Jay Mollerskov (MM 2006, Music Composition & Theory) has been named ArtRoot’s writer-in-residence for the first half of 2026. While studying at the Peck School of the Arts, Mollerskov was influenced by former music department faculty Hal Rammel, Steve Nelson-Raney, and the late Dr. Yehuda Yannay. In ArtRoot’s January 10 announcement, Mollerskov reflects …
Kyle Thomas Hanneken (BFA 2018, Music Composition & Technology) has spent the past seven years developing Hellenika, a large-scale musical set in the Golden Age of ancient Greece that centers on the life and teachings of the philosopher Sokrates. Drawing …
UWM alum Michael Cotey (BFA Theatre, 2008) is the founder of ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence, a nationwide initiative that invites teen writers to create ten-minute plays confronting the issue of gun violence. Cotey conceived the project after the 2018 Parkland …
Recent Peck School of the Arts theatre graduate Ethan Hightire (BFA 2025, Acting) is stepping into the Milwaukee professional theater scene with roles in two major productions this season. In a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel feature by Jim Higgins, Hightire reflects on his path to the stage and his …
Jesse McLean, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres, was recently featured in The Guardian for her experimental documentary Light Needs, which examines relationships between humans and their houseplants. In a review by Leslie Felperin, The Guardian praises McLean’s precise and thoughtful approach, …
BroadwayWorld announced its nominations for the 2025 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee, WI Awards. The roster includes several theatre students and alumni. Seniors Josh Thone and Serena Vasquez received nominations for Best Performer in a Musical for their roles in the H.M.S. Pinafore, …
Film BFA alum Julian Maldonado was featured on the CBS affiliate station Telemundo Wisconsin. Maldonado was invited to talk about his short documentary, “Maderas y Memorias,” which tells the story of his great grandfather, a renowned wood carver from Puerto Rico. “He was my great grandpa from Puerto Rico that I never know,” said Maldonado, “He was kind of …
UWM alum and multi-disciplinary artist Michael J Miller (BFA 1987, Art; MA 1991, Art) is currently displaying his work at SoNa Chicago, a venue for contemporary art. A lifelong artist, Miller’s recent exhibition focuses on his life as an artist, how he has changed over time, and how this …
Brian Firkus (BFA 2012, Theatre), also known as drag artist and multimedia personality Trixie Mattel, was featured in an article by Isthmus covering her recent appearance at UW-Madison. Mattel participated in an open Q&A panel focused on queer identity and history, where she shared personal experiences, connected with …
Yinan Wang’s (Lecturer, FVANG) short film “From Section 48 to King Drive” explores Milwaukee’s “Chinese Laundry Era,” a time period starting in the late 1880s, when Chinese immigrants began opening laundry mats across the city. The film is inspired by …
UWM alum Chantala Kommanivanh (MFA 2013, Art) and his wife, Mallory McClaire, are the proud owners of Beverly Phono Mart, a vinyl and physical media shop that doubles as a community space. Located in Chicago’s South Side, BPM serves to …
Associate Professor of Theatre Sheri Williams Pannell is directing the 10th-anniversary production of “Black Nativity” in collaboration with Black Arts MKE, as reported by TMJ4. Williams Pannell is co-founder and producing artistic director of Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, the professional theatre …
UWM alum and popular street artist Jeremy Novy (BFA 2008, Art: Photography) returned to Milwaukee as the artist selected to design and paint rainbow crosswalks in Walker’s Point, honoring the neighborhood’s historical significance to the queer community. Novy’s design also …
UWM Chancellor Thomas Gibson and Dean of the College of the Arts and Architecture, Dr. Winifred Elysse Newman, spoke with WUWM’s David Lee about the relationship between the two schools that comprise the college and the greater Milwaukee community. Since …
UWM alum Thomas Trudeau (BFA 2012, Film) joined the New York Times as a video production coordinator. Trudeau’s new position entails facilitating video production and managing NYT’s video equipment and production studios. In a warm welcome from NYT’s Solana Pyne …
