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.

 

 

 

 

Reese Hill graduated from Grinnell College in 2024 with her BA in Anthropology and Theatre, Dance, & Performance Studies. Iowa City is Reese’s hometown, and she was very involved with local community theatre growing up, both backstage and onstage. Reese is very excited to continue her involvement in Iowa City’s rich storytelling scene with Riverside Theatre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.”

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

Tyler Salow is a theatre creative local to the Iowa City Area. As a recent graduate from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts, he focused his education on the intersections between the different elements required to create a performance and has served numerous roles on many projects since. From Stage Manager, to Sound Designer, to Scenic Carpenter, to Playwright and more, he hopes to use his experiences to facilitate new and exciting ideas about what theatre is and what it can grow into if we come together. Tyler joined the Riverside team in 2024 as Assistant Production Manager.