At Different (First) Stages: The journey beyond First Stage

By Susie Robinson

As a national leader in creating theater productions and training for young people, First Stage is privileged to watch our students grow and develop into the young adults they are meant to be. We believe that our students are the future. In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

First Stage considers it an honor to play a part in building our youth for the future—fostering their understanding of human expression, self-awareness, confidence, and empathy—and to be a second home for them—nurturing their artistic and personal development and cheering them through to their next life stages.

This month, First Stage caught up with three alumnae who are at different life stages: Chantae Miller, a high school senior; Caroline Fossum, a college senior; and Brinn Hill, a graduate student and young professional.

Tell us about yourselves.

Chantae in First Stage's world premiere musical, GOOSEBUMPS 
PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM: THE MUSICAL

Chantae: I’ll be graduating this spring from Lake Country Lutheran High School. I’m currently doing my college auditions—my last one is tomorrow. After high school, I’m going to get my BFA in Acting. Though I’m not too sure where, yet.

Caroline: I’m also graduating this spring. I’m a Theatre Performance major and a Communications minor at Carthage College. I’ve been involved with Chi Omega, a national sorority; Student Government; the Alpha Psi Omega chapter, the National Theatre Honors Fraternity; and as a certified Student Ambassador.

At Carthage, I have been involved in STAGE KISS, HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL, URINETOWN THE MUSICAL, THE LITTLE MERMAID, TWIN SET, and INTO THE WOODS. I will also be playing Annette in GOD OF CARNAGE this April. For my thesis show this year, I was cast in a commissioned new work about the opioid epidemic, UP AND AWAY, by Eric Simonson. This January, we were invited to perform the production at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Madison and in August, we’ll be taking it to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Brinn: I, too, will be graduating this spring. I’m earning my MA in Education at Cardinal Stritch 

University. I graduated from UW-Madison in 2014 with my BA in Theatre and Drama. During my undergrad years, I stepped away from acting to explore technical theater and education. In 2016, I got my teaching license in Theater PreK-12 from Stritch. Also in 2016, I started working as an Adjunct Teaching Artist and a Community Learning Center (CLC) Teacher at Kluge Elementary for First Stage.

Outside of First Stage, I like to spend time with my niece and nephews. I got to take my nephew Bennett and my niece Josephine to their first First Stage show, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, this year. I also like to hang out with my cats, Koda and Hermione, and my dog, Ellie. I love reading, and going to see theater.  

How have you been involved at First Stage?

Chantae: I’ve been involved with First Stage for six years. During that time, I’ve been in five mainstage shows and will be in my sixth this spring—playing Tinker Bell in TINKER BELL. I’ve also been in three Young Company shows and a Young Company member for four years. I’m currently playing the role of Raylynn in BLOOD AT THE ROOT at Next Act Theatre—which runs through February 24th.

Caroline: I started participating in Academy programming the summer going into 6^th grade. I kept coming back summer after summer to participate in Company Class and to intern. I joined Young Company as an 8th grader and did that all the way through my senior year of high school. I also spent a few school years doing Organized Chaos and the Glee Club as well as being part of the inaugural First Stage Touring Company. I was in seven Mainstage Shows from 2009-2015 and was in THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER twice. I also was in several Young Company shows, my favorite of which being OUR TOWN.

Brinn: I started taking school year and summer Academy classes at First Stage when I was in fifth grade, and I continued through high school. My favorite classes were Musical Theater and Classical Scene Study/Shakespeare. I also interned for Summer Academy the summer between my junior and senior years. My experience interning inspired me to become a theater educator.

I officially started as the CLC Site Coordinator for First Stage at Kluge Elementary in October. As the Site Coordinator, I am the liaison between the day school, the CLC, and First Stage, and I run the day to day operations. I’m responsible for scheduling CLC programming, planning family events, working with our Academic Coordinator to provide academic support for our students, and helping our CLC teachers create fun and engaging lesson plans in order to support our student’s learning needs.  

How has your First Stage experience shaped you as a person?

Chantae: First Stage has helped me blossom into my full self, although I’m still finding out who that is, and will be for a long time. The biggest lesson I have learned at First Stage, to date, is to always have an open heart. First Stage is also the first place I worked professionally. It opened many other doors for my career and I am forever grateful. I’ve worked with the Milwaukee Rep, Renaissance, Forward Theatre, Next Act, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, among others.

Caroline: First Stage gave me a voice. It allowed me to be myself and to figure out who that was at an early age. The classes, the teachers, and my peers gave me so much more than acting techniques and dance combinations. Everyone respected me and treated me like an adult, and in turn, I was expected to act like one. My experience in the equity rehearsal room during my formative teenage years allowed me to mature and become a true professional young performer—something that a lot of others don’t learn until college or even post grad. First Stage taught me how to be empathetic both onstage and off. It gave me the ability to realize my dreams and then provided me with the tools to go after them realistically.

Brinn: First Stage has completely shaped who I am today. When I was young, I was very shy and dealt with social anxiety that made it difficult for me to do things like order at a restaurant, speak in front of my class at school, and make a phone call. My mom thought that theater might help, so she signed me up for my first Academy class. I think I cried every day during that first session, but I kept going back week after week because, even though I was being pushed outside of my comfort zone, I was having a lot of fun. As I continued to take classes at First Stage, I grew more confident, and I used the skills I learned at First Stage to become a leader in my high school’s drama department.

Interning for the Academy inspired me to become a theater educator, and when I was hired as an Adjunct Teaching Artist/CLC Teacher, I felt like I was coming home—First Stage is where I started my journey as an artist and a theater educator.

This is my third year working for First Stage, and my first year as a full time employee, and sometimes I still can’t believe this is where I’ve ended up. I’m so honored and thankful that I get to work in this environment that shaped my childhood and young adulthood so much, and where I have so many opportunities to continue learning and growing, both as an artist and educator.  

Can you share a defining moment?

Chantae: My mom passed away last April—the same night as I was opening ANTARCTICA, WI. Losing her about an hour before I had to go on stage and still wanting to be in the opening night performance, stood out to me. First Stage really means a lot to me… and as difficult as that moment was, all I wanted to do was to be there with everybody—my support system and First Stage family.

Caroline in Young Company's
production of OUR TOWN

Caroline: OUR TOWN—my capstone First Stage show—is my defining moment. I still can’t really put into words what that show meant to me, but Matt Daniels really knew what he was doing directing it. I was so proud of my work in that show in a way that I never had been before. The production’s lessons of living in the moment, spending time with the people you love while you have them and really living life and not just coasting, were all things that I so needed to hear as I graduated and left First Stage—which had become more of a home than my actual house when I went off to college.

Brinn: I can think of two defining moments!

The first was when I was cast as Cordelia in KING LEAR for a scene in Shakespeare class. I had never played such a large role in any of my theater classes, and it made me feel very empowered.

The second happened when I was an intern. There was a student in my group who had never been to First Stage before. I took her under my wing, and did my best to support her in class and at lunch. During the last day presentations, her mom thanked me for supporting her daughter and told me how the Academy had been such a great experience for her. That was the first time I realized that I could make a difference as a theater educator.  

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Chantae: I want to be changing the lives of others through my art. 

Caroline: I want to be an Actor. I never would have known that if I hadn’t gone to First Stage. People have always told me: “Oh, you’re so lucky you know what you want to do when you get older,” and I am. First Stage showed me what I had been missing out on (theater/performing) and gave me the tools to make sure I would never be without it again. First Stage made me whole.

Brinn: I want to be a theater educator. I think I’m in the right place!

Brinn with her students at First Stage's CLC