Director/Sound Designer | NATALIE VILLAMONTE ZITO

Natalie Villamonte Zito is a second-year MFA directing candidate at the University of Iowa. She is an NYC-based theatre artist; most recent Off-Off Broadway directing credits: The Trial of Mrs. Surratt, The Laramie Project Cycle, The Insanity of Mary Girard, and Jean Anouilh’s Antigone. UI directing credits: Ghost Limb, Candyland, Wild, Wonderful, and Three to Five Days. Natalie is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and is the founder/Artistic Director of The Wandering Theatre Company. Patria y Vida! S.O.S CUBA!

Scenic Designer | EDWARD MATTHEW WALTER

Matthew Walter's first design assignment, when pursuing his MFA in theatre design here at the UI, was for the Directors Showcase in 2003—a two-show evening of one-acts directed by fellow MFA directing candidates. He is honored to be back for this reimagined four-show showcase now called Iowa Directors Festival.
 
Originally from New York, Matthew has been working as an independent theatre designer or teaching since 2001 with various regional theatres, including Timeline (Chicago), FilmAcres Productions, and Kansas City Actors Theatre.

Costume Designer | KAELEN NOVAK

Kaelen Novak is a second-year MFA student pursuing costume and scenic design here at the University of Iowa. They recently costumed the production of Effective and An Unsettled Body at the University of Iowa, a visual album for Southeastern Louisiana University, Slips Away, and a documentary of the process, The Play That Never Opened. They are excited to start staged theatre productions again and looks forward to designing more for UI in the future and to explore this new world of theatre in the post-COVID era.

Lighting Designer | ALASTAIR SIGALA RAMIREZ

Alastair Sigala Ramirez received his associates in theatre from Amarillo College and his BA from Texas Wesleyan University. He is a second-year design graduate focusing on lighting and costume design. Previous work with University of Iowa includes lighting design for A Plant and Generation Candyland: A Fable, as well as costume design for 6 by 6: Collected Perspectives on Social Justice, Wild, Wonderful, and Our Lady of 121st Street.

Media Designer | DANIEL FINE

Daniel Fine is an artist, scholar, and technologist working in immersive physical/virtual environments, site-specific locations and installations for interactive users, audiences and live performance. He is an assistant professor of digital media in performance at the University of Iowa in theatre arts, dance, and public digital arts. He is the co-author of Digital Media, Projection Design & Technology for Theatre. By combining the simple, traditional forms of storytelling with that of new media technologies and digital video, he produces, directs, and designs large scale and intimate experiences in order to engage the imaginations and hearts of a twenty-first century audience.

Dramaturg | ROB ASCHER

Rob Ascher is a second-year MFA dramaturgy candidate at the University of Iowa and is pleased to be back at work with Cuba  after going to Massachusetts with HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING.

Dance Choreographer | SONYA MADRIGAL

Sonya Madrigal is a first-year MFA actor and a proud first generation Mexican American. She was last seen in this year’s Global Express and also played Norca in Our Lady of 121st Street (University of Iowa). Favorite credits include Day of Absence (Congo Square), Oedipus Rex (Court Theatre), and the premiere of David Auburn's The Adventures of Augie March (Court Theatre). Sonya received a BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is represented by Lily’s Talent. All the love and gratitude to her husband Miguel and all her family, Los Amo!

Assistant Costume Designer | EMILY PAJAZETOVIC

Emily Pajazetovic is a senior at the University of Iowa graduating this Spring 2022 with a BA in biology and theatre arts, with an emphasis in costume design. During her time at Iowa, Emily has costumed shows for the university, City of Coralville, and Iowa City Community Theatre. Emily has more shows coming up this semester and plans to continue costuming even after graduation.

Assistant Lighting Designer | JULIA D. CORBETT

Julia D. Corbett is an entertainment designer, with most of their work in lighting and sound design. Their key credits at the university include lighting and sound design for Where Are You Going, Holler Greene?, sound design for Bigfoot Takes A Walk, and lighting design for All the Yellows. They also served as the assistant lighting designer on the mainstage production Three Sisters.

Assistant Media Designer | EMILY BERKHEIMER

Emily Berkheimer graduated from the University of Iowa in gall 2021 with a bachelor's degree in informatics. In her time at the university, Emily designed media for Smile Medicine, assisted in media design for Blue Whale Variations and Trapped in the Folds, and is continuing development and production work with UIowa XR Studio and Media Clown.

Recorded Guitar Player | ORLANDO LOPEZ

Orlando Lopez is a Cuban-American first-year graduate acting student. Hailing from Hialeah, a suburb of Miami, Orlando completed a BFA in acting from the University of Central Florida. After receiving a BFA, he worked with the Cherokee Historical Association (Unto These Hills 2019 & 2021), Warner Bros./Rail Events (Polar Express: Ft. Lauderdale), and Juggernaut Theatre (Miami Motel Stories). You’ve last seen him on stage at the University of Iowa’s production of Our Lady of 121st Street as Edwin.