Building a Theatrical Village: Austin’s Rude Mechs at 30
Reminiscing with Austin’s theater collective, The Rude Mechs, as they celebrate their 30th anniversary of making theater together feels a bit like talking to a 90s alternative rock band that’s somehow still together. When I caught up with Thomas Graves, Lana Lesley, Kirk Lynn, Alexandra Bassiakou Shaw, and Shawn Sides, five of the six active co-producing artistic directors—with only Madge Darlington missing—there was a lot of good natured interrupting and correcting of memories, especially when recalling which of their conceived shows they performed over the years in which off Broadway theater or international festival.
