salt tongue – Meet the Creative Team

salt tongue BY eli campbell DIRECTED BY kayla adams Meet the creative team
Playwright \| ELI CAMPBELL** Originally from Chicago, Eli is a third-year candidate in the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, an alum of the New Harmony Conference, and a winner of the KCACTF National Student Playwriting Award. Their work has been developed at The Story Theatre (Chicago) and Dreamwell Theatre (Iowa City), as well as various theaters in North Carolina, Texas, Idaho, and Illinois. As a queer and trans artist, their work often investigates transition, states of ambiguity, and the body. Eli avoids strict realism in favor of heightened theatricality, and their plays address loneliness, cruelty, and desperation through dark humor and attention to language.
Director \| KAYLA ADAMS** Kayla is an MFA Directing candidate at the University of Iowa. She holds a degree 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 Meisner acting studio.
Dramaturg \| REBECCA WEAVER** Rebecca Weaver is in their final year as an MFA candidate in the dramaturgy program here at the University of Iowa. Previously, Rebecca obtained two bachelor’s degrees in English and Drama (2020) at Jacksonville State University where they then received their master’s degree in English (2022). Their most recent theatre credits include dramaturging Far Away (UIowa), The Words of Ants (UIowa), American Rusałki (UIowa), In the Red and Brown Water (UIowa), and The Children’s Hour (UIowa). They are very honored to have worked with the cast and creative team of salt tongue, especially the playwright, Eli Campbell, and the director, Kayla Adams. Enjoy!
Stage Manager \| REED DAVIS**§ Reed is first-year stage management candidate from Bangor, Maine. After receiving his BA in theatre from the University of Maine, he has worked with Opera House Arts, First Stage Milwaukee, Opera Maine, and was the resident Production Stage Manager at Penobscot Theatre Company for three seasons. He would like to thank his friends and family for their support. Enjoy the show!
Scenic Designer \| CJ JOHNSON**
Costume Designer \| BELLA FORTUNATO**
Sound Designer \| MARISA RODRIGUEZ*
Lighting Designer \| GABBY JOHNSON* Gabby is currently in their third year in the Department of Theatre Arts, focusing on theater tech and working as an electrician in the department. They have designed lighting for shows such as GOWANUS/DEGENERATES, Flashes, and Death Surrogates, and cannot wait to participate in this year's new play festival!
Assistant Stage Manager \| SAMMI LEWIS* Sammi Lewis (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate stage manager. Her previous University of Iowa theatre credits include UH-OH!, Home is Where the TV is and Razor Creek. She wants to thank the cast and crew. Enjoy the show!

salt tongue
BY eli campbell
DIRECTED BY kayla adams
Meet the creative team

Playwright | ELI CAMPBELL**

Originally from Chicago, Eli is a third-year candidate in the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, an alum of the New Harmony Conference, and a winner of the KCACTF National Student Playwriting Award. Their work has been developed at The Story Theatre (Chicago) and Dreamwell Theatre (Iowa City), as well as various theaters in North Carolina, Texas, Idaho, and Illinois.

As a queer and trans artist, their work often investigates transition, states of ambiguity, and the body. Eli avoids strict realism in favor of heightened theatricality, and their plays address loneliness, cruelty, and desperation through dark humor and attention to language.

Director | KAYLA ADAMS**

Kayla is an MFA Directing candidate at the University of Iowa. She holds a degree 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 Meisner acting studio.

Dramaturg | REBECCA WEAVER**

Rebecca Weaver is in their final year as an MFA candidate in the dramaturgy program here at the University of Iowa. Previously, Rebecca obtained two bachelor’s degrees in English and Drama (2020) at Jacksonville State University where they then received their master’s degree in English (2022). Their most recent theatre credits include dramaturging Far Away (UIowa), The Words of Ants (UIowa), American Rusałki (UIowa), In the Red and Brown Water (UIowa), and The Children’s Hour (UIowa). They are very honored to have worked with the cast and creative team of salt tongue, especially the playwright, Eli Campbell, and the director, Kayla Adams. Enjoy!

Stage Manager | REED DAVIS**§

Reed is first-year stage management candidate from Bangor, Maine. After receiving his BA in theatre from the University of Maine, he has worked with Opera House Arts, First Stage Milwaukee, Opera Maine, and was the resident Production Stage Manager at Penobscot Theatre Company for three seasons. He would like to thank his friends and family for their support. Enjoy the show!

Scenic Designer | CJ JOHNSON**

Costume Designer | BELLA FORTUNATO**

Sound Designer | MARISA RODRIGUEZ*

Lighting Designer | GABBY JOHNSON*

Gabby is currently in their third year in the Department of Theatre Arts, focusing on theater tech and working as an electrician in the department. They have designed lighting for shows such as GOWANUS/DEGENERATES, Flashes, and Death Surrogates, and cannot wait to participate in this year's new play festival!

Assistant Stage Manager | SAMMI LEWIS*

Sammi Lewis (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate stage manager. Her previous University of Iowa theatre credits include UH-OH!, Home is Where the TV is and Razor Creek. She wants to thank the cast and crew. Enjoy the show!

*Undergraduate student
**Graduate student
§ Member of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
UI Theatre is dedicated to providing hands-on theatre experience for both undergraduate and graduate students.