Executive Producers - [email protected]
Peter Shannon
Meet Peter, a senior studying Journalism and Mass Communication with a certificate in Sports Communication. Peter has been a part of the wonderful organization that they call Humorology since his freshman year when he starred as Augustus Gloop in “Charlie’s Chocolate Incorporated”. After that, Peter was a director for the world-famous “Start of Something News” his Sophomore year where he was a lead once again as America’s Sweetheart, Ron Burgundy, winning “Funniest Lead”, as well as being a part of the “Funniest Script” team and placing Second. After a year away from Humo, he is thrilled to be back and ready to produce the greatest Humo Show of all time. Peter loves Humo because of its innate nature to break people out of their comfort zones, the rush you get on stage during the final show, and everything in between. In his free time he enjoys complaining about his favorite sports teams, the New York Giants and New Jersey Devils, working on his wildly mediocre golf game, yelling “Go Badgers” in the streets of Madison, and constructing the world’s greatest Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches. Peter is honored to be one of the Executive Producers this year and cannot wait for the year to come!
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Shira Benau
Meet Shira, a senior double majoring in Community & Environmental Sociology and Environmental Studies with two certificates in Food Systems and Studio Art. Although her studies sound like a mouthful, her one true love is Humorology. Shira has been a part of Humorology since her freshman year when she graced (or more so jumped around) the stage as Pascal, the sidekick chameleon. After that, Shira went on to direct for the next two years where she took up small roles such as Text Message #1 and focused on the administrative and production sides of her casts’ shows. In her final year of Humorology, Shira is ecstatic to serve as one of this year’s Executive Producers. Some of Shira’s favorite parts about Humo are creating a space for people to be their true goofy selves, watching students fall in love with the organization and her all time favorite activity- script formatting. Other than Humo, Shira loves to flex her knowledge about plants, revolutionize the parsnip as the next “vegetable comeback”, and dream about the days she will hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Until then, Shira is overjoyed to serve as one of the Executive Producers and can’t wait to help guide every cast to produce the best show possible.
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Executive Directors - [email protected]
Kippy Terry
This is Kippy! Kip is a senior majoring in Human Geography with certificates in Environmental Studies and Food Systems. She’s been involved in Humo since freshman year, making her debut in the first ever all-female show (!!!), “Total Eclipse of the Heart”. After a tragically short second year, Kippy went on to direct “Alice in Madtown”, incorporating two of her favorite things into the show: Madison and trippy movies. Kippy thinks brainstorming Humo plots is one of the most fun things in the world and she cannot wait to see all of the incredible shows this upcoming year. She specializes in cast bonding, quieting down a room full of fraternity boys, color coding anything, writing script and lyrics, and organizing Google Drive accounts. She is currently obsessed with the Dixie Chicks and her foster cat, Kama Sutra, and is always down to play games- any game! Her favorite vegetable is asparagus and her favorite sandwich is a grilled PB&J. Kip CANNOT wait to work with Travis to help the directors with their scripts and casts. She already knows Humo this year is going to be LEGENDARY.
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Travis Osbourne
What’s popping goons and goblins? Travis is the name Humo is the game. Travis is a senior studying Biochemistry with a certificate in Global Health with aspirations to become a Physician’s Assistant. Although he has never had a lead role in a final Humo show, he has blessed the stage with some of the most amazing background characters you have ever seen. He has also been a Humo director for two years directing shows that, sadly, never got to see the big stage by the names of “Survivor: Battle of the Coasts” and “Who’s Waldo”. He is ecstatic to serve as one of the Executive Directors with Kippy, and can’t wait to help all of the casts create Humo shows. On the off chance that he is not writing a Humo script, you might find him training for a marathon because he’s bored, or at his favorite study spot on the fourth floor of Memorial Library.
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Philanthropy and Outreach Chairs - [email protected], [email protected]
Max Lerman - Philanthropy
Meet Max, a senior double majoring in Marketing and International Business with a certificate in Spanish for Business. Max has been a member of Humorology since his freshman year, where he was immediately drawn to the organization. Although his cast did not make the final show his first year, he became his cast’s Philanthropy and Sponsorship Director for the winning show, “A Deck of Deception”, the following year. In that role, Max led the cast in raising a record $80,000+ for the Badger Childhood Cancer Network! As the Philanthropy Chair for this year’s Executive Board, Max is looking forward to fundraising for the new beneficiary and seeing cast members rally around a collective cause. Max’s favorite parts about Humo are being able to directly impact the Madison community and hearing the announcement of the organization’s overall fundraising total at the end of the year. Besides Humo, Max loves to pretend like he’s a good singer, listen to podcasts on the daily, and cook a mean meal. Max is ecstatic to serve as the Philanthropy Chair and cannot wait to assist casts in raising money for the next beneficiary!
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Sailor Brukardt- Outreach
Meet Sailor, a senior double majoring in Pre-Medicine Neurobiology and Psychology with certificates in Global Health and Nuclear Engineering Materials. Sailor has been a Humo star since her freshman year. The same year, she met one of her best friends, Peter Shannon, and both vowed to be on the Executive board someday together. That they did! Sailor was a director her sophomore year for “The Stonebrook Switch” but she couldn’t let go of Humo just yet and directed again her junior year. This year, Sailor is ecstatic to be the Outreach and Sponsorship Chair on the Executive Board. She is looking forward to creating a platform of philanthropy for Humorology on campus and all around the state of Wisconsin. Her outgoing personality is ready to connect Humo to some amazing sponsors and organizations to support the cause. She is already planning events for participants to volunteer their time to those who need it the most. It is Max and Sailor’s goal to have this be the most successful philanthropy year yet! Sailor’s claims to fame are winning the “Best Humo Faces” award two years in a row as well as learning her female lead’s lines in a matter of four hours and then stepping in for her at tryouts. Besides Humorology, Sailor is constantly listening to music (she has a playlist for every mood possible), and staying active by impulsive signing up for a half marathon. She is euphoric to work with casts to support our community with outreach and an amazing final show!
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Music Chair - [email protected]morology.orgRosie Gruen
Meet Rosie, a senior double-majoring in Legal Studies and Psychology. Rosie has been preparing for her Humorology career ever since her debut as The Cat in the Hat in the Memphis Jewish Community Center’s production of Seussical the Musical. She first began her rise to the spotlight her freshman year in the winning show “Circus Berzerkus”, when a few cast illnesses landed her a solo in the a cappella and a chance to upstage Humo legend, Matt Grande. Her sophomore year, Rosie directed the winning show, “A Deck of Deception”, and starred as the iconic Caesar. After a short-lived stint abroad, she’s more than ready to take on a new challenge as this year’s Music Director. Rosie’s absolute favorite Humo moments are watching cast members embrace the fact that they’re the theater kids of UW-Madison and showing them that anyone can learn to sing (well, almost anyone). When she’s not planning her future as a Supreme Court Justice, Rosie maintains an avid career as a TikTokker, amateur film reviewer, and late-night bedroom karaoke star. Rosie is so excited to be this year’s Music Director and help every cast achieve musical success!
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Dance Chair - d[email protected]Lily Gray
Meet Lily, a senior double-majoring in Journalism and Political Science with a certificate in Jewish Studies! She began her Humo career freshman year as Background Dancer #4, until one of the cast’s leads quit three weeks in. Because her Humo faces cannot be beat (probably because of her big mouth, which she can fit 7-8 marshmallows in), she was casted as Rapunzel in 2017’s “Tale as Old as Time” show. Lily is no newcomer to the stage; she danced for 16 years and has been in multiple musicals, playing roles ranging from Pinnochio to Mulan. Her second year in Humo, she directed and choreographed “Once Upon a Dating App”, and absolutely LOVED her cast. Before she went abroad this year, Lily danced in SChiZ’s show “The Dream Factory”. Her all time favorite memories from Humo were when her Rapunzel wig fell off and choked her during her first show ever, when she became best friends with her cast during tech week or when she won “Best Group Number” for the legendary Break Them Up. When she is not at Humo, you can find Lily in Memorial Union eating Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream, at Memorial library in the second floor stacks, third table to the right when you walk in or singing (screaming) musicals in her bedroom. This year, she is so excited to watch all of the casts become best friends while raising money for an incredible cause. She can’t wait to work on choreography/clean dances/teach fraternity boys how to twerk/cartwheel with all of you!
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Public Relations - [email protected]Nikki Rumizen
Meet Nikki, a senior majoring in Communication Arts, with certificates in Digital Studies and Education and Educational Services. She is so excited to be the Public Relations Chair so she can put her love of creativity and philanthropy together. For as long as she can remember, Nikki has loved all things show business and has a lifelong dream of being on Broadway. Sadly, she is not musically inclined, so Humorology is the perfect outlet for her to pretend to know how to sing and dance while raising money to support the Madison community - her two favorite things! Freshman year she played ringleader Joanie in the winning show, “Circus Berzerkus”. Since then, she went on to direct a winning show herself, “Deck of Deception”. More importantly, that is when she won the “Best Costumes” award, which still hangs up on her bedroom wall as proud as ever. When she is not daydreaming about being as good of a singer as Rosie, she is probably rewatching old Humorology shows, planning out the next design to paint on her nails, or eating anything with rainbow sprinkles on top. She is thrilled to be in this role and cannot wait for an amazing 2020-2021 Humorology season!
For any PR or marketing inquiries, don’t hesitate to reach out to her. And don’t forget to follow @humorology on Instagram to stay in touch! |
Financial Admin. - [email protected]Brett Merriman
Meet Brett, a Senior studying Physics. He has been a part of Humorology since his freshman year. When not working in the physics lab or studying, Brett is most likely doing something with Humorology. First taking the role of Aladdin in his freshman year show, “Tale as Old as Time”, He then went on to direct for two years working with two amazing casts. As the Financial Administrator of Humorology this year, Brett is looking forward to helping keep Humorology a well oiled laugh-making and fundraising machine. Drawn to Humo by the musical and social pulls, he has ultimately been hooked by the amazing work Humorology can do in helping the Madison community. He is also looking forward to working with all of the wonderful people of Humorology along the way. Other than Humo, Brett loves to work with the lasers and atoms in his lab building an atomic clock, run long distances on a whim, and read textbooks when bored. Brett is elated to have the opportunity to be the Financial Administrator of Humorology this year!
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