#berkeleyrepertorytheatre

[alanchiu]

A fun night of Playground in this lovey theatre! . . . . . #theatre #berkeley #berkeleyrepertorytheatre #berkeleyrep #nightphotography #nightlights (at Berkeley Repertory Theatre) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6KmJDgp5NP/?igshid=1f6wih26dvajt

[brothermarc7theatre]

Season Announcement Wednesday

The few times I have the chance to see a show at this week’s featured theatre company I take the opportunity because I know it will be worth every effort. They are constantly setting the bar for what professional theaters should strive to be like. It is with great excitement that I am highlighting Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s 2019-2020 season!

Shows/Dates: The Great Wave (September 12th - October 27th); White Noise (September 26th - November 10th); The Tales of Despereaux (November 21st, 2019 - January 5th, 2020); Becky Nurse of Salem (December 12th, 2019 - January 26th, 2020); Culture Clash (Still) in America (February 20th - April 5th); School Girls; Or. the African American Mean Girls Play (March 19th - May 3rd); Happy Days (May 26th - July 5th); Swept Away (June 14th - July 26th)

Venue/Address: Berkeley Repertory Theatre at 2025 Addison St., Berkeley 94704

Website: www.berkeleyrep.org

Facebook: “Like” them at-Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Twitter: “Follow” them at- @berkeleyrep 

Description: Berkeley Repertory Theatre is a stalwart company in the Bay Area, the West Coast, and the nation when it comes to being an exemplary venue for exemplary theatre. Over the years I have had the pleasure of seeing their productions of Wake, Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-ass Wit of Molly Ivins, Amelie, Macbeth, and Angels in America. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it up there when the schedule and commute allow. Until then, you Bay Area locals, take advantage of having this wonderful source for wonderful theatre and go see a show there!

[pavillonafriques-blog]

@mirapaglinair 's #arthouse hit #monsoon #wedding #monsoonwedding back in 2001 has found a new platform as of 2017 at #broadway It's first previews were at #berkeley #berkeleyrepertorytheatre Image credit: imdb 2017 Story: @hollywoodreporter #hollywood #bollywood #miranair #art #film #screening #musical #visionary #newyork #broadwaymusicals https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq7KWxanLm-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=m8b9fg99nq2k

[topochinesvino]

After watching an interesting show at Berkeley Repertory Theater, my friend and I stopped at Revival Bar & Kitchen for a glass of wine and a nibble. I had a delicious glass of Txakoli from Spain’s Basque region to pair with Acorn squash, kale, broccoli and quinoa salad. Oh, and an olive oil almond cake. 😋 ———————————————— #wine #txakoli #txakolina #spanishwine #winefromspain #basquewine #berkeley #berkeleyfood #berkeleyfoodie #revivalbarandkitchen #healthyfood #healthyfoodlover #foodandwine #winegirl #winelady #berkeleyrep #berkeleyrepertorytheatre #vino #vinoblanco #whitewine #whitewinelover (at Revival Bar + Kitchen) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpzZsqXHfVr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pm1x7u9v7vs4

[adventureswithstiffknee]

I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS MUSICAL ENOUGH. If you're in the Bay Area and you love musicals, please please go to the Berkeley Repertory Theater to see Monsoon Wedding, one of my favorite musicals I've seen this year. Not only was it beautiful, colorful, and exuberant, it featured a full South Asian cast telling a South Asian story on stage for people of all backgrounds to enjoy. I was either laughing or crying the entire time as it wove emotional stories while also being incredibly witty in its prop use and script. And of course the singing was Broadway-good as they are planning to bring the musical to Broadway in the next year or so. I hope to see more diverse stories like this one being told in this post-Hamilton musical world. 🎭❤️🎼 #monsoonwedding #monsoonweddingmusical #berkeleyrepertorytheatre

[universesnyc]

Audiences & Critics Respond to Party People, now extended at Berkeley Rep

[soulshapes]

With @mynameisroyen after his fantastic performance in Pirates of Penzance! PC: @rm_pastry #berkeleyrepertorytheatre #piratesofpenzance (at Ippuku)

[luchorgasm]

Tonight was the closing night of a show I fell in love with. You see #ameliemusical hit a lot of tender points in my soul. It touched a lot of deeper feelings I possess. I was connected to the story and to the music. Songs like "Thin Air" "Stay" etc struck a chord within. I just can't properly explain it. What I can say that this was the 6th time I watched it and it didn't get worse. No, for me, it got better. I was luckily enough to say a few kind words to members of the cast, and even get some autographs. I cannot thank them, the writers, the creators, @berkeleyrep , etc for this. It was such a fun and loving and educating experience. Hope whatever else you all do is filled with pleasure! ~ We leave a trail of breadcrumbs but where are they leading to? ~ #musicaltheatre #touchedmysoul #wonderpeople #berkeleyrepertorytheatre #amelie #lalalife (at Berkeley Repertory Theatre)

[brothermarc7theatre]

"Angels in America: Millennium Approaches & Perestroika" shows #742, #743

Of the 741 previous pieces of theatre I have seen prior to Angels in America, only a few would I describe as masterpieces. Tony Kushner’s epic, Pulitzer-winning Angels in America is a double bill masterpiece at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. The sturdy hands of director Tony Taccone have made pure art at the Rep’s Roda Theater, creating a two-show journey of AIDS awareness and empathy, characters who are fully-realized human beings, served up at an incredible pace that never drags, but with an episodic through-line staging that is alluring and completely rapturous.

(Stephen Spinella (pictured as Roy Cohn); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

Randy Harrison and Stephen Spinella lead this tale as Prior Walter and Roy Cohn, respectively. Mr. Harrison’s devastating journey through living with AIDS, surviving heartbreak, and becoming a prophet is consistently believable, a performance where he has completely lost himself in the journey and does not act but simply is. His calculated areas of shouting versus stillness and quiet are well-calibrated and serve the text extremely well. Mr. Spinella’s Cohn is absolutely horrendous, and that is the mark of a truly brilliant performance. Mr. Spinella, being the play’s original Prior Walter in the 90’s, brings a, dare I say, likeability to the detestable attorney, based on the real-life Roy Cohn. Mr. Spinella spews Cohn’s insults, slurs, and insensitivity like a sprinkler spews water to quench a lawn’s thirst. Mr. Spinella’s charisma and presence is commanding, deep-seated, and truly palpable, just like the real Roy Cohn. Sure, the man was despised; but the man was also feared. Hell, many people might still fear the deceased, powerhouse attorney. Even as Mr. Spinella’s Cohn depletes in physical strength due to his AIDS, err, I mean “liver cancer,” the man simply will not be put to rest without having the last word. Mr. Spinella’s tirade at having made Ethel Rosenberg sing is absolutely haunting, capping off a deliciously evil performance.

(Danny Binstock (pictured as Joe) and Benjamin T. Ismail (pictured as Louis); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

Benjamin T. Ismail delivers a stirring, insightful performance as Louis, ex-boyfriend to Prior, and eventual lover to Joe. Mr. Ismail has a timbre to his voice which complements his hurried cadence, juxtaposing his logical inflection of the character’s dialogue. Danny Binstock delivers a gripping performance as Joe Pitt, the assumed-straight Mormon husband, chief clerk in the department of justice. Mr. Binstock has a true long game journey in Angels… filled with many twists and turns of fate and inner turmoil of who to love and what is right. The religious themes come through in heavenly fashion throughout Mr. Binstock and Mr. Ismail’s on-stage relationship, culminating in a deeper appreciation of how homosexuality mixes with the convictions of certain religions. Randy Danson’s performance as the Angel is quite good, making the dense Epistle monologue in act two of Perestroika a fascinating tale of God, angels, and why humans were created.

(Bethany Jillard (pictured as Harper); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

Bethany Jillard and Caldwell Tidicue do well as Harper Pitt and Belize, respectively. Ms. Jillard’s Harper serves as a great opposite to Mr. Binstock’s Joe, the sole married couple we meet. The amount of crazy dependency, and culminating peace Harper goes through is depicted extremely well in Ms. Jillard’s performance. Mr. Tidicue, as the sassy-but-friendly, wise Belize delivers more of a performance of Belize rather than being Belize. A lot of the jokes land, but his more modern approach of Belize doesn’t quite fit in with the cast’s more true-to-the-times tone. However, where Mr. Tidicue excels is in his reactions, especially when the Angel is delivering the Epistle monologue and when interacting with Louis. Carmen Rossa delivers a fantastic acting track consisting of Joe’s mother, Hannah, Ethel Rosenberg, Aleksii Antedilluvianovich Prelapsarianov, the World’s Oldest Living Bolshevik, among others. Ms. Rossa’s chameleon-like ability to transform between each character, dialect, and physicality is distinct, on-point, and amazingly credible. Her accuracy and consistency between characters make for a thrilling time watching her condemn Mr. Spinella’s Cohn as Ethel, and seeing the motherly warmth punch through the Mormon dedication as Hannah Pitt.

(Randy Harrison (pictured as Prior Walter) and Caldwell Tidicue (pictured as Belize); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

Mr. Taccone’s smooth, cinematic quality in helming this production is executed with effective technical designs, the foremost of which is found in Jake Rodriguez and Bray Poor’s sound design. The mood-setting tones and timing of when and what the audience hears during and between scenes maintains the “gay fantasia” element that Mr. Kushner’s script exudes extremely well. Takeshi Kata’s scenic design is gorgeous, allowing for the various furniture and pieces to accent the stage and give the actors plenty to work with. Jennifer Schriever’s subtle costume design is great, with special nods to how she has dressed Belize and the Angel. As a whole production, this Angels in America is a magnificent seven-and-a-half hour endeavor, complete with thought-provoking material and more timely topics addressed than expected. You have until July 22nd  to see this production, and let me be expressly clear: you do not want to miss this show.

Details:

Angels in America runs through July 22nd

Roda Theater at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley

www.berkeleyrep.org

[brothermarc7theatre]

Season Announcement Wednesday

Phew! After an exhausting, fulfilling week in New York, I am back in the California homeland, gearing up for a summer full of shows, season announcements, and Tony awards! This week takes us to an East Bay staple of the theatre community. This professional, nationally-recognized company produces theatre's newest releases, provocative classics, and everything in between. Come on this journey with me and let's get all sorts of excited for the 2018/2019 coming to Berkeley Repertory Theatre!

Shows/Dates: A Doll's House, Part 2 (September), Fairview (October), Paradise Square: a new musical (December), Metamorphoses (January 2019); Home (March); The Good Book (April); TBA (???)

Venue/Address: Roda Theater and Peet's Theater @ 2025 Addison Street, Berkeley  94704

Website: www.berkeleyrep.org

Facebook: "Like" them at- Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Twitter: "Follow" them at- @berkeleyrep

Description: I mean, Berkeley Rep with professional Bay Area is synonymous. They are the go-to for all things new, fresh, and thought-provoking. My personal audience history with Berkeley Rep has been seeing their productions of In The Wake, Red Hot Patriot...,  Amelie, and Macbeth. I already have my tickets booked for their current production of Angels in America, both parts. A truly great thing about Berkeley Rep is their commitment to having affordable ticket prices for students, educators, etc. They are just a hop off the BART, and have two beautiful facilities to enjoy theatre in. Go see a show! 

[brothermarc7theatre]

"A Doll's House, Part 2" show #753

Lucas Hnath’s daring continuation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic, A Doll’s House, is a modern gem, a truly marvelous play. Berkeley Repertory Theatre is currently playing Mr. Hnath’s Tony-nominated Best Play, A Doll’s House, Part 2, with a stellar four-person cast, and under the sturdy direction of Les Waters. Mr. Waters, a close colleague of Mr. Hnath, understands the comedy and rhythm of Mr. Hnath’s words, making this production an illuminating, intimate portrayal of the Nora-Torvald drama that picks up fifteen years after Nora’s shocking exit from her family.

(Mary Beth Fisher (Nora); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

Mary Beth Fisher portrays Nora, the model to women taking charge of their marital bliss, with impressive delivery and astute patience. Mr. Hnath’s script ensures that audiences need not remember too much from Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, allowing each cast member to give nuance and personality to his and her character without needing to embody Ibsen’s original. Ms. Fisher’s Nora is a spitfire matron, a woman on a mission to get what she so desperately needs: Torvald to finalize their divorce. The stakes couldn’t be higher for Nora, as she has gone on to become a renowned writer, inspiring many women to walk out of their marriages, and children, as well. Ms. Fisher’s domineering conversation opposite a genial-yet-snarky Nancy E. Carroll as house maid, Anne Marie, and soft spoken John Judd as Torvald, are well-paced, full of deep-seated anger and motivation, while always maintaining a level of approachable empathy towards the injustice Nora faces in being such a stigmatized woman.

(John Judd (Torvald) and Mary Beth Fisher (Nora); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

Ms. Carroll has some wonderful moments of cursing and berating Nora for the decisions she is making, none more volatile than figuring out a way to force Torvald to finalize the divorce. Ms. Carroll’s motherly approach towards Nora and Torvald is warm and caring, but not at the expense of her devastating portrayal of a housemaid who’s further along in her years and is a somewhat trapped by her upbringing, career choice, and dedication to Torvald’s family. Mr. Judd plays the long game with Torvald, a constant simmer of sadness and rage apparent from the moment he first sees Nora, to an epic explosion of passionate frustration when he obliges Nora’s wish, but isn’t able to reconcile the marriage. The chemistry Mr. Judd and Ms. Fisher have created sparks all the elements a marriage would contain, being an authentic depiction of this theatrically seminal couple. Nikki Massoud rounds out the cast as Torvald and Nora’s youngest daughter, Emmy. Ms. Massoud enters with a seemingly naïve and bubbly outlook on the world, when in fact she travels down a very smart, forward-thinking plot to ensure that her own interest regarding her marital future is kept intact.

(Nikki Massoud (Emmy); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)

A solid showing all-around, Mr. Waters’ helming is aided by Andrew Boyce’s near-bare but visually stunning scenic design. The action takes place in Torvald’s household, in the first room nearest to the door. With only a few chairs, a coat rack, and a table, these simple set pieces speak volumes when used within Mr. Waters’ staging. Yi Zhao’s lighting design is subdued and effective, especially when capturing the scene transitions and the actor(s) on stage reacting to what just happened and preparing for what’s to come. I urge you to run, not walk, over to Berkeley Repertory Theatre to satiate your curiosity as to what happened to this family fifteen years later. It is a living room drama you won’t want to miss.

Details:

A Doll's House, Part 2 runs through October 21st

Berkeley Repertory Theatre at the Roda Theater, Berkeley

www.berkeleyrep.org