Student Stories

Student musicians focus on positive energy during a busy end to the semester

As the Fall semester winds down, many PSOA students have the opportunity to display their talents in public settings. For student musicians, this comes in the form of a whirlwind of concerts spanning nearly every evening during the final stretch of the semester. With the stress of finals in full swing, now is a time for music students at the Peck School to come together and support one another, reminding themselves and their peers of the power music has to uplift, inspire and foster strong communal relationships.

Panther Pale Ale features artwork by DVC student for a second year

For the second consecutive year, Pilot Project Brewing, in conjunction with Milwaukee Athletics, is set to welcome its Panther beer this week – launched for the 2024-25 season with a new design. The “Panther Pale Ale,” an American pale ale …

Arts ambassador Josh Thone to compete in national vocal competition 

PSOA Theater student and Arts Ambassador Josh Thone is competing this weekend in the American Pops Orchestra (APO) NextGen National Vocal Competition Semi-Finals. 

Thone is one of 25 students competing out of 240 submissions. Viewers can watch Thone’s performance this Sunday, Dec. 1st, and vote virtually for Thone to advance to the live finals.

How the collaborative magic of theatre makes a ship crash on stage

For Peck School of the Arts’ production of “Pericles,” the cast and crew come together to portray the tragedy of a devastating shipwreck and extreme weather through sound and movement. This involves actors creating human scenery and a student sound designer blending practical and digital sounds.

Students join forces with faculty on summer research projects 

Over the summer, PSOA students worked alongside faculty members on paid research projects that provided valuable and engaging hands-on experience. One notable project, “The Brady Street Neighborhood Historical Project,” gave students the opportunity to work on a documentary that highlights one of Milwaukee’s most popular neighborhoods. Research topics ranged from 3D printing to arts installations and more.

Faculty, students and local band come together to bring Bright Star production to life

Peck School of the Arts will kick off their 2024-25 Theater Season with “Bright Star,” a tale of love and redemption from the minds of Edie Brickell and Steve Martin. Director Raeleen McMillion (Teaching Faculty II, Voice, Speech and Dialects) offered first-hand experience to her students that helped shape this production. “Bright Star” is set in mid-20th century North Carolina through the Appalachian mountains, not too far from where McMillion was raised. Born into a family of strong storytellers, music lovers, and Steve Martin fans, McMillion still travels through the Appalachian mountains to stay connected with her roots.

Students travel abroad to immerse themselves in British life and theater 

Over the summer, a group of theater students spent two weeks traveling the United Kingdom including London, Sussex, York, and Stratford. Throughout this trip, they attended formal and self-guided tours, visited museums, and explored the culture of English life. View a slideshow of photos from their time abroad.

Guitar students and alumni win major festivals throughout North America

During the summer of 2024, PSOA guitar students took center stage at a variety of festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Everywhere our students went, they found great success and brought accolades back to Milwaukee. Leonela Alejandro (BFA 2020, Music) took first prize at the Guitar Foundation of America, widely considered the biggest international guitar competition. Meanwhile, at Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Mexico, second-year master’s student Alberto Daniel Quintanilla walked away with first prize.

Creative research and collaboration key for upcoming MFA Dance concert 

MFA dance students get the opportunity to showcase their original, experimental choreography at UpStart 2024, an evening of diverse work from eight different students. The work showcased at UpStart is rooted in thoughtful creative research and strong collaboration between UWM students, alumni, and the Milwaukee community. These important facets allow choreographers to pose a multitude of questions and themes to those who attend. We caught up with three of the student choreographers to learn more about their process leading up to UpStart 2024.

Arts scholarship honors Summerfest icon and UWM alum Bob Babisch

For nearly 50 years, music fans and spectators from around the world benefited from the work of UWM alum Bob Babisch. As Summerfest’s top talent booker from 1976 to 2022, Babisch brought names such as The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, and Prince to Milwaukee’s—and perhaps the world’s—biggest music festival. Now in retirement, Babisch (’74 BFA Theatre) is being honored by his former employer, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., and his alma mater with a named scholarship to support Peck School of the Arts students. Imanol Ruiz is one of those students. As a result, Ruiz graduated debt free, allowing him to explore opportunities in his field.

Musical theatre student branches out as dialect assistant

When an actor immerses themselves into a character, they sometimes need to develop an accent or dialect. Anyone who has heard a poorly executed accent knows it can be difficult to ignore. Luckily for most actors, they do not have to figure this out on their own, instead seeking help from those who specialize in this work. Recent grad Mason Shefchik (BFA 2024, Theatre Performance: Musical Theatre) is one of those individuals. He recently served as a dialect assistant for Renaissance Theaterworks while still a student.