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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
Riley Dunn

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor

(she/her/hers)

Riley Dunn is a second-year student at the University of Iowa majoring in English and Creative Writing and Journalism and Mass Communications. Prior to her position as Digital Editor, Riley was a digital producer and an arts reporter. Before working for the DI, Riley interned for Swimming World Magazine.

All content by Riley Dunn
Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Review | Dear DI reader, Hancher’s ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a good show and here’s why

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
December 10, 2024
Mar 10, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande present the award for best original score during the 96th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

Review | “Wicked” stuns with emotional storytelling

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
December 3, 2024
Students fill out voter information at Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning on Election Day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. an essential role in the outcome. The Conservatory of Lifelong Learning is one of five major polling stations that support the campus community. As of 2023, Milwaukee's population is 561,385.

Data Visualization: Inflation Rates

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
November 20, 2024
Contributed by Ross Taylor

Q&A | Ross Taylor illustrates realities of refugee communities in ‘Mango House’

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
November 17, 2024
Illustration by Amy Scott

Future of AI in education sparks hope and hesitation

Charlie Hickman and Riley Dunn
November 12, 2024
Students vote at Petersen Residence Hall on Election Day in Iowa City on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Six of Iowa City’s precincts were on the University of Iowa campus for students and other residents.

Data Visualization: 2024 Election Maps

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
November 5, 2024
Illustration by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher

True crime dramas and documentaries draw in viewers

Krysten White and Riley Dunn
November 5, 2024
(left) Former President Donald Trump speaks during his caucus night watch party at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (right) Senator Kamala Harris, D-CA, addresses supporters at Backpocket Brewery on Thursday, September 19, 2019.

Q&A | Could Iowa actually turn blue?

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
November 5, 2024
Voters get set up to vote on Election Day at the University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center in Iowa City on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

Data Visualization: Learn more about the candidates

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
October 23, 2024
Dominique Limoli votes at the UI Psychological and Brain Sciences Building on 340 Iowa Ave. during Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.

When will we know who’s president?

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
October 22, 2024
FilmScene at the Chauncey Hotel is seen on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. Writers Kerry Howley and Susanna Fogel visited to discuss the film adaptation of their New York Magazine profile.

Adapting ‘Winner’ to the big screen

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
October 20, 2024
Photo by Sophia Wagner

Student author signs publishing deal with HarperCollins

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
October 15, 2024
Jerseys from all 18 Big Ten schools are displayed in the hallway during day one of Big Ten Football Media Day's at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 23. The expansion in the Big Ten, adding four West Coast schools, started in June of 2022, when admittance was granted to USC and UCLA.

Data Visualization: Where’s the Money in Media Contracts?

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
October 8, 2024
Photo Illustration by DI Staff

Review | Riordan delivers a fall treat to Percy Jackson fans with “Wrath of the Triple Goddess”

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
October 1, 2024
Contributed photo from Hancher Auditorium.

Stamptown comedy show sends Iowa City audiences into a laughing fit

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
September 29, 2024
A sign is seen at a school strike on the front lawn of Iowa City High School on Friday, May 3, 2024. A pro-Palestine protest took place at a Christina Bohannan event on Saturday morning.

Pro-Palestine protests speak out on Congressional Candidate Bohannan’s silence

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
September 28, 2024
Fishbait guitarist Thomas Halligan performs at the Gabe’s 50th Anniversary Show in Iowa City on Sept. 21, 2024. Gabe’s has been a pillar within Iowa City’s music scene, hosting local and nationally renowned bands. Fishbait released their first album in Oct. of 2023.

Gabe’s celebrates 50 year anniversary highlighting acts of all ages

Madison Schuler and Riley Dunn
September 24, 2024
Data Visualization: Ridership numbers per month 2019-2024

Data Visualization: Ridership numbers per month 2019-2024

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
September 10, 2024
Customers enter The James Theater in Iowa City on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. The theater's latest production is a play that features a post-apocalyptic Johnson County.

Review | The James Theater’s latest production presents a post-apocalyptic Iowa City

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor
September 9, 2024
A poster for Deadpool and Wolverine is seen on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

Point/Counterpoint | Does ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ live up to the hype?

Charlie Hickman and Riley Dunn
July 30, 2024
Author Bart Yate’s new novel “The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl” is seen in Prairie Lights in downtown Iowa City on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (Shaely Odean/ The Daily Iowan)

Ask the Author | Bart Yates tells a story a century in the making with ‘The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl’

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
July 24, 2024
Jack (Left), Calvin, (Center), Gwen (Right) are spun in the Los Trompos art installation by their father, Adam Rabb, in downtown Iowa City on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.

Los Trompos brings larger-than-life spinning tops to Iowa City

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
July 17, 2024
Hancher Auditorium is seen in Iowa City on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Hancher will put on a variety of shows for the 2024-2025 season including “Hadestown”.

Performing Arts at Iowa announces programming for upcoming academic year

Charlie Hickman and Riley Dunn
July 11, 2024
Jody Hovland, playing Mrs. Watts, and Phil Jordan, an ensemble member, perform during a production of “Trip to Bountiful” at Riverside Theater in Iowa City on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

Opinion | Why we need small musical theater productions

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
July 9, 2024
Joey King arrives on the red carpet during the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. King stars in "Despicable Me 4" as Poppy, Gru's neighbor and aspiring villain.

Review | Despicable Me 4 entertains with a familiar story and characters

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
July 9, 2024
Attendees play pickleball during the 7th annual Downtown Iowa City Block Party on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Five fun activities for summer beach getaways

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
June 25, 2024
printerval

‘Inside Out 2’ breathes new life into old emotions

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
June 18, 2024
Should Disney keep making sequels?

Should Disney keep making sequels?

Riley Dunn and Charlie Hickman
June 18, 2024
Members of the Story Pirates perform during a tour show at The Englert Theatre in Iowa City on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

Story Pirates bring kids’ tales to life on stage

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
May 1, 2024
Assistant publisher of Ink Lit Magazine Jenna Mather poses for a portrait at Prairie Lights bookstore in Iowa City on Monday April 29, 2024. (Shaely Odean/The Daily Iowan)

Humanities seniors speak out about next steps

Riley Dunn and Isabella Nekvinda
April 30, 2024
Actors rehearse for Anti-Hero: Revenge of the Swifties in the David Thayer Theatre in Iowa City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The play was written by Derick Edgren Otero and directed by Meredith G. Healy. The production is part of the New Play Festival held by the University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts.

Graduate play about Taylor Swift fandom kicks off IC New Play Festival

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 29, 2024
Photos contributed by TJ Alexander.

Ask the Author | TJ Alexander speaks on new queer romance novel

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 28, 2024
©Aimee Sposito Martini

Hancher presents creative, collaborative modern opera with ‘Fierce’

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 23, 2024
Comic books are seen on display at Daydreams Comics in Iowa City on Thursday, April 1.

UI comic book magazine promotes student artists and writers

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 23, 2024
Cianon Jones plays Mama Moja during a rehearsal of In the Red and Brown Water at the Iowa Theatre Building on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The play is set in Louisiana but is based on the spirits of the Yoruba religion.

Review | UI’s ‘In the Red and Brown Water’ offers spectacular performance

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 14, 2024
Doctors in Concert at the Coralville Center for the Preforming Arts on April, 5th, 2024. Isaac Samuel and Joel Berger preforming. (Emma Gutzman/The Daily Iowan)

‘Doctors in Concert’ celebrates medicine, music for UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 9, 2024
A Nike advertisement of Iowa guard Caitlin Clark is seen on The Edge building on East Burlington Street in downtown Iowa City on Saturday, March 2, 2024. The poster was put up in the early morning. (Ayrton Breckenridge/The Daily Iowan)

Musical parody celebrates Iowa’s ‘B-Ball Wizard’ Caitlin Clark

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
April 2, 2024
Performers practice during a dress rehearsal of "Iris" at the Theater Building in Iowa City, on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.

Review | Stage reading of ‘Iris’ portrays difficult human emotions

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 31, 2024
Chandler Brown, a graduate student, poses for a portrait on Sunday, March 24, 2024. Brown was inspired by Grey’s Anatomy to pursue medicine.

The lasting legacy of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in its 20th season

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 26, 2024
The Voxman Music Building is seen on Monday, Feb. 23, 2021.

Recital attendance class allows students to explore new styles of music

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 19, 2024
Photo illustration by Avi Lapchick.

New UI library exhibit showcases enriching history of books

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 19, 2024
Photo Illustration by Shaely Odean

TikTok influences a new community of readers

Charlie Hickman and Riley Dunn
March 19, 2024
Campus engagement coordinator Alexis Belme helps edit a Wikipedia page during the Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at the Stanley Art Museum in Iowa City on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

Stanley Museum Wikipedia Edit-a-thon boosts diverse voices during Women’s History Month

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 7, 2024
A multiple exposure photo shows members of the band Westerlies playing during a performance by at The Voxman Recital Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. The Westerlies are a quartet with inspirations from jazz, folk, and classical. On Thursday, they will open for singer Haley Heynderickx at Hancher Auditorium.

Westerlies brass quartet holds music workshop at UI ahead of Thursday performance

Isabelle Lubguban and Riley Dunn
March 6, 2024
The Daily Iowan’s 2024-25 executive editor, Jami Martin-Trainor, poses for a portrait on Monday, March 4, 2023.

Jami Martin-Trainor named Daily Iowan’s 2024-25 executive editor

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 4, 2024
Attendees view the art of the grand opening of latest exhibition "A Year in Print" at the Stanley Museum of Art Friday, March 1, 2024. (Kathy Le/ The Daily Iowan).

Stanley Museum of Art debuts ‘A Year in Print’ exhibit that highlights acclaimed artists

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
March 2, 2024
Review | Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ attempt is a good, not great adaptation

Review | Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ attempt is a good, not great adaptation

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
February 25, 2024
Photo contributed by John Kenyon

Talented Iowa City students receive recognition for powerful writing

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
February 20, 2024
Photo illustration by Cody Blissett

Review | ‘The Road from Belhaven’ tells a well-crafted coming-of-age story

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
February 13, 2024
Photo illustration

Facebook and the social media revolution: 20 years later

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
February 6, 2024
The cast of Dance Nation dances the opening number during a dress rehearsal for “Dance Nation” at David Thayer Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024.

‘Dance Nation’ brings realities of girlhood to the stage

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
February 5, 2024
June 18, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portrait of Bryce Dallas Howard taken at the Palihouse Hotel in West Hollywood. Howard returns for a second time as "Claire" in "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" the sequel to "Jurassic World." Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY

Review | ‘Argylle’ is a chaotic yet fun experience

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
February 4, 2024
Students rehearse for the 27th Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival presented by The University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts in the Theatre Building on Jan. 22, 2024. The cast is starring in a play titled “The Worst Supervillain in the World” written by student Darrin Terpstra. (Madison Frette/The Daily Iowan)

UI Theater Department presents student-run Ten Minute Plays

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
January 23, 2024
Photo contributed by Hancher Auditorium.

Review | Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ gives fresh spin on familiar story

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
January 22, 2024
Kenzie Trana, 4, plays with teddy bears at the Teddy Bear Room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Iowa City on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Room 1105 at the Hilton Garden Inn is filled with hundreds of teddy bears for the holiday season. The room is open to the public from Nov. 26 through Jan. 1 at no cost.

Iowa City’s Hilton Garden Inn welcomes the fun and festive Teddy Bear Room for the holiday season

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
December 5, 2023
Charlotte Brontë, played by Katie Gucik, opens a letter during a production of “Brontë: The World Without” at Riverside Theater in Iowa City on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.

Riverside produces play premiere

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
December 3, 2023
Emma Bibb, Owen Brightman and Mary Lukas perform during a showing of Eli Campbell’s Pleasure Play directed by Meredith Alexander at The Artifactory on North Dubuque Street in Iowa City on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.

Review | Eli Campbell’s ‘Pleasure Play’ tells captivating story of three complicated characters

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
November 28, 2023
Mar 12, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Ariana Debose arrives at the 95th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 12, 2023. Mandatory Credit: Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY

Review | Disney’s ‘Wish’ was a passable movie that had potential to be better

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
November 28, 2023
Amelia Fisher is held up by The University of Iowa Dance Company during a performance of “Winning” by Artistic Director Stephanie Miracle, an interactive dance for an audience of children at the Iowa City Public Library on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

UI Dance Company blends dancing and audio narration in latest performance

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
November 18, 2023
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) in "Captain Marvel."

Review | ‘The Marvels’ is the MCU’s latest lackluster release

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
November 15, 2023
Writers from around Iowa City work on the short stories and novels at the Iowa City Public Library, in Iowa City on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. The Iowa City Public Library will be hosting meetings to for writers to celebrate National Novel Writing Month.

Aspiring novelists at UI dedicate themselves to the November writing challenge

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
November 14, 2023
Participants sketch and write while looking at the exhibits at during the Art and Write Night event hosted by the UI Museum of Natural History in Iowa City on Friday, Nov. 3.

UI Museum of Natural History hosts after-hours Art & Write Night

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
November 4, 2023
Photo illustration by Theodore Retsinas

Exploring the success and failure of book-to-movie/series adaptations

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 25, 2023
The Iowa City Public Library is seen on Sunday, March 20, 2022.

Iowa residents to engage in a panel discussion centered around writing, love

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 22, 2023
Illustration by Amy Scott.

Authors speak out against the usage of copyrighted work in AI programs

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 17, 2023
Author Ayana Mathis' new novel "The Unsettled" is seen at Prairie Lights in Iowa City on Oct. 14, 2023.

Ask the Author | Ayana Mathis

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 17, 2023
Review | The cheesy but entertaining 2023 adaptation of ‘Haunted Mansion’ hits Disney +

Review | The cheesy but entertaining 2023 adaptation of ‘Haunted Mansion’ hits Disney +

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 16, 2023
Photo contributed by Nathan Hill.

Ask the Author | Nathan Hill

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 10, 2023
Piper Sage carries off an armful of Rick Riordan books with her mom, Charla Sterne. The author, left, signed his new book the "Serpent's Shadow," the final book in the Kane Chronicles series, at Barnes and Noble bookstore in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Riordan is the author of Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles and Heroes of Olympus books for young readers as well as the award-winning adult Tres Navarre mystery series.

Review | ‘Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods’ reintroduces readers to beloved heroes

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 10, 2023
Caleb Rainey, who goes by "The Negro Artist," performs a poem during a Slam-O-Vision event at Public Space One in Iowa City on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. The Slam-O-Vision event is a global poetry slam taking place in worldwide UNESCO Cities of Literature. Rainey will go on to the international competition after winning first place in the event.

Caleb Rainey to represent Iowa City in global poetry slam competition

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
October 2, 2023
Amaya Clark is one of many Freshmen girls who have changed their hair ahead of Rush Week. Maya had her hair highlighted with the new autonomy she has a college student. (Ava Neumaier/The Daily Iowan)

UI students explore identities in fresh hairstyles

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
September 26, 2023
Review | “Holly” by Stephen King tells chilling adventure of private investigator

Review | “Holly” by Stephen King tells chilling adventure of private investigator

Riley Dunn, Arts Reporter
September 24, 2023
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