Monastic Monologues

Jane Barnard is a Madison writer, visual artist and watercolor teacher. She's reading from her memoir-inprogress entitled Poetry as Pain Relief, her spiritual journey of surviving dark times with beauty, with humor and with grace. She celebrates the artists who have seeped into her bones, to soothe her loneliness and bring her joy.

Bill Frederick is the Director of Worship and Music at Holy Wisdom Monastery. He studied voice at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville earning a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Dr. Gerald Darrow. He has been leading music and liturgy in various churches full time over the past 40 years. He and Steve Johnson founded Enter the Season with Song, 33 years ago, a group of musicians who gather for Christmas and summer concerts over the years. The group recorded 3 CDs and every dollar from every concert raised was given to various charities, totaling $250,000.

Steve Johnson is the Director of Music Ministry at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Madison. He has worked for the past 30+ years in various churches as Director of Liturgy and Music. Steve studied voice and piano at the University of Wisconsin - Madison earning a degree in k-12 music education.

Terry Larson subscribes to the notion that our bodies are made of stardust and our souls are made of stories. Storytelling connects us to the divine within ourselves and within one another.

Janet Neurauter's first time on stage was as a reindeer in her 2nd grade Holiday pageant and was actively involved in theater throughout school and with the Nicolet Players in Rhinelander, WI. She enjoys writing short stories and monologues and is working on her second play.

Susan Santner is a highly versatile and passionate storyteller with a wealth of experience. She’s a featured teller at state and regional festivals, schools, library systems, and service clubs. Her roles as an actress, theatre director, puppeteer, and librarian further highlight her creativity and dedication to the arts, particularly in storytelling. She brings a dynamic and multi-faceted approach to her storytelling, likely creating immersive, captivating experiences for her listeners.

George Teague is a Madison-based cellist and teacher. He maintains an active studio of students at home in Madison and at UW - Stevens Point. George received his performance degrees from Northern Arizona University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts.

Patrick Terry was born and raised in Janesville, Wisconsin, and has been heard on operatic stages across the world. Career highlights include singing Eustazio at the Glyndebourne Festival, Rinaldo with the Minnesota Opera, Rosencrantz with the Bayerische Staatsoper, and premiering Brett Dean’s “In this brief moment” with the Elbphilharmonie. He earned degrees from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, The Royal Academy of Music in London, and was the first countertenor to join the Jette Parker Young Artist program at The Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Erin Ruzicka Trondson is the winner of the third annual Apprentice House Chapbook Competition for her manuscript Nesting. Her current manuscript was a finalist for the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Poetry Prize. Erin’s poetry has also appeared in numerous publications. She was a day fellow at Edenfred’s art residency program, part of the Terry Family Foundation in Madison.