Micha Espinosa

Internationally recognized artist, educator, director and producer Micha Espinosa chose UW–Madison because of the Wisconsin Idea and the highly ranked School of Education, “where teaching, research, and public engagement are genuinely intertwined,” Espinosa says. The Department of Theatre & Drama professor is already collaborating with the Dance Department and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies to produce the new Climate Change Theatre Action play series. She is also directing The Compass, an audience-interactive performance exploring technology, ethics, and personal responsibility, with a different ending each show. “UW–Madison allows me to direct work that is deeply connected to community, research, and public life,” says Espinosa, adding that today’s students are eager to engage with urgent issues and foster change. “There is a remarkable amount of student-led work happening here. It’s a very active and generative creative environment, and the skills they are developing translate everywhere.”