Theater

Scott first started in theater as an actor and production designer for many years with several professional, community, and high school theater groups in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota before starting as the Resident Director for 25 years at West Allis Central High School. He also was the Resident Director at Mukwonago High School for several years. He is thrilled to serve as the Managing Director of the West Allis-West Milwaukee (WAWM) Youth Theater Program. His passion for teaching theater, by offering an outlet for young people to show off their acting, singing, and dancing skills, has been a dream come true for the past 30 years. Scott hopes to continue to develop this new theater program by offering more opportunities to the kids in the WAWM communities by expanding the number of productions and introducing new theater-based programs to the elementary schools in the district.

Jordans love of theater began when he was in the fifth grade and his participation with theater in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District began his freshman year of high school when he performed in Cinderella under the direction of Scott Girmscheid. Through college, Pollard served as the assistant director for the Central High School plays. After graduating from Carroll University with a degree in elementary education, he accepted a teaching position in the WA-WM School District as a fourth- and fifth-grade educator, and also began assistant directing the musicals at Central High School. During the 2016-2017 school year, he began directing the Central musicals, West Milwaukee Intermediate musicals, and started the summer Youth Theater program through the WAWM RCS Department. Over the years, Pollard has continued performing with various community theater organizations in southeastern Wisconsin. One of the biggest rewards of being a part of the WAWM theater team is getting to see his elementary students develop their love for the stage and having the opportunity to watch them grow as people and performers as they pursue their theater passions throughout intermediate and high school.

Director: Into the Woods

A native of Milwaukee, David chaired the theater program at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts for 15 years before moving to Minnesota to pursue his MFA in Directing. After 29 years of teaching and directing at many theater companies throughout the United States, he returned to Milwaukee to serve as Director of Theater at University Lake School for two years. Milwaukee Magazine also awarded him “Arts Educator of the Year” in 1998. David is currently working for Milwaukee Public Schools as the facilitator for the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. He is thrilled to be part of the directing team in this inaugural year of the WAWM Community Youth Theater Program.

Director: A Wrinkle in Time; Alice in Wonderland

Peggy has been working with the WAWM schools for 26 years. Before that, she worked as Production Stage Manager at First Stage Milwaukee and stage managed at a number of theaters in her hometown of Chicago. Her favorite part of the job is watching the kids learn, grow, and mature from first rehearsal to strike, from show to show, and year to year. Along with life lessons, Peggy hopes that some of her passion for theater has rubbed off on the kids.

Director: Elf Jr. - The Musical

Heather is the Director of Bands at West Allis Central High School. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Lawrence University, where she studied in the studio of David Bell. She has been in music theater for the past 16 years, performing in over 50 pit orchestras as a woodwind specialist. Some of her favorite performances include The Wild Party (All-In Productions) and The Drowsy Chaperone (Box Theatre). She has also performed as a clarinetist as a member of the Knightwind Ensemble and Vento Winds, and appeared as a featured vocal soloist with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Figeac, France. Ms. Gandre has served on the leadership team as a director and music director in numerous musicals in the WAWM School District. She is thrilled to share her love of theater with all her students!

Karl is excited to be a part of the WAWM Theater team. He has dedicated 32 years of his career to working with elementary, intermediate, high schools, and colleges as a choreographer, director, consultant, and teacher. Karl has worked at Homestead High School for 16 years, Greendale High School for 15 years, Whitnall and Oconomowoc High Schools for 10 years each, St. Robert Middle School for eight years, and spent two years with Disney Musicals in Schools in Madison. He is a highly accomplished 16-time Jerry Award-winning choreographer, and in 2014, was inducted into the Jerry Award Hall of Fame. Karl is looking forward to embarking on new adventures with the WAWM team!

Ashley, a freelance choreographer, singer, and theater educator in southeastern Wisconsin, holds a B.A. in Theater Arts-Acting from the University of Northern Colorado and an M.A.T. in Secondary English Education from Western Governors University. Additionally, she is the Community Education Director for the Kids From Wisconsin, teaches with First Stage, and serves as the Artistic Director and Lead Choreographer for Main Street Song and Dance Troupe. Choreography credits include MAMMA MIA! and MARY POPPINS (Sunset Playhouse), MATILDA (Waukesha Civic Theater), THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Marquette University High School), THE LITTLE MERMAID (University School of Milwaukee), and JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Nathan Hale High School). If that wasn't enough, she is also the lead vocalist for the local band Smart Mouth and frequently performs with Sunset Playhouse in their Musical MainStage and SideNotes Cabaret series.