Machinal
August 7-16, 2026
The Southern Theater — Minneapolis. MN
August 20-23, 2026
St. Croix Festival Theatre — St. Croix Falls WI
Written by Sophie Treadwell
Adapted and Directed by Renee Hatton
Produced by Kym Longhi“Must-see.
…beautiful, haunting adaptation… In this ensemble’s hands, the century-old play feels, well, electric.””
“…beautifully done… visually stunning.”
“…beauty and sense of the fragility of the human spirit is abundantly present.
…a remarkable directorial debut.”
Cast
Anna Pladson — Young Woman
Alvaro Araque Jr. — Husband
Lily Jones — Mother
Matthew Wilhelm — Lover
Michael DiPrima — Doctor
The Ensemble of Ella Eastman-Kiesow, Ella Hendrickson, Gavin Wells, Nitalia Michelle, Vincent Strunk
Creative Team
Lizzy Rooney — Stage Manager
Alex Clark, Noah Carlson, Evelyn Kelly — Lighting Designers
Brigid Boente — Lyra Coach & Choreographer
Sara Erdman — Photography
Music and Sound Design — Renee Hatton
Thank you
Xelias Aerial Arts
The Minnesota Fringe Festival
The Southern Theater
Center for Performing Arts
St. Croix Festival Theatre
The University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts & Dance
This reimagined 1928 expressionistic play is about a woman trapped in a mechanized society that dictates how women should live and breathe. Her only escape is an act of murder. Full of surprising twists and turns, this production of Machinal will leave you wondering, “Can women truly escape a society built to keep them in?”
Sophie Treadwell was a journalist covering the media circus that would become the impetus for the play — the trial and execution of Ruth Snyder. At a time when most women had no choices, we’re lucky Ms Treadwell chose to tell this story, one that we still recognize today. The play opened on Broadway within a year of the events that inspired it.
Renee Hatton is a long-time member of Combustible Company. We’re proud to announce that she chose this as her directorial debut!
