(University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is one of the nine schools highlighted by Back Stage. The others are: California State University, Northridge; Butler University; University of South Carolina; Pennsylvania State University; University of Idaho; Northern Kentucky University; Duke University; and Baldwin-Wallace College. Excerpts from the section on UW-Green Bay are below.)

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

"Although a smaller campus, with a student body of 5,400 including only 55 Theatre majors and 12 minors, UW-Green Bay boasts one of the finest touring houses in the country, the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts. The proximity of a first-class touring house provides students with the obvious benefit of seeing professional productions; the faculty members are diligent about arranging workshops and master classes, presented by touring artists, for their students. Additional benefits come in the form of cold, hard cash, and the professional experience provided by work opportunities at the Weidner for many of the production students at UWGB.

Students are hired for load-in, load-out, security, stage crew, and costume-run crew. Take, for example, the national tour of "Phantom of the Opera," currently playing at the Weidner. While most students are hired for load-in and load-out only, others - like Jason Lienhard, who will graduate from UWGB in December - clear their schedules to work the entire 40-performance run. The UWGB technical director, R. Michael Ingraham, is also president of the local I.A.T.S.E., and he affords numerous opportunities for students to gain their union cards and to start working with union crews while still students, when "stringers" (additional crew who are not union members) are needed.

The professional experience with a top road house makes for employable graduates, with ready-made connections. For instance, Dean Kolze had worked at the Weidner as a student intern; after graduation, working part-time at the Weidner, he connected with various road-crew leaders, which led to his touring with the New York City Opera. . . . Another student, Stacy Nellen, worked on a Weidner costume/wig-run crew, where she became acquainted with the tour hair and makeup specialist - this connection led to her recent opportunity to join the national tour of "The King and I" in a similar capacity.

Commercial lighting and tech companies look to Weidner-trained UWGB graduates like Jodi Radtke, who was hired by E.T.C. Lighting in Middleton upon graduation, and has since moved to a management job with JTH Lighting in Minneapolis. Management students benefit from the association as well as do production students: One graduate, Jennifer O'Dierno has been hired to run the box office operation for the Summer Olympics, in Sydney, Australia, based on her training at the Weidner Center.

Furthermore, the Weidner itself remains a source of employment after graduation: UWGB alumni now hold the positions of assistant production manager, house electrician, flymaster, and several other tech positions.

Pamiro Opera Company is in residence at the Weidner Center, producing three operas there each year. Pamiro is a professional member of the Opera America organization, which represents 157 opera companies in 17 countries; this year Pamiro's director and mezzo soprano came from the Metropolitan Opera, and its soprano will be performing the lead in a PBS-televised production of "Tosca," with the New York City Opera. Pamiro blends outside and faculty professionals with UWGB students: Guest artists are hired as director and costume designer; professional shops in Chicago build the costumes; UWGB faculty designer Jeff Entwistle designs sets; meanwhile, the positions of technical director and lighting designer are filled by UWGB faculty, staff, students, and/or alumni.

Entwistle, who has been designing for the Pamiro for the past 15 years, explains, 'Since so many or our students work for Pamiro Opera company in a paid capacity, it is often their first opportunity to work at the Weidner Center in a position of responsibility, as opposed to just moving road boxes around at load-ins."

The Weidner has been the point of origin for two productions: "Ain't Misbehavin'" with the Pointer Sisters, and "Spirit Dance" (now called "Spirit"). On both occasions, Green Bay students were hired to build and run the shows, and some were actually offered the opportunity to tour with a show. Although the Weidner Center's large stage is used primarily for the opera and road shows, the department uses the main stage to produce a large musical every few years. Studio Two, a 100-seat studio thrust space in the Center, is reserved solely for the use of UWGB Theatre and Music students. Studio Two was designed by Entwistle, who also serves as a member of the Weidner Center Board.