Director | ERIC FORSYTHE

ERIC FORSYTHE began his professional career as a child actor, son of Tony Award-winner Henderson Forsythe. Theatre degrees: Dartmouth and Carnegie-Mellon (BA, MFA, PhD); trained with Grotowski's Lab Theatre in Poland. Has acted in or directed well over 300 theatre productions (Philadelphia Drama Guild, Charles Playhouse, People's Light & Theatre, McCarter Theatre, LaMama, St. Louis Rep, etc.) Media: feature films, Guiding Light, Hallmark Hall-of-Fame, etc. “Voice” for such companies as SmithKline, Dupont, ARA, the Field of Dreams, Clorox, BankAmericard, etc. Now retired, Forsythe was head of the acting and directing programs at the University of Iowa, and artistic director of Iowa Summer Rep for some 30 years.

Music Director/Conductor/Sound Designer/Keyboard Programmer | MARK BRUCKNER

Mark Bruckner is a New York Innovative Theater, Audelco Award-winning composer, and Henry Hewes American Theatre Wing design nominee. Recent work: original music, sound, and interacive audio installation for Alma Baya by Edward Einhorn (Gural Theatre, A.R.T.NY, 2021); original music and sound design for Body Concert by Kevin Augustine of Lone Wolf Tribe (international premiere, March 2, 2022 - Montreal International Puppetry Festival); original music and sound design for Our Lady of 121^st Street, (October 2021 Mabie Theatre) directed by Mary Beth Easley. Visit www.markbruckner.net

Scenic Designer | R. ERIC STONE**

Eric Stone is an associate professor, director of graduate studies, and head of the design program. He has designed 20 productions for our department since his arrival in 2008, including Smile Medicine, Our Lady of 121^st Street, Orlando, The Crucible, American Idiot, The Luck of the Irish, and Eurydice, as well as advised 160 student productions. 

Eric has designed productions in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Utah, and Wisconsin, with work touring to New York and beyond. His design for She Loves Me just opened at the Madison Opera. He earned his BA, Lewis & Clark College, and MFA, Ohio University. Eric is a member of the United Scenic Artists 829.  www.rericstone.com

Costume Designer | ABIGAIL MANSFIELD COLEMAN

Abigail Mansfield Coleman is a second-year MFA candidate in costume design, mask, and puppetry. She has been designing for over ten years across the Carolinas and Georgia. She has designed over 45 productions, including, Into the Woods (three times!), Tuck Everlasting (2018 KCATCF Region IV Costume Design Nomination); and Exit the King (2017 KCATCF Region IV Nomination). Recent work at the University of Iowa includes Generation Candyland: A Fable and A Plant.

Lighting Designer and Media Designer | BRYON WINN**

Bryon Winn is a professor of design and director of theatre for the Department of Theatre Arts. He has designed lighting, media, and/or scenery for theatre, opera, dance, and corporate events throughout the country. This includes over 250 productions and 50 premieres of new plays. His theatre design work has been seen at Portland Stage Company, Trinity Rep, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Florida Studio Theatre, Axis Theatre, Intersection for the Arts, Miranda Theatre Company, Utah Musical Theatre, Cornell College, Middlebury College, Riverside Theatre, and Iowa Summer Rep. He has also taught workshops on media servers and moving light programming in Seoul, South Korea. Bryon is a member of United Scenic Artists 829.

Movement + Intimacy Director | ERICA BARNES

Erica Barnes graduated with an MFA in directing from the University of Iowa. Favorite productions include Marat's Dead by Leigh M. Marshall, Virginia Woolf's Orlando by Sarah Ruhl, Polaris (a tragedy expansion pack) by Charles Green, You Must Wear a Hat by C. Meaker, and Love Bird by K.T. Peterson. Erica has continued to develop new work online with Playwrights' Center, Prop Thtr, and in 2021, she directed a virtual production of Eric Marlin's three sisters I never had. 

Dramaturg | MARGO SKORNIA

Margo Skornia is a second-year MFA dramaturg from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She served previously as the dramaturg for small hours. She sends her deepest gratitude to the creative team, her family, and her partner.

Stage Manager | TAYLOR LEIGH JACKSON

String is Taylor Leigh Jackson's sixth production as a stage management MFA candidate at the University of Iowa, previously working on Three Decembers, Iowa New Play Festival, An Unsettled Body, Dance Gala, and 6 by 6: Collected Perspectives on Social Justice. She is a recent transplant from Omaha, Nebraska, and has worked as a stage manager for 14 years with companies including American Midwest Ballet, Opera Omaha, Omaha Symphony, The Rose Theater, Nebraska Shakespeare, and BLUEBARN Theatre.

Costume Design Assistant | ANNELIES R. KNIGHT*

Annelies Knight is a first-year student from Iowa City double majoring in art history and theatre arts. She has previously been the costume design assistant for Three to Five Days, HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING, small hours, and England's Splendid Daughters. 

Assistant Lighting Designer | SARA BECKER*

Sara Becker has been working in theatre for seven years now with various work experiences through stage managing, props managing, set construction, and more. She is majoring in theatre arts, with a certificate in nonprofit leadership and philanthropy. This will be Sara's first experience in lighting and is very excited to explore this important part of theatre design. 

Associate Media Designer | EMILY BERKHEIMER

Emily Berkheimer graduated from the University of Iowa in fall 2021 with a bachelor's degree in informatics, a Certificate in Public Digital Arts, and minors in art and theatre arts. In her time at the university, she designed media for Smile Medicine and assistant media designed for Iowa Directors Festival, Blue Whale Variations, and Trapped in the Folds. Emily is continuing development and production work with UIowa XR Studio and Media Clown.

Assistant Conductor | MEGAN MADDALENO

Megan Maddaleno is a current DMA student in orchestral conducting at the University of Iowa. There, she has had the immense privilege of conducting the orchestral ensembles, opera workshops, and new music initiatives, as well as studying under such respected conductors as Dr. Mélisse Brunet, Dr. William LaRue Jones, Professor David E. Becker, and violinist Dr. Scott Conklin. In November of 2021, she also had the honor of conducting the fall opera production, Three Decembers by Jake Heggie.

Associate Music Director | JILLY COOKE*

Jilly Cooke will graduate in May with a bachelor of music (percussion). She plans to pursue a masters in conducting and build a future in music directing. She has been involved in many local theatre productions as an actor and a few as music director. She has enjoyed working with this talented group of musicians and beautiful score very much. She thanks Mark Bruckner for this opportunity.

Assistant Stage Manager | ELIZABETH SARSFIELD*

Elizabeth Sarsfield is a third-year student double majoring in theatre arts and computer science. Previous UI credits include: Queer Horror Festival (SM), People Before the Park (ASM), Seven Neos (SM), Reflected (SM), and Palanquin (ASM).

Orchestra Manager | SIHENG "SAM" NIE*

Siheng Nie is a fourth-year student majoring in theatre arts. He is an international student from Beijing, China. As a cast member of Cupid Tyrannous previously, he is glad to be the orchestra manager for String! He appreciates this opportunity to work with talented musicians. He hopes you enjoy the performance!

Accompanist | MARIYA AKHADJANOVA

Mariya Akhadjanova, a native of Uzbekistan, is currently an ABD student finishing her doctorate studies in piano under Dr. Ksenia Nosikova at the University of Iowa. In 2018-2021, Mariya was a piano teaching assistant for individual lessons and group piano, as well as collaborative pianist at the University of Iowa. In October 2021, Mariya performed at Carnegie Hall, New York. In March 2019, she participated in Sunday in the Park with George as a rehearsal accompanist and pianist in the orchestra. Mariya performed with National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan and throughout the world as a soloist and a chamber musician.