Riverside Theatre Staff

Adam Knight joined Riverside Theatre in Fall 2018, after seventeen years in New York City. He was founder and co-Artistic Director of Slant Theatre Project, an Off Off-Broadway company that produced more than two dozen world premieres, working with a large roster of emerging artists. Past directing includes: Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. From 2002-08 he was Management Associate for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT). BS in Theatre: University of Evansville.

Aaron Stonerook is an Iowa City based theatre artist who first worked with Riverside Theatre as a performer in 2004. Since that time he has accumulated a litany of acting and directing credits across the midwest, but his artistic home has always been with Riverside and the performing arts community in Iowa City. Aaron joined the Riverside team as Development Director in 2021 as part of his continuing mission to help the performing arts thrive and grow in the city he calls home.

 

 

 

Kyle Schindler (he/they) is a Coralville based theatre artist. He started working for Riverside Theatre in 2019 as the Assistant Stage Manager for Free Shakespeare in the Park, and has worked front of house starting with the move to College Street. A Washington, Iowa local, Kyle graduated from the University of Iowa with his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts in 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Irena Sari​ć has been with Riverside Theatre since July of 2015. Before joining Riverside’s staff she worked as a Programming Coordinator for Eurokaz – one of the most important festivals of new theatre in Europe. In 2017 she was a recipient of National New Play Network’s Producer in Residence award. She holds a Master’s Degree in Performing Arts Management from the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

 

Chris is Technical Director for Riverside Theatre in Iowa City, IA. He started with Riverside in 2019 as a freelance scenic designer. Since then, Chris has worked in technical direction, lighting design, scenic design, and sound designer. He moved to Iowa City in 2018 with over twenty-five years’ professional and academic experience and found a welcoming community and thriving theatre scene. Credits for RT include How I Learned What I Learned, Men On Boats, Stages and FEAST. He also works with Theatre Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre and Pyramid Theatre Company of Des Moines. Beyond the theatre, Chris volunteers with the VA Hospital of Iowa City and serves as host of Sound Salon, a monthly Iowa City based community event that incorporates storytelling around the music of our lives.

Kathleen Johnson grew up in Iowa City and, for the past fifteen years, has worked in the theatre arts and education fields throughout the midwest. She attended Notre Dame University and earned her BA in Theatre and English and then earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching from the University of Iowa. Since then she has worked as a high school teacher, co-led a children’s theatre, directed productions of all sizes, taught education courses for the University of Iowa, and led improv and public speaking workshops for businesses and organizations across the midwest. Kathleen joined the Riverside team as Education Coordinator in the fall of 2022 and is thrilled to give back to a community that taught her so much.

 

 

 

Madonna Smith began working with Riverside Theatre in 2017. Always involved in local theatre, she enjoys acting, directing, writing, producing, and stage managing. Madonna serves as president of the board for Dreamwell Theatre. Her other passions are library work, and community outreach. Madonna loves working at Riverside Theatre. “Riverside has been a part of this community for 40 years, and it shows. I’m especially proud of Riverside’s community involvement with Shakespeare in the Park, and Will Power. I’m grateful that I work with some of the most talented, and caring people in the area. Being a point person for our patrons brings me a lot of joy, and satisfaction. I get to interact with our audiences, which is a big part of why we’re here.”