Razor Creek: a folk-rock, sci-fi musical – Meet the Cast

RAZOR CREEK: A FOLK-ROCK, SCI-FI MUSICAL BOOK & LYRICS BY K.T. PETERSON MUSIC BY K.T. PETERSON AND PAIGE SCOTT DIRECTED BY MICHAEL C. FLORES Meet the cAST
Ket Ketteridge \| HOLLAND LARNED* Holland is a third-year acting student, pursuing a Bachelor of Theatre Arts. This is her fifth time appearing on UIowa’s stages after Men on Boats, Fathers and Sons, The Bacchae, and Childish Hearts. New Play Festival is her favorite time of year and she’s so glad you’re here. Let’s Ride!
Willa Connors \| SAMANTHA MAYER* Samantha is a fourth-year student from Chicago majoring in English and Theatre Arts - Music Theatre Track. Her previous Iowa credits include Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Stepmother), In This Sepulcher, We Are Fed (Adelie), Something Rotten! (Bea), String (Geneva), Ascend, as well as numerous readings. Outside of Iowa, she has written and performed in Impractical Magic at the Laugh Out Loud Theater in Chicago. She is so thankful to be a part of this wonderful show as her final production at Iowa. Let’s ride!!
Book Lady \| BRODY OHM* Brody is in his final semester of his undergraduate studies as a musical theatre major at the University of Iowa. You may have seen Brody in Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Prince) earlier this semester, Something Rotten! (Nostradamus) last spring, or String (ensemble) in the spring of his freshman year! Brody would like to thank the cast, crew, and the production team for making his first and last NPF experience one he won't forget!
Maebelle Ketteridge \| MCKENZIE LOFGREN McKenzie Lofgren (Maebelle Kettereidge) is a senior at Oklahoma City University working on double Bachelor of Music Degrees in Vocal and Violin Performance. She has performed in numerous community and school theatre productions, including Mary Poppins (Miss Andrew) at City Circle Theatre Company, Matilda (Matilda) with Muscatine High School, A Friend of Dolly (Dolly) at Oklahoma City University, and Heathers (Heather Chandler) at the Center For Living Arts in Rock Island, IL. McKenzie loves doing new works, and is thrilled to debut Razor Creek with this fantastic cast.
Jacob/Canary \| ANDREW WILKES Andrew Wilkes is a proud Iowa alumni from 2014.  You may have missed him in Spring Awakening, Absurd Person Singular, Dream Play, Imaginary Invalid, and Urinetown on the Iowa mainstage. After graduating he split time between work in Seattle and performing at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (Reefer Madness, Baskerville, Peter and the Starcatcher).  In Seattle, Andrew’s performances included bilingual plays in English and ASL with Azeotrope and Book-It Repertory Theatre. Andrew also performed with Seattle Children’s, Thistle, and Lathyrus Theatres. Andrew also worked with Seattle Children’s Theatre as part of their education and outreach teams, teaching acting in ASL at a Deaf women’s shelter, as well as working in elementary schools and theatre camps.  He strengthened social emotional skills in Seattle youth in a collaboration with SCT, Kaiser Permanente, and a purple puppet from planet Zorbtron.   Starting in 2017 Andrew’s work as a teaching artist has brought him to China where he partners with Ease Drama in Beijing.  There he produces plays with kids to help them hone their English skills. For adults he directs play workshops through a “playful parenting” group.  He has also hosted Chinese students three times stateside in Washington and Indiana. Most recently, Andrew has been onstage with Crooked Path Theatre in IC, including their Halloween and Winter Cabarets and as Rosincrantz in Hamlet.  During the pandemic Andrew co-founded a one room schoolhouse on a farm outside of Iowa City where he now works. He sends a huge thank you to the NPF team and Theatre faculty for having me back!
Preacher \| JOHN STINSON* John Stinson is a third-year music theatre major at the University of Iowa. He is swagtastically stoked to be in his second musical at the university; John has been in Into The Woods (Ensemble), Macbeth (Macbeth Shadow), and Lil’ G: A Gatsby Remix (Fierce Ensemble/Chet US). He is thrilled to be a part of the cast and cannot wait to show you the rock-god status of his hair!!!
Girl/Eleanor Roosevelt \| NIYATI DESHPANDE* Niyati Deshpande is a third-year undergraduate student double-majoring in Theatre Arts on the Music Theatre track and Educational Studies & Human Relations as well as minoring in Psychology. She is so excited to be part of New Play Festival and tell this story! Favorite credits include Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Riverside Theatre), Love in Everybody (Riverside Theatre), and Connie in Dance Nation (University of Iowa Theatre). Niyati would like to thank her loved ones and mentors for their support, as well as the creative team, cast, and crew for their dedication. She hopes you enjoy Razor Creek!
Boy/John \| TONY NGUYEN* Tony is thrilled to be back for New Play Festival! He is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Theatre Arts with the focus of Musical Theatre. You may have seen him in Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince), Macbeth (Angus), Something Rotten! (Horatio), and the premiere of Lil G: A Gatsby Remix (Nicky). He is honored to be working with such an amazing cast, crew, and production team. He’d also like to thank his family and friends for the endless amount of support. He loves y’all very much!
Boss Man Soloist & Others \| CHARLIE SCHMELZER* Charlie is a 3rd year Mathematics and Theatre double major who is so excited to make his musical debut. He's taking time away from being an actual miner to do this show if you count him digging in his nose as mining.
Small Ket/Others \| HANNAH LIPSKI* Hannah is thrilled to be in her second new play production. She is a double major in Theatre Arts on the Music Theatre Track and Journalism & Mass Communication. She loves all things performance. From dance, and theatre to anchoring on The Daily Iowan TV. Outside of rehearsal, school and work, she loves to spend time with her roommates and partner, painting and playing her guitar. She would like to thank her parents and grandparents for always supporting her and driving her to all of her activities as a kid.
Small Willa/Others \| ABBY WEISS* Abby Weiss is a second-year majoring in Theatre Arts with a minor in English and a certificate in Event Management. She has previously appeared in the University of Iowa productions of Macbeth, Home is Where the TV Is, and Ten-Minute Play Festival: When It Matters Most. This is her first musical here at the university and she is super excited!!
Big Booty/Banker/Others \| TESSA RAMSDEN* Tessa Ramsden is a third-year undergrad studying Creative Writing and Chinese with a minor in Theatre. She is originally from Minnetonka, MN, and her favorite show she has done was Something Rotten! with her high school. She wants to shout out her parents for driving five hours to see her!
Jojo/Others \| ETHAN HOOTEN* Ethan Hooten is a first-year Dance and Theatre major at the University of Iowa. Founder of the Wolfpack Theater Company, a charity based organization located in Northeast Iowa, Ethan is involved in theater year round. Some of his credentials here at the university include The Space Between Coke Bottles and Orange Slices, All Machines of Loving Grace, the film How to Make Money, and the dance piece Panorama from the Martha Graham Dance Company, with many more to come! He is super excited to be a part of this piece and thinks you’ll enjoy it! (Instagram: @ethan_hooten_official)

RAZOR CREEK: A FOLK-ROCK, SCI-FI MUSICAL
BOOK & LYRICS BY K.T. PETERSON
MUSIC BY K.T. PETERSON AND PAIGE SCOTT
DIRECTED BY MICHAEL C. FLORES
Meet the cAST

Ket Ketteridge | HOLLAND LARNED*

Holland is a third-year acting student, pursuing a Bachelor of Theatre Arts. This is her fifth time appearing on UIowa’s stages after Men on Boats, Fathers and Sons, The Bacchae, and Childish Hearts. New Play Festival is her favorite time of year and she’s so glad you’re here. Let’s Ride!

Willa Connors | SAMANTHA MAYER*

Samantha is a fourth-year student from Chicago majoring in English and Theatre Arts - Music Theatre Track. Her previous Iowa credits include Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Stepmother), In This Sepulcher, We Are Fed (Adelie), Something Rotten! (Bea), String (Geneva), Ascend, as well as numerous readings. Outside of Iowa, she has written and performed in Impractical Magic at the Laugh Out Loud Theater in Chicago. She is so thankful to be a part of this wonderful show as her final production at Iowa. Let’s ride!!

Book Lady | BRODY OHM*

Brody is in his final semester of his undergraduate studies as a musical theatre major at the University of Iowa. You may have seen Brody in Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Prince) earlier this semester, Something Rotten! (Nostradamus) last spring, or String (ensemble) in the spring of his freshman year! Brody would like to thank the cast, crew, and the production team for making his first and last NPF experience one he won't forget! 

Maebelle Ketteridge | MCKENZIE LOFGREN

McKenzie Lofgren (Maebelle Kettereidge) is a senior at Oklahoma City University working on double Bachelor of Music Degrees in Vocal and Violin Performance. She has performed in numerous community and school theatre productions, including Mary Poppins (Miss Andrew) at City Circle Theatre Company, Matilda (Matilda) with Muscatine High School, A Friend of Dolly (Dolly) at Oklahoma City University, and Heathers (Heather Chandler) at the Center For Living Arts in Rock Island, IL. McKenzie loves doing new works, and is thrilled to debut Razor Creek with this fantastic cast.

Jacob/Canary | ANDREW WILKES

Andrew Wilkes is a proud Iowa alumni from 2014.  You may have missed him in Spring Awakening, Absurd Person Singular, Dream Play, Imaginary Invalid, and Urinetown on the Iowa mainstage. After graduating he split time between work in Seattle and performing at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (Reefer Madness, Baskerville, Peter and the Starcatcher).  In Seattle, Andrew’s performances included bilingual plays in English and ASL with Azeotrope and Book-It Repertory Theatre. Andrew also performed with Seattle Children’s, Thistle, and Lathyrus Theatres.

Andrew also worked with Seattle Children’s Theatre as part of their education and outreach teams, teaching acting in ASL at a Deaf women’s shelter, as well as working in elementary schools and theatre camps.  He strengthened social emotional skills in Seattle youth in a collaboration with SCT, Kaiser Permanente, and a purple puppet from planet Zorbtron.  

Starting in 2017 Andrew’s work as a teaching artist has brought him to China where he partners with Ease Drama in Beijing.  There he produces plays with kids to help them hone their English skills. For adults he directs play workshops through a “playful parenting” group.  He has also hosted Chinese students three times stateside in Washington and Indiana.

Most recently, Andrew has been onstage with Crooked Path Theatre in IC, including their Halloween and Winter Cabarets and as Rosincrantz in Hamlet.  During the pandemic Andrew co-founded a one room schoolhouse on a farm outside of Iowa City where he now works. He sends a huge thank you to the NPF team and Theatre faculty for having me back!

Preacher | JOHN STINSON*

John Stinson is a third-year music theatre major at the University of Iowa. He is swagtastically stoked to be in his second musical at the university; John has been in Into The Woods (Ensemble), Macbeth (Macbeth Shadow), and Lil’ G: A Gatsby Remix (Fierce Ensemble/Chet US). He is thrilled to be a part of the cast and cannot wait to show you the rock-god status of his hair!!!

Girl/Eleanor Roosevelt | NIYATI DESHPANDE*

Niyati Deshpande is a third-year undergraduate student double-majoring in Theatre Arts on the Music Theatre track and Educational Studies & Human Relations as well as minoring in Psychology. She is so excited to be part of New Play Festival and tell this story! Favorite credits include Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Riverside Theatre), Love in Everybody (Riverside Theatre), and Connie in Dance Nation (University of Iowa Theatre). Niyati would like to thank her loved ones and mentors for their support, as well as the creative team, cast, and crew for their dedication. She hopes you enjoy Razor Creek!

Boy/John | TONY NGUYEN*

Tony is thrilled to be back for New Play Festival! He is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Theatre Arts with the focus of Musical Theatre. You may have seen him in Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince), Macbeth (Angus), Something Rotten! (Horatio), and the premiere of Lil G: A Gatsby Remix (Nicky). He is honored to be working with such an amazing cast, crew, and production team. He’d also like to thank his family and friends for the endless amount of support. He loves y’all very much!

Boss Man Soloist & Others | CHARLIE SCHMELZER*

Charlie is a 3rd year Mathematics and Theatre double major who is so excited to make his musical debut. He's taking time away from being an actual miner to do this show if you count him digging in his nose as mining.

Small Ket/Others | HANNAH LIPSKI*

Hannah is thrilled to be in her second new play production. She is a double major in Theatre Arts on the Music Theatre Track and Journalism & Mass Communication. She loves all things performance. From dance, and theatre to anchoring on The Daily Iowan TV. Outside of rehearsal, school and work, she loves to spend time with her roommates and partner, painting and playing her guitar. She would like to thank her parents and grandparents for always supporting her and driving her to all of her activities as a kid. 

Small Willa/Others | ABBY WEISS*

Abby Weiss is a second-year majoring in Theatre Arts with a minor in English and a certificate in Event Management. She has previously appeared in the University of Iowa productions of Macbeth, Home is Where the TV Is, and Ten-Minute Play Festival: When It Matters Most. This is her first musical here at the university and she is super excited!! 

Big Booty/Banker/Others | TESSA RAMSDEN*

Tessa Ramsden is a third-year undergrad studying Creative Writing and Chinese with a minor in Theatre. She is originally from Minnetonka, MN, and her favorite show she has done was Something Rotten! with her high school. She wants to shout out her parents for driving five hours to see her!

Jojo/Others | ETHAN HOOTEN*

Ethan Hooten is a first-year Dance and Theatre major at the University of Iowa. Founder of the Wolfpack Theater Company, a charity based organization located in Northeast Iowa, Ethan is involved in theater year round. Some of his credentials here at the university include The Space Between Coke Bottles and Orange Slices, All Machines of Loving Grace, the film How to Make Money, and the dance piece Panorama from the Martha Graham Dance Company, with many more to come! He is super excited to be a part of this piece and thinks you’ll enjoy it! (Instagram: @ethan_hooten_official)

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