Southbank Theatre Company to Present MACHINAL By Sophie Treadwell
The cast features Alaine Sims as Helen; Patrick Vaughn as Husband, Defense Attorney, Priest; Beverly Roche as Mother; and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 17, 2026
Southbank has revealed its third production of Season 5: Machinal, Sophie Treadwell's 1928 expressionist drama, running Thursday-Sunday, March 12-22, with Saturday matinees at 4:00 PM.
Inspired by the real-life case of Ruth Snyder, Machinal is a bold and unsettling exploration of the life of a young woman crushed beneath the relentless machinery of modern society. Told through a series of rapid, stylized episodes, the play examines marriage, work, motherhood, and the justice system through a distinctly feminist lens that remains exceptionally relevant nearly a century after its premiere.
Often hailed as one of the most important American plays of the 20th century, Machinal captures the suffocating rhythms of life in a capitalist society and the psychological toll it takes on those who resist it. Machinal speaks powerfully to contemporary audiences navigating a world that feel isolating, mechanized, and unforgiving.
The cast features Alaine Sims as Helen; Patrick Vaughn as Husband, Defense Attorney, Priest; Beverly Roche as Mother; Brant Hughes as Lover, Prosecutor; Natalie Beglin as Telephone girl, friend, nurse; Nia Hughes as Adding Clerk, bailiff, ensemble; J Charles Weimer as Filing Clerk, Doctor; and Adriana Menefee as Stenographer, Barber, Ensemble. The production is directed by Marcia Eppich-Harris.
Southbank's production continues the company's mission to present historically significant and socially urgent works that provoke conversation and deepen understanding of the world we inhabit.
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