Tag Archives: Rogue Machine

Theatre Review: Human Error

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The first scene is the portent of what’s coming for Madelyn (Kristen Vaganos) and Sameer (Kapil Talwalkar). Trying IVF to get pregnant, they learn of a mix-up at Dr. Hoskins’ clinic. Their embryo was inadvertently implanted into another woman’s uterus. Dr. Hoskins (Andrew Hawtrey) apologizes, but he’s punched in the face.

Madelyn and Sameer have no other choice but to establish a relationship with the couple that received their embryo. Enter Heather (Lauren Burns) and Jim (Kiel Kennedy). They agree to carry Madelyn and Sameer’s fetus and give the baby to them once it is born. But there is a problem. Madelyn and Sameer are blue, progressive, pro-choice, and racially diverse. Heather and Jim, on the other hand, are red, conservative, pro-life, and White. Can both couples forge a relationship for nine months being so different?

There might be some clichés here and there, but the comedy is exceptional. Kennedy shines in his portrayal of the firearms-loving tough guy, Ohio State fan, and successful business owner. His presence and voice project confidently the stern demeanor of a typical conservative individual. The five actors deliver a light and effective comedy that helps bring forward some pressing issues in today’s divided society. In a time when politicians are asking Americans to tone it down, this play couldn’t be more timely.

The schism between red and blue—referring to the conservative Republicans and the progressive Democrats—is a contentious element that ends up bringing together both couples. The human error at the clinic, forces these individuals to see each other eye to eye. Human error leads to human connection. Former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzales once said that nothing replaces a meeting in person. We have the opportunity to listen, and even understand the other position.

Playwright Eric Pfeffinger uses the red and blue stances to prove that right or wrong is in the eye of the beholder. Despite their differences, connecting in person allowed both couples to know each other at a deeper level.

Director Joshua Bitton translates the core of the play into a comedic and thoughtful expression of divergent ideas, leading up to the questioning of our own beliefs. The play exposes the diversity of America and gives the audience the chance to explore the validity of the other person’s perspective. Pro-choice, pro-life, what do they even mean?

Human Error

ROGUE MACHINE (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(Street parking)

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, August 10, 2024
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays; 3pm Sundays
Closing: September 1, 2024

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre

Written by Eric Pfeffinger. Directed by Joshua Bitton. Produced by: Guillermo Cienfuegos. A Rogue Machine Production. Age recommendation 13+.

Cast: Lauren Burns as Heather. Andrew Hawtrey as Dr. Hoskins. Kiel Kennedy as Jim. Kapil Talwalkar as Sameer. Kristen Vaganos as Madelyn.

Creative team: James Morris (Scenic Design), Rachel Manheimer (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Christine Cover Ferro (Costume Design).

Theatre Review: Baby Foot

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Rogue Machine presents The West Coast Premiere of Baby Foot. Written and directed by Tim Venable. Produced by John Perrin Flynn, Guillermo Cienfuegos, Brett Aune, Clay Hollander. Associate Producers: Justin Okin, Rebecca Larsen. A Rogue Machine Production.

Alexis (Hope Lauren) says “I’m afraid to leave”. Blackie (Daniele Dorr) answers “I’m afraid to stay”. In Tim Venable‘s Baby Foot, the rehab center becomes heavens, hell, and the purgatory at the same time. As in many cases, the drugs in the story are used to induce a delirium between reality and fiction, a tool to bury the pain, specially the emotional one.

Reading between lines, it seems that Alexis had emotional scars derived from sexual abuse. She is a musician, planning to move to New York to start a new life. She projects an image of self-confidence that sounds cliché at the beginning. But as the story unfolds, she displays a sense of insecurity and an urgent need of human connection that is disarming enough to capture Blackie’s attention. Although she has the will to turn her life around and leave her drug days behind, she is still a human being with the potential to fail in the blink of an eye.

As for Blackie, he is in rehab due to a court order. He is married and has a son. He is a manager and also an actor. He seems cocky at first, but as usual, it’s just a facade to conceal his weakness. He is terrified about failing to complete the rehab program. His distress is so obvious that Alexis feels compelled to offer her support. At that point, they start connecting on a deeper level. However, under those unstable circumstances, that relationship can easily turn into a support system or a self-destruction journey, leading to a life or death situation.

Keeping everything together at the rehab center is Fred (Paul DeBoy), a drug addict that came into the center years go and stayed as a handyman. He has seen it all and helps people to complete the program. He is also very discreet when he sees the shenanigans going around among the addicts.

Tim Venable delves into the possible outcomes of drug addiction. He provides hope, but is also fully aware of the recovery mantra “one day at a time”. Alexis’ hesitation to leave and Blackie’s hesitation to stay reflect the uncertainty of what the future holds. It also provides an incentive for the characters to create a dynamic relationship where the weakness of one motivates the strength of the other, in a vicious circle of attractive fragility. The beginning of the rehab program can be as terrifying as the end of it, as there’s no guarantee of success. Nevertheless, Venable shows that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s just a matter of personal willingness to get there.

Baby Foot

Rogue Machine (Upstairs at the Henry Murray Stage in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Opening: 5pm on Saturday, October 14, 2023
Schedule: 7pm Fridays, 5pm Saturdays and Sundays, 8pm Mondays
(No performances on Monday October 30th)
Closing: November 20, 2023

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

Written and directed by Tim Venable. Cast: Hope Lauren, Daniele Dorr, and Paul DeBoy. Produced by John Perrin Flynn, Guillermo Cienfuegos, Brett Aune, Clay Hollander. Associate Producers: Justin Okin, Rebecca Larsen. A Rogue Machine Production. Creative team: Dane Bowman, Joe McClean (Production Design/TD), Leanna Keyes (Sound
Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Consultant), Victoria Hoffman (Casting).
Recommended for ages 18+

 

Baby Foot poster
A scene from Baby Foot
A scene from Baby Foot
A scene from Baby Foot

Theatre Review: Heroes of the Fourth Turning

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Rogue Machine presents the Southern California premiere of Heroes of the Fourth Turning. Written by Will Arbery. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Produced by Justin Okin and John Perrin Flynn.

Playwright Will Arbery explores deep and philosophical questions in a play with intense dialogue and honest points of view that might diverge from the politically correct message of the mainstream media. The characters in the play show some existential crises that expose their vulnerabilities and lead them to question their positions and commitments as conservative White Catholics. Will they reinforce their positions, or will they try to merge with a world that is leaning more towards inclusion and acceptance?

In Heroes of the Fourth Turning, four young conservatives gather to celebrate Gina (Roxanne Hart), the new president of their Catholic college. Justin (Stephen Tyler Howell) appears self-confident at first. However, by the end of the play, is evident that he is as confused and afraid as the rest. He believes in the Benedict Option, in the safety of seclusion to avoid temptations. He seems more resolute to stay within his bubble of conservatism, contrary to Kevin (Samuel Garnett), who is exploring the possibility of moving to New York to face the temptations of an urban setting to test his commitment to his faith, although one temptation he hasn’t been able to resist is alcohol.

For Emily (Emily James), living with a painful disease is a form of perpetual sacrifice, The Eucharist, the presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Maybe something worthy can come out of that pain. Like many artists may agree, beautiful art can be created out of sheer misery. The pain has made her more empathetic for sure, but it has taken a toll on her faith and perception of life. A breaking point seems to be building up.

Teresa (Evangeline Edwards), a fan of Steve Bannon and supporter of Donald Trump, is a determined and hardcore conservative who proclaims that a war is around the corner and White Catholics need to be ready to fight, instilling fear to an already ambivalent Kevin. In her eyes, is a war instigated by liberals to demonize and destroy White America. She is a firm believer of the controversial Fourth Turning, a Strauss-Howe generational theory with four mood eras, or turnings: High, Awakening, Unraveling, and Crisis. Teresa might be perceived as just a racist conservative pundit, but through her lines, she is pursuing something else: “You call us racist, we’ll call you racist. You call us white, we’ll call you black…But you stop doing that,…we’ll stop too.” What she proposes is a forum to exchange opinions, “a republic of ideas,” something more Hegelian: Thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Maybe with a little bit of cocaine on the side.

Gina on the other hand, lies somewhere in the middle. As time went by, she has changed positions and is now a moderate conservative. She regrets supporting Pat Buchanan in the past and despises Donald Trump. She is considered a leader to the four young conservatives meeting tonight, but clashes with Teresa, who is left surprised and confused with Gina’s moderate conservatism.

Guillermo Cienfuegos continues to deliver impactful productions in his successful directorial endeavors. In Heroes of the Fourth Turning, he turns a script with heavy dialogue into a funny, entertaining, and highly engaging play with a fantastic selection of actors that achieve masterly performances. The five thespians create characters with actions, reactions, and vulnerabilities that bring to life the cleverness and depth of Arbery’s writting.   

Whether the characters’ intentions are to create another AFA or a new Orania, that is an open question. But what’s interesting here is that the characters argue and debate, weakening and strengthening their faith. Mainly, it’s a story where White Catholics express their concerns and explore the strategies for their future to ensure their survival. It’s a safe place to nurture their common values while attempting to elevate their consciousness and love to greater heights. Maybe, at the end, they’ll all be able to reach the summit and be united as one. For everything that rises must converge. 

Heroes of the Fourth Turning

ROGUE MACHINE (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(Street parking)

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, August 19, 2023
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays
Closing: October 2, 2023

Tickets: https://www.roguemachinetheatre.org/

Written by Will Arbery. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Cast: Roxanne Hart, Evangeline Edwards, Samuel Garnett, Stephen Tyler Howell, and Emily James. Creative team: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Scenic Design), Dan Weingarten (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Christine Cover Ferro (Costume Design), John Perrin Flynn (Dramaturg), Victoria Hoffman (Casting Director). Produced by: Justin Okin, John Perrin Flynn. A Rogue Machine Production.

Heroes of the Fourth Turning poster
An image of Heroes of the Fourth Turning
An image of Heroes of the Fourth Turning

Theatre Review: can i touch it?

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The NNPN Rolling World Premiere of can i touch it? is presented by Rogue Machine. Written by francisca da silveira. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Produced by John Perrin Flynn and Guillermo Cienfuegos.

Shay Solomon (Safiya Fredericks) is trying to save her wig and hair care business from an aggressive plan to buy foreclosed real state by Patron Bank. A 6% mortgage increase has make it difficult to Shay to stay in business, and after being denied a business loan by the same bank, she’s running out of options. To complicate things, her daughter Ruth (Iesha Daniels) is about to start college.

Meanwhile, Shay’s niece, Meeka (Suzen Baraka), is taking care of the shop . Unbeknownst to her, Shay is thinking of selling the business. Once Ruth lets Meeka know about Shay’s intention to sell, Meeka turns to social media to ignite a smear campaign against Patron Bank. The consequences can put pressure on the bank, but can also turn against Shay, as she is trying to be more diplomatic with the bank.

Da silveira uses Black women’s hair as a continuum in the play to emphasize society’s perception of Black women and their subsequent discrimination. After all, hair has been a contentious element in the Black experience in America. Take, for example, a natural Black hairstyle such as the afro. This style has been a symbol of resistance, widely used by the Black Panther Party and figures like Angela Davis. In that case, it’s no longer a fashion statement, it’s an emblem of empowerment. For Shay, being in the business of hair styling and fighting back against a bank that is trying to take it away from her is a summary of what African Americans have endured throughout the years when they try to move up the ladder. But just like the afro style, the characters Shay and Meeka symbolize the resistance and the power of community to survive and thrive despite the adversities.

The play unveils the real motivations behind the gentrification efforts seen in some distressed areas. The script tries to reveal, through a series of questions and answers, the connection between race relations and symbols that have been ingrained in American society since the inception of the country. Director Gregg T. Daniel uses the characters, in this instance the bank employees (Scott Victor Nelson/Suzen Baraka), to represent the disdain and discrimination towards the Black community and the subtle actions taken to block their progress.

There is a reason why braids, locs, twists, and bantu knots have been included in the CROWN Act, a law that prohibits the denial of employment and educational opportunities based on race-based hairstyles. can i touch it? is not only and entertaining stage production; it’s also a sociopolitical commentary on perceptions and racial inequalities.

can i touch it?

ROGUE MACHINE (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(Street parking)

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, May 6
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays through June 11, 2023
Closing: June 11, 2023

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

Written by francisca da silveira. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Cast: Safiya Fredericks, Suzen Baraka, Iesha Daniels, and Scott Victor Nelson. Produced by: John Perrin Flynn and Guillermo Cienfuegos. Associate Producer: Mildred Marie Langford. A Rogue Machine Production. Creative Team: Mark Mendelson (Scenic Design), Leigh Allen (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Wendell Carmichael (Costume and Wig Design), Ashley Crow (Prop Design), Joyce Guy (Movement Design), Lindsay Jenkins (Dramaturge).        

can i touch it? poster
can i touch it?
A scene from can i touch it?
can i touch it? Safiya Fredericks Suzen Baraka Iesha Daniels. Photo by Jeff Lorch.
A scene from can i touch it?
can i touch it? Suzen Baraka and Iesha Daniels. Photo by Jeff Lorch.

Theatre Review: Blue

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The World Premiere of Blue is presented by Rogue Machine. Written by June Carryl. Directed by Michael Matthews. Produced by Sara Fenton, Kila Kitu, Mildred Langford, Tarina Pouncy, and Betsy Zajko. A Rogue Machine Production.

As some police officers were seen participating in the events in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, writer June Carryl asks if there is a link between those events and some instances of police brutality. In Blue, police sergeant Sully (John Colella), who is White, is facing criminal charges in the killing of a Black veteran who was stopped for expired tags. Interrogating Sully about the incident is detective Parker (Julanne Chidi Hill), who is Black. We soon find out that they’ve known each other for a long time, but the initial friendly interaction starts to take a turn for the worst.

Sully and Parker’s husband were police partners, something that holds its own secrets and becomes crucial in the way Sully and Parker think of each other. Sully was also one of the cops seen participating in the Capitol riot on January 2021. A picture of his involvement in that incident is now being used to determine his bias towards the killing of the Black veteran. Once Parker asks more questions about the events that led to the shooting of the veteran, Sully discloses more details that start to reveal his real motivations and perhaps even his predisposition for violence and racism. 

The interaction between Sully and Parker is somehow a metaphor of the relationship between Blacks and Whites in America in a larger scale, friendly at times, but distrustful and sometimes even violent in other instances. One thing that stands out in Blue is the fact that negative emotions seem to be always close to the surface in a latent state, ready to explode at the first provocation. In the case of the two characters, their apparent close and friendly relationship didn’t erase the resentment that has existed for hundreds of years between both races.

Sully sees himself as a patriot, betrayed by society for upholding the law as a citizen and police officer. Parker sees herself as a victim of a system that still treats her as a second class citizen. Carryl’s script is sharp and painful, but as close to reality as it can be. Colella and Hill’s visceral performances will trigger strong emotions that, despite their vicious nature, feel cathartic at the end. Director Michael Matthews achieves of all of this with just a light, a table, and two chairs. The set is arranged as an interrogation room; it is a closed and suffocating space, “like a pressure cooker” in the words of Matthews. Blue is an unfiltered view of what lies under the surface of apparent civilized relationships. It is an impactful image that needs to be analyzed on our path to mutual understanding.  

Blue

ROGUE MACHINE (The Henry Murray Stage upstairs at the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Street parking

Opening at 8pm on Friday, April 7, 2023
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays
Closing: May 14, 2023

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

Written by June Carryl. Directed by Michael Matthews. Cast: John Colella and Julanne Chidi Hill. Produced by Sara Fenton, Kila Kitu, Mildred Langford, Tarina Pouncy, and Betsy Zajko. A Rogue Machine Production. Creative team: Joe McClean and Dane Bowman (Production Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design).

Blue poster
A scene from Blue
A scene from Blue
A scene from Blue

Theatre Review: Come Get Maggie

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Rogue Machine presents the world premiere of Come Get Maggie. Written by Diane Frolov. Lyrics by Diane Frolov and Susan Justin. Music by Susan Justin. Directed by Michael Pressman.

 

Somewhere in the 30s, there was a girl who dreamed of the stars and the possibilities of alien life. That girl grew up to be a physicist in the 50s, defying the expectations of society at the time. That girl is Maggie (Melanie Neilan), whose parents, Mrs. Wyberry (Melissa Jobe) and Mr. Wyberry (Bruce Nozick), expect her to get married and live a suburban and conservative life. From there, things get more complicated for Maggie. Her research in physics is used to invent the H bomb, something she opposes. Disappointed, she quits physics and gives in to her parents’ wishes.

 

Maggie marries Hugh (Chase Ramsey), who doesn’t disclose he is a widow with two kids. He also has a nosy aunt, Auntie Ruthie (Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield, Rapunzel Alone, A Great Wilderness) who disapproves of Maggie. After moving in with Hugh, Maggie is introduced to the Mother Militia, a group of housewives with issues of their own. 

 

Hugh wants Maggie to be a traditional good wife. One that stays home cooking and taking care of the kids, and just like Paul in the Paul Lynde Show, he expects Maggie to have his martini ready when he gets home. But there is an incident that turns things upside down. Maggie gets kidnapped by aliens commanded by Varex (Dennis Renard, Three Tables). 

 

This musical looks back in time to an era when “America was standing at the summit of the world”, as stated by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. At the time, America was fully involved in a nascent space industry—the set is reminiscent of the space movies and cartoons of the era. The 1950s were also considered by many the golden age of America, a post-WWII society that experienced an accelerated growth both in population and accumulation of wealth. Diane Frolov snaps pictures of the Fertility Valleys and their typical lifestyle, where everything looked perfectly manicured and in order. But Frolov also touches on what was happening underneath that apparent perfect world, the marginalization of certain sectors of society, such as women and members of the LGBT community. Women had little opportunities for career advancement and cross dressing could mean a career suicide for any man who dared to do it.             

 

This space romance musical has fabulous singers and the actors deliver comedy and kinetics that keep the audience engaged and entertained. Even though this is the first musical produced by the team, this first try is a good start to expand their repertory offerings. 

 

The cast: Melanie Neilan, Melissa Jobe, Bruce Nozick, Philip Casnoff, Dennis Renard, Chase Ramsey, Eddie Vona, Jacqueline Lorraine Schofield, Beth Egan, Nicole Ledoux, Sarah Hinrichsen, and Alan Trinca.    

 

Come Get Maggie

Written by Diane Frolov. Directed by Michael Pressman. Music by Susan Justin. Lyrics by Diane Frolov and Susan Justin. Produced by: John Perrin Flynn (A Rogue Machine Production).

 

Rogue Machine (in the Matrix Theatre)

7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

(Street parking)

 

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, February 11, 2023

8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays

Closing: March 26, 2023

 

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

 

Creative team: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Set Design), Ric Zimmerman (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Dana Rebecca Woods (Costume Design), Albin Konopka (Music Supervisor and incidental music), Michele Do (Music Director), Brooke Wendle (Choreographer), Nicholas Santiago (Video Design), Glenn Michael Baker (Assistant Set Design & Props Head).

 

 

Come Get Maggie poster
A scene from Come Get Maggie
A scene from Come Get Maggie
A scene from Come Get Maggie