Brewing within the theatre department, the upcoming production of Machinal is steadily approaching! For those of you who aren’t aware, Machinal is written by Sophie Treadwell in the 1920s. The premise takes place in this period in New York City, starring a young woman named Helen who works as a stenographer in a bleak office building, struggling to become a part of the colorless, calculated societal norm. It’s an expressionist play that explores themes of women’s oppression in a patriarchal society. To get more of an inside scoop, I’ve interviewed both Nelson Barre, the director of the production, alongside Allison Dunnegan, the leading actress playing Helen about their thoughts on the show!
Q: “Why did you choose Machinal as a part of the Fall 2024 line up?”
Nelson: “Every third year we do something from the theatre history curriculum that’s a style piece because we believe it’s better to learn something by doing it rather than just reading. The students resonate with the themes and issues in the play, which is a major part of it…. getting to live in that world and do the style is a big thing.”
Q: “What’s your main goal and purpose with this production?”
Nelson: “My main goal is to get people to think of this play – which is 94 years old – to see that it is still happening. The pieces of it that feel outdated…are still quite prevalent in our modern society, and we still have inequality with how women are treated in the world. There are all different kinds of humanity despite the Machinal aspects, but part of it is that we’re supposed to see ourselves in it and come to terms with what that means…”
Q: “What is something you admire about your character, Helen, and why?”
Allison: “I admire her commitment to finding her joy. Although she faces her own set of issues, she never loses sight of what’s important to her.”
Q: “What should audiences be excited to see in the upcoming production?”
Allison: “They should be excited to see an intensely emotional show brought to life through wonderful people who share a passion for theatre!”
Don’t miss Machinal on November 14th-16th at 7:30PM next week in the Olin theatre!
Zachary Bayers
Staff Reporter
