KG
Kira Gaudynski
  • Theatre and Music
  • Class of 2015
  • Milwaukee, WI

Kira Gaudynski taking part in Cornell College's production of "Machinal"

2015 Feb 18

More than a dozen students are taking part in Cornell College's production of "Machinal," which runs Feb. 20, 21, 27, and 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. in Kimmel Theatre on the Cornell College Campus.

Kira Gaudynski of Milwaukee is playing the role of Adding Clerk and is a member of the Ensemble.

The play, written by Sophie Treadwell, directed at Cornell College by theater Professor Janeve West, premiered on Broadway in 1928 and was inspired by the 1927 murder trial and subsequent execution of Ruth Snyder, "Machinal" is considered one of the greatest examples of Expressionist Theatre on the American stage and remains powerfully relevant today.

For Helen Jones, a stenographer in the industrial, male-dominated world, life is nothing like she hoped it would be. She follows the rituals that society expects of a woman, however resistant she may feel about them. What unfolds is a gripping drama about the status of women in the machine of society, the torture of a loveless marriage and the result of living a life compressed. Costume design by resident costume designer, Jenny Nutting-Kelchen. Scenic design by guest designers Peggy and Paul Sannerud, lighting and projection Design by theatre Professor Scott Olinger.

One of the 40 "Colleges That Change Lives," Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, is a national liberal arts college with a distinctive One Course At A Time curriculum. The One Course schedule provides students the chance to dive into their studies, focus more intensely on the disciplines of their choice, and learn authentically with the unique freedom to shed the confines of the traditional classroom to study off-campus, pursue research, or accept an internship--all without missing out on other classes.

Cornell has been recognized by numerous publications for the value its education offers and for academic excellence. This year it was named of the 100 best values in liberal arts education by Kiplinger's, one of the "Best Value Schools" among national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report, and one of the 100 Affordable Elite Colleges by Washington Monthly. Ninety-three percent of Cornell graduates earn their degrees in four years. In 2013 Cornell was named one of the 25 colleges with the best professors by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity.

For more information, visit www.cornellcollege.edu.