Maureen Janson Heintz
Brian Cowing
The first time Brian Cowing worked with Children’s Theater of Madison, he was only 7 years old. As a Middleton first grader, he auditioned for a role in The Wizard of Oz, and was cast as a munchkin and one of the wicked witch’s flying monkeys. “My first time onstage, I actually got to fly in the Oscar Mayer Theater,” he says. “It was a huge show and an amazing introduction to performing.”
Almost 20 years later, Cowing is assuming the role of interim artistic director of the youth theater company, as CTM conducts a national search for a permanent replacement for the organization’s outgoing leader, Roseann Sheridan.
“It’s been quite a journey,” Cowing says with a laugh, over a cup of coffee on a recent weekday morning.
In between his onstage debut and this new leadership position, Cowing, 33, has enjoyed a life in the theater that many aspiring performers would envy. He attributes his success on local, national and international stages to the encouragement he received from Madison arts professionals throughout his formative years.
“I started dancing at a really young age,” he says, taking tap dance lessons after seeing his sister participate in classes. “And after The Wizard of Oz, I was in one or two productions with CTM each season.” In addition he took summer classes with the children’s theater, participated in summer stage productions, interned, and started eventually directing and choreographing.
In addition to working alongside CTM co-founder and longtime artistic director Nancy Thurow, Cowing fondly remembers participating in theater and musicals at Middleton High School, under the guidance of local theater legend Lynda Sharpe. As a teenager he also choreographed shows for Four Seasons Theatre, co-founded by Sarah Marty.
“I learned so much from those amazing artists,” he says. “They really opened a lot of doors for me and nurtured me and my career, both onstage and behind the scenes.”
After earning a degree in musical theater from Oklahoma City University (the training ground for Broadway luminaries Kristin Chenoweth and Kelli O’Hara), Cowing decided to try his luck in New York, like countless other burgeoning performers had before. But unlike other starstruck young actors, he booked a job at his first audition — a whole season of musicals at a theater in New Hampshire.
Regional theater gigs led to a national tour of the musical Annie (traveling across the country with six young performers and two dogs!) and an international tour of Something Rotten!, performing for several months in Asia.
Back in Wisconsin he started directing more and more for professional companies, including Capital City Theatre (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Skylight Music Theatre (The 23rd Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) and his first home, CTM. Cowing helmed critically acclaimed productions of Tuck Everlasting, Matilda, Seussical and The Wizard of Oz, which celebrated the theater’s 50th season.
Then in 2020, the pandemic hit. Theaters across the country were shuttered for more than a year, including CTM, whose cast of Peter Pan was sent home one day before opening night.
Dan Myers
Two men in casual clothes are practicing a leg kick in a dance studio, their arms raised in the air.
Cowing as choreographer, right, in action during rehearsals for 'Kiss Me, Kate' with Four Seasons Theatre.
“I didn’t know what to do,” Cowing says. “No one did. But as it became clear that theaters would be closed for at least a season, Sarah Marty got in touch with me about pursuing a one-year master’s degree in arts administration through the university’s Bolz Center.”
As everyone started working from home and sheltering in place, Cowing attended courses online. “It was a perfect project for quarantine,” he says. “A perfect time to acquire the business skills I knew I would need to become an artistic director one day.” The program’s in-person practicum brought him back to CTM, where he worked as the operations assistant and coordinated the gargantuan task of cataloging, sorting and moving the company’s collection of props and costumes to their new home in the Madison Youth Arts Center. After obtaining his master’s degree, Cowing worked at the theater in fundraising, submitting grants and tracking donations.
When Sheridan began making plans to retire, CTM leadership decided to hire an interim artistic director while they conducted a national search for a permanent replacement, so workflow and season planning wouldn’t be affected. Immediately Cowing’s name came up. “I had been working with Brian already as part of the planning team for 2023-24 and he was slated to direct two shows — A Christmas Carol and The Lightning Thief,” Sheridan recalls. “I knew he would be a wonderful collaborator over the course of the summer and that we could smoothly move into the next season with his artistic leadership.”
She continues, “Brian is an extraordinary artist and a gifted director. He creates a space where everyone feels welcome and respected. He fills a room with joy and positivity and he gets the best out of his actors and creative team, of all ages and abilities. The number of people who want to work with Brian again and again speaks volumes to his authenticity, collaborative nature and talents.”
Executive director Allen Ebert agrees. “We are excited to have Brian in this role as we do our search. He exemplifies the values that are cornerstones of CTM. His passion and skills he brings will ensure CTM thrives moving forward.”
Looking ahead, Cowing will have a very busy year. In addition to planning CTM’s 2024-25 season and directing two of the company’s productions, he is also slated to direct Forward Theater’s play with music The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and Madison Opera’s Candide. But he’s very happy to helm the company that has served as his artistic home for so many years. He’s particularly excited to be working with children for the upcoming year.
“Theater is so important for young people, especially right now,” he says. “I see the impact of the pandemic on them — kids have a lot of mental health issues and need help with confidence, social skills and interpersonal skills. They need to know how to deal with big feelings.” Theater skills can help with all of those, he adds.
“It’s so cool seeing a young person make discoveries, have human experiences and make connections with each other.” he continues. “I’m looking forward to a lot of things in my new position at CTM, but I’m looking forward to that the most — seeing the impact that theater can have on individual young people, both onstage and in the rehearsal room.”
[Editor's note: This story has been updated with Cowing's correct age and alma mater, Oklahoma City University.]
