Jenny Toutant

Jenny Toutant is a Theatre Practices Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Theatre Department within the Peck School of the Arts. She also serves as Chief Education and Engagement Officer at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, a role she has held since 2005/06, initially starting as Education Assistant and later advancing to Director of Education. Her work focuses on designing inclusive programming for all ages, including neighborhood initiatives, community conversations, and partnerships. Rep Education programs annually engage over 20,000 students through student matinees, in-school residencies, teen programming, and adult training.

Her educational background includes an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University. Toutant has taught at multiple institutions, including UW-Parkside, Virginia Commonwealth University, First Stage Children’s Theater, and the School of Performing Arts in Richmond. She co-leads national efforts to advance fieldwide best practices in arts education and is published in Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism and Theatre Symposium.

Her research and practice emphasize community engagement, arts integration, and innovative educational strategies within theatre. She actively bridges academia and professional theatre through her dual roles, fostering collaboration between institutions and underserved communities.