Valentine's Day may seem like a strange day for the opening of a play about a woman who murdered her husband and subsequently received the death penalty. But with its winter production, "Machinal," the Department of Performing Arts proves able to take on this challenge. The "romantic" date is total coincidence: Director Cara Gabriel picked the performance date two years ago without even knowing the show. "It's fairly obscure," said Gabriel, noting that many people didn't even know how to say the name of the show. "Machinal," (pronounced "mah-KEE-nahl") written by journalist Sophie Treadwell in 1927, is based on the story of Ruth Snyder, a female murderess who was convicted and electrocuted. The play is a study in Expressionism with its vague character names (such as "Young Woman," "Lover" and "Telephone Girl") and the over-arching theme of one person's struggle against society. But Gabriel found a pointed in the show, saying it is heavily relevant to a contemporary audience. Stage manager Mike Burgtorf, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, also believed the show's themes are topical to students. "We get stuck in the machine, going to class, home, to class, to rehearsal," he said. The show questions how positive developments can have negative effects, Gabriel said. Technology such as electricity leads to the electric chair. Even today, our technological advances such as texting or self-checkout lines at stores can be "detrimental to human interaction," she said. With a play that tackles such solemn fare, the cast has found creative ways to keep their energy and morale high. "We've started making jokes up," said Kyle Encinas, a sophomore in CAS, as a fellow actor broke into a Mickey Mouse impression. CAS sophomore Liz Ennis said Gabriel also encouraged them to find the humor in the text itself, creating moments of comic relief if the audience is sharp enough to catch the dark humor. The nuggets of humor aren't the only things to which the audience can relate. Jessamyn Fuller, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, plays Young Woman, the central character trapped in the machine. The plot, though covering several years of Young Woman's life, comes across as a very personal, albeit fragmented, snapshot into a tender yet troubled mind. Fuller says she doesn't believe Young Woman is crazy, but rather a character anyone can get in touch with. David Conison, a sophomore in CAS, described the rehearsal process as "awesome." "Cara gives a lot of freedom to explore," he said. "[She] helps us find our own way." The actors' training rooted the development of such an industrialized, mechanical play. Three hours of work resulted in a three-minute sequence, Gabriel said. But it was important to her that the play become the actors' own work and creation, and the cast blossomed under such instruction. "Machinal" takes great care to keep the machine at the forefront of the audience's mind. From grinding, echoing sound effects to the cylinder-shaped set design, the play's artistic elements combine in perfect unity to support the textual themes. The lighting smoothly shifts from harsh and saturated, creating sharp silhouettes, to muted, warm tones that comfort. Lighting designer Jason Arnold isn't afraid to wash the whole stage in color, keeping the audience's eye captivated by the scene on stage. The cast and crew of "Machinal" take a risk with this dark, bold tale of murder and industrialization. Much of their success comes in their commitment to tell this story without unnecessary glamour, leaving the audience with more questions than answers. So this Valentine's Day, find your sweetheart, grab dinner and prepare to become a part of the machine that is "Machinal."
Showing today, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Greenberg Theatre. Tickets are $5 for students with ID.
