OUR TEAM

Mike Van Dreser - Owner, Lighting & Sound designer

Mike is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, with a bachelor’s degree in theatre in 2004.  Mike was hired shortly after graduation by Badger Sound and Lighting, a local production company where he was an Audio Engineer Tech.  In the Fall of 2005, Mike was hired by Next Act Theatre as the Master Electrician and Board Op.  Over the next few years, Mike built a new position of Technical Director for the company.  One of his prouder achievements is the moving and building of their new space at 255 South Water Street in Milwaukee.  With this move, Mike took on a new role as the Technical Director/Building Manager/Event Coordinator.  Over the years, Mike has also spent time working for Clearwing Production Company as Lighting Specialist, and at Encore Theatrical Lighting as their Chief Lighting Designer. 

In Mike’s tenure in technical theatre production, he has worked as a sound designer and lighting designer for many companies in and around the Milwaukee area.  Some of his more memorable shows are BIG BOYS with Next Act Theatre, THE MIKADO, THE MIKADO 2.0, MAGIC FLUTE with Milwaukee Opera Theatre, TWAS THE MONTH BEFORE CHRISTMAS with Doug Jarecki both at Next Act Theatre and at Broadway Performing Arts Center, and NEXT TO NORMAL and HEDWIG with All-In Productions. 

Mike also works heavily with children’s theatre in the area, most notably with Waukesha Civic Theatre’s summer program.  Some of his favorites are FAME JR., MUSIC MAN JR., and LION KING JR., as well as with the NEXTACTOR’S SUMMER TEEN PROGRAM at Next Act Theatre.  Mike also loves to work with high schools and bringing a professional vision of technical theatre to those shows.  Some of his favorites are BYE BYE BIRDIE at University Lake School, and LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS for Hartford Union High School.  In 2018, Mike’s lighting designs were nominated for both a Jerry award (BYE BYE BIRDIE) and a Footlights Award (NEXT TO NORMAL), and in 2019 was again nominated for a Jerry for LITTLE SHOPPE and two Footlights awards for THROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and HEDWIG. 

Mike wants to thank his wife Julie for being his number one supporter of his company.  When Mike is not in the theatre he enjoys relaxing and spending time with his wife and two beautiful kids.