Vainglorious

Vainglorious

Collaboratively created large scale historical fantasia

Produced by Applied Mechanics, Philadelphia PA

Cast:

John Allen

Kristen Bailey

Alex Bechtel

Kate Black-Regan

Marla Burkholder

Thomas Choinacky

Marcel Williams Foster

Amanda Grove

Jenna Horton

Jessica Hurley

John Jarboe

C. Kennedy

Melissa Krodman

Lee Minora

Reuben Mitchell

Kathryn Raines

Brian Ratcliffe

Isa St. Clair

Dave Sweeny

Sam Tower

MK Tuomanen

Anneliese Van Arsdale

Leah Walton

Miriam White

Annie Wilson

Ilse Zoerb

Production Design Maria Shaplin

Costume Design Katherine Fritz

Stage Manager Bayla Rubin

Press:

Philadelphia Inquirer:

“If you’re interested in experimental theatre, don’t miss this one.   … Audience members are free to pursue whatever story catches their interest: Josephine (John Jarboe) and Napoleon (Mary Tuomanen); the Emperor’s commandeering the sexual favors of the Duchess of Parma (Kate Black-Regan). Or maybe you want to watch Beethoven (Thomas Choinacky who has totally Romantic hair) compose symphonies, give piano lessons, discover he is going deaf.  Tallyrand ( the riveting Kristen Bailey) concoctsEurope-shaking politics, while Germaine de Stael (Jessica Hurley) creates the literary salon. Characters are composed of a team of five or six accomplished actors, and then the teams morph into armies on horseback.   Rebecca Wright directs this high-precision “movement opera”  where many things happen at once (as they do in history)."

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/202244572.html#74eYkdhX5juTKR00.99

Philly Weekly:

“The troupe’s signature choose-your-own-adventure narrative structure is incredibly innovative and fun. And unless you’ve seen an Applied Mechanics performance, chances are, it’s unlike any other theater experience you’ve had. The audience is free to roam the space as they choose and wherever they go, they become engulfed in the action.”

http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/style/2013/04/10/review-applied-mechanics-vainglorious/