Michael R. Whaley

Michael R. Whaley died on December 24, 2025, from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was born on June 25, 1952, to George and Patricia Whaley in Wausau, Wisconsin, where he grew up with his six siblings: Rick, Maureen, Monica, Melinda, Kevin, and Kathleen. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, graduating with a BA in English, and earned an MFA in Dramatic Literature and Criticism from the Yale School of Drama.
In 1978, Michael traveled to Poland to serve as dramaturg and co-director for a production at Teatr Wspólczesny in Wroclaw. Although the Sam Shephard play he and his co-director initially proposed was rejected by the Ministry of Culture, they were granted permission to stage Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus. The performance of the ancient Greek tragedy, which depicts the conflict between the rebel hero Prometheus and the authoritarian rule of the gods, was ultimately shut down for its subversive implications. The experience proved formative both professionally and personally, affirming his commitment to the power of expressive language and politically engaged art.
After his return to the United States, Michael taught Communication Arts and Theatre at the University of Wisconsin, Marathon County Center, before joining American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, as Academy Coordinator. It was at APT that he first met his future wife, Gigi La Budde. He directed productions of Shakespeare's Macbeth, The Tempest (co-director with Anne Occhiogrosso), and The Winter's Tale, sometimes fending off giant horseflies with a badminton racquet during daytime rehearsals.
Michael later joined the faculty of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, teaching courses on writing and architectural criticism. He took particular pleasure in working closely with his students on their writing, honing language and clarity of expression. Although he rarely shared his own work, Michael quietly maintained a lifelong practice of writing poetry, screenplays, and reflective essays. His public forays include a stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's A Happy Prince (performed at the Sauk Prairie River Arts Center), teleplays for NBC's series "Homicide: Life on the Street", and Christmas Trees, a short film shot and directed by his son Jack, which played at the Wisconsin Film Festival.
Michael devoted time and energy to shaping local initiatives and civic bodies, bringing some into being and helping others grow. He played a central role in establishing the Spring Green Area Arts Coalition (now River Valley ARTS) and in conceiving and developing the Spring Green Literary Festival, and he contributed to the River Valley School District through strategic planning and the launch of its soccer program. A long-standing member of the Free Congregation of Sauk City, he served as Administrator and Board President, leading a major campaign for the historic restoration of Park Hall.
Michael had many delightful niches of knowledge (mushrooms, mathematics), peculiar avocations (collecting memorabilia from the 1980 Moscow Olympics, amassing a huge quantity of antique poker chips), and sociable recreations (inventing games, playing and coaching sports). He was a devoted tennis player throughout his life and could recall, even decades later, the particularities of his opponents' serves and returns. In 2022, he fundraised for new public pickleball and tennis courts at North Park in Spring Green, and spent the last several years playing tennis with friends and family as often as he could. Even as his Alzheimer's progressed, the accuracy of his one-handed backhand persisted. He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Gigi, and his children, Ingrid, Zoë, Jack, exchange student daughter Vanessa, and grandchildren Jonah and Margot.
Memorial donations may be made to:
Free Congregation of Sauk County
PO Box 664
307 Polk Street
Sauk City, WI. 53583
Online condolences available at www.staffordfuneralhomes.com The Richardson-Stafford Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.