Meet the Creative Team

we are Hunted and/or a house sitting play BY POONAM DHIR CREATIVE TEAM
Playwright \| POONAM DHIR Poonam Dhir is a queer playwright, poet, Punjabi descendent, and settler currently based in Iowa City, where they are an MFA candidate in Playwriting and a 2023-24 Iowa Arts Fellow at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Poonam’s work explores identity, trauma, memory and the relationship between belief and belonging. They contemplate themes of migration, displacement and loss. They are the recipient of a 2022 Lambda Literary Fellowship in Playwriting and a finalist for the 2021 PEN Canada New Voices Award, Poetry. Poonam is an Artist-in-Residence at Infinithéâtre and was selected to participate in Nightwood Theatre’s 2022-23 Write From the Hip Program led by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. You can read their latest pieces in The Capilano Review, Vallum, Contemporary Verse 2, PRISM International and Best New Poets.
Director \| KAYLA ADAMS Kayla is an MFA Directing candidate at the University of Iowa. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Western Washington University. She is currently an ensemble member at The Artistic Home Theatre in Chicago, IL where she also teaches in their renowned Meisner studio.
Dramaturg \| BO-HUA LIN
Stage Manager \| MEENAKSHI CHINMAI Meenakshi is a second-year MFA stage manager. She is very happy and proud to be a part of the UIowa stage management cohort. She is very grateful to her mother Charu and mentor Terry Converse for being such a strong influence in her life and supporting her in pursuing a career in theatre.
Scenic Designer \| NAZANIN VALKILI Nazanin is a first-year MFA Scenic Design candidate at the University of Iowa. With a background in architecture from the Art University of Isfahan, she aims to bring a rich blend of technical expertise and creative insight to her work. Nazanin is excited to contribute to the vision of we Are Hunted and/or House Sitting Play and extends special thanks to the production team for providing such an inspiring experience.
Lighting Designer \| GABBY JOHNSON* Gabby is currently in their third year in the department of Theater Arts, with a focus in theater tech. They have assisted in shows such as Braided Sorrow, Lil' G, and Ghost Town, and cannot wait for the upcoming season!
Intimacy Director \| Owen Brightman

we are Hunted and/or a house sitting play
BY POONAM DHIR
CREATIVE TEAM

Playwright | POONAM DHIR

Poonam Dhir is a queer playwright, poet, Punjabi descendent, and settler currently based in Iowa City, where they are an MFA candidate in Playwriting and a 2023-24 Iowa Arts Fellow at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Poonam’s work explores identity, trauma, memory and the relationship between belief and belonging. They contemplate themes of migration, displacement and loss. They are the recipient of a 2022 Lambda Literary Fellowship in Playwriting and a finalist for the 2021 PEN Canada New Voices Award, Poetry. Poonam is an Artist-in-Residence at Infinithéâtre and was selected to participate in Nightwood Theatre’s 2022-23 Write From the Hip Program led by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. You can read their latest pieces in The Capilano Review, Vallum, Contemporary Verse 2, PRISM International and Best New Poets.

Director | KAYLA ADAMS

Kayla is an MFA Directing candidate at the University of Iowa. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Western Washington University. She is currently an ensemble member at The Artistic Home Theatre in Chicago, IL where she also teaches in their renowned Meisner studio.

Dramaturg | BO-HUA LIN

Stage Manager | MEENAKSHI CHINMAI

Meenakshi is a second-year MFA stage manager. She is very happy and proud to be a part of the UIowa stage management cohort. She is very grateful to her mother Charu and mentor Terry Converse for being such a strong influence in her life and supporting her in pursuing a career in theatre.

Scenic Designer | NAZANIN VALKILI

Nazanin is a first-year MFA Scenic Design candidate at the University of Iowa. With a background in architecture from the Art University of Isfahan, she aims to bring a rich blend of technical expertise and creative insight to her work. Nazanin is excited to contribute to the vision of we Are Hunted and/or House Sitting Play and extends special thanks to the production team for providing such an inspiring experience.

Lighting Designer | GABBY JOHNSON*

Gabby is currently in their third year in the department of Theater Arts, with a focus in theater tech. They have assisted in shows such as Braided Sorrow, Lil' G, and Ghost Town, and cannot wait for the upcoming season!

Intimacy Director | Owen Brightman

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