ABOUT

Rude Mechanicals is a student run theatre group fostering community and inciting creativity by providing students across the University the opportunity to work on all aspects of a full-scale production.

From costumes, to actors, to set design, directors, stage managers and producers, all aspects of a Rude Mechanicals production are run by students.

HISTORY

Michael Newberry and Christopher Nitchie founded Rude Mechanicals in the Fall of 1996. The two Sophomore Engineering students had a mutual love of theatre, particularly Shakespeare. They noticed there were few opportunities for non-theater students to work on theater at a University level, so they decided to make their own theatre organization on campus. 

 At the time, the University Activities Center had a committee called SophShow. Mike and Chris transformed this group into Rude Mechanicals. They produced one non-musical performance a year, with no restrictions on the age of the cast. The first production was King Lear in the Fall of 1996, followed by A Few Good Men in Winter 1997.

 Since then, Rude Mechanicals has consistently produced one dramatic play each semester in either the Lydia Mendelssohn or Arthur Miller Theatre.

LEARN MORE

Rude Mechanicals produces two productions per year, one each semester. To learn more about how to get involved in acting, designing or directing, follow us on social media or send us an email at rudes.production@umich.edu!

LEADERSHIP

Rude Mechanicals Producers

Nicole Banchik: banchikn@umich.edu (left)

Dana Pierangeli: dmpier@umich.edu (middle)

Claire Sweeney: clairesw@umich.edu (right)