Lee E. Ernst

Biography

A 1992 graduate of The PTTP, Lee has spent the last twenty years as a Resident Actor with Milwaukee Repertory Theater, where he has played nearly 100 roles, staged movement and violence, designed makeup, and taught at The Rep's Summer Conservatory. His appearances at The Rep include, CLYBOURNE PARK- Russ/Dan; CABARET- The Emcee; DEATH OF A SALESMAN/ Willie Loman; TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD- Atticus Finch; THE CRUCIBLE- John Proctor; A CHRISTMAS CAROL- Ebenezer Scrooge; ASSASSINS- Sam Byck; SHERLOCK HOLMES (The Final Adventure)- Holmes; LOMBARDI- Vince Lombardi; OF MICE AND MEN- George; THE NORMAN CONQUESTS- Norman; CYRANO DE BERGERAC- Cyrano; RICHARD lll- King Richard; WORK SONG (Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright)- F. L. Wright; A SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS- Truffaldino; TARTUFFE- Tartuffe; THE SEAFARER- Sharky; BARRYMORE- John Barrymore; and world premiers by playwrights Jeffrey Hatcher, Steven Dietz, and Eric Simonson.

Lee was also a Core Company Member of the acting company at American Players Theatre where he played leading roles in scores of productions, most notably, as Cyrano, Hamlet, Benedick, The Stage Manager in OUR TOWN, Konstantin in THE SEAGULL, Puck, Caliban, and King Lear. Other credits include major roles with Arizona Theatre Company, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, New American Theatre, Peninsula Players, Madison Rep, Kansas City Rep, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival, American Conservatory Theater, Tokyo, Japan's, Institute of Dramatic Arts, and as director of HAMLET for the Texas Shakespeare Festival, in 2011.

Lee has been a Voice Over Talent for many years (recently narrating THE REAGAN PRESIDENCY for PBS); is the recipient of AriZoni and Shepherd-Express 'Best Acting' awards, The Minerva Laureate award (presented by The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters), and a Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, presented by the Ten Chimneys Foundation.