Meet the Creative Team

jellyfish baby by darrin terpstra cREATIVE TEAM
Playwright \| DARRIN TERPSTRA** Darrin Terpstra is a second-year MFA candidate in the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. His work has a primary focus on deconstructions of Christianity, queer narratives, and the dialogue between the two. Previous credits at Iowa include This Is My Body (playwright) and Go! (dramaturg). They would like to thank the cast and creative team for all their questions and excitement during this new play development process.
Director \| MEREDITH HEALY** Meredith is a third-year directing candidate at the University of Iowa. Originally from Lexington, KY, Meredith made her way to Iowa by way of Wellesley, MA; Providence, RI; and Portland, ME. As a director focused on the development of new works, Meredith is thrilled to be working with the cast and creative team to bring this story to life! Past credits at the University of Iowa include The Words of Ants by Xiaoyan Kang, Far Away by Caryl Churchill, Anti-Hero: Revenge of the Swifties by Derick Edgren Otero, and Brother-Brother by Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe. Meredith would like to thank her family for their unwavering support!
Dramaturg \| ANI JILAVYAN** Ani is a first year MFA Dramaturgy Candidate and a translator from Yerevan, Armenia. She was the dramaturg for The Words of Ants by Xiaoyan Kang (directed by Meredith Healy) in the scope of the New Play Festival. She is thankful to Meredith and Darrin for the opportunity to join the team, and her friends and family for their ongoing support!
Stage Manager \| JACKSON KOPESKY
Scenic Designer \| SAM RUDY** †† Sam Rudy is a first year MFA candidate in Scenic Design at the University of Iowa. Before joining the MFA program, she spent the last decade working with multiple summer stocks, regional theatres, national tours and is a proud member of IATSE Local 412. Most recently she was found at Feld Entertainment building props and scenery for Disney on Ice and their many other properties. She would like to thank her wonderfully supportive husband, Trevor, for going on this adventure. Sam’s work can be found at www.samrudydesigns.net
Costume Designer \| HANNAH OLDHAM*
Sounds Designer \| ADAM DETERS*
Lighting Designer \| LOWDEN FLOWER** Lowden Flower (he/him/his) is thrilled to be part of the Jellyfish Baby team! Lowden is a first year Lighting Design MFA student at the University of Iowa and is proud to be working on Jellyfish Baby in his first semester. Lowden is originally from Westchester, New York and graduated with a BFA in Theatre Design/Tech in 2025 from the University at Buffalo. Lowden has designed lights for theatre, dance, and live music in the Buffalo, NY area and is excited to start his career in Iowa City! Lowden would like to thank the Jellyfish Baby team, his family, and his girlfriend back in New York for all their support. Thank you for supporting University of Iowa Theatre Arts!
Assistant Stage Manager \| JENNA SCHNELLBACHER*

jellyfish baby
by darrin terpstra
cREATIVE TEAM

Playwright | DARRIN TERPSTRA**

Darrin Terpstra is a second-year MFA candidate in the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. His work has a primary focus on deconstructions of Christianity, queer narratives, and the dialogue between the two. Previous credits at Iowa include This Is My Body (playwright) and Go! (dramaturg). They would like to thank the cast and creative team for all their questions and excitement during this new play development process.

Director | MEREDITH HEALY**

Meredith is a third-year directing candidate at the University of Iowa. Originally from Lexington, KY, Meredith made her way to Iowa by way of Wellesley, MA; Providence, RI; and Portland, ME. As a director focused on the development of new works, Meredith is thrilled to be working with the cast and creative team to bring this story to life! Past credits at the University of Iowa include The Words of Ants by Xiaoyan Kang, Far Away by Caryl Churchill, Anti-Hero: Revenge of the Swifties by Derick Edgren Otero, and Brother-Brother by Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe. Meredith would like to thank her family for their unwavering support!

Dramaturg | ANI JILAVYAN**

Ani is a first year MFA Dramaturgy Candidate and a translator from Yerevan, Armenia. She was the dramaturg for The Words of Ants by Xiaoyan Kang (directed by Meredith Healy) in the scope of the New Play Festival. She is thankful to Meredith and Darrin for the opportunity to join the team, and her friends and family for their ongoing support!

Stage Manager | JACKSON KOPESKY

Scenic Designer | SAM RUDY** ††

Sam Rudy is a first year MFA candidate in Scenic Design at the University of Iowa. Before joining the MFA program, she spent the last decade working with multiple summer stocks, regional theatres, national tours and is a proud member of IATSE Local 412. Most recently she was found at Feld Entertainment building props and scenery for Disney on Ice and their many other properties. She would like to thank her wonderfully supportive husband, Trevor, for going on this adventure. Sam’s work can be found at www.samrudydesigns.net

Costume Designer | HANNAH OLDHAM*

Sounds Designer | ADAM DETERS*

Lighting Designer | LOWDEN FLOWER**

Lowden Flower (he/him/his) is thrilled to be part of the Jellyfish Baby team! Lowden is a first year Lighting Design MFA student at the University of Iowa and is proud to be working on Jellyfish Baby in his first semester. Lowden is originally from Westchester, New York and graduated with a BFA in Theatre Design/Tech in 2025 from the University at Buffalo. Lowden has designed lights for theatre, dance, and live music in the Buffalo, NY area and is excited to start his career in Iowa City! Lowden would like to thank the Jellyfish Baby team, his family, and his girlfriend back in New York for all their support. Thank you for supporting University of Iowa Theatre Arts!

Assistant Stage Manager | JENNA SCHNELLBACHER*

*Undergraduate student.

**Graduate student.

††Member of IATSE Local 412

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