| Dear Iowa Theatre Alumni and Friends: | As the semester comes to an end, we want to share some highlights from a very full and exciting fall.
We finished our two fall mainstage shows, the reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet, directed by MFA student Søren Olsen, and Argonautika written by Mary Zimmerman, adapted from The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, Gaius Valerius Flaccus translated by David R. Slavitt, Apollonius Rhodius translated by Peter Green, directed by MFA student Josh Turner. Argonautika tells the mythical epic of Jason and the Argonauts, with heroes, monsters, magical islands, and powerful gods. Both productions combined modern technology and thoughtful design to breathe new life into age-old stories.
See photos from Romeo & Juliet and Argonautika
We presented two productions through our Undergraduate Workshop Series, which serves new works ready for their first public performance and staging. A Starry Night, written by fourth-year BA student Arylaan Evans, presented a new take on the tale of Vincent Van Gogh, and Drill, Drill, Drill, by senior Bridget Dieden, opened an important conversation about school safety and gun violence. You can read more about it in this Daily Iowan review.
In addition, MFA students presented Jellyfish Baby (by Darrin Terpstra) and Earthus Terminus (by Emily Kaufman-Bell), both thought-provoking new works about current hot-button topics.
You can find more details on all of the above in our Virtual Lobby—and more news and local reviews on our News page.
Speaking of news … We are always eager to hear your updates! If you have news to share about your accomplishments or the work of a fellow Iowa Theatre grad, please let us know.
Warmly,
Mary Beth Easley
Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts
Associate Professor, Head of Directing | | 
Performing Arts at Iowa is seeking a full-time scenic and lighting designer to join as a resident designer. This role supports the Department of Dance, School of Music Opera, and Department of Theatre Arts, fostering student engagement and collaboration. Ideal candidates will prioritize mentoring and create a welcoming, respectful environment.
Click above for details and application, and please share the opportunity with talented designers you know!
| | | Departmental News: |
- Assistant Professor of Costume Design Cathy Parrott recently returned from Bali, Indonesia, where she and three University of Iowa Theatre students, Randy Jackson-Alvarenga (MFA Playwriting), Johanna Specht (MFA Costume Design), and Ro Kivett (Undergraduate Acting, Playwriting, Directing, Design), participated in the Bali–Global Axis of Arts and Design (B-GAAD) international conference. At the conference, Parrott presented her paper and PowerPoint “Beyond Tradition: A Cross-Cultural Journey on Stage,” while also costume designing a 10-minute theatrical piece created by UI students. Following the conference, Parrott led a weeklong research tour across Bali, immersing students in the island’s vibrant artistic and cultural heritage. Insights from this experience will directly inform Parrott’s upcoming Mask and Puppet course, debuting this spring, which explores international performance traditions with a focus on Asian theatrical art forms.
Find Department of Theatre Arts news and updates any time HERE. | | | Alumni News: |
- Samuel D. Hunter (MFA 2007), alumnus of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, has made his Broadway debut with Little Bear Ridge Road, which is playing at the Booth Theatre and was recently named a New York Times Critic’s Pick. The play premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, where it was commissioned and developed as a vehicle for Laurie Metcalf’s return to her hometown stage, and went on to win the 2024 Jeff Award for New Work. Read the New York Times review here, and watch a video of Hunter discussing the writing process here.
- William Borich (MFA 2020) has joined the faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Fine Arts. He has extensive experience in live entertainment and design, having worked as a lighting technician for Cirque du Soleil’s O at The Bellagio, toured with pop bands, and managed pyrotechnics at Walt Disney World. With his MFA in Theatre Arts from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Music from Morehead State University, Borich now helps prepare students in UNLV’s Entertainment Engineering & Design program for careers in the entertainment industry. Read more about his appointment HERE.
| | | Faculty News & Accomplishments: |
- Assistant Professor of Acting and Voice Caroline Clay was nominated for a “Suzi” for “Best Actress in a Play” for her role as Retta in BUST: An Afro-Currentist Play at the Alliance Theatre. The Suzi Bass Awards celebrate and promote artistic excellence in Atlanta’s professional theatre community.
- Clay will costar as "Miss Tiny" in two episodes of the new streaming sci-fi series, RECAP, directed by Justin Lee (Badlands & Apache Junction) in New York, January 2026.
- Tony Meneses (MFA 2010), Assistant Professor of Playwriting, continues to receive national recognition for his work. His newest play, The Myth of Two Marcos, will be featured at the Denver Center’s 20th Annual Colorado New Play Summit in February 2026. In addition, his work, The Hombres, will receive a full production at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego this upcoming June. Read more about these upcoming projects here and here.
- Assistant Professor of Scenic Design, Jason Simms, has recently been recognized for his outstanding professional work as his scenic design for Metamorphoses at Berkshire Theatre Group earned him the Berkshire Theatre Award (Berkie) for Outstanding Scenic Design for a Play. Additional recent projects include To the Academy, presented as part of the Williams College Center Series at the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Upcoming designs include Sherlock Holmes, The Great Detective at The Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Jelly’s Last Jam at Bristol Riverside Theatre, and both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and The Book Club Play at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
- Mark Bruckner, Assistant Professor of Instruction and Resident Music Director, led the mainstage presentation of Body Concert, a collaborative production with master puppeteer Kevin Augustine (Lone Wolf Tribe), at the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Mézières, France, in September 2025, the world’s largest and most prestigious puppetry festival. The production featured a newly composed choral work for the final scene and immersive ambisonic sound design. Travel was supported by a Subvention Grant from the UI Office of the Vice President for Research with additional funding from the International Programs Office.
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