Meet the Cast

MEN ON BOATS BY JACLYN BACKHAUS DIRECTED BY MARY BETH EASLEY Meet the cast
John Wesley Powell \| SARAH GAZDOWICZ Sarah is so excited to be a part of what is a dream show for her! Sarah graduated from UIowa in May with an MFA in directing: recent directing work at the University includes Pierogi Play, The Bacchae, and small hours (Iowa Director’s Festival). Recent acting work includes Amber in You’re Still Here (NPF) and Malvolia in Twelfth Night (Riverside Theatre). Thank you to Mary Beth and love to Bob and Tipsy!
William Dunn \| KAT GUERRERO Kathleen M. Guerrero is a second-year MFA Acting Candidate from Crystal City, Texas. She is a recent graduate of The University of Texas at Austin’s Theatre and Dance Department. Her recent credits include Braided Sorrow directed by Natalie Villamonte Zito, The Bacchae directed by Sarah Gazdowicz, England’s Splendid Daughters by Ann Kreitman, This Is Life by Frances Garnett and Kathleen Guerrero, La Ruta by Issac Gomez, Three to Five Days by Olivia Clement, and much more. She would like to thank her friends, family, and faculty for helping her get to where she is now. Gracias por todo!
O.G. Howland \| PIPER EAGLE* Piper Eagle is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Criminology and Ethics & Public Policy. She has done theatre throughout elementary, middle, and high school, however, Men on Boats will be her first performance at the university. She is excited to take part in performing arts at Iowa and play a man on a boat.
Seneca Howland \| MADELINE "MADDIE" RODRIGUEZ* Madeline Rodriguez (she/her/hers) is a sophomore majoring in Theater and Ethics & Public Policy. Originally from Georgetown, Texas, her work and training include Zach Scott Theater (Austin), Zilker Theater (Austin), Georgetown Palace Theater (Georgetown), and various commercial and independent film projects. Her past productions at the university include Mother:Knife and Braided Sorrow. She is thrilled to be working on such a unique show with a cast and creative team of talented and incredible women. Oars up, oars out, and....... we truly begin!
John Colton Sumner \| ASHA KELLER* Asha Keller is very excited in her last year to be in her fifth show overall and second Mainstage at the University of Iowa. She was previously in BLKS and most recently in Lil G: A Gatsby Remix as part of the New Play Festival. Asha would like to thank her family and friends for their support, and she’s so excited to challenge herself in this play!
Andrew Hall \| AVA BURMAHL* Ava Burmahl is a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Iowa, and this is her first production as a college student. Some of her favorite previous roles include Shakespeare in Something Rotten!, Natalie in All Shook Up, and Heather Chandler in Heathers. When not participating in theatre, Ava enjoys practicing visual arts and making music. She thanks the cast of Men on Boats for being so welcoming and fun to work with, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Old Shady \| HOLLAND LARNED* Holland is a third-year theatre major at the university. This is her fourth time on UIowa’s stages after The Bacchae, Childish Hearts, and Fathers and Sons. She would like to thank her cat Snowball for all his support– he would absolutely love to share tin fish with Old Shady.
William Robert Hawkins \| EMMA SCHROEDER* Emma Schroeder is ready to transform into William Hawkins and traverse the raging rivers of the Big Canyon. Although she is nervous about her boating skills and the pains of rowing, she is confident that she’ll survive with the help of her fellow boatmates and the wonderful crew aboard this play.
Frank Goodman \| ABBY PAUL* Abby Paul is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Cinema and Theatre Arts. Abby is thrilled to be in her first mainstage show and be able to assist in costume design at the same time! She is very thankful for everyone who has helped bring this show together, and Jenny Kelchen for her mentorship.
George Young Bradley \| ALICE CONROY* This is Alice Conroy’s 5th production at the University of Iowa, and she is so excited to be playing Bradley. For this production, Alice tested out her method acting skills and spent the entire semester on a boat pretending to be a man. In her own words, “The waters were rough but life sure got easier as a man”. Alice would like to thank her parents because if she hadn’t grown up on the song “Row Row Row Your Boat” this show would not be possible. Enjoy the show!
*Undergraduate student. UI Theatre is dedicated to providing hands-on theatre experience for both undergraduate and graduate students.

MEN ON BOATS
BY JACLYN BACKHAUS
DIRECTED BY MARY BETH EASLEY
Meet the cast

John Wesley Powell | SARAH GAZDOWICZ

Sarah is so excited to be a part of what is a dream show for her! Sarah graduated from UIowa in May with an MFA in directing: recent directing work at the University includes Pierogi Play, The Bacchae, and small hours (Iowa Director’s Festival). Recent acting work includes Amber in You’re Still Here (NPF) and Malvolia in Twelfth Night (Riverside Theatre). Thank you to Mary Beth and love to Bob and Tipsy!

William Dunn | KAT GUERRERO

Kathleen M. Guerrero is a second-year MFA Acting Candidate from Crystal City, Texas. She is a recent graduate of The University of Texas at Austin’s Theatre and Dance Department. Her recent credits include Braided Sorrow directed by Natalie Villamonte Zito, The Bacchae directed by Sarah Gazdowicz, England’s Splendid Daughters by Ann Kreitman, This Is Life by Frances Garnett and Kathleen Guerrero, La Ruta by Issac Gomez, Three to Five Days by Olivia Clement, and much more. She would like to thank her friends, family, and faculty for helping her get to where she is now. Gracias por todo!

O.G. Howland | PIPER EAGLE*

Piper Eagle is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Criminology and Ethics & Public Policy. She has done theatre throughout elementary, middle, and high school, however, Men on Boats will be her first performance at the university. She is excited to take part in performing arts at Iowa and play a man on a boat.

Seneca Howland | MADELINE "MADDIE" RODRIGUEZ*

Madeline Rodriguez (she/her/hers) is a sophomore majoring in Theater and Ethics & Public Policy. Originally from Georgetown, Texas, her work and training include Zach Scott Theater (Austin), Zilker Theater (Austin), Georgetown Palace Theater (Georgetown), and various commercial and independent film projects. Her past productions at the university include Mother:Knife and Braided Sorrow. She is thrilled to be working on such a unique show with a cast and creative team of talented and incredible women. Oars up, oars out, and....... we truly begin!

John Colton Sumner | ASHA KELLER*

Asha Keller is very excited in her last year to be in her fifth show overall and second Mainstage at the University of Iowa. She was previously in BLKS and most recently in Lil G: A Gatsby Remix as part of the New Play Festival. Asha would like to thank her family and friends for their support, and she’s so excited to challenge herself in this play!

Andrew Hall | AVA BURMAHL*

Ava Burmahl is a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Iowa, and this is her first production as a college student. Some of her favorite previous roles include Shakespeare in Something Rotten!, Natalie in All Shook Up, and Heather Chandler in Heathers. When not participating in theatre, Ava enjoys practicing visual arts and making music. She thanks the cast of Men on Boats for being so welcoming and fun to work with, and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Old Shady | HOLLAND LARNED*

Holland is a third-year theatre major at the university. This is her fourth time on UIowa’s stages after The Bacchae, Childish Hearts, and Fathers and Sons. She would like to thank her cat Snowball for all his support– he would absolutely love to share tin fish with Old Shady.

William Robert Hawkins | EMMA SCHROEDER*

Emma Schroeder is ready to transform into William Hawkins and traverse the raging rivers of the Big Canyon. Although she is nervous about her boating skills and the pains of rowing, she is confident that she’ll survive with the help of her fellow boatmates and the wonderful crew aboard this play.

Frank Goodman | ABBY PAUL*

Abby Paul is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Cinema and Theatre Arts. Abby is thrilled to be in her first mainstage show and be able to assist in costume design at the same time! She is very thankful for everyone who has helped bring this show together, and Jenny Kelchen for her mentorship.

George Young Bradley | ALICE CONROY*

This is Alice Conroy’s 5th production at the University of Iowa, and she is so excited to be playing Bradley. For this production, Alice tested out her method acting skills and spent the entire semester on a boat pretending to be a man. In her own words, “The waters were rough but life sure got easier as a man”. Alice would like to thank her parents because if she hadn’t grown up on the song “Row Row Row Your Boat” this show would not be possible. Enjoy the show!

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