About Us
Wisconsin Theater Arts is dedicated to enriching our community through exceptional, family-friendly theater education, high-standard youth productions, and meaningful creative experiences.
Guiding Principles
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide hands on education in the theater arts including acting, dancing, singing, set design, scenery, costuming, make-up, lighting, directing and stage management.
Our Vision
Our vision is to make the world a better place using the theater arts to inspire curiosity, generosity and connection.
Our Values
At Wisconsin Theater Arts, we are committed to providing theatrical experiences that uphold timeless values and foster a respectful and nurturing environment. Our educational programs and productions are thoughtfully designed to be age-appropriate, ensuring that student actors experience stories that are both entertaining and meaningful. We hold our participants to high standards and believe in accountability, encouraging them to strive for excellence in their craft and behavior. We believe in maintaining high standards rooted in traditional principles, creating a space where our student actors can enjoy wholesome entertainment that encourages positive values, respect for others, and a love of the arts. Our goal is to inspire our young actors using classic stories and respectful storytelling, helping to cultivate their imagination and moral development in a safe and welcoming setting.
Our Story
Wisconsin Theater Arts was founded by Peter and Patti Punzi, who first met while acting in a community theater production of To Kill a Mockingbird. Both have been active performers and directors in community theater for many years, sharing a deep, passion for the art form.
After collaborating on numerous regional productions, they decided to channel that shared experience into establishing their own nonprofit organization. Their goal was to create a permanent foundation to foster a love of theater within our local communities, providing premier training opportunities for youth and enriching area cultural life.
Following a year of dedicated structural planning and non-profit development in 2021, they formally launched Wisconsin Theater Arts’ inaugural programming season in the fall of 2022. Since our founding, the organization has remained entirely dedicated to giving the next generation of local storytellers a safe, nurturing place to shine.
Our Leadership & Team
Patti Punzi | Artistic Director
Patti is a native Wisconsinite who brings a profound depth of educational and performance expertise to Wisconsin Theater Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a theater specialization from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, as well as a Master’s in Education from Pacific Lutheran University. Blending her passion for the stage with a dedication to academic excellence, Patti spent a decade as a public school teacher specializing in speech, drama, language arts, and history, which uniquely equips her to foster age-appropriate, meaningful, and safe learning environments for young actors.
With over 30 years of experience performing, teaching, directing, and choreographing, Patti has shaped theatrical productions across every educational level, from middle school programs through the collegiate ranks, as well as within vibrant community and children’s theaters. Notably, she directed all aspects of a dedicated junior high school drama program for three years, managing everything from creative vision to production logistics. Having mentored and inspired diverse students ranging in age from two to over eighty, Patti believes in holding participants to high standards of character and craft, cultivating imagination and personal growth in every artist who steps onto the stage.
Peter Punzi | Managing Director
Peter is a multi-disciplinary creative professional who anchors the operational health and strategic growth of Wisconsin Theater Arts. Bringing a diverse background that spans horticulture, environmental ecology, museum studies, and education, Peter holds a Master’s Degree in Public Horticulture Administration. His expansive 30-year career in organizational leadership includes over a decade in executive-level non-profit management and ten plus years in senior management roles. This extensive track record uniquely equips him to creatively apply administrative best practices to a community arts ecosystem, marshalling the structural and financial resources necessary to maximize the organization’s regional mission impact.
Beyond his executive leadership strength, Peter possesses a deep, lifelong personal passion for the performing arts. He is an active contributor to the local theater scene as both a dynamic community performer and director. A versatile artist in his own right, Peter is also an accomplished singer, songwriter, and music producer. By blending his rigid standard of professional management accountability with an intrinsic understanding of the creative process, Peter ensures that the theater remains structurally sustainable, financially transparent, and fully equipped to serve the community for generations to come.
Board of Directors
| President- Peter Punzi | Treasurer – Lois Lewis | Secretary – Emily Anderson |
| Director – Don Fresen | Director – Patti Punzi | Director – Joy Hernes |
What Families Are Saying
Parents share how Wisconsin Theater Arts has helped their children grow in confidence, creativity, and community—on stage and beyond.