Mosaic Creative Studios Provides a Home in Theater

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Mosaic Creative Studios is providing a fresh, new perspective into children’s theater throughout the Milwaukee community. The repertory company is focused on child development and education, while allowing students to delve into all aspects of music, performance, and production. Co-founders Stephanie Rodgers and Jody Spusta have a deep understanding of the struggles of childhood, and work to provide a space where kids of all ages and skill levels can grow. 

To learn more about Mosaic Creative Studios, including classes and upcoming productions, visit mosaiccreativestudios.com.

As a child, Rodgers found a home in theater, and wanted to provide the same opportunity for future generations. “I grew up doing music. It was a really interesting place for me to explore story and perspectives and people, and I was just enamored with all I was able to learn through theater,” says Rodgers. “I ended up moving back to Wisconsin and I had the opportunity to grow a theater company of my own. I wanted to direct some of the shows, and I started accidentally making my way up. Eventually, the opportunity came to make the program just mine. It feels like coming home and moving that legacy forward. It’s been a really amazing journey.”

It was through this theater company that Spusta and Rodgers met, as Spusta’s own children moved through the program and discovered the value of participating in theater. “Throughout the time my children have been working with Stephanie, I was always in her ear. I wanted to know if she wanted a partner for more of the business side. Being a parent in the program and watching my daughter flourish has been outstanding,” says Spusta. “We found theater and music for her, recognizing she was a very creative child and needed a different outlet. That’s a big part of the foundation of Mosaic is to have a space for children to explore creativity.” 

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Variety of Opportunities

Mosaic Creative Studios offers a wide variety of classes and opportunities, and an expanded approach on teaching. They work directing and producing into the curriculum, so the participating children learn to understand the reason for their choices, not just the technicalities. One of the big things we try to do is have a balance. We take them through the hero's journey, costume design, lighting design, storytelling, and intertwining that with the current production so they can apply it immediately in the rehearsal process to the characters they’re playing. It’s both theoretical and applied,” says Rodgers. “We want to give them all the tools and then let them apply it, so they have the ownership of themselves. I want them to be able to articulate what works for them so they can really be a part of their craft.” 

Another important aspect of Mosaic is the background in childhood education. This allows each child to be taught with an awareness of age and maturity. “As a mom, having kids in the program, all the teaching and character development comes from our staff meeting each child where they are at age-appropriately,” says Spusta. “Our program is a combination of theater classes and programs that work together. We have done some beautiful productions, but the reason they are beautiful is because of what they teach the kids.”

“They’re all learning the same theater tactics, but in different ways,” says Rodgers. “All of our staff have education backgrounds, so they are all here to teach children. We are able to cultivate a creative space for our kids that’s not only supported by staff that love to nurture a child's development, but a space where they are just with their peers.”

As the new company moves into the future, Rodgers and Spusta want to expand their creative space, so every child has the opportunity to flourish under the care-filled education they provide. 

“Art is such a window to the world. Kids are constantly changing and figuring out how to function, and that’s all storytelling and acting is. It’s such a safe way to explore perspective and empathy,” says Rodgers. “It’s giving kids a place to try. They learn to co-create and collaborate. There’s no way to be done, it’s always growing. One of the things we really want to do is spread this experience with as many kids as we possibly can, so we want to be involved in schools in Southeastern Wisconsin to be available to as many families as possible.”

“We want to give the creative youth a home, so they don’t have to wait until high school to do the arts. There are some schools in the community that don’t have the opportunity, so we want to be there,” says Spusta. “We have worked so hard to create a wonderful, rooted curriculum, and we want to share that with the world.”