Meet the Cast of Wild, Wonderful

Jake Howard headshot

Gray/PA | JAKE HOWARD

Jake Howard is a New York-based actor and musician. His acting training took place at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and his recent credits include The Wandering Theatre Company’s The Trial of Mrs. Surratt and The Food That Built America on History Channel. His debut EP “waiting to feel okay again” is now streaming on all music platforms. He is looking forward to continuing his journey finding new and exciting stories to share with the world.

Michael Francis headshot

Mothman/Narrator | MICHAEL FRANCIS

Michael Francis received a BFA in Acting from the Caine College of the Arts at USU. He is a current MFA Acting candidate studying at the University of Iowa. 

Regional Credits include: Edward Bloom/Big Fish, Dan/Next to Normal, Chauvelin/The Scarlet Pimpernel, J. Pierpont Finch/How To Succeed In Business…, Tarzan/Tarzan: The Musical, The Duke/Big River, Virgil/Bus Stop, John Utterson/Jekyll & Hyde, Chebutykin/The Three Sisters, and The Snail with the Mail from A Year with Frog and Toad. 

John Squires headshot

Newell/Father | JOHN SQUIRES

John Squires is an actor based in Brooklyn, NY.  He has had the great fortune to work with Natalie on The Trial of Mrs. Surratt and The Laramie Project Cycle.

Kate Anderson headshot

Child | KATE ANDERSON

Kate Anderson is a third-year undergraduate student from Minneapolis studying theatre arts, anthropology and Arabic. While at the University of Iowa she has appeared in Love and InformationThree Sisters, and The People Before the Park by Keith Josef Adkins.

Charlie O'Leary headshot

Agar | CHARLIE O'LEARY

Charlie O’Leary is a second-year in the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Recent projects have included a virtual production of Effective (University of Iowa) and a podcast reading of Humiliation Play (Dreamwell Theatre). Finalist for the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, the DVRF Playwrights Program, and the Woodward/Newman Drama Award. Recipient of a New York Innovative Theatre Award. His monologue This Trip is published by Methuen Drama, and his short musical Cooking for Two is licensed by MTI.

Russell Norris headshot

Indrid Cold | RUSSELL NORRIS

Russell Norris is honored to be taking part in this imaginative and expansive endeavor. He is pursuing a master's degree in acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. He recently wrapped filming a one-man No Exit, a teaser trailer is available on his youtube page, and he will soon be appearing in a filmed iteration of the play Dance Nation as Dance Teacher Pat through DePaul. 

Sarah Hinzman headshot

Wanda/Janet | SARAH HINZMAN

Sarah Hinzman is a native of Cedar Rapids, IA, and is an active actor, director, and theatre educator. She has a BFA in Music Theatre from Viterbo University (LaCrosse, WI), an MS in Adult Learning and Organizational Performance from Drake University (Des Moines, IA), and a certificate in Shakespeare performance from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. On the interwebs: www.sarahhinzman.com, @the_shinzman.

Kate McGarrigle headshot

Linda/Donna | KATE MCGARRIGLE

Kate McGarrigle: Select Theatre: The Trial of Mrs. Surratt (Capital Fringe Festival), The Laramie Project (Access Theater), Gravity of Me Gone (Ant Fest, Ars Nova), The Zombie Play (Reading, The Playwrights Realm), A Wendy and a Peter (Workshop, Tiny Trip Presents). Upcoming: Feature film Acolyte. It's an honor and a pleasure to work with director Natalie once again!

Genevieve Eckelaert headshot

Interviewer #1/Elvaine/Elaine | GENEVIEVE ECKELAERT

This is Genevieve Eckelaert's final show at the university as she will be graduating in May with a BA in Theatre Arts. Some of her favorite shows she's been a part of during her time here are Visual MixtapeBonnets, and Palanquin. She would like to thank all of the faculty for their wisdom, all of her classmates for being wonderful collaborators, and her friends and family for all their love and support. It truly means the world to her.

Lexi Healey headshot

Interviewer #2/Clinnel/Clint | LEXI HEALEY

Lexi Healey just graduated from the University of Iowa in December with a major in theatre arts and minor in gender, women and sexuality studies. She is incredibly excited to participate in her final show here at the university, and feels very grateful to have gotten to work with all these wonderful, talented people!

Joshua Rouse headshot

Officer/Security Guard | JOSHUA ROUSE

Joshua Rouse is excited to be performing in the 2021 Iowa New Play Festival. He has had a variety of theater roles over the years from being a janitor for two minutes, to playing The Thinker in a monologue revealing what he's thinking about, to being a nameless commentator for a whole musical whilst sipping tea in his onstage apartment. When not acting or teaching English, Joshua enjoys watching films, writing his next novel, and playing the dulcimer.

Olivia Lodge headshot

Mary Hyre/Reporter | OLIVIA LODGE

Olivia Lodge is an actor and model currently making a move to LA from NYC.  She has a passion for devised and new work, and bringing awareness and thought through art.  Her honors devised thesis That Art Thou was brought to the International Universities Theatre Association in Colombia, among other work in both film and stage.  BFA in Musical Theatre, Minor in Mathematics from LIU Post 2017. olivialodge.com & IG: @olivialodge.

Sterling Isler headshot

News Reporter/Jack Brown/Eyewitness #3 | STERLING ISLER

Sterling Isler is a fifth-year undergraduate who will be graduating this spring with a degree in theatre arts and a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management. He loves traveling and meeting new people and wants to see as much of the world as he can. He is excited to graduate, and he would like to thank his family for all their love and support as he begins the next chapter of his life. 

Ted Buckley headshot

Drunk/Eyewitness #4 | TED BUCKLEY

Ted Buckley is a fourth-year undergrad at the University of Iowa in his second year as a theatre arts major. Having loved his first play experience in the cast of Three Sisters last spring, Ted has continued to grow as in actor in Kim Euell's Princeton Junction and Ten-Minute Play Festival. He is excited to work amongst the talented ensemble of Wild, Wonderful!

Radio/Marty/Eyewitness #2 | JACOB LICHT

Ellie Turk headshot

Television/Bandit/Eyewitness #1 | ELLIE TURK

Ellie Turk is thrilled to be in her fifth performance at the University of Iowa. Past University performances include You Are Not Alone in the Void, Shakespeare in Flux, Bigfoot Takes a Walk and Sirens of the Field. Ellie is a theatre arts major from the Twin Cities and has participated in theatre from an early age. 

Bob Mussett headshot

Woodrow | BOB MUSSETT

Bob Mussett, a recent Boston transplant, is excited to join his first production with the UI Department of Theatre Arts. Pandemic Times credits include Winter Panto 2021: The Panto Games (imaginary beasts), The Way North (Gloucester Stage), and assorted readings and short plays. BeforeTimes credits include True West (Hub Theatre), The Nether (Flat Earth Theatre), The 39 Steps (Moonbox Productions), and the ensemble of Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare (Magnificent Bastards). Love to Sarah.