Blossom This Orange Menagerie

Ten-Minute Play Festival by Undergraduate Playwrights. Grey photo of Theatre Building.

Blossom This Orange Menagerie

By Hannah Olsson
Directed by Annie Laird
Blossom This Orange Menagerie reconceptualizes the words of The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs and Last Words of the Executed by Robert K. Elder to contemplate what people say to death when it stands near. In considering the words of the dead, and the last words they will ever say, two caged-circus things become trapped together by a commandeering Ringmaster, a common guilt of wrongs committed, and a common fear of an empty somewhere— or nowhere— beyond.

Meet the Team of Blossom This Orange Menagerie
Playwright \| Hannah Olsson Hannah Olsson is a senior at the University of Iowa studying cinema and creative writing English. Her writing has appeared in Ink Lit Mag, Earthwords Magazine, and Boundless. When she is not writing, Hannah is reading Maggie Stiefvater novels, caring for large birds of prey, or listening to off-kilter music.
Director \| Annie Laird Annie Laird is a senior at Iowa, about to graduate with degrees in political science and theatre arts. She directed The Dark at the Top of the Stairs for the Hawkeye Community Theatre in Fort Dodge, IA, two summers ago, but this is the first show she has directed at the University of Iowa. Annie is incredibly excited to be able to present Hannah’s beautiful play and dedicates this performance to her best friend, Drake.
Cast \| Alex Granfield Alex Granfield is a third-year student studying theatre arts and music. This is his second Ten-Minute Play Festival he has participated in, and he was last seen in Seven Neos on the Brink of Mediocracy last fall. Alex is super excited to be able to continue making theatre despite the strange circumstances of our current world, and he hopes you enjoy the show!
Cast \| Katey Halverson Katey Halverson is a first-year student studying theatre arts. She is from North Liberty and has grown up doing theatre around the area. She’d like to extend a thank you to her mentors and everyone else who has helped her get to where she is. Enjoy the show!
Cast \| Lily Woodard Lily Woodard is in her first year of college at the University of Iowa. She is a Theatre and Arts major. She has been involved in theatre since 7th grade and was involved in the Iowa High School Speech Association from sophomore through senior year of high school. She has enjoyed being in plays and musicals, from being one of the stepsisters in Cinderella to being an FBI agent in CLUE.

Meet the Team of Blossom This Orange Menagerie

Playwright | Hannah Olsson

Hannah Olsson is a senior at the University of Iowa studying cinema and creative writing English. Her writing has appeared in Ink Lit Mag, Earthwords Magazine, and Boundless. When she is not writing, Hannah is reading Maggie Stiefvater novels, caring for large birds of prey, or listening to off-kilter music.

Director | Annie Laird

Annie Laird is a senior at Iowa, about to graduate with degrees in political science and theatre arts. She directed The Dark at the Top of the Stairs for the Hawkeye Community Theatre in Fort Dodge, IA, two summers ago, but this is the first show she has directed at the University of Iowa. Annie is incredibly excited to be able to present Hannah’s beautiful play and dedicates this performance to her best friend, Drake.

Cast | Alex Granfield

Alex Granfield is a third-year student studying theatre arts and music. This is his second Ten-Minute Play Festival he has participated in, and he was last seen in Seven Neos on the Brink of Mediocracy last fall. Alex is super excited to be able to continue making theatre despite the strange circumstances of our current world, and he hopes you enjoy the show!

Cast | Katey Halverson

Katey Halverson is a first-year student studying theatre arts. She is from North Liberty and has grown up doing theatre around the area. She’d like to extend a thank you to her mentors and everyone else who has helped her get to where she is. Enjoy the show!

Cast | Lily Woodard

Lily Woodard is in her first year of college at the University of Iowa. She is a Theatre and Arts major. She has been involved in theatre since 7th grade and was involved in the Iowa High School Speech Association from sophomore through senior year of high school. She has enjoyed being in plays and musicals, from being one of the stepsisters in Cinderella to being an FBI agent in CLUE.

Meet the Creative Team