Staff | Edina Morningside Community Church

Ella Williams, Artistic Director

It is Ella’s greatest pleasure to serve as the Artistic Director at Morningside Theatre Company. It is no joke that they have spent over half their life in this church basement. Back in 2010 (MTC’s founding summer), they played both Little Red and the Witch in a nine-camper production of Into the Woods JR. After that, they have spent each year leveling up from camper, to teen helper, to choreographer and director. Now, Ella has taught over 600 actors grades K-12th in over 30 productions.

They graduated from the University of South Dakota, with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance. Ella has jumped right into the Minneapolis scene working at a plethora of schools including Highlands, Creek Valley, Burroughs, Lake Country and Edina High School.

JJ Gisselquist, Arts Administrator

JJ is always excited to be at Morningside Theatre Company. He first started with MTC in the summer of 2021, and has since served as Music Director for more than ten productions. JJ has been involved in choral singing and musical theater both onstage and off since he was six years old. The majority of his vocal training is from his time spent singing with the Minnesota Opera where he performed in the Midwest premier of The Giver, and multiple other operas including three mainstage operas including Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

JJ is also a Music Director, arranger, orchestrator, music copyist, and keyboardist around the Twin Cities. Recent non-MTC credits include (as Music Director) The Theory of Relativity (Roseville Area High School), Peter and the Starcatcher (St. Paul Academy), and (as an assistant) Songs for a New World (Artistry Theater) and Big Fish (Normandale College Theater). He can also be heard being interviewed about the changing state of theater during the COVID-19 pandemic on episode 3 of The GK Podcast. When not working, JJ enjoys baking, mystery podcasts, hiking, popsicles and watching Bob’s Burgers with his sister. jjgisselquist.com

Gigi deGrood, Stage Manager & Scenic Designer

Gigi deGrood is happily serving on the MTC team as the scenic designer, and stage manager. She holds a BA in both Studio Art and Art History from Gustavus Adolphus College. She specializes in painting, but isn’t afraid to get crafty with a glue gun as well. Gigi’s work has been exhibited at Schaefer Art Gallery, Hillstrom Museum of Art, Poor Farms Studios, the 410 Project, and Rochester’s Contemporary Art Center. She was also featured on the Studio Break Podcast episode 271: Gigi deGrood.

Gigi is also a MTC alum having performed on the stage from 2011 to 2015. She is delighted to be back in the Morningside basement working behind the scenes. Her favorite show she’s worked on was Spongebob the Musical, and hopes to one day create a set for Cats. When she is not at Morningside or in the studio, she enjoys writing, spending time with family, dabbling in the art of rug making, crocheting, watching Ghost Adventures, and being with her pug, Birdie.

MTC Board:

Pamela Balabusko-Reay

Debbie Bloss

Sarah Gednalske

Christy Gutt

Mark Mironer – MTC Board Chair