Name: Tony Simotes
Age: 55
Occupation: University Theatre director, professional actor, UW-Madison associate professor who teaches acting and stage fighting
\ Originally, I wanted to be a drummer. When I was kid, I would bang on coffee cans with pencils in our grocery store, driving my parents crazy. My prayers were answered at age nine and I joined the school band. From there it was a short leap to concert band, high school marching band and rock and roll. At 16 I landed a job with a rock and roll tour — “Shindig 67!” as a side drummer and played backup to Del Shannon and others. Next came speech class where I was cast in a high school play and realized what I wanted to do. I loved the process and loved being in the theater.