Michael “Ding” Lorenz has been the Principal Percussionist of the Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestra for over 25 years. He is also the Staff Percussionist and Orchestra Contractor for the Skylight Music Theatre. His involvement with the theatre goes back to 1972 and he has performed in over 135 productions. His percussion/comedy show “Things that go Ding!” recently had a highly successful run at the theatre. The Christmas version, “Things that go Ding (Dong, Merrily on High)!” packed the Skylight Cabaret for six weekends. “Things that go Ding!” was the subject of a Fox 6 News special feature that won a regional Emmy. These days, when not playing with the Wisconsin Philharmonic or haunting the Skylight orchestra pit, you can find him playing in the touring Broadway shows, contracting orchestras for the Riverside and Pabst Theatres, recording shows for the Fireside Theatre, collaborating with the Milwaukee Opera Theatre on such terrific productions as The Mikado and 1776, as well as playing the occasional bar mitzvah.