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September 5 - September 29
Showtimes:
Friday & Saturday - 8 p.m.
Sunday - 2 p.m.
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All Tickets are $24
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​Depicting one woman's rebellion against her husband and society, this all-too-relevant expressionist drama explores the “machine” that oppresses women, societally and judicially. Sophie Treadwell was a Mexican American social-activist, suffragette, actor, playwright and international journalist; she covered World War I as a foreign correspondent and she was the only journalist to interview revolutionary Pancho Villa. As a journalist, Treadwell covered the sensationalized case of Ruth Snyder, who murdered her husband and was publicly executed in the electric chair. Although written almost a century ago, Machinal is a stark, magnetic play that chillingly shows how female criminality is depicted. Often included on historic lists of best American plays*, Machinal is frequently cited as a quintessential example of expressionist drama. It entered the public domain in January of 2024.
This play contains adult themes and potentially triggering content. It is most suitable for audience members aged 14+. Specific content warning information is available by emailing support@fpct.org. Haze, herbal cigarettes and flashing lights will be used.
Special thanks to: Maryvale Preparatory School, Therese McAllister, Kevin Krause, Bill Hauck, Stephanie Smith, Meredith Wheelock, Peter Messmer, and Vagabond Players.
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Production Team
Director: Deirdre McAllister
Stage Manager: Benni Rose
Movement Director: Jarod Hanson
Lighting Designer: Jaedyn Arrington
Sound Designer: Ben Craig
Costume Designer: Karen Saar
Set Designer : Justin Nepomucen
Intimacy Director: Shawna Potter
Projections: Chris Uehlinger
Assistant Stage Managers: Penelope Chan and Hannah Karnicki
Producers: Brad Norris, J Hargrove and Laura Malkus
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Cast of Characters
Young Woman: Autumn Koehnlein
First Man: Matthew Lindsay Payne
George : Will Beckstrom
Mother/Server/Nurse: Melissa Banister
Boy at Bar/Defense Lawyer: Pablo Akira Richter
Second Man/Doctor/Judge: Adrian Bagaric
Man at Bar/Clerk: Eric Boelsche
Baliff/Barber/Bellboy: Niki Jay
Telephone Girl/Reporter: Brooke Kemph
Stenographer/Woman at Bar/Reporter/Matron:
Mae Philippe-Auguste
Old Man at Bar/Prosecution/Priest: Andy Belt ​​​​​
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Bios
Autumn Koehnlein, Young Woman (she/her)
Autumn is excited to be back at FPCT. She is a local actor, producer, writer, and professional coffee slinger. Her former credits include Love and Information (FPCT), Dontrell Who Kissed The Sea (Sisters Freehold), Witness for the Prosecution (Vagabond), and Romeo and Juliet (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory). She holds a BFA in Acting from Towson University (2019) and currently works as a Standardized Patient at multiple local medical schools.
Matthew Lindsay Payne, First Man (he/him)
Education: Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT) Summer Stanislavsky School 2015. Film: Jordan - Thespian (Mindblank Productions).
Theater: Leonard Vole - Witness for the Prosecution (Vagabond Players) Soldier - A Computer That Loves (Baltimore Rock Opera Society) Cheswick - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Vagabond Players) Matthew - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged (Vagabond Players) Chet - Dirty Pictures (Rapid Lemon), Riff Raff - The Rocky Horror Show (Haute Patooties) Clov/George - Endgame/Voices in the Rubble (Rapid Lemon), Jonathan Harker - Dracula (East Lynne Theater Co.), Mr. Croup/Tooley - Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere (Cohesion Theater Company), V. - The Mesmeric Revelations of Edgar Allan Poe (Submersive Productions), Marcel - Thirteen Dead Husbands (Cohesion Theater Company), Franz Kafka - The Trap (Ambassador Theatre Company).
Will Beckstrom, George (he/him)
Will Beckstrom is happy to make his first appearance at Fells Point Corner Theatre. Past Baltimore-area roles include Jack in Laughing Stock and various roles in LOVE/SICK both at Spotlighters Theatre. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from UMD, College Park. Will would like to thank his family, as always.
Melissa Banister, Mother/Server/Nurse (she/her)
Melissa was most recently seen in Love, Loss and What I Wore (Nancy’s Mother, Gingy Alt) and How I Learned to Drive (Female Greek Chorus) at Vagabond Players and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Cassandra) at Spotlighters Theatre. Additional select credits include; Three Sisters, Dr. Charcot’s Hysteria Shows, The Great Fury of Philip Hotz, and The Firebugs. Look for Melissa in the upcoming local film, Glove Match. Melissa earned her BA in Theater and Dance from Trinity College in Harford, CT, and when not on stage, she supports Baltimore County Public School students and staff as a theatre arts teacher and instructional coach. Melissa thanks Deirdre, Jarod, and the entire cast and crew for this incredible journey into expressionism. She is forever grateful to Nicholas and Matthew for their support, inspiration, and love.
Niki Jay, Baliff/Barber/Bellboy (she/her)
Niki is absolutely thrilled to make her debut performance on the Fells Point Corner Theatre stage. A voice actor/audiobook narrator by trade (most recently featured in "Shades of Purple" by Niki Dominique), Niki has spent the last year broadening her acting horizons by stepping out of the recording booth and onto the stage. She dreams of someday working with performance capture for digital media, especially video games. When she's not auditioning for cartoons or studying in acting classes, she's tending to her many succulent plants. (None of the plants have ironic theatrical names, just in case you were wondering about that).
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Mae Philippe-Auguste, Stenographer/Woman at Bar/Reporter/Matron (she/her)
Mae is a local actor and singer. She is a recent graduate of Mount Holyoke College with a BFA in Film, Media, and Theatre. She also completed the theatre track of the Trinity/La MaMa Study Away Program in New York City. Some of her previous roles include; Jacques in As You Like It, Arnold in Exit Strategy, Grandma in Fabulation or the Re-Education of Undine, and Iff in Haroun and the Sea of Stories. While in college, she also debuted her original solo work, A Guide to Exploring Your Inner White Girl. She has done improvisational theatre as a former member of the Mental Health Players, a local social justice based improv troupe with a particular emphasis on mental health awareness. In addition to stage acting, Mae has also produced several audiobooks.
Pablo Akira Richter, Boy at Bar/Defense Lawyer (he/they)
Pablo is a Baltimore-based actor and writer. A Baltimore native, Pablo began acting at Brown University, where he originated the role of Chris in the first performance of Julia May Jonas's Your Own Personal Exegesis. He then studied film acting with Richard Waterhouse, before receiving a Practical Aesthetics scholarship to continue his studies at The Atlantic Acting School. Since returning to Baltimore last year, Pablo has performed with the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, Strand Theater, and here at Fells Point Corner Theater. You can catch Pablo next in Deathtrap at Spotlighters Theatre, November 8th-December 8th.
Adrian Bagaric, Second Man/Doctor/Judge (he/him)
Adrian is a now-Baltimore-based performer fresh off a boat from Croatia making his US stage debut here at FPCT. He attended the Academy of Arts in Osijek, Croatia where he received his degrees in Acting and Puppetry. Some of his favorite past roles include The Mistress in The Maids, Petrell in Youth is a Sickness, Captain MacNure in Ubu Roi and David in an upcoming Croatian feature film Just Between Us.
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Eric Boelsche, Man at Bar/Clerk (he/him)
Eric is a Baltimore based actor and performer and has been in a variety of works over the past decade and a half. A few favorite roles have been; Van in Dog Sees God (TU), Horst in Bent (Mobtown), Marty in The House of Yes (Mobtown), Caliban in The Tempest (Open Space Arts), and Seargent Trotter in The Mousetrap (Open Space Arts). He attended Towson University and Graduated in 2012 with a degree in theatre studies. Eric currently works as a Pre-K paraeducator in Baltimore City and couldn’t possibly do it without his theatre training.
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Brooke Kemph, Telephone Girl/Reporter (she/her)
Brooke is so excited to be returning for her second show at Fells Point Corner Theatre with this bold and impactful production! Recent credits: Fells Point Corner Theatre: Lipstick: A Queer Farce, Nextstop Theatre Company: 46 Plays for America’s First Ladies (u/s), Folger Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream (u/s); Education: George Mason University: Love's Labor’s: Quarrels and Craving’s, Hookman, Servant of Two Masters. Website: brookekemph.com Instagram: @brookekemph
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Andy Belt, Old Man at Bar/Prosecution/Priest: (he/him)
Andy is excited to be in his third production at Fells Point Corner Theatre. Previously with the company, he performed in Miss Holmes and The Mineola Twins. Elsewhere in Baltimore, he has performed with the Vagabond Players (Brighton Beach Memoirs, Broadway Bound, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, among other productions) and with Spotlighters Theatre (Laughing Stock, Love/Sick, The Mousetrap). He earned a BA in Theater from Wake Forest University.
Pablo Akira Richter, Boy at Bar/Defense Lawyer
Pablo is a Baltimore-based actor and writer. A Baltimore native, Pablo began acting at Brown University, where he originated the role of Chris in the first performance of Julia May Jonas's Your Own Personal Exegesis. He then studied film acting with Richard Waterhouse, before receiving a Practical Aesthetics scholarship to continue his studies at The Atlantic Acting School. Since returning to Baltimore last year, Pablo has performed with the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, Strand Theater, and here at Fells Point Corner Theater. You can catch Pablo next in Deathtrap at Spotlighters Theatre, November 8th-December 8th.
Deirdre McAllister, Director
FPCT is proud to welcome long-time member Deirdre McAllister back to the director's chair after helming 2020's Love and Information by Caryl Churchill. Deirdre is an interdisciplinary theatre artist and educator with a passion for experimental, collaborative work. She has experience teaching and directing at the high school and collegiate level as well as directing and performing in community and professional productions. She is currently pursuing coursework to become a registered drama therapist. Deirdre holds an MFA in Theatre from Towson University.
Deirdre McAllister, Director (she/her)
FPCT is proud to welcome long-time member Deirdre McAllister back to the director's chair after helming 2020's Love and Information by Caryl Churchill. Deirdre is an interdisciplinary theatre artist and educator with a passion for experimental, collaborative work. She has experience teaching and directing at the high school and collegiate level as well as directing and performing in community and professional productions. She is currently pursuing coursework to become a registered drama therapist. Deirdre holds an MFA in Theatre from Towson University.
Benni Rose, Stage Manager (she/her)
Benni has been released from her enclosure and is chuffed to be a part of Machinal. Benni is a current film student at Towson University and refuses to be quiet about the fact that she works on a boat in her free time. Her previous credits include Alice in Wonderland (White Rabbit), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Katrina Van Tassel), As You Like It (Phebe), Henry VIII (SM), Lipstick (SM), Miss Holmes (SM) and The Wolves (#11). She also wants everyone to know that Martin Sheen is the love of her life and if he’s reading this message, please hit her up.
Jarod Hanson, Movement Director (he/they)
Jarod is a Baltimore-based theatre artist and educator. He is a certified Margolis Method teacher and serves as Lead Faculty at the Margolis Method Center Int’l in upstate New York. He has an MFA in Theatre from Towson University where he focused on further developing his pedagogy and practice of creating empowering, actor-centered theatre. He has toured and taught internationally and is a member of the MB ADAPTORS Company, Acme Corporation, and Die-Cast ensemble. Jarod is currently working on a new solo show for the 2024 Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival entitled Flight. Collaborations include; The Lights Went Out Because of a Problem (Acme), Baal & Dix (Die-Cast), Paradise Lost (Towson), Minor Character (Wilma). Big thanks to FPCT for bringing him in to work on one of his favorite plays! More at JarodHanson.com.
Shawna Potter, Intimacy Director (she/her)
Shawna is the author of “Making Spaces Safer: A Guide to Giving Harassment the Boot Wherever You Work, Play, and Gather”, co-creator of the Safer Space Program, and a bystander intervention educator. Shawna added Intimacy Director to her resume at the start of the pandemic and has been working non-stop ever since. She is also the front person for punk band War On Women, hosts the podcast But Her Lyrics, and repairs tube amps at Big Crunch Amplifier Service & Design.
Justin Nepomuceno, Scenic Design (he/him)
Justin is a Baltimore based installation artist and designer. Previous credits include Scenic Designer for Pillar Rabbit and The Wolves at Spotlighters Theatre, Technical Direction for Wednesdays in Mississippi at Pipeline Playwrights and props artisan for Little Shop of Horrors at Ford’s Theatre, Miss Nelson is Missing at Imagination Stage, and Beautiful at Olney Theatre Center. He has collaborated with scenic designer James Raymond on Mean Girls the Musical at The Key School, and Falsettos for the Maryland Theatre Collective. Justin holds a BS/BFA in Design etc. from Towson University. @Nepoillustration
Jaeden Arrington, Lighting Design (he/him)
Jaeden Arrington is an MD-based lighting designer and programmer. Splitting time between dance, live events, and theatre Jaeden’s goal is to uplift and promote the story being told by the artist on stage. This will be Jaeden’s first production at Fells Point Corner Theatre and he is excited to embed his artistic expression into the space.
Chris Uehlinger, Projection Design (he/him)
Chris is a designer, engineer and actor based in Baltimore. His recent projects include Life of Galileo (Johns Hopkins, 2024), Lyra and the Ferocious Beast (Truepenny, 2023), The Code Switch (Sisters Freehold, 2023), High School Coven (The Strand, 2023), Love and Roar (BROS, 2022), Chess (Third Wall, 2022), Black Super Hero Magic Mama (The Strand, 2022), the Digital World Viewers at the World's Fair Expo in Dubai (Techslice, 2021), Odeon Theatrical's Augmented Theatrical Venue pilot in NYC (Shubert Theater/Hexagram, 2021). In 2020 he helped co-found The Scattered Players to stage two online immersive shows (THE BATTLE OF BROKEN MIRRORS and SHATTERED SPACE), and built an open-source online theatre platform called Promenade. Pre-COVID credits include: Love and Information (FPCT, 2019), SPACE KUMITE (BROS, 2019), Lizzie: the Musical (Guerrilla Theatre Front, 2019), Welcome to Shakesville (BROS, 2019), Thank You Dad (Rapid Lemon, 2019), The Rocky Horror Show (Haute Patooties, 2018). Portfolio: chrisuehlinger.com
Karen Saar, Costume Design (she/her)
Karen is thrilled join the artistic team for Machinal at FPCT. Karen has been producing and designing shows at elementary/middle schools and summer theatre camps in Baltimore for 25 years. Her most recent community theater credits include The Clouds at Johns Hopkins University, The Fantasticks at Vagabond Players and Dead Man’s Cell Phone, here, at FPCT.