasn't much theater around me so I didn't see it growing up. When I got to University, I decided I wanted to take part in the storytelling and I started doing theater. I fell in love with Shakespeare after doing a month-long intensive in Lennox, Massachusetts with Shakespeare and Company.


What did 10-year-old you think you’d be when you “grew up?”
// Connor - I wanted to be artist and draw comic books.​

// Cole - I always wanted to be an artist because my grandparents have made their living off of their amazing art for 40 years now. If you want to see some of their work you can visit XNTrixart.com (XN-Trix, get it?!)

// Rebekah - A teacher (which I am so grateful I already get to do with First Stage). 

// Thorin - I thought I'd be an engineer because I was always good at math. My uncle was an engineer and I knew it was a good job. I changed my mind after I realized, although I did well in math, I didn't enjoy it.
​

What do you think is the greatest challenge of portraying your character?
// Connor - The greatest challenge is making Antipholus of Ephesus a sympathetic human being who doesn't just yell and hit things.

// Cole - For me it’s been the most difficult keeping Dromio positive. When I first read the show, I saw him as very resentful of his situation, and we get to laugh at his pain. However ML and Ron wanted to play his resilience and intelligence, along with his inability to not tell a joke, rather than focusing on any anger he may have towards his circumstances.

// Rebekah - I  think when you have a lot of good jokes, it can be really easy to just try to make people laugh, the challenge is to make people laugh because you are being present and honest in the moment. 

// Thorin - The greatest challenge was letting go of what he's "supposed to be," to find out who he is.

What brought you to theater and to Shakespeare?

​When I was a young boy I loved to sing. As a teenager in the mid-'50s, I began studying voice with a vocal coach in downtown Chicago. He produced scaled down Broadway Musicals on the weekends. I hadn’t been there three weeks when he threw me into the chorus of GUYS AND DOLLS, and from that moment on I knew I wanted to pursue a life in the theater.

After appearing in several Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, I started working in regional theaters throughout the country. In the mid-'70s, as a resident actor at The Loretto-Hilton Repertory Theatre (now St. Louis Repertory), I was cast as Puck in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and Malcolm in MACBETH. In spite of no formal classical training, much to my surprise, I took to those two roles with great elan. I was hooked.
 
Fast forward to the summer of 1993, when I stepped onto the stage as Shylock in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, and remained there as a core company member for fourteen seasons. I also worked at Milwaukee Shakespeare. In all, I have appeared in 23 of The Bard’s 37 plays.

  
What did 10-year-old you think you’d be when you “grew up?”

The next Frank Sinatra!


What do you think is the greatest challenge of portraying the Fool?

Given all his riddling, rhyming and cryptic language, my greatest challenge was that he be understandable, accessible…And maybe a little bit funny.


What do you hope the audience took away from King Lear?

I wouldn’t presume to know what any audience may take away from any performance, since it’s such a subjective experience. That being said, given the vast scope of this great play that not only deals with greed, cruelty, deception, family dysfunction and death, as well as, love, devotion, loyalty, and a sense of duty and honor, I hope people came away with a deeper understanding of what it is to be human.

​
What Shakespeare character do you most resemble?

Old Gremio in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, except for all his money.


Besides Shakespeare, with what person, living or dead, would you most love to have a drink and a chat? (And, what’s the drink?)

Michelle Obama, and I’d be sipping slowly on a double Tullamore Dew on the rocks.


What’s your superpower?

I have no superpower.  Unless we’re talking about my superior intellect, breathtakingly good looks, extraordinary acting talent, hysterical sense of humor and my Mother Teresa saintliness. And if you believe any of the above, “I have a bridge in Brooklyn, I’d like to sell you!”


Tragedy, comedy or history?

It depends on what I’m working on. This summer, it was TRAGEDY.


Truth or dare?

Just like the Fool -- truth!

​
Guilty pleasure(s)?

Dark chocolate, the darker the better.

Despite the intense rehearsal and production schedule of the last weeks, we were able to get a few minutes with this incredible trio of actors for the return of 10 Questions!

What brought you to theater and to Shakespeare?
I moved a lot when I was growing up. Prior to 9th grade, I made ONE friend, who was interested in theater. So, I took my first acting class to be with her. As luck would have it, the teacher, Mr. Naab, was an extraordinarily generous man and encouraged me beyond the walls of the classroom.  

What did 10-year-old you think you’d be when you “grew up?”
I thought I was going to be a writer....thanks to another very encouraging teacher. 

What do you think is the greatest challenge of portraying Goneril?
To help the audience see her humanity.

What do you hope the audience will take away from King Lear?
I hope, as it does for me, that the story both fills and breaks their hearts.  

What Shakespeare character do you most resemble?
It depends on the day!

Besides Shakespeare, with what person, living or dead, would you most love to have a drink and a chat? (And, what’s the drink?)
Eric Berry, safety for the KC Chiefs, on game day.  Gatorade, of course!

What’s your superpower?
Teaching.

Tragedy, comedy or history?
Tragedy.

Truth or dare?
Dare!

Guilty pleasure(s)?
Young Adult novels and bowling!

What brought you to theater and to Shakespeare?
I'm pretty sure the first play I ever saw was To Kill a Mockingbird at First Stage in the early '90s. I performed in an all-female King Lear at the University of Minnesota in 2009, which was my first crack at the Bard. I played Edgar. 

What did 10-year-old you think you’d be when you “grew up?”
An archaeologist.

What do you think is the greatest challenge of portraying Regan?
Going to a place of deep abandonment and profound cruelty.

What do you hope the audience will take away from King Lear?
A desire to see more live theater, and to take in all that Milwaukee's arts community has to offer.

What Shakespeare character do you most resemble?
Rosalind from As You Like It. 

Besides Shakespeare, with what person, living or dead, would you most love to have a drink and a chat? (And, what’s the drink?)
I would like to share a Coca Cola with Paul Newman!

What’s your superpower?
Juggling many creative projects at the same time.

Tragedy, comedy or history?
I love the haunting comedies that are also tragic (Measure for Measure, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Two Gents, Merchant of Venice). Some of them are called "problem plays" because they are too complicated to fit into our tidy categories. The characters are interesting and complex, and their decisions leave us unsettled.

Truth or dare?
Both!

Guilty pleasure(s)?
I am not at all guilty about my affinity for fancy cheese, donuts, brats, naps and cheap rosé!

What brought you to theater and to Shakespeare?
My mom loved watching old TV musicals and I grew up watching my older brother in musicals. I also sang a lot in choirs and small groups around town, so the desire to perform came naturally. Acting in high school was my way of doing something different from the music performing I knew. 

What did 10-year-old you think you’d be when you “grew up?”
I remember not knowing what I wanted when I was ten and was so frustrated that I couldn't figure it out. I guess I should have gotten a clue from all the pretend soap opera scenes I played out by myself in my room!

What do you think is the greatest challenge of portraying Cordelia?
The greatest challenge of playing Cordelia is making sure she is a fully realized human being. It is easy to think of her as such a fierce, strong, warrior type. She is definitely all of that, but she is also a daddy's girl, hurt and devastated. Her strength is what pushes her to not give up on her father or his legacy. I hope the audience can see that struggle of vulnerability through determination.

What do you hope the audience will take away from King Lear?
Lear is such a classic and I am so excited to be a part of this production! The story of a fallen or misguided leader and the importance of having the right people around you to be willing to say "no" is a lesson we desperately need today, but I hope the Milwaukee audience realizes the importance of Optimist Theatre and Shakespeare in the Park. Each year, the production level has risen, more people come, the Actor Union contracts increase, there is a Chicago director this year, so many things...and it is still free to all who can get to the Peck Pavilion. A theater dedicated to serving the community needs to be celebrated. I hope that new faces come to the theater and make this part of their Milwaukee summer traditions!

What Shakespeare character do you most resemble?
Cleopatra.

Besides Shakespeare, with what person, living or dead, would you most love to have a drink and a chat? (And, what’s the drink?)
Wow! There are so many, but I would love to sit and chat with Maya Angelou. She was beyond her time and lived her life to the fullest despite her tremendous obstacles, and she EXCELLED. Her personal story, her writing, her philosophy on life, she is the very essence of royalty. We'd be drinking a cool glass of fresh lemonade infused with mint and sliced cucumbers topped with basil, oregano and a hint of salt! 

What’s your superpower?
Keeping a mental calendar...for everyone in my family!

Tragedy, comedy or history?
Tragedy.

Truth or dare?
Truth!

Guilty pleasure(s)?
Splitting a pint of Luna and Larry's Salted Caramel Coconut Ice Cream with my husband while watching episodes of "A Different World!"

We could not be more pleased to introduce you to Lisa Gaye Dixon, who will be directing King Lear for SitP 2018!

As we teased a couple of weeks ago, Lisa is currently performing in Chicago, at the Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol as the Ghost of Christmas Present. We'll catch up with her soon after that's complete in order to bring you some of her thoughts about Lear.

In the meanwhile, her biography will, no doubt, amaze you as much as it did us:

Lisa Gaye Dixon is an Associate Professor in Theatre, and has worked professionally across the country and around the globe. She began her professional career with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, and has been seen on the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the New Globe Theatre in London, and regionally at the Attic Theatre (Detroit), Milwaukee Shakespeare, Ann Arbor civic Theatre and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.

Film work includes: The Trouble with Men and Women (BBC/IFC), USING: The Movie, and the award-winning independent film Leading Ladies, where she was also a professional acting coach.  

​What brought you to theater and to Shakespeare?
I don’t have a pithy answer for that. My path to Shakespeare was a languorous meander through ancient history and medieval literature to Early Modern poetry and then Shakespeare, all obsessions I fell into during summers spent swimming the library stacks while my mother worked--and that I fed by regularly reading in my room to mask a good surly teenage pout.

When I'd run out of things to read in the kids' and young adults’ sections, I picked up a book about Roman ruins in the English landscape, and that was that. I studied history, architecture, art, and lots of poetry and music, crawling my way backward and forward in time. 

In literature, my focal era was late medieval with a special penchant for the history of the English language, but when I hit Shakespeare, I found something so deeply connected to the entire spectrum of the times I’d lived in and studied--and so perfectly emblematic of human potential and character--that I suppose I have yet to find a reason to move on.

I came to my small performance experience through music, but I hit upon theater "in action," rather than on the page, in college, mostly doing small roles in musical theater and directing student projects. My first work editing Shakespeare was in graduate school—I did a 45-minute cut of King Lear, and I found my next area of study.

Now that I’ve reread my answer to this question, it sounds very pat, direct, unified, and even inevitable that I fell in love with Shakespeare. That is only true if you add Tom to the story. When young ML heard young Tom read Shakespeare back in 1987, it was the beginning of all the love stories. I heard all the beauty, all the possibility, and all the joy and deep meaning come to life, and I never wanted it to stop. If you add Tom, all this was inevitable!


What did 10-year-old M.L. think she'd be when she grew up?
A heroic corruption-busting journalist who moonlights as a speak-easy pianist.


What is the greatest challenge that you anticipate in co-directing Julius Caesar?
I have wanted to collaborate with Tom as co-director for several years—in fact, we were talking about co-directing Winter’s Tale when each of the actors on our “Leontes list” was unavailable or not interested. I just had to work with a Leontes I trusted, and that’s Tom, so I had the double honor of directing my first solo Shakespeare and directing my husband of (now) 25 years. True to form, Tom delivered an outstandingly rich, beautiful performance that brought to life all of Leontes’s complexities. I don’t regret having to wait for Caesar to co-direct with him. 

The challenges of co-directing come more from the many “angles of approach” to the play itself, which, like the challenges of co-directing, serve to make the process rich. Our skill sets are also complementary—he knows movement, and I know text. He coaches actors, and I empathize with audiences. He deals in specifics, and I deal in the “maybes.” Wait till we have to negotiate rehearsal schedules to see how that goes, though!


What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from Julius Caesar?
That feels like being asked to give away the punch line, although Julius Caesar and its themes are no joke.  Caesar explores the interplay of ideology, personal ambition and celebrity in politics, right at the moment when a poorly informed and manipulated populace must make a momentous choice about the direction of the nation’s leadership and character. Shakespeare was aware of the dilemmas and wrote a story that forces a conversation, rather than answers a question. I hope that people will leave with something to talk about.


​What Shakespeare character do you most resemble?
I want to say Beatrice because I imagine that her brain is on a multi-level hyperdrive, but unlike Beatrice, I never fail to get tongue-tied when someone gets my goat, and I am terrible at clever put-downs. So, not Beatrice. I’ve narrowed it down that much.


What's your superpower?
Nit-picking, or possibly being extremely vague about bad news.


Tragedy, comedy or history?
Earth, air, or water?


Truth or dare?
The daringest of acts is to speak truth. 


Guilty pleasure?
I was hoping that one was actually written, “Guilt or pleasure?” “Pleasure,” I would respond.  

More about M.L.: 
M.L. teaches writing and analytical reading at Alverno College and British Literature at Marquette.She has adapted each of the plays produced by Optimist Theatre and directed The Winter's Tale in 2014. M.L. is one of the founding producers of Shakespeare in the Park.

Shakespeare in the Park was recently notified that we will receive a grant from The Brico Fund! Once we finished jumping up and down, we asked Executive Director Anne Summers if we could chat with her about the Fund and her work there. She was gracious enough to indulge us! Read on to learn more!

The Brico Fund was founded by Lynde Uihlein with the mission to build "the collective capacity of people and organizations to actively and sustainably improve the civic, cultural and natural environments." Brico's specific areas of interest are the Arts, Environment and Democracy.

Anne explained that the spirit of the Brico mission is building quality of life for everyone. They are interested in building organizational capacity, including to broaden access to arts in the community. The organization intentionally works to support art with diversity of reach and location, and socially relevant missions -- especially where Brico's involvement won't overlap with traditional theater/arts funding.

What struck Brico about the “fit” of Shakespeare in the Park into the Fund’s investment areas?

The Brico Fund is increasingly interested in making grants at the intersection of its three interest areas: democracy, environment and the arts. Specifically, to seek out organizations that are already synthesizing those foci. As such, Shakespeare in the Park's populist ethos – reflecting the audience in the production, and intentionally anchoring everything that it does in the artistic and democratic spheres -- appeals to that larger giving philosophy.

What brought you to the field of philanthropy and to Brico?

I was attracted to the ability to use philanthropy as a leverage point for change. The Brico Fund has a particularly "open view" in term of funding. We are willing to innovate and experiment in ways that many foundations are not. Our charge is to help build stronger community and increase quality of life, but in doing that, we have the opportunity to create strategy. While we offer traditional core operating grants, we can also take greater risk outside of the status quo -- to make a statement in the community. Brico is willing to be a trailblazer and a maverick, make mistakes and learn from them in order to improve our grant-making, all in service of knitting the fabric of Milwaukee more tightly together.
 
What is the greatest challenge of your work at The Brico Fund?
The stereotype that it’s a cushy job – writing checks and sending money. I find it the most challenging and difficult work I've done. Part of that is because grant-making is not only role. There is a lot of sharing of relationships, and serving as a connector within the community.

Another challenge, if you will, is the ability to see the importance of capacity-building in the life of an organization. Without that step up on that front end, in order to enable growth, good ideas wouldn’t get the time required to "figure it out."

And, Brico is always working with our funded organizations to get honest feedback -- both so that we can be a better partner to them, by helping them "figure it out" through our own experiences, but also to make us a better grant-maker. Challenges are expected, and set-backs happen. Our ability to work with our organizations from a position of understanding that in a supportive way, in the end, helps everyone learn how to do what we do better.

At the end of the day, we try to really live our values in the organizations that we fund. HOW and WITH WHOM matter as much as WHAT we do -- being practical about direction. One of the most rewarding aspects is to see the power that even small amounts of money have, especially when we are able to accompany that money with our other relationships, which can magnify effects into BIG results.

Other than yourself (!), who should play you in the feature film of your life?

Morgan Freeman? Gene Hackman? Robert deNiro? People who play characters who have learned a lot in their lives – through mistakes, experiences, successes, are very reflective and open and engaging about that; understated, but play a key strategic role…very real. Those actors seem to play those kinds of parts regularly, so they come to mind.

What Shakespeare character do you most resemble?
Equal parts Titania, Lady Macbeth and Portia? I think?

Tragedy, comedy or history?
Tragedy

Truth or dare?
Truth

Guilty pleasure?
Taking the time to read a book (the thicker the better)...and eating Oreo cookies.

More about Anne:
An Illinois native, Anne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Masters of Business Administration degree from Cardinal Stritch University. Prior to coming to the Brico Fund in 2004, Anne held positions as a senior leader in private nonprofit organizations and in the government sector. Her national leadership roles include the board of directors for the League of Conservation Voters, the Youth Engagement Fund and the Funders Committee for Civic Participation. She was a founder and first board chair of State Voices and helped found its Wisconsin affiliate, Wisconsin Voices. In her local community of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she serves on the board for the (Milwaukee) Harbor District, co-hosts the Collaborative Fund to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and previously served on the board of the Donors Forum of Wisconsin.

Anne’s professional and personal values intersect seamlessly, focusing on interdependence, fairness and equality. She has been a pioneer in the field of philanthropy, committed to idea testing, systematic evaluation and impact measurements that demonstrate collective action to create long-term change in communities. With her passion for innovation, combined with a focus on the next generation of leaders, Anne develops and mentors newer leaders across a variety of sectors. Under her leadership, Brico Fund has successfully modeled and led a new way of community investment that maximizes the potential for social change beyond the confines of more traditional philanthropy. She has co-authored and published an article for The Foundation Review titled “Weaving an Impactful Network” that details the Fund’s willingness to test the power dynamic of the traditional funding partnership. A state leader in capacity building of the nonprofit sector, Anne frequently presents and writes on this and other topics in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. 

Visit The Brico Fund's website ~ jump straight to the page with the back story of the cavalier boots logo (scroll down)

What brought you to acting?
Back in middle school, I had a group of girlfriends who were into choir and auditioning for the school musicals. I would audition every time but was never cast in an acting role. Starting high school, I did the same. I auditioned for the school musical my Freshman year and bombed it big time! I gave up until my Senior year of high school when I decided to go for it once again. 

I really gave it my all, and as fortune would have it, I was cast as one of the Angels in Cole Porter's Anything Goes. Later that year, I was cast in a monologue show and fell in love with the way the audience reacted to my work. I was sold once I felt the rush of fear and pure delight for accomplishing something that I never could before. 

Cut to my 2nd year in college: after taking a step back from acting, I was cast in the musical All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. I found myself falling in love again with the rush of being on stage and having the opportunity to work with others who felt exactly the same as I did! 

I transferred to UWM after my two years at UW-Waukesha. I was very reluctant to go into theater since the fate of an actor is uncertain. One day it dawned on me, after having a conversation with someone who has influenced my life drastically, that I really should allow myself to do what I love. 

I chose to stop worrying so much about the future and dived right into my acting degree at UWM. I auditioned and completed the BFA acting program within two years. I know that choosing to go into acting was the best decision I have ever made for myself. It is the one and only thing I have NEVER given up on despite the constant challenges. I couldn't be happier with the choice I made back in 2006 to pursue my career in acting, because I get to do the one thing I have always loved to do. 

What did 10-year-old Tess think she'd be when she grew up?

I thought I was going to be a nurse for a long time. My mother has been a nurse since I can remember and I always thought I would follow her down the same path.

What is the greatest challenge of playing Robyn Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream?
There aren't many clues as to WHO Starveling is as a character. I found creating a character that made sense within the context of the play was a challenge.

What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Overall, I hope our fans allow themselves to really get into the language of the play. This show is a lot of fun and the old jokes still translate to this day. 

Other than yourself (!) who should play you in the feature film of your life?
LAURA PREPON!!!! I think she is magnificent. I enjoy her comedic timing and her ability to transform into characters. Think about it: she rocked in That 70's Show and is dynamite in Orange is the New Black. Plus, I think she is very lovely!

What Shakespeare character's personality do you most resemble?
The first character that comes to mind is the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. I really think it's because she has the ability to see perspective. She also clearly cares a lot for those close to her. 

What's your superpower?
Speaking to animals. I typed that without hesitation; I love animals so much!

Tragedy, comedy or history?
Comedy. You can't leave a rehearsal or a show in a bad mood! Plus, it is challenging.

Truth or dare?
Truth.

Guilty pleasure?
Playing The Sims for an entire day. I would tell you all to give the game a shot, but then I don't think any of you would make it to the show ;) !

More about Tess: 
You may know Tess through Youngblood Theatre Company. While working with Youngblood, she produced and acted in Red Light Winter, Spirits to Enforce, Freakshow and Dying City, to name a few. 

Tess is thrilled to again have the chance to work with Optimist Theatre, and is thankful to get to work alongside a group of talented artists dedicated to making A Midsummer Night's Dream a success. She thanks her friends, family (cat included), and fellow artists for their support throughout this production.

You can follow Tess on Facebook, or catch her performing with the sketch comedy group Variety Hour Happy Hour in this year's Milwaukee Comedy Fest on August 8th at 10 p.m.

What is the greatest challenge of playing Petra Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Being the straight man.

What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Laughter; a pleasant memory of time spent with friends and family watching magic under the stars... 

Other than yourself (!) who should play you in the feature film of your life?
I don't know, but I've been told that I look like Linda Hamilton, so maybe her?

What Shakespeare character's personality do you most resemble?
It sounds like a cop-out, but there are too many plays and too many characters that nothing leaps to mind. Maybe if I read or reread all the plays I would be able to say with assurance, "This one." 


I can say that in some ways I identify with Kate from Taming of the Shrew; in other ways, with Queen Katharine from Henry VIII. Those are two very different women, so who knows?  Maybe I most resemble one of those many male nobles from the Histories.

What's your superpower?

A facility with language and pronunciation. I can look at the most technical jargon and after a few practice runs, I can read it to you as if I know what I'm talking about.  

Tragedy, comedy or history?
History.

Truth or dare?
I...don't like this game.

Guilty pleasure?
Television.

More about Mary: 
Mary experienced magic under the stars last summer, playing Paulina in Shakespeare in the Park’s production of The Winter’s Tale. Later last year, she had a rare opportunity to sing in Heresy/the Crackdown Cabaret at Next Act Theatre. 


Mary has worked with: Next Act Theatre in Microcrisis, Youngblood Theater in Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, In Tandem Theatre in Equus, Two Rooms, and The Afghan Women, and Theatre X in The Hunting of the Snark, among others. 


She has long had an interest in bringing historical figures to life, and since 2008 has portrayed Cordelia Harvey, former First Lady of Wisconsin during the Civil War, in a one woman show that is part of the Theater Program at the Kenosha Civil War Museum. Mary is loving making more magic unfold this summer, on a bluff overlooking the city, under velvet skies!

Follow Mary at her website.

What brought you to acting?
I started singing first. I grew up going to touring Broadway shows with my parents. In seventh grade I saw the high school do Grease and I suddenly thought, "maybe I could do that!" I was in musicals all through junior high and high school, and originally went to college to study voice (at Lawrence University). Halfway through my program I realized that I liked the acting part more than the music part so I switched my focus and ended up going to graduate school for acting.

What did 10-year-old Kristin think she'd be when she grew up?
The first female president. I was really into politics.

What is the greatest challenge of playing Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream?
I've been trying to make her annoying in a very earnest and likable way -- finding that balance.

What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from A Midsummer Night's Dream?
I think Midsummer has all of the elements of a great comedy -- magic, love, mischief, BIG characters. I hope people see it and feel that what they're watching and (hopefully) enjoying is relevant to popular entertainment today. Compare it to a summer blockbuster movie and you should see a lot of similarities. We're still building on top of Shakespeare's foundation, which is interesting in an academic sense, but also really cool in a cultural sense. Storytelling is timeless.

Other than yourself (!) who should play you in the feature film of your life?
Jennifer Lawrence is welcome to try!

What Shakespeare character's personality do you most resemble?
Beatrice from Much Ado.

What's your superpower?
Leaving Costco with only the 2 items on my list!

Tragedy, comedy or history?
Comedy. Or, really, just The Tempest!

Truth or dare?
Truth. I cannot tell a lie.

Guilty pleasure?
I love Celine Dion and I'm proud of it.

More about Kristin: 
Kristin is excited to join Optimist for another summer of Shakespeare in the Park. She was last seen with the company as Rosalind in Shakespeare in the Park's 2013 producion of As You Like It. Recent credits include two tours with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' fall education program and performances of her original one-woman show about Jane Austen, Discovering Austen. 

Other professional work includes Door Shakespeare, Forward Theater Company, American Players Theatre,
and Madison Opera. She earned her MFA in Acting from University of Wisconsin -- Madison.

Look for Kristin performing in Milwaukee in Ernest in Love with In Tandem next spring, as well as in several local performances of Discovering Austen. Keep up with her via her website.

What is the greatest challenge of playing Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Lysander's relationship with Hermia is crucial to the story and represents what he is wholeheartedly fighting for...yet Lysander's world undoubtedly gets turned on it's axis once outside forces intervene. This would be my greatest challenge: responding to this change, discovering the appropriate nuance(s) and continuing to fight for what he feels in his heart. 

Another challenge was working with the rich, poetic language that Lysander employs. This was a fun challenge that I embraced, with special thanks to Ron, our director and ML, our Shakespearean Dramaturg Extraordinaire, for their valuable insight and guidance. I've enjoyed working with the language as well as collaborating with everyone involved. .

What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Whether they've had a particularly stressful (or relaxing) week, I hope that they can take two hours out of their lives, suspend their belief, indulge their senses and give in to the reality we've created.

Other than yourself (!) who should play you in the feature film of your life?
Benjamin Bratt or Adam Beach.

What Shakespeare character's personality do you most resemble?
Horatio

What's your superpower?
While I'm partial to Wolverine when it comes to superheroes, brute force is not my strong suit :)
To be completely honest, empathy.

Tragedy, comedy or history?
Comedy. 

Truth or dare?
Truth. 

Guilty pleasure?
Tiramisu.

More about Shayne:
A Midsummer Night's Dream marks Shayne's debut with Optimist Theatre. A Milwaukee native, Shayne is a proud graduate of UW-Green Bay's Theatre Arts program and a former intern of the Milwaukee Rep. 

Most recently, Shayne collaborated with: Bronzeville Arts Ensemble for Chicken and Dumplings, UPROOTED Freedom High and Classic Rock: 101, In Tandem for The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Milwaukee Chamber for the Young Playwrights Festival, Milwaukee Public Theatre for Stories From the Medicine Wheel, and Windfall for City of Angels. Shayne also appeared in the independent films Waterwalk, Come Follow Me, and My Son, My Savior and is currently the lead vocalist of two Milwaukee-based music groups. 

Shayne is currently a Testing Specialist with Gateway Technical College, and has more than five years experience serving low-income families through the W-2 program. Born and raised in Milwaukee County, he still resides in the area and is a proud uncle of six -- and thanks his family and dear friends for all their support.

• If you missed Shayne's teaser video for AMND from early this spring, you can see it here!