Advisory Company
Responsible for artistic oversight of Forward Theater Company.
Jim Buske has acted in or directed more than 110 plays in Off-Broadway, regional, summer stock, dinner and community theatre. He was an original member of the Madison Repertory Theatre’s Acting Company and appeared in eleven productions there. Jim’s most recent role with The Rep was as Marshall in the world premiere of Jeffrey Hatcher’s What Corbin Knew. Favorite roles include Ken Talley in The 5th of July, Joseph Surface in School for Scandal, Elwood in Harvey, George in Moon Over Buffalo, Rev. David Lee in The Foreigner and Sergius in Arms and the Man. He also directed Beyond Therapy for The Rep. Jim works at the University of Wisconsin in the financial aid office as the Scholarship Administrator. In his spare time he serves on the Board of Directors of Rock For Reading, a Chicago-based non-profit that fights illiteracy. Rock For Reading, which was founded by singer/songwriter Alice Peacock, has distributed more than $2 million in books and monetary grants in the last five years.
Sarah Day is a Madison native and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She began her professional acting career at Wilson Street East Dinner Playhouse while a student at the UW thirty years ago. She performed with both Madison Civic Repertory and Madison Repertory Theatre. Other Wisconsin theatre credits include: The Fireside Dinner Theatre in Fort Atkinson, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre and First Stage Children's Theater. She has been a guest artist at the UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee and taught at UW-Richland. She has been a member of the acting company at American Players Theatre in Spring Green since 1986 and is a member of Actors' Equity Association.
Richard Ganoung has appeared regionally with the Folger Shakespeare Theater in Washington D.C., Madison Repertory Theater, First Stage Children's Theater in Milwaukee and Milwaukee Shakespeare Theater. Film Credits include starring roles in the independent films Parting Glances and Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss. He is also the voice of Astro Boy's father in the popular Japanese cartoon series. Richard holds an undergraduate acting degree from UW-Madison and attended New York's Circle in the Square Professional Training Program. He is a proud member of both the Screen Actors Guild Of America & Actors' Equity, the union of professional stage actors and stage managers. Richard makes his home in Madison.
Michael Herold came to Madison in 1986 and was cast in The Foreigner, the first of more than sixteen plays with the Madison Rep, including The Norman Conquests, Consumer Affairs, The Immigrant and Love is the Weirdest of All. He has performed in over twelve productions at the Milwaukee Rep, as well as acting with Milwaukee Chamber Theater, Next Act and Milwaukee Shakespeare. He appeared in Laughter on the 23rd Floor at the Briar Street Theater in Chicago, and has been featured in productions for New American Theater and Artists’ Ensemble in Rockford, and New Court Theater in Beloit. Michael has toured nationally and regionally, and has performed at the Music Box Theater in Minneapolis and the Horton Grand Theatre in San Diego, as well as several Shakespeare festivals around the country. He has appeared in several regional and national television commercials, and in the recent film Baraboo. Originally from Ohio, he holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Akron. Michael lives in Sun Prairie with his wife Tracy and their children, Olivia and Gabriel. Michael is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association.
Georgina Mckee is delighted to be part of the advisory company of Forward Theater, after having a wonderful time as Andrea Munroe in A Thousand Words this past winter! A native of Madison, she is ecstatic to be working in her hometown with such a talented company. Georgina now lives in Milwaukee where her recent acting credits include; Yvonne in Sunday In The Park With George (Skylight Music Theatre), Meg in Crimes of the Heart (Chamber Theatre), the title roles in Sylvia and Mary’s Wedding (Next Act Theatre), Viola in Twelfth Night (Optimist Theatre), Carly in Reasons To Be Pretty (Renaissance Theaterworks), Eve/Barbara/Ella in The Apple Tree and Lori in Romantic Fools (In Tandem), and ensemble roles in Bombshells and A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Rep). Regional credits include productions with American Players Theatre, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and The Fireside Theatre. Georgina holds a BFA in acting from Southern Oregon University.
Karen Moeller has worked at the Bartell with Strollers Theatre and Mercury Players Theatre, at Broom Street Theater, Madison Rep, and of course, Forward Theater. In other media, she has performed in internet series, and television and radio commercials, both locally and regionally. Karen studied theater at the University of Iowa and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. She then moved to New York City, where she worked on stage and in television and film. A native of Door County, she is proud to call Wisconsin (and especially Madison!) her home. Karen is constantly amazed at how rich our community is with actors, designers, writers, and directors, all of whom possess such a deep commitment to the art and craft of theater.
Frank Schneeberger is currently a theater technician for Overture Center for the Performing Arts. From 1978-2002, he was the resident designer/technical director for Madison Repertory Theatre, helping it to grow from a small community theater to a nationally-recognized, professional regional company. During this time, Frank designed and built more than 140 sets. Between 1974-1978, he was the resident designer/technical director for CTM Madison Family Theatre Company, and has continued his association with CTM as a guest designer. In addition, Frank’s designs have been seen at American Players Theatre, Cider Mill Playhouse (Binghamton, NY), Theatre X (Milwaukee), Racine Theatre, Rockford Theatre, University of Wisconsin Opera-Madison, Strollers Theatre, Mercury Players Theatre, Madison Theatre Guild, Madison Savoyards, Edgewood College and Wisconsin Youth Theatre.
Kirk Stantis has been actively working in theater since he was 15 years old, when he talked his way into a job as a “junior” stagehand at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. After being plucked from the sun-drenched land of Southern California in 1971 and planted in the frozen tundra of Madison, continued his education and work in theater with the Madison Theater Guild, University Players, Madison Civic Repertory Theater, Madison Savoyards, Phi Beta, and of course, Forward Theater. Highlights of his career include stage managing the first amateur production of Company and being part of several Forward Theater production teams. Kirk is a proud member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 251.
Michele Traband got hooked on theater in high school, after following a boy to an audition for South Pacific. She currently works as the general manager of UW-Madison’s University Theatre and has more than 25 years of experience as an arts administrator. Previous positions include program manager for the National Theatre Conservatory (Denver, CO), program director for both the UW-Milwaukee’s Professional Theatre Training Program, and the University of Hartford’s Hartt School Theatre Division, and the director of ticketing services for the Lied Center at the University of Kansas. Michele holds an MFA in arts administration from Brooklyn College. She is a proud founding member of Renaissance Theaterworks in Milwaukee, and has served as a board member for several not-for-profit organizations around the country.
Charles J. Trieloff II received his MFA in set design from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. For University Theatre he has designed: Antigone, The Passion of Dracula, A Little Night Music, Man of La Mancha, The Water Station, Smash, Steel Magnolias, True West, and Stop Kiss. For CTM he designed the recent productions of Little Women, Narnia, Goodnight Moon, and A Wonderful Life. In addition, Charles has designed for Madison Opera’s Opera in the Park, and has served as visiting artist at the University of Wisconsin,Whitewater, where he designed A Lie of the Mind, Hay Fever, Guys and Dolls, and Antigone. In Madison he was the prop master at Madison Repertory Theatre for nine years, and currently is the prop master at American Players Theatre. He has also designed props for Forward Theater, CTM, Madison Ballet, and Madison Opera. Outside of the theater world Charles designed the themed reception areas for Children’s Dental Health’s Fitchburg and Old Sauk Road locations.
Sam White has worked in professional, academic and community theater for more than 35 years. He studied theater at Edgewood College and cut his stage chops at the old Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival. His professional Madison credits include working with the Madison Rep (he was the first addition to the Rep’s “Original Acting Company” in 1983), TAPIT/new works and the UW’s University Summer Theatre. His professional Milwaukee credits include work with In Tandem Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre, and the former Theatre Tesseract. Sam has worked with almost every theater group in Madison as an actor, director and playwright. He is a former artistic director of Madison Theatre Guild. He was also a founding member and former president of Madison’s Playwright’s Ink. In addition to more than 150 theater productions, he has worked as professional on-camera talent in more than 120 commercials and industrial training films. He is a true homegrown product of the local theater scene. “Madison is an amazing theater town! More than capable of developing and supporting a community of professional theater artists who will have incredible impact in the cultural and economic life of our great city.”
Kimberly Megna Yarnall most recently worked as dramaturg with the Madison Repertory Theatre on the 2007 New Play Festival’s The Journey to Sakhalin, and The Diary of Anne Frank. Kimberly was the literary assistant for the Blue Heron Theatre in New York City (2001-2004) where she worked with many playwrights including New York Times Notable Author, John Dufresne on his first play, Trailerville. She curated the Juggernaut Theatre's First 100 Years reading series. Kimberly was also an assistant writer on Broadway’s Tony nominated A Class Act. A published and produced playwright, Kimberly holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Theater from the University of Notre Dame and was a member of the Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice company.
