Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Instagram
Tyler Boegler
Violin
Tyler has been a musician since he started piano lessons seven years old. He played his first orchestra pit when he was thirteen and loved it so much he has done it ever since! He currently plays accompaniment for the Musical Theatre program at Viterbo University and teaches private piano and violin lessons at the Sparta Music Shop. He has been playing for the Sparta High School orchestra pit for every musical since “The Little Mermaid” in 2016, though this is his first time on violin, which is an instrument he didn’t start learning until he was an adult. Since musicals are what he missed most during the pandemic, he is very excited to be back playing again!
Stephanie Brookman
Flute/Piccolo
Stephanie has been playing in band since the fifth grade. She also played the piano and loved to sing all the time. She graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education Degree. She currently plays in the La Crosse Wind Symphony, La Crosse Concert Band, Da Capo Concert Band, BRF Community Band, Westby Community Band, and the CrosseRoads Woodwind Quintet. She also plays with OAPC in Tomah for their Christmas and Variety Shows. Stephanie also plays with various other High Schools in their musicals, the La Crosse Community Theatre, and UW La Crosse Theatre. She loves playing the music in Sparta’s Production of Shrek! It's so much fun, and the cast and crew are amazing!
Ty Cooper
Guitar
Ty was raised in a family of music. At family reunions...which were quite large in number...there was music (mainly country & western), dancing, and a whole lot of food. So of course Ty was always a part of the band with aunts, uncles and parents. Ty is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University, earning his Bachelor of Music / Conducting Major. He also received his Masters of Arts in Religious Education from Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. He enjoys being a part of the music community in Wisconsin...playing in a number of shows with the La Crosse Community Theater and Appleseed in La Crescent. Ty is thankful to be a part of Sparta High School’s “SHREK”!
Michael Derhammer
Trumpet
Michael has played trumpet for the past twenty years starting in school, and has continued appearing in various musical groups and events since graduating from Tomah High School in '09. He currently plays with community theaters, high schools, OAPC in Tomah, as well as performs Taps as a USAF Veteran for military funerals and events. Michael graduated from Viterbo University with a Bachelor's in Management Information Systems, but music has always been his greatest passion. He is grateful for the opportunity to participate in Shrek with such a talented cast, crew, and orchestra! None of his participation would be possible without the incredible support from his wife of five years, Alexandria.
Logan Eilers
Electric Bass
Logan is a high school student who has been surrounded by music her whole life. At the age of 10 she began taking lessons in piano, then only a few months later began to learn how to play the trombone. When she was 11 she started to learn how to play the bass with the goal of playing in the middle school jazz band. After a fun and exciting year playing bass for jazz band, she looked forward to participating again in 8th grade, but the pandemic sadly took this experience away. When she was asked to be a part of the orchestra for “SHREK” she was excited for the opportunity to play with another group of talented musicians. She is glad she gets to experience playing in a musical’s orchestra for the first time and be a part of Sparta High School’s “SHREK” performance!
Payton Eilers
Guitar
Payton is a high school student who has been involved in music since before she can remember. She first learned to play guitar in 4th grade and in 6th grade began learning how to play trumpet. She has been performing music since she was 10 years old and looks forward to many more performances. She is incredibly excited to be a part of Sparta High School’s production of “Shrek”!
Bonny J Fish
French Horn
Bonny has played horn since Elementary School. She graduated from UW-La Crosse with an Education Degree in Instrumental Music Teaching. Bonny currently plays as a Community Member with the UW-La Crosse Wind Ensemble and Orchestra. She has a Horn Choir consisting of many area horn players of all ages. Bonny also plays with OAPC in Tomah, with various other High Schools in their musicals, the La Crosse Community Theatre, the La Crosse Concert Band, Westby Community Band, and the CrosseRoads Woodwind Quintet. Bonny is honored to be playing in Sparta’s Production of Shrek! There is so much talent here and the cast is always so respectful and helpful. Bonny is thankful for her husband Jeff and family for allowing her to follow her passion.
Ellen Hemstock
Keyboard
Ellen grew up in a family who loved to sing barbershop around the piano. She received a double major from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in piano performance and music education. She continued her music education at Boston University with a degree in secondary choral. Ellen taught vocal music in Sparta at all levels - high school, middle school and elementary before her retirement. She directed numerous musicals through the years, many of which she was at the keyboard. This is the first musical where she is able to sit back and just enjoy playing the keyboard. She is thrilled to be a part of the talented orchestra and amazing cast of “Shrek”!
Ryan Isensee
Trombone
Ryan grew up in Sparta, and is an alumni of Sparta High School. He has played trombone since 6th grade and all the way through high school. Ryan graduated from UW-Whitewater with a Bachelor's degree in music, with a math minor. In the past he's played with many bands and theaters in the area. Ryan is part of 'Jazz Con-5', a jazz quintet. Other groups he plays in are the La Crosse Concert Band, BRF Community Band, and a trombone choir. He is honored to play in the orchestra for Shrek.
Stephen Mann
Saxophone/Clarinet
Originally from the Philadelphia area, Steve moved to La Crosse in 2011 to join the English faculty at UW-La Crosse. He earned a BA in French and Russian from La Salle University and an MA and PhD in Linguistics from the University of South Carolina with a focus on American English dialects. He started playing sax in 4th grade and picked up the clarinet in high school to have more opportunities for musical theater gigs. He made the wrong decision to stop playing for about 15 years, but picked up his instruments again 10 years ago and hasn’t looked back. He plays lead alto sax in the Grumpy Old Men big band, alto sax in the La Crosse Concert Band and Da Capo Concert Band, soprano sax in a yet-to-be-named sax quartet, and whatever single reeds are needed in community musical theater productions.
Seth Scherer
Drumset
Seth has been playing percussion/drumset since middle school. He graduated from UW Oshkosh with a Bachelor’s degree in percussion performance. He then attended the band instrument repair program in Red Wing, Minnesota, and graduated with an associates degree in band instrument repair. Seth has had the pleasure of participating in many other musicals such as “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Avenue Q”. He is very honored to be able to participate in Sparta High School's production of “Shrek”.
Ciara Settles
Percussion
Ciara is a high school student who has been playing the saxophone since 6th grade. She is actively involved in the music department at Sparta High School and is in symphonic band, jazz band, pep band, show band, and is the current senior drum major for the marching band. She is also a member of the school’s robotics team and volunteers her time at Fort McCoy helping others in need. This is Ciara’s first year playing in the pit orchestra for the musical, and she is thankful to have this unique opportunity to play in a group like this on an instrument that is not her primary.
Amy Van Deuren
Saxophone/Flute
Amy started playing the guitar in 4th grade, and played flute, saxophone, and bass in high school while also studying classical guitar. She majored in saxophone performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music. She directed the University of Utah Jazz Ensemble in the early 1990s, and has played in numerous orchestra pits and jazz bands over the past 30+ years, including the La Crosse Jazz Orchestra. She is excited to be playing alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and flute in the orchestra for our talented cast and crew in Shrek.
Xavier Zwiefel
Trumpet/Fluegelhorn
Xavier is a Highschool senior who began learning music when he was in third grade with the violin. He played the instrument for two years until he moved to Sparta but there was no orchestra. He began playing trumpet in sixth grade and has been playing since. Throughout all of playing music he has learned to play multiple instruments such as the guitar, trumpet, piano, and even the accordion. Xavier is very excited to play in the pit orchestra and it is his first time playing for an event like this. He will be playing the trumpet and flugelhorn for Shrek.