Machinal

This production of Machinal features Loud noises, flashing lights, and simulated vomiting. It also makes references to death, murder, racism, sexism, and capitalism.

Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal holds significant relevance in today’s context due to its timeless exploration of societal themes, particularly the subjugation of the individual within mechanized, oppressive systems. Written in the 1920s, Machinal reflects a young woman’s entrapment in societal mechanisms akin to machinery, symbolizing the constraints imposed by societal norms, gender roles, the industrial age and capitalism. In our contemporary world, where discussions around individual agency, gender, and societal pressures are prominent, staging Machinal offers a lens through which audiences can examine and question the ongoing challenges individuals face in navigating societal expectations, advocating for autonomy, and resisting conformity. The play’s themes of female body autonomy, the dehumanizing effects of societal mechanisms, and the struggle against oppressive forces remain relevant today, encouraging audiences to contemplate the impact of societal structures on personal freedom, individuality, and the quest for self-determination.

As a theatre company, the 4th year actors and I had many questions approaching this work because autonomy within societal structures enmeshed with gaslighting, capitalism, patriarchy, misogyny, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and gender conformity presented us with a paradoxical challenge. Recognizing and understanding the influence of these systems was the initial step. Cultivating critical awareness, fostering a supportive training and rehearsal community, and engaging in continuous self-reflection through meditation and the empowerment of dramaturgy, allowed us to ask each other the question of how can theatre advocate for systemic change? Embracing continual self-empowerment and adaptation while challenging and redefining the narratives imposed by these systems helped us to navigate these complexities.

We invite the audience to investigate their own contributions to the machine and to continue the conversation with us.

Suggested reading:
-Smith, W. (1998). Sophie Treadwell: a Research and Production Sourcebook. Greenwood Publishing Group.
-Treadwell, S. (2013). Machinal. Broadway Play Publishing Inc.
-Delgado, R. (1989). Critical race theory: The cutting edge. Temple University Press.
-hooks, b. (2015). Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. Routledge.
-Freire, P. (1997). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Bloomsbury Academic.

THE MACHINE:

Amani “Kojo” is a fourth year BFA actor from Queens,New York. He first made his debut in Everybody (Kinship,Mind, Somebody C), followed by Our town (Mr.Webb), Road (Joey), Orpheus Descending (Conjure man), Good Goods (Truth), and Heroes of the fourth Turning (Justin). He would like to send a thank you to the faculty of the program as well as his family and friends that show him support.

Isabella Rodriguez is a fourth year BFA actress from Buffalo NY purchase credits include: Our Town (Mrs.Webb), Road (Louise), Orpheus Descending (Lady Torrence), and Orestes (Tyndareus). Much love to her family and everyone who believed in her she’s eternally grateful.

Daniel Bravo is a Mexican-Dominican fourth year BFA actor from NYC. His credits include but are not limited to Stage Manager (Our Town), Val Xavier (Orpheus Descending), and Menelaus (Orestes). He wants to give a huge thanks to purchase alumni Brian D. Hills, Clara Bello, his parents, and stage management.

Daniel Madigan is a fourth year BFA actor from Bulgaria. Purchase Rep credits include: Road (Scullery), Orpheus Descending (Jabe), Orestes (Pylades) @manieldad.

Jacquernst F. Filias is a fourth year Haitian born Brooklyn based BFA Actor. His past credits include Mayor and Third Hunter in “F*cking A”, Stacey in “Good Goods”, Eddie in “Road”, Dr Gibbs in “Our Town”. He thanks his amazing SM and DT crew. He also thanks everyone involved in this production. He thanks his family, friends and his mentor Brian D. Hills

Jamie McQuagge is a fourth year BFA actor from Miami, Florida. Her past credits at SUNY Purchase include Emily in Our Town, Claire in Road, Dolly in Orpheus Descending, Hermione in Orestes, and First Lady in Fucking A. She thanks everyone involved in this production and her family.

Joshua Boyce is a 21 year old triple threat. Born in Barbados Josh studied dance and music at a very young age when he moved to New York at the age of four. Along his journey Josh fell in love with theater when he debuted in the leading role of boy #1 in the polar express.  Remember his name JOSHUA BOYCE it will be popping up everywhere in theater very soon. A quote he lives by is “look with your eyes see with your heart” and he encourages you all to do the same. His credits are Simon Stimson (Our Town), Molly (Road), Wire (Good Goods), Monster (Fucking A.).

Katherine West is a fourth year BFA actor at Purchase College from Santa Clarita, CA. Her previous Purchase credits include Road (Carol), Orpheus Descending (Vee), Orestes (Electra), and Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Gina). West would like to thank director Budi Miller for the gift of this challenging role and the constant encouragement. She also sends her deepest thanks to her family, faculty, and the entire cast & crew of Machinal.

Kelsey Collins is a fourth year BFA actor from Libertyville, Illinois. Purchase Rep include: Our Town (Julia Gibbs), Road (Lane/Valerie), Orpheus Descending (Carol Cutrere) and Orestes (Helen/Chorus) and Heroes of The Fourth Turning (Teresa). Other credits include work in many student films. Kelsey would like to thank Budi!! As well as her family, friends, teachers, and company.

Leo Osborn (he/him) is a fourth year BFA actor from Charlotte, North Carolina. Past Purchase Rep credits include: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Kevin), Orestes (Orestes), Orpheus Descending (Beulah Binnings), Road (various), and Our Town (George Gibbs). Many thanks to his partner, family, and friends, as well as Budi Miller and the magnificent cast and crew!

Lucia Rogerson is a fourth year BFA actor born and raised in New York City. Purchase Rep credits so far include Our Town (Rebecca Gibbs, Joe/Si Crowell), Road (Dor, Marion), Orpheus Descending (Eva Temple), Orestes (Messenger, Chorus), and Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Emily). Lucia dedicates this and every performance to her family- Robin, Gus, and Frankie.

​Micah Abrams is a fourth year BFA actor from Montclair, New Jersey. Past Purchase Credits include Orestes (Apollo) Orpheus Descending (Sheriff Talbott) Our Town (Professor Willard/Man Among the Dead) and Road (Prof & Curt). He thanks the people in his life that have helped him grow, family, teachers, and friends. Follow the IG @themabrams #trusttheprocess.

Ryley St.Rose-Finear is a fourth year acting student and is so proud to start her last year off with Fucking A. Past credits include Our Town, Road, Orpheus Descending and Good Goods. Special thanks to my two moms for their constant love and support, and my sister she’s cool too.

Steven Rutledge (he/him) is a fourth year BFA actor from Brooklyn, New York. Purchase Rep credits include: Sweat (Evan), Our Town (Wally Webb/Constable Warren), Road (Jerry/Barry), and Good Goods (Waymon as Hunter Priestess. Other credits include A Few Good Men (Kendrick), Peter and The Starcatcher (Ted), and Legally Blonde (Emmett Forrest). He’s eternally grateful for this opportunity, and huge thanks to his friends, family, and everyone else who supports him!

PRODUCTION & CREATIVE:

Ana Karen Esparza Aguilar is a fourth year BFA stage management student in theatre design/technology. Other Purchase credits include: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (PSM), Twelfth Night (SM), Conduct of Life (SM). Ella le quiere agradecer a su Abuelo Miguel, familia, amigues, gatos y cualquiera que apoye este sueño.”

Arielle Moore is a recent 2023 graduate from SUNY Purchase’s BFA Acting Program and this is her first assistant directing experience. Her recent Purchase credits are: Jacinta Condor in Serious Money and Feste in Twelfth Night. She would like to thank Budi Miller for giving her this amazing opportunity to assist him on Machinal and sends her appreciation to the whole production team and crew for their hard work and dedication! She is grateful to have worked with Company 48 as well as assistant-direct with her fellow Company 47-mate Sanise Lebron.

Ellie McIntyre is a current third-year stage manager from Noblesville, IN. Their past Purchase credits include, ‘Good Goods’ (ASM), ‘Senior Showcase’ (ASM), and ‘Arcana’ (ASM). Other credits include Cape Playhouse 2023 Season (PA), and Prototype Festival (PA). They would like to thank their Grandparents for seeing every show they’ve done at Purchase.

Mariyah Harvey is a third year playwriting/screenwriting and communications dual major from Mount Vernon, New York. Many thanks to her family, friends and everyone who brought her through this journey.

Ryan Dziedziech is a professional scenic and costume designer and a SUNY Purchase alumnus. Previous credits include What to Send Up When it Goes Down, Fen, Bibles & Candy, and The Brothers Size. Special thanks to Budi, a terrific collaborator, Lauren, Richard, and Mom for love and support.

Sanise Lebron is a Bronx native actor, who received her BFA from the Acting Conservatory at SUNY Purchase 23’ . Her recent credits include: Cyrano De Bergerac (Roxane), The Conduct of Life (Nena), and Barbecue (Marie). She would like to thank the entire cast and crew for making this project such a fun and memorable experience. She’s grateful for this opportunity and hopes you enjoy our Machine.

Will Schwerin is a second year BFA Theater Design/Technology major from San Diego, California. His purchase credits include Serious Money (A1), Conduct of life (A1), Orpheus Descending (Deck LX), The Attic (A1), Fucking A (ASM). Other credits include Little Mermaid (Assistant Sound Designer), and 8:03 (Assistant Sound/Lighting Designer). He thanks his parents, his god mother, and his girlfriend Lexie. 

Dr. Budi Miller is the former Head of Acting at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne (UoM), Australia (the 1st black person to hold this position at one of the top 3 drama schools in Australia). He is the Co-Artistic Director of The Theatre of Others; a Lead Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework, a certified integrative studies practitioner; and an UNESCO designated master teacher of mask work. He teaches acting through Balinese Performing Art Training (BPAT) with Mask Work, Fitzmaurice Voicework, Michael Chekhov, Clown, Viewpoints, and Grotowski. He holds a B.F.A. in theatre from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a PhD in Practice-as-Research from the University of Melbourne.

He has been an actor-director-writer-teacher in the United States, Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia since 1992. He is a Balinese mask dancer and the first teacher to bring Fitzmaurice Voicework to Denmark, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Malaysia, China and Indonesia.

He coached Michelle Williams for her Academy Award nominated performance in Ang Lee’s movie Brokeback Mountain; Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country: HBO, The Harder They Fall: Netflix, Ant Man III: Marvel, Creed III: MGM, Magazine Dreams: Tall Street Productions); and works extensively with Julian Elijah Martinez (Wu-Tang: An American Saga: Hulu). He has had the privilege of coaching and inspiring actors in many mediums: Broadway, HBO, Marvel Films, Netflix, Showtime, major international film markets and theatres around the world.

He has been on the faculties of The Victorian College of the Arts UoM (2017-2023), The Chautauqua Theater Company (2004-2018), LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore (2009-2017). He has taught at Yale School of Drama, The Juilliard School, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, The Actors Center, Wayne State (MFA), The New School (MFA), SUNY Purchase College, University of Southern California, The Bill Esper Studio, Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, The National Theatre Institute, Howard University, Western michigan University, The National University of Singapore, The Queensland Theatre Company (Brisbane), Curtin University (Perth), and the Michael Chekhov Conference 2002.

He was the Executive Director of the International Antonin Artaud Fringe Theatre Festival 2008. He was a featured presenter at the International VASTA conference in Mexico City 2010 and London 2014. He was the conference director for the first VASTA conference in Asia (Singapore) 2017.

Published Work:

“Artist Text” GABAN, (in process video Still) 2022, Brook Andrew, The National 4 Australian Art Now, 2023

“Whose body is dis: taksu, ase, Black queer intersections, and the awakening of the actor’s spiritual practice,” Miller, A, (2023), Stages of Reckoning: Antiracist and Decolonial Actor Training, Amy Ginther (ed)

“The Lion and the Breath: Combining Kalaripayattu and Fitzmaurice Voicework Techniques Towards a New Cross-Cultural Methodology for Actor Training” de Roza, E., & Miller, B. (2018). Journal of Embodied Research, 1(1), 1 (20:41).

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College.