Anti-Hero: Revenge of the Swifties – Meet the Cast

ANTI-HERO: REVENGE OF THE SWIFTIES BY DERICK EDGREN OTERO DIRECTED BY MEREDITH G. HEALY Meet the cAST
Bonnie \| RENEE CALHOUN* Renee Calhoun is a third-year at the University of Iowa with majors in theater and economics. She has acted in University of Iowa productions in Journey to the Lovely Empire and wrote for the 2023 Ten-Minute Play Festival with her piece Underneath the Willow Tree. She is so grateful to have participated in this play since the beginning and is thrilled to be a part of New Play Festival. Big thank you to the wonderful cast, crew, and creative team and to everyone who came out to see it!
Jenna \| KATIE GUCIK Katie Gucik is a third-year MFA actor at the University of Iowa. She was most recently seen as the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Macduff in Macbeth and in the Iowa Director’s Festival production of Small Hours. Other recent credits include Crazy for You (Patricia Fodor) with San Diego Musical Theater and Lend Me A Tenor the Musical (Young Maria) at the Pacific Conservatory Theatre. She holds a degree in theatre and music from Ohio University. Katie has loved being a part of this play from the beginning and is thrilled to be performing in this new work as her last production here at UIowa! Big thank you to this cast, creative team, and to you… for supporting live theatre! (IG: ktgooch88)
Lauren \| BELLA HOHENADEL* Bella Hohenadel is a second-year Theatre major with a focus in Music Theatre here at the University of Iowa. Bella has been an active participant in the University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts since her first year; this includes shows such as Into the Woods, Macbeth, Fathers and Sons, and Journey to the Lovely Empire. She is delighted to be in another production that is a part of New Play Festival and hopes you enjoy this electric show. She would like to thank her family, Mom, Dad, Ava, and Everett, for their constant support. As TS once said “Baby, let the games begin, are you ready for it?” (Insta: @bella_h24)
Magenta \| XIAOYAN KANG Xiaoyan Kang is an MFA candidate at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. She was the kind of kids who would act out TV drama scenes with a blanket and a chorus of dolls. So you could say she has developed an interest in acting from a young age. Her most recent on-stage acting was probably six years ago. She has witnessed the growth of this play from the very beginning and is very very excited to be part of this show!
Malcolm \| BRODY KIVETT* Brody Kivett is a third-year Theatre Arts major at the University of Iowa, focusing on acting, playwriting, directing, and costume design. Brody has been involved in numerous productions; some of their previous works include Lil G: A Gatsby Remix, The Space Between Coke Bottles and Orange Slices, Home Is Where The T.V. Is, and the Ten-Minute Play Festival. Brody is thrilled to be working on yet another production that is a part of the New Play Festival and hopes you enjoy this sensational show and the brilliant cast and creative team who have poured hours of love and passion into this piece. They would like to thank their family, mothers Allison and Mandy, sisters Baylee and Gracee, brothers-in-law Seth and Luke, and their dearly departed father Mark, for their constant love and support in all their artistic endeavors. “Enjoy the show and enjoy the New Play Festival. Baby, let the games begin!" (Instagram: @brody.kivett)
Cora \| MADELINE (MADDIE) RODRIGUEZ* Maddie Rodriguez (she/her) is a second-year student majoring in Theatre Arts and Ethics & Public Policy. Some of her previous works at Iowa include Dance Nation, Men on Boats, Braided Sorrow, and Mother:Knife. She is thrilled to be working on such an electric play with this deeply talented cast and creative team. She has nothing but gratitude for the opportunity to dive into the terrifying world of the Swifties and discover all the creepy, scary, beautiful things that come along with it. She hopes you enjoy New Play Festival!
Scott \| JASON VERNON* Jason Vernon is in his second-year at the University of Iowa with majors in Theatre Arts and Dance, pursuing a certificate in Social Justice and the Performing Arts. Jason has been highly involved in the University of Iowa Theatre Department; previous credits include: Dance Nation, Macbeth, Lil G: A Gatsby Remix, Braided Sorrow, and The Bacchae. Jason is thrilled to be a part of New Play Festival, especially this show. He urges you to attend as much of the Festival as you can and support the incredible art that we have here at Iowa. He would like to add, “Thank you to my Swiftie sisters, who are my biggest supporters and my favorite people in the world!” (Instagram: @jasonv_)

ANTI-HERO: REVENGE OF THE SWIFTIES
BY DERICK EDGREN OTERO
DIRECTED BY MEREDITH G. HEALY
Meet the cAST

Bonnie | RENEE CALHOUN*

Renee Calhoun is a third-year at the University of Iowa with majors in theater and economics. She has acted in University of Iowa productions in Journey to the Lovely Empire and wrote for the 2023 Ten-Minute Play Festival with her piece Underneath the Willow Tree. She is so grateful to have participated in this play since the beginning and is thrilled to be a part of New Play Festival. Big thank you to the wonderful cast, crew, and creative team and to everyone who came out to see it!

Jenna | KATIE GUCIK

Katie Gucik is a third-year MFA actor at the University of Iowa. She was most recently seen as the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Macduff in Macbeth and in the Iowa Director’s Festival production of Small Hours. Other recent credits include Crazy for You (Patricia Fodor) with San Diego Musical Theater and Lend Me A Tenor the Musical (Young Maria) at the Pacific Conservatory Theatre. She holds a degree in theatre and music from Ohio University. Katie has loved being a part of this play from the beginning and is thrilled to be performing in this new work as her last production here at UIowa! Big thank you to this cast, creative team, and to you… for supporting live theatre! (IG: ktgooch88)

Lauren | BELLA HOHENADEL*

Bella Hohenadel is a second-year Theatre major with a focus in Music Theatre here at the University of Iowa. Bella has been an active participant in the University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts since her first year; this includes shows such as Into the Woods, Macbeth, Fathers and Sons, and Journey to the Lovely Empire. She is delighted to be in another production that is a part of New Play Festival and hopes you enjoy this electric show. She would like to thank her family, Mom, Dad, Ava, and Everett, for their constant support. As TS once said “Baby, let the games begin, are you ready for it?” (Insta: @bella_h24)

Magenta | XIAOYAN KANG

Xiaoyan Kang is an MFA candidate at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. She was the kind of kids who would act out TV drama scenes with a blanket and a chorus of dolls. So you could say she has developed an interest in acting from a young age. Her most recent on-stage acting was probably six years ago. She has witnessed the growth of this play from the very beginning and is very very excited to be part of this show!

Malcolm | BRODY KIVETT*

Brody Kivett is a third-year Theatre Arts major at the University of Iowa, focusing on acting, playwriting, directing, and costume design. Brody has been involved in numerous productions; some of their previous works include Lil G: A Gatsby Remix, The Space Between Coke Bottles and Orange Slices, Home Is Where The T.V. Is, and the Ten-Minute Play Festival. Brody is thrilled to be working on yet another production that is a part of the New Play Festival and hopes you enjoy this sensational show and the brilliant cast and creative team who have poured hours of love and passion into this piece. They would like to thank their family, mothers Allison and Mandy, sisters Baylee and Gracee, brothers-in-law Seth and Luke, and their dearly departed father Mark, for their constant love and support in all their artistic endeavors. “Enjoy the show and enjoy the New Play Festival. Baby, let the games begin!" (Instagram: @brody.kivett)

Cora | MADELINE (MADDIE) RODRIGUEZ*

Maddie Rodriguez (she/her) is a second-year student majoring in Theatre Arts and Ethics & Public Policy. Some of her previous works at Iowa include Dance Nation, Men on Boats, Braided Sorrow, and Mother:Knife. She is thrilled to be working on such an electric play with this deeply talented cast and creative team. She has nothing but gratitude for the opportunity to dive into the terrifying world of the Swifties and discover all the creepy, scary, beautiful things that come along with it. She hopes you enjoy New Play Festival!

Scott | JASON VERNON*

Jason Vernon is in his second-year at the University of Iowa with majors in Theatre Arts and Dance, pursuing a certificate in Social Justice and the Performing Arts. Jason has been highly involved in the University of Iowa Theatre Department; previous credits include: Dance Nation, Macbeth, Lil G: A Gatsby Remix, Braided Sorrow, and The Bacchae. Jason is thrilled to be a part of New Play Festival, especially this show. He urges you to attend as much of the Festival as you can and support the incredible art that we have here at Iowa. He would like to add, “Thank you to my Swiftie sisters, who are my biggest supporters and my favorite people in the world!” (Instagram: @jasonv_) 

*Undergraduate student. UI Theatre is dedicated to providing hands-on theatre experience for both undergraduate and graduate students.