deus ex machina
by liz fisher
based on the oresteia
world premier
January 2015 at the Rollins Theatre, Austin Texas
Winner, Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Award for Best Original Play
Winner, B. Iden Payne Award for Stage Management, Stephanie Delk
Winner, B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement,
Robert Matney, Benjamin Bradley, Tim Thomas
Nomination, B. Iden Payne Award for Featured Actress in a Drama, Robin Grace Thompson
Nomination, Austin Critic's Table Award for Best Actor in a Play, Matt Radford
Winner, B. Iden Payne Award for Stage Management, Stephanie Delk
Winner, B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement,
Robert Matney, Benjamin Bradley, Tim Thomas
Nomination, B. Iden Payne Award for Featured Actress in a Drama, Robin Grace Thompson
Nomination, Austin Critic's Table Award for Best Actor in a Play, Matt Radford
In the Press:
"But what has truly made Deus such a knock-out performance is that the show does not get overwhelmed by all of the shiny innovative new technology. Fisher has assembled a cast of Austin theatre's finest, but this show does not coast along on mere talent. The hard work, effort, and dedication required from the cast, crew, and production team really shine; this show is raw, it has a pulse, and it is excellently executed."
—Anonymous Austin Theatre Critic
"...Deus Ex Machina rips characters from Greek mythology and throws them into a gladiator ring. Through the power of Zeus, the audience is transformed into gods and battle it out like clashing titans to determine the fates of the infamous characters of the House of Atreus: Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Electra, and Orestes. This malleable roller-coaster of a narrative ultimately tracks to 1 of 12 potential story lines, plus even more opportunities to exercise dramatic omnipotence for 12,288 possible experiences."
—The Well
"Nothing spells drama like actors and audience both vying for power from a Greek oracle. Deus Ex Machina, isn’t your typical theatrical production. Robert Matney, Co-Artistic Director at Whirilgig Productions, built out an entirely new way for audience and actors to not only interact with a story, but build it in realtime via Twilio SMS."
--Twilio
"The advanced technology did not leave behind the basics of drama, but melded with them, most particularly with the large and mostly exceptional cast. They were an intense, forward-leaning group, clearly comfortable with everything from ensemble dancing and singing to intense monologues and dialogues confronting the extremes of human existence."
--CTX Live Theatre
Austin Chronicle
"But what has truly made Deus such a knock-out performance is that the show does not get overwhelmed by all of the shiny innovative new technology. Fisher has assembled a cast of Austin theatre's finest, but this show does not coast along on mere talent. The hard work, effort, and dedication required from the cast, crew, and production team really shine; this show is raw, it has a pulse, and it is excellently executed."
—Anonymous Austin Theatre Critic
"...Deus Ex Machina rips characters from Greek mythology and throws them into a gladiator ring. Through the power of Zeus, the audience is transformed into gods and battle it out like clashing titans to determine the fates of the infamous characters of the House of Atreus: Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Electra, and Orestes. This malleable roller-coaster of a narrative ultimately tracks to 1 of 12 potential story lines, plus even more opportunities to exercise dramatic omnipotence for 12,288 possible experiences."
—The Well
"Nothing spells drama like actors and audience both vying for power from a Greek oracle. Deus Ex Machina, isn’t your typical theatrical production. Robert Matney, Co-Artistic Director at Whirilgig Productions, built out an entirely new way for audience and actors to not only interact with a story, but build it in realtime via Twilio SMS."
--Twilio
"The advanced technology did not leave behind the basics of drama, but melded with them, most particularly with the large and mostly exceptional cast. They were an intense, forward-leaning group, clearly comfortable with everything from ensemble dancing and singing to intense monologues and dialogues confronting the extremes of human existence."
--CTX Live Theatre
Austin Chronicle
Cast
Lowell Bartholomee - Zeus
Matt Radford - Agamemnon
Katherine Catmull - Clytemnestra
Cami Alys - Electra
Chase Brewer - Orestes
Justin Scalise - Pylades
Judd Farris - Aegisthus
Robin Grace Thompson - Cassandra
Hildreth England - High Priestess
Dany Casey, Kelly Hasandras, Jessica Hughes, Rebecca Pearcy - Priestesses
Production Staff
Liz Fisher - Director
Lily Wolff - Assistant Director
Stephanie Delk - Stage Manager
Emily Rankin - Assistant Stage Manager
Benjamin Bradley, Robert Matney, Tim Thomas - Technology
Justin J. Smith - Set Designer
Megan M. Reilly - Lighting Designer
Jamie Urban - Costume Designer
Kenneth Mockler - Sound Designer
Lowell Bartholomee - Videographer
Kelly Hasandras, Robin Grace Thompson - Choreographers
Joseph Garlock - Fight Choreographer
Ellie McBride - Dramaturg
Jeremy Brown - Production Manager
Reagan Tankersley, Brooks Naylor - Production Assistants
Jim Hankinson - Greek Translator
Jennifer Rose Davis - Mask Design
Brock Boudoin, Max Lekavage, Avery Rogers, Kenneth Williams, Allison Young, Rachel Steed - Crew
Beth Burns - Consultant
Produced by Whirligig Productions, Shrewd Productions, and The Fusebox Festival
Photo credit: Will Hollis Snyder
Lowell Bartholomee - Zeus
Matt Radford - Agamemnon
Katherine Catmull - Clytemnestra
Cami Alys - Electra
Chase Brewer - Orestes
Justin Scalise - Pylades
Judd Farris - Aegisthus
Robin Grace Thompson - Cassandra
Hildreth England - High Priestess
Dany Casey, Kelly Hasandras, Jessica Hughes, Rebecca Pearcy - Priestesses
Production Staff
Liz Fisher - Director
Lily Wolff - Assistant Director
Stephanie Delk - Stage Manager
Emily Rankin - Assistant Stage Manager
Benjamin Bradley, Robert Matney, Tim Thomas - Technology
Justin J. Smith - Set Designer
Megan M. Reilly - Lighting Designer
Jamie Urban - Costume Designer
Kenneth Mockler - Sound Designer
Lowell Bartholomee - Videographer
Kelly Hasandras, Robin Grace Thompson - Choreographers
Joseph Garlock - Fight Choreographer
Ellie McBride - Dramaturg
Jeremy Brown - Production Manager
Reagan Tankersley, Brooks Naylor - Production Assistants
Jim Hankinson - Greek Translator
Jennifer Rose Davis - Mask Design
Brock Boudoin, Max Lekavage, Avery Rogers, Kenneth Williams, Allison Young, Rachel Steed - Crew
Beth Burns - Consultant
Produced by Whirligig Productions, Shrewd Productions, and The Fusebox Festival
Photo credit: Will Hollis Snyder
See one possible version of the play below.