at Aquila Motors

Where the Rubber Met the Road

Created by A Broken Umbrella Theatre

A story of two family legacies hitting rock-bottom and bouncing back.

Inspired by two New Haven innovations surrounding the paving of Whalley Avenue in 1857.

Cast

Blake Family

Rocky: Ruben Ortiz

Rox: Frankie Douglass

Grandpa: Andrew Elliott

Mason: Ian Alderman

Goodyear Family

Tyra: Lindsay Cromwell

Axel: Lou Mangini

Patch: Barrett Doyle

Grandma: Matthew Gaffney

Production

Directors: Ruben Ortiz and Andrew Elliott

Writers: Andrew Elliott, Ruben Ortiz and Matthew Gaffney

Designer and Scenic Charge: Brandon Fuller

Technical Director: Matthew Gaffney

Production Manager: Ryan Gardner

Show Producers: Ian Alderman, Aric Isaacs and Lou Mangini

Stage Manager: Corin Killins

Assistant Stage Manager: Katlyn Rapini

Original Music: Josh Kane

Live Accompaniment: Josh Kane

Company Manager: Lou Mangini

Costume Design: Ian Alderman

Carpenters: Cat Edwards, Ryan Gardner, Matthew Gaffney and Brandon Fuller

Painters: Barrett Doyle, Cat Edwards and Aric Isaacs

Sound Mixer: Aric Isaacs

Props: Jamie Kane

Poster Design: George Corsillo of Design Monsters

the Real History

**Eli Whitney Blake**

**Inventor of the Blake Rock Crusher**

Eli Whitney Blake, the man with hardware in his blood and a love for machinery, founded Blake Brothers with his siblings after learning the trade from his famous inventor uncle, Eli Whitney. Their hardware innovations, from door locks to casters, are still seen in American homes today.

A depiction of Eli Whitney Blake’s Rock Crusher

In 1855, Blake worked on a street paving project in New Haven, inspiring him to develop a machine that could break stones and ore into small pieces. His invention, the Blake Jaw Crusher, was patented in 1858, and it quickly revolutionized the mining and construction industries with its efficient double toggle mechanism. Blake's invention was so successful that he had to set up a factory in New Haven to keep up with demand. His contributions to modern mining and construction practices cemented his place as one of the great inventors of the 19th century. Blake passed away at the age of 92 in his beloved New Haven, Connecticut.

Charles Goodyear

Inventor of the Vulcanization of Rubber

Charles Goodyear was a man on a mission. After his father's hardware business went bust in the 1830s, Goodyear turned to rubber - the "miracle material" of the time. But rubber had a fatal flaw - it melted in the summer and cracked in the winter. Determined to find a solution, Goodyear spent years experimenting with rubber, often in makeshift labs in his wife's kitchen or in debtors' prison.

Finally, in 1839, Goodyear accidentally combined rubber and sulfur on a hot stove, creating a material that could withstand heat and cold. He called it "vulcanization," and it revolutionized the rubber industry, paving the way for countless products we use today, from automotive tires to pencil erasers. Despite setbacks and financial ruin, Goodyear's obsession with rubber paid off, and his contributions to modern manufacturing practices will be felt for generations.