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Profile for Pete Rydberg

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Pete Rydberg

Pronouns: He / Him / His
Director of the Visual & Performing Arts
School of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

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Pete Rydberg Pronouns: He / Him / His

Director of the Visual & Performing Arts

School of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)

Specialty area(s)

Arts / Educational Administration, Stage Directing, Musical Theatre, Theatre History, Theatre Theory

Brief biography

Born and bred on the Minnesotan side of the Mississippi, my adult life has been spent working in the theatre (and restaurants) in Minneapolis; working in theatre and attending grad school in Madison; leading theatre programs in Pennsylvania and Kansas; and traveling the globe whenever possible with friends. I have a goldendoodle named Gus. He is a good boy. 

Current courses at UWL

Currently on hiatus from the classroom to focus on developing the role & function of the Director of Visual and Performing Arts.

Education

Ph.D. University of Wisconsin–Madison. Theatre & Drama.

M.A. University of Wisconsin–Madison. Theatre & Drama.

B.A. Saint Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. Major: Theatre & Drama. 

Career

Teaching history

Favorite courses to teach include: Musical Theatre Theory, Drama in Education, Script Analysis, Stage Directing, Theatre History

Professional history

Prior Appointments

Associate Professor & Director of Theatre, Department of Communication & Theatre • Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas

Associate Professor, Director of Theatre & Chair - Department of Music & Theatre • Thiel College, Greenville, Pennsylvania

Artistic Director, Mercury Players Theatre • Madison, Wisconsin

Kudos

directed

Theresa Holford, Murphy Library; Pete Rydberg, VPA; Kjerstin Lang, University Marketing & Communications; Taylor Cole Miller, Communication Studies; Jason Anfinsen, Murphy Library; Paul Lacount, University Centers; and Jeff Kerkman, University Marketing & Communications; coordinated "TEDxUWLaCrosse" on Oct. 1 in La Crosse, WI.

A huge thank-you to everyone who helped bring TEDxUWLaCrosse to life on Oct. 1 in The Bluffs, Student Union. Special thanks to TEDxUWLaCrosse committee, as well as student speakers, student workers and student volunteers who helped with videography, registration and more.

There are so many moving parts to an event like this, and whenever something needed to be figured out, someone always jumped in to do it. Everyone contributed in different ways, and together a show was created that looked deceptively effortless from the audience’s perspective. There’s a lot of trust, a lot of competence and, thankfully, a healthy amount of humor involved in pulling it all off.

 

Submitted on: Oct. 5

served

Becky Hinrichs, Academic Advising Center & Career Services; Andrew Ericson, Facilities Planning & Management; Amanda Gasper, Financial Aid; Alexis Bergstrom, International Education & Engagement; W. Thomas Means, Murphy Learning Center; Jason Anfinsen and Shealyn McMahon, both Murphy Library; Jacob Hart and Jackie Moenck, both University Centers; and Pete Rydberg, Visual & Performing Arts; served , along with many staff and team members, served over 120 new transfer students at TREK on Sept. 4. A huge thank you from the Transfer Admissions team to everyone who helped make TREK a success in welcoming in a new class of transfer students. To all our presenters, tour stops, resource fair participants, and the University Centers team for their hard work in setting up and making the day possible--thank you all!

Submitted on: Sept. 14

served

Taylor Cole Miller, Communication Studies; Valerie Krage, Educational Studies; Teri Holford and Kendall Morgan, both Murphy Library; Pete Rydberg, Visual & Performing Arts; and Kjerstin Lang, University Marketing & Communications; served on the TEDxUWLaCrosse committee. The group planned and organized a successful TEDxUWLaCrosse event on Oct. 10, 2024, in The Bluffs, Student Union. Their dedication to fostering thought-provoking dialogue not only enriches the university community but also engages the broader public. One third of the attendees were from the wider La Crosse community. Thank you to the committee for making TEDxUWLaCrosse a memorable and inspiring experience for a full house of attendees.

Submitted on: Oct. 14, 2024