About Josh Pohja

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My purpose is to ignite creativity, sharpen instincts, and shatter the limits of what live theater can be. I mentor fearless artists that bring extraordinary stories to life—stories that burn with radical urgency, unrelenting passion, and a drive to make the live experience unforgettable, immediate, and necessary. The audience's presence is a gift, and it’s my responsibility to make sure their time is honored with work that challenges, moves, and stays with them long after the lights go down.

My approach is to cultivate an environment where artists harness the full force of their imagination—where bold risks aren’t just encouraged, they’re essential. My philosophy is called high-impact theatreciulaismwhere storytelling is raw and immediate, where the stage becomes a laboratory of possibility, and where confidence is forged through the fire of real, daring work. Imagination isn’t an escape—it’s the driving force that pushes us to defy expectations, break barriers, and bring something urgent and alive to the stage. Art should shake us, challenge us, and demand something deeper—not just from the work, but from ourselves. 

Wisconsin Classic Stage brings timeless stories to life with bold, immediate, and fearless productions that speak to modern audiences. We honor the classics not by preserving them in glass cases but by making them pulse with energy, relevance, and authenticity. These works are not relics—they are weapons against complacency, ignorance, and oppression. Rooted in Milwaukee’s rich artistic culture, we believe theater is an act of defiance, a rallying cry against the forces that seek to silence, control, and divide. We do it for the craft, for the community, and for the culture