Cher | CAROLINE S. CLAY§

Caroline Clay (she/her) is a native of Washington, D.C. and an Assistant Professor of Acting here at UIowa’s Department of Theatre Arts. Best known for her memorable portrayal of “CeCe the Matchmaker” for an entire season on Grey’s Anatomy, she is a 30-year career veteran of five Broadway shows, television, film, and a national tour. She is the winner of an NAACP Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in Skeleton Crew at The Geffen Playhouse (West Coast.) Previous directing credits include In the Red & Brown Water (2024), including a staged reading in collaboration with The Stanley Musuem, in conversation with their collections of the African diaspora; Gwenevere (2022) and Lil’ G: A Gatsby Remix (2023) both by MFA ‘23 Playwright, Isaiah Reaves. As a playwright, Clay is the author of two solo shows, Let it Flo!: The Life & Scandals of Florynce Kennedy, which played Off-Broadway (2016) at the Cherry Lane Theatre, and Sepia Sculptress: Wildfire, Edmonia Lewis (2017) at the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage in Washington, D.C. Nominated by her students, Clay received the University of Iowa’s Office of Undergraduate Research’s Distinguished Mentor Award of 2024. Caroline is a proud union member of both Actor’s Equity Association, and SAG-AFTRA. #unionstrong

Bobbi | MARY ORIHO*

Mary Oriho is a current senior at the University of Iowa majoring in political science, with a minor in history on the pre-law track. She is from Waukee, Iowa and is South Sudanese. She has no prior experience to Iowa’s theatre department outside of introductory courses to basic acting. She is thrilled to be apart of this opportunity and be apart of this personal new apartment.

Darwin | COREY DIXON*

Corey Dixon is extremely excited to make his debut with the University of Iowa theatre department! A well-involved college sophomore, Corey has previously performed in the Bettendorf High School productions of Chicago and The Addams Family. He has 13 years of experience traveling, performing, and competing in Hip Hop dance! He would like to thank his family and friends for their tremendous support. Enjoy the show!

Twy | PRESTON COLEMAN**

Preston Coleman is a second-year MFA actor in the University of Iowa theatre department. At Iowa, he has collaborated with graduating MFA director Josh Turner on three productions: Dutchman by Amiri Baraka (Clay) in the Iowa Directors Festival; Adaku by Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe (Duru) in the New Play Festival (Spring 2025); and Argonautika (IDMON/GHOST, Fall 2025). He also appeared as Eggo in How to Defend Yourself directed by graduating MFA director Meredith Healy in Spring 2026. Preston is excited to return to work with Josh Turner and Cianon Jones in Deep Fried Dolphins.

Buster | RODNEY DAILEY II**

Rodney Dailey II is a second-year poetry MFA and scholar at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, his primary interests include critical and cultural theory, poetics, performance and sound studies. You can find his work in Rampage Party Press, Copenhagen Literary, Gully Magazine, and Elderly Magazine. In the fall, he will begin his PhD in English at the University of California, Berkeley. This is his first production at Iowa.