Rogue Machine presents Evanston Salt Costs Climbing
Jan 18, 2025

Rogue Machine Theatre brings Will Arbery's compelling drama "Evanston Salt Costs Climbing" to Southern California audiences for the first time, with performances beginning January 25, 2025, at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. Under the direction of Guillermo Cienfuegos, this thought-provoking play will run through March 9, offering audiences a chance to experience the latest work from one of America's most celebrated contemporary playwrights.
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing by Rogue Machine at The Matrix
Winters keep getting worse in Evanston, IL where salt truck drivers Peter and Basil battle the ice and snow and pass the time with jokes and stories. But what's with this creeping sense of dread? Is it because their boss Maiworm has noble visions of new green technology that would make their jobs obsolete? Or is there a more terrifying warning calling out from under these roads? At least they have each other, right?Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Arbery confronts humanity's darkest fears with humor, warmth, and the fortitude of municipal public servants in this play about climate and change.
Will Arbery (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. His plays include Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Pulitzer Prize finalist), Corsicana, Plano, You Hateful Things, and Wheelchair. Awards include a Whiting, Obie, Lucille Lortel, and New York Drama Critics' Circle. Will is currently under commission from Manhattan Theatre Club, Adventureland, and The Metropolitan Opera. He was a writer and producer on Succession and Irma Vep (HBO). His film Sacrifice (dir. Romain Gavras) began filming in November 2024, starring Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Salma Hayek, and John Malkovich. His plays are published by TCG Books and Concord Theatricals.
"I don't think any play I've worked on in recent years has hit me on a personal level more than this one - which is a surprise," admits director Guillermo Cienfuegos. "It's so funny and absurd and unusual that a first reading doesn't necessarily reveal how deeply the themes of the play go. Amidst the quirkiness and laughs there is an undercurrent of anxiety and existential dread that all the characters come in contact with and must ultimately face. And which I can personally relate to."