Jordan could not be more excited to be a part of Uncle Vanya adapted by Annie Baker at the University of Iowa. Her love for theater began in middle school. Jordan’s college production credits include Romeo and Juliet (Juliet, Iowa City Community Theatre), Lil G: A Gatsby Remix (Peaches, University of Iowa), Dance Nation (Maeve, University of Iowa), Indoctrination of Bananas (University of Iowa), and Romeo and Juliet (Lady Montague, University of Iowa). Jordan would like to thank her family and friends for their endless support in her theater journey.

Hunter Meyer is a 2^nd year in the MFA acting program. Recent University of Iowa credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Rossa in salt tongue, and Tom in Tom & Eliza. Other favorites are Howard in Moon Over Buffalo at Tent Theatre, Doug in Gruesome Playground Injuries at the 50^th Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Des Moines, and Miles in She Kills Monsters at Missouri State University. He is so grateful that you made your way to this production and hopes you enjoy the show!

Alicia is a second-year MFA acting candidate. Favorite credits include the Nurse in Romeo & Juliet, Katrine Stockmann in An Enemy of the People, Beatrice in Sigh No More, Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein, Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody, and Shrek in Shrek the Musical. Special thanks to her supportive and loving friends and family, as well as the entire cast and crew of this production. 

Ephram is a third-year undergraduate at the University of Iowa studying theatre arts. He was seen recently in UI’s productions of Marie Antoinette, Far Away, and Romeo & Juliet. Ephram is thrilled to be playing Serebryakov in Uncle Vanya, a character so similar to himself that he’s found it difficult throughout the rehearsal process to distinguish where Ephram ends, and Serebryakov begins. I mean their shared traits are endless. Late sixties? Rheumatism and/or gout? User of an orthopedic cane? Renowned scholar and professor struggling to maintain relevance in his remaining years? Ephram’s having a hard time not thinking he was type cast. This show has created some serious cognitive dissonance and identity issues for him… Oh, also, Ephram would like to thank his family, friends, and community who have supported him throughout this process… though, in all honesty, it hasn’t been that hard because, again, Ephram really is just playing himself. 

Raphael Thomé is a second-year MFA acting candidate. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he worked in TV shows and movies such as Pelé – Birth of a Legend and The Text, a Coca-Cola short. In 2018, he came to the United States to pursue an undergraduate degree in Film Production at Cal State Northridge. There, he got involved in stage productions and had a chance to play Tartuffe, Laertes in Hamlet, and direct Ionesco’s The Killing Game. At Iowa, he was seen as Fersen in Marie Antoniette, Hovstad in An Enemy of the People, Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet, Nathaniel in Stained Glass, and now he is thrilled to play Astrov alongside such passionate actors.

Ani Jilavyan is from Yerevan, Armenia and graduated from the University of Iowa’s MFA in literary translation. Currently she is doing her MFA in dramaturgy. She was the dramaturg for The Words of Ants by Xiaoyan Kang (directed by Meredith G. Healy) in the Iowa New Play Festival 2025. She also was the dramaturg for Jellyfish Baby by Darrin Terpstra and How to Defend Yourself by Liliana Padilla (both directed by Meredith G. Healy). She is thankful to Kayla for the opportunity to work on this wonderful production with an amazing team! Also, she is thankful to her family and friends for their continuous support!

Abbie Talken is a fourth-year undergraduate studying theatre arts with focuses on stage management and technical theatre. Past credits include assistant stage managing UI’s productions of Tom & Eliza and & Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens, as well as Cedar Rapids Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus. She has also stage managed UI’s productions of THE (T-)RE(X)FORMATION and The Words of Ants, along with Iowa City Community Theatre’s production of Inspecting Carol. She wants to thank her friends, family, and cats for their never-ending support, as well as the cast, crew, and creative team, especially Vivian, for making this wonderful production come to life. 

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 different summer stocks, regional theatres, national tours, Feld Entertainment and is a proud member of IATSE Local 412. Iowa design credits include Romeo and Juliet  (assistant scenic design) and Jellyfish Baby (scenic design). She would like to thank Jason and the design faculty for this opportunity, Rob and the scene shop for their guidance, her husband Trevor for going on this wild ride and finally her daughter Juniper who assisted more than she knows!

Sam’s work can be found at www.samrudydesigns.net 

Molly Costello is a sound designer and technician, a recent graduate of the University of Iowa. Currently working as a sound engineer in California, she is so excited to be back at Iowa for Uncle Vanya. Recent credits include Measure for Measure (Sound Designer, PCPA); Quetzali and the Comic Book Queen… (Sound Designer, PCPA); Iowa Director’s Festival 2025 (Sound Designer, University of Iowa). As always, listen with care and enjoy the show!