Peter Sipla

Peter Sipla was born in the Chicago suburb of Warrenville, to Emil Thomas (Tom) Sipla, and Maritza Natalia (Wong) Sipla.

On his grandfather's side, the Sipla clan is from the Bohemian/Czech neighborhoods in central Wisconsin. On his grandmother's side, the Stafford family are of British and Dutch descent, and have been in Warrenville since 1858, when Dorus Stafford was the local leather tanner. Peter's great-uncle William T. (Bill) Stafford became the newly incorporated city's first Mayor, in 1967.

Civic duty and service was a part of Peter's upbringing, coming from a family of firemen, nurses, policemen, roofers, carpenters, and social organization members who were very active in local events and the growth of the city.

Peter's mother is of Chinese-Panamanian ancestry, growing up in Colon, Panama with four siblings, two parents, and their grandfather (who lived to 103 years old). Growing up in a household filled with Latin music fostered a love of music and percussion.

Peter first stepped onto the stage in a community recital at the age of six, in a tap number with his mother and older sister. A greater appreciation for the theater was inevitable, due to the endless stream of movie musicals his sister watched in their home.