InnateVolution Theater Productions announces a revival of Jean Cocteau's The Infernal Machine directed by Beverle Bloch and Raymond K. Cleveland. The Infernal Machine is a retelling of the Oedipus story by surrealist filmmaker and poet Jean Cocteau. Cocteau's addition of characters such as a Dead King, a lively Sphinx, and Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, add layers to this eerie story of a young man who tries to evade the prophesy that he will kill his father and marry his mother.
Performances run November 5 - 21, 2010 at The Call (1547 W Bryn Mawr Ave) in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. Previews are Wednesday November 3rd & Thursday November 4th. Press Opening is Friday November 5th. Regular performances are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. All performances begin at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20 and include 1 well liquor, house wine, or Miller drinks. Ages 21+; ID required. For tickets, visit www.innatevolution.org or call 312.513.1415.
The Infernal Machine features Erin Cline (Jocasta), Ashley Coney (Soldier), Amy Dellagiarino (Officer/Drunk),
Jordan Laroya (Anubis/Old Shepherd), Arne Saupe (Tiresias), Caroline Servat (Sphynx/Messenger), Joseph Ramski (Oedipus/Old King), and Ethan Weiss (Young Soldier). Costume design is by Rozetta Cleveland; Rachel Hadlock is the stage manager and Lighting Design by
Will Dean"
Jean Cocteau was ahead of his time with his treatment of this story," said co-director Raymond K. Cleveland. "With this retelling, it is possible to present the classic myth in a way that is more accessible to audiences-captivating both theatre regulars and newcomers. With this revival, we've used the device of blending film and theatre to create one unified atmosphere very much in keeping with the spirit of Cocteau."
Writer, producer, director, and educator, Dr. Beverle Bloch (Co-Director), holds a BS in Speech from
Northwestern University and both an MA in Mass Communication and PhD in Theatre from the University of Denver. Bloch has taught courses in Communication, Theatre, and Speech at colleges and universities including the University of Denver, Bowling Green State University, Lewis University, St. Andrew's Presbyterian College, and Triton College. She serves on Chicago's Jeff Awards Committee. Bloch has directed more than 30 plays in Chicago and on college campuses.
Raymond K. Cleveland (Co-Director), co-founder of InnateVolution
Theater Productions, makes his directorial debut. Cleveland has worked on several Non-Equity Jeff Award Winning productions with Theo Ubique including Cabaret, Jacque Brel's Lonesome Losers of the Night and Evita.
About the Cast
Erin Cline (Jocasta) makes her InnateVolution debut. She has appeared in shows such as An Experiment with an Airpump (Ellen/Susannah), Beanie and the Bamboozling Book Machine (Gretel), Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice), Macbeth (Ross), and Ah! Wilderness (Belle). Ashley Coney (Soldier) holds a BA in Theatre from the Conservatory Of Performing Arts at Point Park University. Her Chicago credits include Chicago State theatre as well ETA. Amy Dellagiarino (Officer/Drunk) recently moved to Chicago. Other Chicago credits: Another Saturday Night (Appetite Theatre), Good Drugs For People Who Like Bad Drugs (Revolution Theatre), and Betty Gone (Champagne and Milk Theatre Company). Off Broadway credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Hero), and other New York credits include Company (Amy), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Monica), Henry VI (Margaret). Dellagiarino has a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
Jordan Laroya (Anubis/Old Shepherd) received his BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in downtown Seattle. He participated in the 08/09 season
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre's internship program. Since then he has worked as a Shakespearean actor in Iowa and up and down the East Coast. Playing roles such as Tyrell in Richard III, Tom Snout and Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. He has recently moved to Chicago. Arne Saupe (Tiresias) returns to InnateVolution after appearing in Right as Rain. Saupe has recently appeared in Republic County and The 24 Hour Plays at Gorilla Tango Theater and T-What at Second City. Caroline Servat (Sphynx/Messenger) makes her Chicago debut with this production. She graduated from Bates College in Maine with a BA in Politics and Theater. She has received additional theatrical training at the
American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and has acted with The Marin Shakespeare Company and The San Francisco Playhouse. Joseph Ramski (Oedipus/Old King) is making his Chicago debut with InnateVolution. A native of Chicago, Ramski recently graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign Urbana with a BFA in Acting. Ethan Weiss (Young Soldier) is a graduate of Skidmore College and has very recently moved to Chicago. He spent five months at
Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA as a member of the acting conservatory. In 2007, he traveled to Russia by way of
The National Theatre Institute where he studied abroad with the Moscow
Art Theatre.
About InnateVolution
Theater ProductionsInnateVolution
Theater Productions is committed to presenting theatrical art works centered on "Human Revolution," a Nichiren Buddhist concept. InnateVolution
Theater Productions strives to create theatrical experiences that encompass many art forms such as, fine art, dance and music, etc. Our goal is to cause our audiences to evolve. Thus, affecting others to evolve, which continues to spread from individual to individual then ultimately evolving into a more conscious and compassionate society.
