TALES FROM THE
WRITERS' ROOM
Every couple of months this group of misfits and wacky fun-sters gets together in a room...a Writers' Room in fact...and writes a series of original comedy sketches (OK, sometimes they're poignant and maybe even a little heart warming but we won't admit to that). Anyway, out of this secular conclave of tumultuous tom-foolery will grow 15-20 theatrical pieces that, when wed to the magic of SPT's raucous rock and roll, makes for an evening of live entertainment unlike any other in Eastern Iowa.
The writers are (for the most part) also the actors in the show and are joined by guest actors, writers, musicians, poets and dancers drawn from our ridiculously talented arts community throughout each season.
The Writers' Room concept has been selling out houses five times a season for 10 years now...so they must have struck the right chord!
The writers are (for the most part) also the actors in the show and are joined by guest actors, writers, musicians, poets and dancers drawn from our ridiculously talented arts community throughout each season.
The Writers' Room concept has been selling out houses five times a season for 10 years now...so they must have struck the right chord!
SPT WRITING STABLE
David Martino
David has been with this gang ever since he told his therapist pal Jane, “Your music’s great but you need writers.” Since then, he’s worked with the SPT goofs on two Salons, two full length plays at Theatre Cedar Rapids, and too too many laughs during his ten years in the writers’ room.
When Dr. Ringo’s not contributing to the comedic chaos, he works as a psychologist trying to help people find a little bit of peace in a crazy world. He got doctored in Chicago, had some young’ns and moved ‘em to Iowa to raise ‘em tall among the corn, which he did, which they did, which is good, because their mother is tall and beautiful, which is nice.
He is proud to have been published in both Developmental Psychology and The Journal Of Polymorphous Perversity. He’s done poems, song spoofs, and illustration script development for nationally published children’s books and videos, which was a continuation of what he did for quarters in Catholic grade school. He was a guest expert on the nationally-syndicated Jenny Jones Show (pre-murder) when he was younger and substantially less gray, an experience which, to this day, every time he remembers it, makes him want to take a shower.
The last few years and currently, Martino is working with fellow Writers’ Room compadre Adam (Jesus) Witte writing local celebrity “roasts” to help poke fun and raise money for The Cedar Rapids History Center. Also, he is a founding member of the long-running Black Doggers playwright group, and this spring, his work will be amongst other Doggers’ works in a compilation of short plays set – and played – in a diner. It has not yet been titled but he is now dubbing it ‘Dogger Diner.’ Tip your waitress.
David has been with this gang ever since he told his therapist pal Jane, “Your music’s great but you need writers.” Since then, he’s worked with the SPT goofs on two Salons, two full length plays at Theatre Cedar Rapids, and too too many laughs during his ten years in the writers’ room.
When Dr. Ringo’s not contributing to the comedic chaos, he works as a psychologist trying to help people find a little bit of peace in a crazy world. He got doctored in Chicago, had some young’ns and moved ‘em to Iowa to raise ‘em tall among the corn, which he did, which they did, which is good, because their mother is tall and beautiful, which is nice.
He is proud to have been published in both Developmental Psychology and The Journal Of Polymorphous Perversity. He’s done poems, song spoofs, and illustration script development for nationally published children’s books and videos, which was a continuation of what he did for quarters in Catholic grade school. He was a guest expert on the nationally-syndicated Jenny Jones Show (pre-murder) when he was younger and substantially less gray, an experience which, to this day, every time he remembers it, makes him want to take a shower.
The last few years and currently, Martino is working with fellow Writers’ Room compadre Adam (Jesus) Witte writing local celebrity “roasts” to help poke fun and raise money for The Cedar Rapids History Center. Also, he is a founding member of the long-running Black Doggers playwright group, and this spring, his work will be amongst other Doggers’ works in a compilation of short plays set – and played – in a diner. It has not yet been titled but he is now dubbing it ‘Dogger Diner.’ Tip your waitress.
Christopher Okiishi
Christopher is a writer, performer, director, and producer of theater based in Iowa City. In recent years, he and/or his work has been seen at City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, The Writer's Room at SPT Theatre, Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, Coe College, The Hook: Drop the Mic, The University of Iowa Department of Theater, Old Creamery Theatre in Amana, the New York Film Academy, and Riverside Theatre in Iowa City.
He also is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist at several Iowa locations. He lectures regularly on topics of children's mental health, nominated for Teacher of the Year eleven times at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He teaches the Senior Musical Theater Intensive Class at the Nolte Academy in Coralville and coaches the Musical Theater Speech teams at Iowa City High.
He is a life-long lover of musical theater and has written the scores for four theater projects and one film, the latter of which won Best Musical at the 2016 Garden State Film Festival. He lives in Iowa City with his partner, actor/director Patrick DuLaney. In 2016, they founded a production company dedicated to bringing great works of theater to unusual locations in the Iowa Creative Corridor. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and sleeping, usually in that order.
Christopher is a writer, performer, director, and producer of theater based in Iowa City. In recent years, he and/or his work has been seen at City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, The Writer's Room at SPT Theatre, Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, Coe College, The Hook: Drop the Mic, The University of Iowa Department of Theater, Old Creamery Theatre in Amana, the New York Film Academy, and Riverside Theatre in Iowa City.
He also is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist at several Iowa locations. He lectures regularly on topics of children's mental health, nominated for Teacher of the Year eleven times at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He teaches the Senior Musical Theater Intensive Class at the Nolte Academy in Coralville and coaches the Musical Theater Speech teams at Iowa City High.
He is a life-long lover of musical theater and has written the scores for four theater projects and one film, the latter of which won Best Musical at the 2016 Garden State Film Festival. He lives in Iowa City with his partner, actor/director Patrick DuLaney. In 2016, they founded a production company dedicated to bringing great works of theater to unusual locations in the Iowa Creative Corridor. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and sleeping, usually in that order.
ndsay Prince
Lindsay fills her cup and gains most of her writing material by being a Mom to two girls, Eloise and Phoebe. Her home and heart are rounded out by four cats and a dog.
Lindsay’s ability to write comedy was discovered quite accidentally as she poured her feelings and experiences out in Facebook posts. She was a loyal fan of Tales From The Writers’ Room
shows before being invited to join them as a guest performer in 2012, guest writer in 2013, and ultimately join the family in 2014.
Lindsay fills her cup and gains most of her writing material by being a Mom to two girls, Eloise and Phoebe. Her home and heart are rounded out by four cats and a dog.
Lindsay’s ability to write comedy was discovered quite accidentally as she poured her feelings and experiences out in Facebook posts. She was a loyal fan of Tales From The Writers’ Room
shows before being invited to join them as a guest performer in 2012, guest writer in 2013, and ultimately join the family in 2014.
Adam Witte
Adam is a husband, teacher, writer, and performer. He has worked with SPT Theatre for more than a decade, first as guest writer-performer for their Salon at Brucemore series, which was then performed as the one-man-show Tic…Tic…Tic… at Riverside Theater in Iowa City (2007) and later adapted into a musical through collaboration with musician and song-writer Dan Bern (2013). A second SPT project, written collaboratively, led to Biographical Notes at Riverside Theater (2008). The birth of The Writer’s Room series followed soon after.
In addition to writing for the stage, Adam contributes articles and comics to Little Village, an arts and culture magazine published in Iowa City; his short stories have appeared in The Armchair Aesthete and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
Adam Witte is also the Language Arts department chair at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he has taught for more than twenty years.
He lives very happily in Iowa City with his beautiful wife Candice and their seven (!) cats. He is never not grateful for all that this life has provided.
Adam is a husband, teacher, writer, and performer. He has worked with SPT Theatre for more than a decade, first as guest writer-performer for their Salon at Brucemore series, which was then performed as the one-man-show Tic…Tic…Tic… at Riverside Theater in Iowa City (2007) and later adapted into a musical through collaboration with musician and song-writer Dan Bern (2013). A second SPT project, written collaboratively, led to Biographical Notes at Riverside Theater (2008). The birth of The Writer’s Room series followed soon after.
In addition to writing for the stage, Adam contributes articles and comics to Little Village, an arts and culture magazine published in Iowa City; his short stories have appeared in The Armchair Aesthete and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
Adam Witte is also the Language Arts department chair at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he has taught for more than twenty years.
He lives very happily in Iowa City with his beautiful wife Candice and their seven (!) cats. He is never not grateful for all that this life has provided.