Berkeley Rep Blog
Category archive: Backstage buzz
Girlfriend's Todd Almond in concert
posted by Chad Jones on Tue, Mar 16, 2010
in Backstage buzz , Events
Though he's immersed in rehearsals for Girlfriend, Berkeley Rep's world-premiere stage adaptation of Matthew Sweet's classic album of the same name, playwright Todd Almond is going to give us a taste of his other artistic talents.
Todd is part of a dazzling lineup this Friday night, March 19, at San Francisco's Cafe du Nord. The show is Tingel Tangel's second-anniversary blow-out hosted by Joey Arrias and Veronica Klaus. In addition to Todd, you can also expect to see Holcombe Waller, the Winsome Griffles, Trauma Flinstone, Fauxnique, Harlem Shake, Allan Herrera & Terry T., Keith Hennessy, and Marga Gomez. Doors open at 8, and the show begins at 9. Tickets are $16 in advance and $20 at the door. Click here or here for info.
A composer, lyricist, and playwright, Todd has written a number of musicals and has released an album of original songs called Mexico City.
As a performer, Todd describes himself as "a singer/songwriter with a real theatrical inclination." That doesn't mean he wears outrageous costumes or tap dances on the piano. Rather, he sits at the piano to play and sing songs. "By theatrical, I mean the live-ness," Todd explains. "I love the storytelling and the humor of performance."
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Listening in on Les Waters
posted by Chad Jones on Fri, Mar 12, 2010
in Backstage buzz
Richard Wolinsky, the host of the KPFA show Cover to Over Open Book, took the above photo of Mt. Fujii, and we share it with you (with his permission, of course) in honor of Richard's interview with Les Waters, Berkeley Rep's associate artistic director and the man at the helm of Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, which happens to be set in Japan.
The show aired today and can be enjoyed at anytime thanks to KPFA's online archive.
Listen to the interview.
Les is a fascinating guy, and you'll hear about his youth in a small Lincolnshire town (the name is considered an English joke because it has a four-letter word buried in it — you'll have to listen to the interview to find out what that might be). He also talks about his early career at the Royal Court Theatre in London.
He delves into his most recent project, directing the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka's Strange Devices (running through April 11), and discusses his next project, the rock musical Girlfriend, now in rehearsal.
Les provides some marvelous insight into Strange Devices, offers his thoughts on the 2010/11 season, and talks about what it's like to direct on Broadway (or, as Les refers to it, "Disneyland").
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The agony and the ecstasy of Mike Daisey's Steve Jobs
posted by Chad Jones on Wed, Mar 10, 2010
in Backstage buzz
Last week, when we announced the shows of our new season, we figured a few of the names would jump out at people. We knew people would be thrilled at the prospect of Rita Moreno's autobiographical one-woman show, and they were. We knew people would be tickled by the inclusion of Lemony Snicket's The Composer Is Dead. And they were.
We also figured that techies — especially in Silicon Valley — would take note of Mike Daisey's new work, The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. Boy, did they ever.
Once the press release hit, the Internet, from CNET to the New York Times' blog and everything in between, lit up like a Jobs hotline. Some of the stories embellished the show's announcement with details that it would be heading to Broadway after its stop in Berkeley or that Mike would be playing the role of Apple co-founder Jobs.
All of this buzz prompted Mike to address the tech journalists on his website. In addition to pointing out the correct spelling of his name (not like the flower), Mike felt the need to point out that he is a monologuist, a person who performs monologues as himself, not as a character, in direct address to the audience. In Mike's case, that means he mostly sits behind a table, refers to his notes, and talks to the people before him as part of a smart, funny conversation.
The big clarification was in defining the scope of the show. Here's what Mike wrote: "I will not be playing the `role' of Steve Jobs. The monologue concerns Steve Jobs' rise and fall and rise, Apple, industrial design, and the human price we are willing to pay for our technology, woven together in a complex narrative."
Mike is definitely a guy you want to keep up with, so visit his site often. Today's post just happens to be a re-post about someone who tangled with Jobs over a software patent. Very interesting....
Above photo: Mike Daisey, monologuist, demonstrates his craft. Photo by Ursa Waz
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Strange Devices goes Tokyo pop!
posted by Chad Jones on Thu, Mar 4, 2010
in At the theatre , Backstage buzz
At last night's festive opening of Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, audience members could be found grooving and bopping around the Roda Theatre lobby. And when there's grooving and bopping, requests for playlists inevitably follow.
So here you have it — the greatest hits of the Strange Devices lobby.
"Sugar Water" by Cibo Matto from the album Viva! La Woman
"So Exclusive" by m-flo from the album Beat Space Nine
"Sci-Fi Wasabi" by Cibo Matto from the album Stereo Type A
"Kokirikobushi" by OMODAKA from the album Cantata No. 147
"Sataandagi No Uta" by Nuu from the EP Akari
"Planet Tokyo" by Puffy Ami Yumi from the album Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi
"Twist Barbie" by Shonen Knife from the album Burning Farm
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Strange tattoos, cocktails, and you
posted by Chad Jones on Fri, Feb 26, 2010
in At the theatre , Backstage buzz
Previews begin tonight for Naomi Iizuka's Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, and we're hoping some audience members leave this world premiere with a new tattoo — or two. In the tradition of Japanese tattooing, or "irezumi," which you'll hear about in the play, we decided to invite audience members to get a tattoo in the lobby.
OK, so it's a temporary tattoo, but like the famed interlocking tattoos that decorated lovers of yesteryear, we're offering one image featuring a dragon and the other filled with billowing clouds of steam. Separately, the tattoos are cool. Together, they're hot. Tattoo up...and bring a friend.
A certain number of tattoos will be made available each night, so get them while you can.
What better way to celebrate your new tattoo than with the perfect Strange Devices cocktail?
You can savor Naomi's delectable world premiere in more ways than one. During scenes set in contemporary Japan, you’ll see characters enjoying vivid, jewel-toned cocktails that look so delicious we just had to bring them to life off stage.
- The Blue Drink
The sweet punch of Bacardi rum tames the delicious tang of grapefruit juice while cerulean shades of Curaçao give this refreshing cocktail the happiest kind of blues – the kind served over ice. - The Green Drink
When the crisp pairing of Absolut Citron and white cranberry juice meets the luscious sweetness of Midori melon liqueur, other cocktails turn green with envy.
In Strange Devices, you've got a wonderfully sexy, enigmatic play and you've got your ink and your drink. Who could ask for anything more?
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Left to our own Devices: a peek behind the scenes
posted by Chad Jones on Thu, Feb 25, 2010
in At the theatre , Backstage buzz
On the first day of rehearsal for a new show, it's customary for the entire company to gather and meet the cast and creative team. Then everyone settles in for a design presentation by the director and designers.
In the case of Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, the presentation was too good not to share. Director Les Waters takes us inside this world premiere from Naomi Iizuka, and that's a fascinating place to be — especially when seen through the eyes of Pauline Luppert, our multimedia manager.
The show begins previews Friday, February 26 and opens on Wednesday, March 3 in the Roda Theatre.
Enjoy this insider's look and make friends with something Strange.
Above photo: Bruce McKenize and Teresa Avia Lim in Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.com
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Concerning Johnny Wu and Strange Devices
posted by Cheshire Isaacs on Tue, Feb 23, 2010
in At the theatre , Backstage buzz
We're gearing up for the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka's Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, and we're pretty excited. Previews begin Friday, February 26 in the Roda Theatre, and opens on Wednesday, March 3.
It's going to be, in our humble opinion, amazing. The combination of Naomi with director Les Waters, along with an incredible cast and creative team, couldn't be more thrilling. This is a sexy, mysterious show, and that's a hard-to-beat combo.
Johnny Wu, one of the actors in Strange Devices, created a video for his blog that begins with his road trip from Los Angeles to Berkeley and continues with glimpses of the rehearsal process and interviews with Les, assistant director Mina Morita, co-star Bruce McKenzie, sound designer Bray Poor, and others.
It's a fun video, and Johnny has graciously shared it with us so that we could share it with you. Enjoy. (And we couldn't help noticing Johnny's excellent, not to mention appropriate, choice of music to underscore the video. We can never get enough Green Day.)
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Jaden Wiggins "brightens up" Coming Home
posted by Chad Jones on Mon, Feb 22, 2010
in At the theatre , Backstage buzz
Could it be a star is born at Berkeley Rep?
Oakland Tribune columnist Dave Newhouse wrote a terrific piece in last Sunday's newspaper about Jaden Malik Wiggins, the 11-year-old actor in Athol Fugard's Coming Home.
In the show, which closes on Sunday, February 28, Jaden plays Mannetjie Jonkers, the son of Veronica, the main character played by Roslyn Ruff. Kohle T. Bolton, a dynamic 5-year-old, plays the younger version of Jaden's character.
Thomas Silcott, another of Jaden's adult co-stars, makes some astute observations about the young actor:
"Of the 11-year-olds I've seen on stage, a lot of them are very dutiful and will do anything you ask. But they don't go beyond that and take it on themselves. And that's what Jaden does. He willingly becomes more creative...the boy is like a sponge. He's really smart, very talented and knows how to take what you teach him and make it work."
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Fugard directs at his own South African theatre
posted by Chad Jones on Wed, Feb 17, 2010
in Backstage buzz , Our shows
Athol Fugard is in the midst of a creative burst. The legendary 77-year-old playwright, director, and actor has written several new plays, including Coming Home (continuing through February 28 on the Thrust Stage) and Have You Seen Us?, which had its world premiere at the Long Wharf Theatre.
Fugard is even directing his most recent play, The Train Driver, which has its world premiere at the Athol Fugard Theatre in Capetown's District 6, a formerly all-white district.
Last fall, Fugard discussed The Train Driver with the Hartford Courant. "This may be the most important one I've ever written as far as I'm concerned for personal reasons," Fugard said. "I know The Train Driver will resonate for all South Africans when they see it as something that deals with themselves. This is about us, as South Africans."
The BBC has been covering Fugard's return to Capetown and his work on The Train Driver.
Watch the television coverage.
In the radio piece, the actor Alan Rickman praises Fugard. "Everyone of my generation remembers the first time they saw his work in England, " Rickman says, "and it's life changing."
Fugard is far from done. He reports that he's at work on yet another new play, this one called The Blue Iris.
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Idiot marquee goes up on Broadway
posted by Chad Jones on Tue, Feb 16, 2010
in Backstage buzz , Our shows
Welcome to Broadway, American Idiot.
Managing Director Susie Medak snapped that photo of the spiffy new marquee at the St. James Theatre on West 44th Street. Out with the old — goodbye and thank you, Finian's Rainbow — and in with the new. Hello, American Idiot!
Susie was in New York to visit a rehearsal, where she ran into director Michael Mayer and orchestrator/arranger/musical supervisor Tom Kitt.
The Idiot crew has been incredibly busy. Everyone's back in rehearsal preparing for the first preview on March 24, and the cast spent much of the weekend at New York's Electric Lady Studios recording the cast album.
Tickets went on sale to the general public on Valentine's Day. Visit the show's official website for information.
