Rude Mechanicals (a.k.a. Rude Mechs)

Rude Mechanicals (sometimes referred to as Rude Mechs) is a collaborative theater company operating out of Austin, Texas, USA. Founded in 1995, the company first reached notable success with the creation of their play Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century, based on the book by Greil Marcus. This fast-paced, irreverent examination of 20th Century politics and art and the [...] Pistols brought a great deal of attention to the company, as did a New York production of play in 2001 and two subsequent national tours. In the meantime, the company created more shows and garnered more and further-reaching notoriety. Much of their work is written by Playwright Kirk Lynn and directed by Shawn Sides. However, the creation of the work always springs from a dedication to collaboration and collective creation matrices.

Production history

1996

PALE IDIOT

a world premiere by Kirk Lynn • directed by Kirsten Kern
October 1996 Auditorium on Waller Creek/Hyde Park Theater

UBU ROI (a one-night only extravaganza)

a staged riot of the play by Alfred Jarry • directed by Sarah Richardson and Kirk Lynn
December 1996

1997

GRAININGS (a Frontera Fest production)

a world premiere by Kirk Lynn • directed by Lana Lesley
February 1997 Hyde Park Theater

TOO MUCH LIGHT MAKES THE BABY GO BLIND: 30 PLAYS IN 60 MINUTES

written by the Neo-Futurists • directed by the cast
June/July 1997 The Electric Lounge

CURST & SHREWD: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW UNHINGED

a world premiere conceived by Shawn Sides • adapted by Kirk Lynn • created by Rude Mechs
August 1997 Hyde Park Theater

LUST SUPPER (PART I OF THE FAMINLY TRILOGY)

a world premiere by Kirk Lynn • directed by Sarah Richardson
November 1997

UBU ROI (a one-night only extravaganza)

a staged riot of the play by Alfred Jarry • directed by Sarah Richardson and Kirk Lynn
December 1997 The Electric Lounge

1998

¡GRINGO! (a Frontera Fest production)

written by José Hernández and Kirk Lynn • directed by Catherine Glynn
February 1998 Hyde Park Theater

PROMETHEUS UNBOUND

written by Percy Bysshe Shelley • directed by Madge Darlington
April 1998 The University of Texas at Austin

CRUCKS (PART II OF THE FAMINLY TRILOGY)

a world premiere by Kirk Lynn • directed by Shawn Sides
July/August 1998 Public Domain

SALIVATION (PART III OF THE FAMINLY TRILOGY)

a world premiere by Kirk Lynn • directed by Gavin Mundy
November 1998 Hyde Park Theater

1999

don b.’s SNOW WHITE

adapted from Donald Barthelme’s post-modern classic novel
a world premiere adapted and directed by Lana Lesley • created by Rude Mechs
April 1999 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

LIPSTICK TRACES: A SECRET HISTORY OF THE 20TH CENTURY

adapted from the cult classic by Greil Marcus
conceived by Shawn Sides • adapted by Kirk Lynn • created by Rude Mechs
July 1999 Ice Factory Festival (New York, NY)
September 1999 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
September 2000 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
June/July 2001 *The Ohio Theatre (New York, NY)
January 2002 The Walker Arts Center
January 2002 The Wexner Center for the Arts
January 2002 Legion Arts CSPS
January 2002 DiverseWorks
September 2002 *On The Boards (Seattle, WA)
October 2002 *UCLA Live! Performance Festival (L.A., CA)
July 2003 Szene Salzburg Festival
produced by Foundry Theatre (NY, NY)

THE 7th DAY PROJECTS (a second-stage production)

a play created by the cast in 7 days
December 1999 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2000

CROSSING BORDERS

a presenting series featuring Marga Gomez, Carmelita Tropicana, Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, Luis Alfaro
co-presented with University of Texas and Frontera@Hyde Park Theater’s Long Fringe Festival
January 2000 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

OUT ALL NIGHT AND LOST MY SHOES

written and performed by Terry Galloway
February 2000 Hyde Park Theater (Austin, TX)

IN THE HOUSE OF THE MOLES

a world premiere written by Terry Galloway • directed by Shawn Sides
February 2000 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

WAR

a world premiere written and directed by Kirk Lynn • created by Rude Mechs
June/July 2000 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

THROWS LIKE A GIRL

a presenting series featuring Holly Hughes, Deb Margolin and Peggy Shaw
September 2000 Preaching to the Perverted
October 2000 Menopausal Gentleman
November 2000 O Wholly Night and Other Jewish Solecisms

2001

REQUIEM FOR TESLA

written by Kirk Lynn • directed by Shawn Sides • created by Rude Mechs
January/Feb 2001 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
February 2003 Fresh Terrain Festival (Austin, TX)

OFFCENTER:ONSCREEN

a bi-monthly experimental film and video series
Throughout 2000 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
Throughout 2001 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

BIG LOVE

a regional premiere written by Charles L. Mee • directed by Darron L. West
August/September 2001 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2002

THROWS LIKE A GIRL

a presenting series featuring Marty Pottenger, Peggy Shaw and Terry Galloway
February 2002 City Water Tunnel #3
March 2002 To My Chagrin
March 2002 Lardo Weeping

EL PARAISO

a world premiere written by Kirk Lynn • directed by Shawn Sides • created by Rude Mechs
April/May 2002 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

THE INCUBUS ARCHIVES

a world premiere written by W. David Hancock • directed by Vicky Boone
co-produced with Hyde Park Theatre
September/October 2002 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2003

HOUR-MINUTE-SECOND (a second-stage production)

written by Rebecca Beegle • directed by Jon Watson
February 2003 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

DIFFERENT CITIES, DIFFERENT NAMES (a second-stage production)

written by Kirk Lynn • directed by Gavin Mundy
April/May 2003 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

HOW LATE IT WAS, HOW LATE

adapted from the Booker Prize winning novel by James Kelman
a world premiere adapted by Kirk Lynn • directed by Sarah Richardson • created by Rude Mechs
September 2003 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
September 2004 Philadelphia Live Arts Festival (Philadelphia, PA)

300 PLAYS ABOUT VLADIMIR PUTIN (a second-stage production)

written by 60 artists • curated by José Hernández • directed by Robert S. Fisher •
December 2003 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2004

DON'T DROWN (a second-stage production)

written by Rebecca Beegle • directed by Joanna Garfinkle
January/February 2004 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

REMINISCENCE OF THE GHETTO & OTHER THINGS THAT RAIZED ME

a second-stage presentation • co-presented with Women & Their Work
written and performed by Angela Kariotis • directed by Paul Bonin-Rodriguez
March 2004 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

BEAR (a second-stage production)

written by Rebecca Beegle • additional words and music by Jon Watson
April/May 2004 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

STADIUM DEVILDARE

a world-premiere written by Ruth Margraff • directed by Shawn Sides
April/May 2004 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

CHERRYWOOD: the modern comparable

a world premiere written by Kirk Lynn • directed by Shawn Sides • created by Rude Mechs
October/November 2004 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
June 2005 National Ensemble Theatre Festival (Blue Lake, CA)

HEMOPHILIACS (a second-stage production)

a world-premiere written and directed by Robert Pierson
December 2004 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2005

THROWS LIKE A GIRL

a presenting series featuring Carmelita Tropicana, Marga Gomez, Deb Margolin, Split Britches
February 2005 Single Wet Female
February 2005 Index to Idioms
April 2005 Dress Suits To Hire

GET YOUR WAR ON

adapted from the internet comic by David Rees • created by Rude Mechs
April/May 2005 The Off Center (Austin, TX)
January/February 2006 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

MATCH-PLAY

adapted from Deborah Hay Dance Company's Bessie Award winning dance "The Match"
September/October 2005 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2006

DECAMERON DAY 7: REVENGE

a world premiere written by Kirk Lynn • directed by Shawn Sides • created by Rude Mechs
April/May 2006 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

RED CANS (a Rude Fusion production with Rubber Repertory)

created by Josh Meyer and Matt Hislope • directed by Josh Meyer and Matt Hislope
August 2006 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

GET YOUR WAR ON THE TOUR

adapted from the internet comic by David Rees • created by Rude Mechs
September 2006: The Arcadia Stage - Philadelphia Live Arts Festival (Philadelphia, PA)
September 2006: DiverseWorks (Houston, TX)
October 2006: Woolly Mammoth Theater (Washington D.C.)
October 2006: Ballroom Marfa (Marfa, TX)

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASSASSINATED?

a world premiere written by Rebecca Beegle • directed by Carlos Treviño • created by Rude Mechs
October/November 2006 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

2007

THROWS LIKE A GIRL

a solo female performance art festival this year featuring women who rock: Gretchen Phillips, Lynn Breedlove and [...]
February 2007 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

GET YOUR WAR ON THE TOUR

adapted from the internet comic by David Rees • created by Rude Mechs
January 2007: Under The Radar Festival @ 59E59 Theatres (New York, NY)
July 2007: Galway Arts Festival (Galway, Ireland)
August 2007: Edinburgh Fringe Festival @ Assembly Aurora Nova (Edinburgh, Scotland)
September 2007: Bumbershoot Festival (Seattle, WA)
October 2007: Kiasma Festival @ Espoo City Theatre (Helsinki, Finland)

THE METHOD GUN

a work-in-ProgresS presentation
December 2007 The Off Center (Austin, TX)

Personnel

Co-Producing Artistic Directors

  • Madge Darlington
  • Lana Lesley
  • Kirk Lynn
  • Sarah Richardson
  • Shawn Sides

Company Members

  • Lowell Bartholomee
  • Rebecca Beegle
  • Laura Cannon
  • Robert S. Fisher
  • Carrie Fountain
  • Thomas Graves
  • Heather Hanna
  • Jose Hernandez
  • Joey Hood
  • Connor Hopkins
  • Jodi Jinx
  • Jason Liebrecht
  • Ellie McBride
  • Michael Mergen
  • Amy Miley
  • Jazz Miller
  • Sarah Myers
  • Robert Newell
  • Robert Pierson
  • Graham Reynolds
  • Brian Scott
  • Leilah Stewart
  • Carlos Treviño
  • Tina Van Winkle

Board of Directors

  • Mark Holzbach, President
  • Marla Camp, Vice President
  • Dave Hime, Treasurer
  • Kristin Johnson, Secretary
  • Alex Alford
  • Brian Kelsey
  • Patty Olwell
  • Deborah Paredez
  • Buck Van Winkle

Advisory Board

  • Jill Dolan
  • Paul Drown
  • Sandy Levinson
  • Joann McKenzie
  • Lisa Moore
  • David Weiser
  • Stacy Wolf