Deus Ex Machina Creative Team

Cami Alys [Electra / Anyte]

Cami moved to Austin from NYC in 2008. Touring credits include: Julie Jessup in The Rude Mechanicals, I’VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY, Foley Artist with THE INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS, Isabelle Belle in Rocky Hopson’s, LA PUTAIN AVEC LES FLEURS, and puppeteer in Hidden Room’s, BRUDERMORD. Cami has also worked with Paper Chairs, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, Trouble Puppet Theatre, Glass Half Full Theatre, Breaking String, and is currently a host of Austin’s own, INDUSTRY NIGHT VARIETY SHOW.

Lowell Bartholomee [Zeus / Video Design]

Lowell Bartholomee is excited and exhausted to do two things in a production that he normally only does one at a time: acting and video design. He has recently contributed video designs to LIBERTY! EQUALITY! FIREWORKS! (Pollyanna Theatre), AM I WHITE (Salvage Vanguard), A BRIGHT NEW BOISE (Hyde Park Theater), PUNKPLAY (Capital T), and ROARING (Austin Playhouse). He’s also provided sound designs for Capital T’s PUNKPLAY and DETROIT, the latter of which was nominated for the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Sound Design. His video design for Breaking String’s VODKA FUCKING TELEVISION (directed by Liz Fisher) won both the B. Iden Payne and Austin Critics Table Awards for Best Video Design. As an actor, he has recently appeared in Hidden Room’s ARDEN OF FAVERSHAM, Austin Playhouse’s THE FOREIGNER, Present Company’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Rude Mechs’ FIXING KING JOHN, Capital T’s THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE, and Katie Bender’s THE FAULT, for which he was nominated for the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Drama. In whatever spare time is left, he writes, directs, and produces film and theater; tries to see as many movies as possible; get in an occasional video game; and spend time with his amazing wife Ellie McBride and their neurotic dogs.

Chase Brewer [Orestes / Thucydides]

Chase Brewer recently graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX with a BA in Theatre Arts. Favorite roles include Leroy in Hyde Park Theatre’s A BRIGHT NEW BOISE, Mickey in Capital T’s PUNKPLAY and Ralph in Doctuh Mistuh’s REEFER MADNESS.

Jeremy Brown [Production Manager]

Jeremy Brown has been working as an actor, director, writer, stage and production manager, producer, arts administrator, and all points in between with many great companies throughout his career including: Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, National Theatre of the Performing Arts, The Lyceum Theatre London, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Dolphinback Theatre Co, Bravo Room Productions, Austin Lyric Opera, The Paramount and State Theatres, Street Corner Arts, Whirligig Productions, The Bedlam Faction, Austin Shakespeare, Shakespeare at Winedale, Co-founder of Push/Pull Theatre Co, Theatre J, Arena Stage, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre Co, Round House Theatre, Keegan Theatre, Theater Alliance, The Kennedy Center,  American Ensemble Theatre, Hub Theatre.  Jeremy holds a BFA in Theatre from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University, St. Louis.

Dany Casey [Priestess]

Dany Casey is a dancer/artist currently based in Austin, Texas. She has worked with a number of different choreographers around town since moving here in 2008. She and co-conspirator Maia McCoy founded two left feet, a movement project exploring the intersections of dance, theatre and identity performance.  She has performed atop scaffolding, parking garages, in tunnels, on bridges, in boxes, elevators, beaches, and anywhere else you could think of with the likes of Ready.Set.Go, Rosalyn Nasky, Willi Dorner (Bodies in Urban Spaces), Ellen Bartel, and is currently working on a show with her partner Errin Delperdang to perform at First Street Studio.

Katherine Catmull [Clytemnestra / Aesara]

Katherine Catmull is a company member at Hyde Park Theatre. She appeared last summer in WE PLAY CHEKHOV (Breaking String) and the previous fall in THERE IS A HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS (Capital T Theatre), for which she received a 2014 B. Iden Payne Award. In all, for her acting Katherine has received seven B. Iden Payne Awards and fourteen nominations, as well as one Austin Critics Table Award and eight nominations. Katherine is also a voice actor, an arts writer, a playwright, and a young-adult novelist whose first book, Summer and Bird (Dutton Juvenile/Penguin) was named one of Booklist’s 2012 Top Ten First Novels for Youth. She is the co-author of a collection of scary short stories, The Cabinet of Curiosities, which was published this spring by Greenwillow/HarperCollins. Her next novel comes out in 2016.

Stephanie Delk [Stage Manager]

Stephanie Delk accepted the role of stage manager for DEUS EX MACHINA on a dare. No. Just kidding. It was after one coffee meeting where she was shown an exquisite map and a large notebook containing the extensive script. Since then she has crafted a memory card game based on, and called “Oracular Moments” and begun a collection of photos of the Deus Cast being casually dead during rehearsal.  Being a part of making Liz and Rob’s plan come to life has been a ridiculous and strenuous challenge. Ridiculous, strenuous challenges being her favorite (Previously she stage managed The Hidden Room’s ROSE RAGE, INVISIBLE INC, and Penfold Theatre’s ROMEO & JULIET, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE)

Delk was recently honored with the B Iden Payne award for Outstanding Stage Management for her work on Penfold Theatre’s RED. She has a degree in Music Business and Management from Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA.

Hildreth England [High Priestess / Hypatia]

Hildreth England has been spinning plates in theater, dance, film, commercial, and voice for 25 years. She’s a company member with Austin Playhouse and “Industry Night” Variety Show, and a Co-Artistic Director with the The Bedlam Faction. Recent credits include performances in WAITING FOR LEFTY (Street Corner Arts), ROARING, THE LIAR, AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, NOISES OFF, and BOEING BOEING (Austin Playhouse), THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES (Exchange Artists), the world premiere of Paul Menzer’s BRATS OF CLARENCE (Bedlam Faction), the one-woman drama THE GIFTS OF WAR (Different Stages), and as the Assistant Director for Hyde Park Theater’s production of SLOW GIRL. When she’s not stoking creative fires, she helps mamas and babies find healthy habits through digital technology with the Texas WIC program. She’s excited to work with old friends and new on this unique production, and she couldn’t spin or stoke a gods-damned thing if it wasn’t for her crazy parents (miss you), her funny siblings (love you), or her very own, heavens-sent Trejo (por vida).

Judd Farris [Aegisthus / Herodotus / Priestess]

Judd Farris is an actor and voice over recording artist here in Austin. He is also a member of The Hidden Room Theater Company here in Austin. Recent credits include WE PLAY CHEKHOV (Breaking String), DULCEY AND ROXY AT CITY HALL (Breaking String), BRUDERMORD OR FRATRICIDE PUNISHED, a 17th Century puppet version of Hamlet (Hidden Room), HERE’S TO YOU (Imagine That Productions), ROSE RAGE (Hidden Room), and THE GIRL WITH TIME IN HER EYES, SXSW Interactive Theatrical Event (Hidden Room).

Liz Fisher [Director / Playwright / Producer]

Liz Fisher is an interdisciplinary theater artist based in Austin. For the past eleven years she has worked as an actor, director, writer, and producer with some of Austin’s most lauded companies, such as Breaking String Theater, Capital T Theater, The Hidden Room, Hyde Park Theatre, Bedlam Faction, and many more. She is an award winning actress, with multiple nominations for B. Iden Payne and Austin Critics’ Table awards. She recently directed the critically acclaimed professional English premiere of Maksym Kurochkin’s VODKA, FUCKING, AND TELEVISION and was a visiting guest artist for Southwestern University’s Sarofim School of Fine Arts. Liz  has run arts incubators, produced five play cycles, and managed interdisciplinary, new work festivals. Currently, she is the Program Coordinator for Shakespeare at Winedale.

Joseph Garlock [Fight Choreography]

Joseph Garlock is honored to help the Deus cast destroy one another. His fight choreography has been nominated twice for B Iden Payne Awards. He has trained at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and with incredible fighters from Chicago, Seattle and Austin. Thanks to Jim Michael Verda for being a test dummy, and to Perckle for everything else.

Shannon Grounds [Producer]

Shannon Grounds is an actor, producer, director and designer living in Austin, Texas. She is the Artistic Director of Shrewd Productions, an independent theatre company focused on new work and women’s voices, now in its tenth year.  She has won a few awards and been nominated for many others for both acting and producing, and she hopes that makes you think she’s a little bit fancy. Shannon recently produced and performed in the first productions/world premieres of STILL NOW by Katie Bender and GLASSHEART by Reina Hardy for Shrewd, portrayed Portia in JULIUS CAESAR for Present Company and Bottom in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for Austin Bike Zoo, and directed the very first production of THE DRAGON PLAY by Jenny Connell Davis. She decided to co-produce DEUS EX MACHINA because it’s a thrilling experiment in theatre that fulfills Shrewd’s mission of producing new work, exploring new methods of creating and communicating with the audience, and serving as a megaphone for female artists. Also, because a few years ago a fellow theatre artist wrote a check for her to do something big and scary, and it was time to pay a little back. Also, also because Liz and Rob are the tits. Shannon does theatre by night and marketing by day to pay the bills. Big Thanks to Whirligig for letting her be a part of the magic.

Kelly Hasandras [Priestess / Co-Choreographer]

Kelly Hasandras has taken up with Ready.Set.Go!, a local dance production company that strives to create live dance and movement in site specific places. Since moving back to Austin in 2008, she has collaborated with many theater, puppet, and dance productions. She has a back ground in technical theater as well as performance. She co-coordinates a free teen art program for the City of Austin called Totally Cool Totally Art.  Kelly worked at the American Dance Festival and Hollins University for several years after studying theater, dance, geography and geology at the University of Texas in Austin.  She is so happy to get the opportunity to work with Liz and the Deus Team, making new friends is her absolute favorite.

Jessica Hughes [Priestess]

Jess Hughes is thrilled to be back in Austin after completing a yearlong internship at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Jess is a company member at Hyde Park Theatre where she has performed MIDDLETOWN and understudied TIGERS BE STILL. Other Austin credits include: NOISES OFF and TIME STANDS STILL Austin Playhouse), Violet Crown: DOG’S TOWN (Theatre en Bloc), LIBERTY! EQUALITY! AND FIREWORKS! and THE FAMILY OF REE (Pollyanna), and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (Austin Shakespeare). Regional Credits include: THE CHRISTIANS (Actors Theatre of Louisville) and ATTIC PLAY (Collaboraction’s Sketchbook Festival). She graduated from Southwestern University with a B.A. in theatre and dance, participated in the Rhodopi International Theatre Laboratory, and attended the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Theatre Institute.

Robert Matney [Technology Design / Producer]

Robert Matney is a co-founder and Technology Director of Whirligig. Robert is also Technology Director for Hidden Room Theatre and for Breaking String Theater, a Board Trustee for Austin Shakespeare, a multi-award-winning stage and voice actor and director, and a web technologist with Polycot Associates. Most recently, Robert played Sebastian Topflyte in INVISIBLE, INC. and Duke Humphrey in ROSE RAGE (both for Hidden Room Theatre), Piero in BIG LOVE for Shrewd Productions, the title role in Uncle Vanya for Breaking String Theater, and Pompey in MEASURE FOR MEASURE for Austin Shakespeare. You can battle Robert’s voice as Doctor Psycho in the video game DC Universe Online. Robert was a speaker or presenter at South By Southwest Interactive 2013, 2012 and 2011, as well as Fusebox Festival 2011.

Ellie McBride [Dramaturg / Producer]

Ellie is thrilled to be part of the maiden voyage for Whirligig.  Ellie is an Austin actor, director and dramaturg.  Most recently seen in Eva Suter’s HOLD ME WELL, and Katie Bender’s THE FAULT as well as in Script works latest Out of Ink as an actor and director.  Ellie is an artistic member of Rude Mechs and Trouble Puppet as well as Co-Producing Artistic Director of the dirigo group.  Ellie is married to Zeus.

Kenneth Mockler [Composer / Sound Design]

Kenneth Mockler, recently relocated from Montréal, Québec to Austin, TX with his wife Mandi (a native Texan) and his two awesome kids, PJ and Mac.  Ken is a self-taught musician with 20+ years in the entertainment industry. He graduated with honors from Concordia University, Canada in 2006 with a degree in Electroacoustics. He started writing music and sound design professionally in 1997 and has been fortunate enough to compose for such prominent projects as the MONTRÉAL BIODÔME and the MONTRÉAL MUSEUM OF MODERN ART along with many other independent films and entertainment installations. Here in Austin he is grateful to be part of this year’s TRAIL OF LIGHTS and very excited to be working with the incredible cast and production team for DEUS EX MACHINA.

Brooks Naylor [Person of Action]

Brooks Naylor, having yet to graduate from the University of Texas, is just beginning his career as a theatre-maker in the Austin theatre scene. Most recently, Brooks has directed Tom Stoppard’s THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND (The Broccoli Project) and appeared as Laertes in HAMLET (Something for Nothing) in Ramsey Park. Brooks has performed, directed, and produced for The Broccoli Project, the Plan II Honors student theatre group, for the past four years at UT. He is also an alum of the infamous Shakespeare at Winedale program, where he has appeared over the years as Falstaff in THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Christopher Sly in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, and Macduff in MACBETH. Brooks continues to work and perform for the Shakespeare at Winedale Outreach program, and will be graduating in May with a BA in Plan II Honors and English.

Rebecca Pearcy [Priestess]

Rebecca recently appeared in Capital T’s DETROIT as Sharon (B. Iden Payne Outstanding Cast Performance) and PUNK PLAY as Reagan/ Ines and Avant Glam Cabarets DARK DREAMS AND MAGICAL CREATURES. In England she appeared as Charlie in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Crystal in THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Telephone Girl in MACHINAL, Esmerelda in CAMINO REAL and performed at the London Palladium and Soho Theatre. She graduated from Rose Bruford Drama School in England where she achieved a BA in American Theatre. Other credits include THE TEMPEST, ARCADIA, ONE DAY MORE. She has appeared in the films THE BRANNIGAN ACCOUNT, GET UP, THEY HAD IT COMING, THE OMEGA PROJECT, HOT AIR and DALE ARCHDALE. Rebecca is a company member of Avant Glam Cabaret.

Matt Radford [Agamemnon / Homer]

Over the past decade, Matt Radford, a UK transplant, has received numerous B. Iden Payne and Critics Circle awards and nominations for his classical work in Austin in such roles as: Buckingham in RICHARD III, Jack Absolute in THE RIVALS, Benedick in MUCH ADO, and Duke Vincentio in MEASURE FOR MEASURE (for Austin Shakespeare); Trigorin in THE SEAGULL, Lopakhin in THE CHERRY ORCHARD, Astrov in UNCLE VANYA, and, Kovrin in this past summer’s THE BLACK MONK (for Breaking String TC); and Clive/Martin in CLOUD NINE (St. Edwards). Further afield, he recently played Antony in Chesapeake Shakespeare’s ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA in Baltimore, MD, and directed TUNA DOES VEGAS for Heritage Theater, Charlottesville. His many other directing credits include: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (twice), MEASURE FOR MEASURE, 1 HENRY IV (twice), TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST, PERICLES, and TWELFTH NIGHT, which he shall direct for a second time this coming spring at Radford College, Virginia. After receiving his Ph.D in Renaissance Drama from UT Austin in 2012, Matt is now an Assistant Professor in the MLitt/MFA Shakespeare and Performance program at Mary Baldwin College in association with the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia. Matt is an associate director of Actors From the London Stage and a long-time collaborator with Whirligig’s luminous founders.

Emily Rankin [Assistant Stage Manager]

Emily is incredibly grateful to be working with a group of such talented, fantastic artists. She’s worked with several companies in and around the Austin area, including The Hidden Room, 7 Towers, Present Company, with whom she recently performed as Ferdinand in THE TEMPEST, and Penfold Theatre Company, where she most recently stage managed A MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, and with whom she’ll be working this summer when she directs their three-man version of HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. She’s thankful for these wonderful artists and her supportive friends and family.

Megan Reilly [Lighting Design]

Austin: Designs for Hidden Room, Trouble Puppet, Glass Half Full, Rubber Repertory, Salvage Vanguard, Paper Chairs, Tutto Theater Company, Cambiare Productions, Fusebox Festival, ACC Dance, Butler Opera Center, Cohen New Works Festival.  Outside Austin: Texas A&M, UNH, Lakes Region (NH), EXIT Theater, Actor’s Collective, New Conservatory Theater Center (San Francisco), Divergence Vocal Theater (Houston), and the Prague Quadrennial.  Megan’s work has received international recognition and she is a two-time recipient of the B. Iden Payne award for Outstanding Lighting Design.

Justin Scalise [Herald / Pylades / Hesiod / Priestess]

Justin is a graduate of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University, and he recently returned from New York, studying intensively with Master acting teacher, Patsy Rodenburg.  Select credits include title or leading roles in HAMLET (winner of B. Iden Payne, Austin Live Theatre, and Austin Theater Examiner Awards, and nominated for the international Falstaff Award), ROMEO AND JULIET, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (thrice), ZEUS IN THERAPY, and THE GLASS MENAGERIE. Other favorite credits include Austin Shakespeare’s ROMEO AND JULIET (Mercutio – B. Iden Payne Award nominee), Scottish Rite Theater’s AS YOU LIKE IT (Adam & Silvius – B. Iden Payne Award nominee), and Austin Jewish Repertory Theatre’s THE FANTASTICKS (Henry – B. Iden Payne Award nominee). Justin is also a voice-over artist, orator, and teacher of acting and Shakespeare with Austin Shakespeare, and through private coaching. Visit JustinScalise.com for more information. He is represented by Collier Talent.

Justin Smith [Scenic Design]

Justin J Smith is a native Texan who earned his undergraduate degree at Southwestern University in Georgetown TX, and earned his MFA in Technical Direction from University of Virginia in Charlottesville. After his graduate program, he had the pleasure of working as the stage carpenter at Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island and then as Assistant Technical Director and then Technical Director at Zach Theatre in Austin. He currently am the Technical Director at Southwestern University. This is his third design, and first here in Austin. He cannot thank enough the entire production team and all the hard working volunteers that made this production happen. Theatre is a collaboration, and this one was clearly a team effort.

Reagan Tankersley [Production Assistant]

Reagan Tankersley is just beginning his career as an actor and technician in the Austin theatre community. He most recently appeared in a staged reading of restoration comedy THE RECRUITING OFFICER (Chess Theatre Co, Humanities Texas, Veterans’ Voices), and as Stage Manager and Lighting Designer for Sam Shepard’s TRUE WEST (Weird Rodeo). He performed, directed, and was resident Technical Director with The Broccoli Project, a student company stemming from the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin. While at UT, he studied Shakespeare through performance in the Shakespeare at Winedale Program, performing title roles in HENRY IV PART I and Christopher Marlowe’s DOCTOR FAUSTUS, and acted as informal lighting technician for the program. He graduated this May with a B.A. in the Plan II Honors Program, with additional majors in Rhetoric and History.

Tim Thomas [Technology Design]

Robin Grace Thompson
[Cassandra / Sappho / Priestess / Co-Choreographer]

Robin Grace Thompson (Cassandra, Sappho, Co-Choreographer) is a teaching artist here in Austin and is returning to the theatre after a nice long break. She holds a BA in Theater from St Edward’s University and was a member of the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville Acting Apprentice Program in ’05-‘06. Her most recent Austin credits include THE CRUCIBLE with Mary Moody Northen Theatre, HEDDA GABLER and AT HOME AT THE ZOO with Palindrome Theatre, C. Denby Swanson’s A BRIEF NARRATIVE OF AN EXTRAORDINARY BIRTH OF RABBITS with SVT, and THE CHERRY ORCHARD with Breaking String Theatre. Favorite choreography credits included ℅ THE GROVE and THE HOUSE PROJECT with Mary Moody Northen Theatre and BOBRAUSHENBERGAMERICA for The University of Houston’s MFA program. She has received numerous Critics’ Table and Payne Nominations over the years, including nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her work in ROMEO AND JULIET and THE HOUSE PROJECT and Outstanding Choreography for THE HOUSE PROJECT. Robin Grace believes in the power of the creative ensemble and is honored to be working with such a magical one!

Jamie Urban [Costume Design]

Jamie is thrilled to be joining such a collaborative and talented group of theatre makers on this production!  After obtaining her MFA from Boston University, Jamie settled into Austin where she has designed for many companies; Ballet Austin, Hidden Room, Breaking Strings, Different Stages, Palindrome, and the Exchange Artists.  Jamie currently has her dream job, teaching and running the costume shop at Southwestern University.  Jamie would like to thank her supportive friends and family, specifically Mel McDowell for keeping her sane, Sweet Mason for providing many kisses and snuggles and her amazingly awesome students who are always telling her to grow up!

Lily Wolff [Assistant Director]

Lily directs plays, performances and experiences across the globe with a particular focus on new work. She is a graduate of UT and received her Masters in devised and experimental theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Recent projects in the US include: directing at the Austin 1 Minute Play Festival (SVT) and the 14/48 Festival (The Vortex); assistant directing DETROIT, New Directions Program 2014, and directing GIDION’S KNOT by Johnna Adams (Capital T); directing staged readings of Barbara Hammond’s VISIBLE FROM FOUR STATES and Johnna Adams’ RATTLERS (Contemporary American Theatre Festival), and SWIVET by Tegan Mcleod (UT Lab Theatre); directing fellowships at the Contemporary American Theater Festival 2012 & 2014 (WV) and Cornerstone Theatre Company 2011 (CA); directing STOP KISS and assistant directing BACHA BAZI (UT). Recent projects in the UK include: conceiver, director, chef and performer of EAT ME: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MENU, a site-specific dinner event held on a pier on the Thames river; performing in THE ACCIDENTAL EXPERIENCE, an interactive and experimental culinary happening at The Roundhouse (London); and directing and performing in CARGO, an all-female devised performance piece based on trying and failing (development: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama; performance: Battersea Mess & Music Hall, London & Kerrera Island, Scotland).