The following news article appeared in the Huxtville Times, 05/18/06
For Janice Michaels, it’s all about taking a stand. For Peter Davies, it’s a chance to play the part of a lifetime.
These reasons have led them and many others to sign on with the Rude Mechanicals, a professional protest troupe. The troupe, in operation since 1999, has experienced a groundswelling of sorts lately and not just from political activists. Many drama students, who study at nearby Huxtville Community College, have also joined the cause.
“It’s fantastic!” exclaims Colleen Wright, the leader of the Mechanicals. “We knew there was a lot of angst in the country right now, but we had no idea what sort of response we would get from the school.”
According to Wright’s estimates, 9 out of the 15 new recruits came from the campus. One of them is 20-year old drama major Peter Davies. Davies, born and raised in nearby Litton, was bitten by the acting bug early.
“I remember when I was 8 or 9 years old, I saw Peter Pan. Man, I knew right then that I wanted to fly just like him and fight nasty pirates.” Davies enrolled in acting classes a year after that. His last major role was that of Mortimer Brewster in the classic Arsenic and Old Lace during his senior year in high school.
When asked about his political leanings, and those of the Mechanicals, he replied, “I don’t care much about politics, though it’s hard to avoid, that’s for sure. All I know is that this is an opportunity for me to hone my acting skills.”
Not so for sophomore Janice Michaels. When President Bush won reelection in 2004, she knew deep down that the country was heading in the wrong direction.
“I turned to my best friend and said, ‘This is bad.’” Michaels recalled the day President Bush was re-inaugurated. Soon, she got involved with the local chapter of the College Democrats and even campaigned for Howard Dean to be the next Democratic National Chair. Still, she felt that there was more to do and that’s when she saw a flyer for the Rude Mechanicals on campus.
“When I saw that the Mechanicals were looking for some brave souls and open minds, I knew that I could help. It warms my heart seeing so many people standing up to say, ‘Enough is enough.’”
With growing numbers, the Rude Mechanicals have some big plans in store. Wright has said that they will be taking part in the Annual PETA Rally in downtown Huxtville next Saturday. When asked about any events after that, she just smiled.
“Let’s just say that it’s going to be unexpected and sudden and will take a lot of people by surprise. There might be some of us in, say, yellow HazMat suits.”
“I do know one thing: I want to get the new recruits involved in some proper protest training before summer kicks into high gear.”