Berkeley Rep Blog
Gotta dance!
posted by Karen McKevitt on Wed, Sep 21, 2011
in Our shows
By Aleta George
In Singin’ in the Rain, an energetic, bespectacled young man hits the streets of New York, proclaiming, “Gotta dance!”
Every dancer recalls their first “Gotta dance!” moment. Rita Moreno’s came at the tender age of 6 after her first time on stage in a Greenwich Village nightclub. In Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup, she tells the audience that in that moment she thought, “Forget school, I want to do this for the rest of my life!”
For Ray Garcia and Salvatore Vassallo, the talented dancers who have Moreno’s back in Life Without Makeup, their moments came as teenagers.
Rita Moreno performs with Salvatore Vassallo (left) and Ray Garcia. Photo by kevinberne.com.
Garcia grew up in Bay City, Texas, a small town of 13,000 people that had no theatre and no performing arts classes at the high school. Garcia fell in love with the piano (his neighbor had one), worked hard, and nabbed a music scholarship for college. That was before the Young Americans came to town in his senior year. “Oh my God, I want to do that!” he said after seeing them perform. He auditioned that day and nailed it.
He went home and told his parents, “Gotta dance!” They didn’t have the money for his tuition, but raised it with the help of the community. When Garcia flew to Los Angeles, it was his first time away from home and his first time on an airplane.
“America” was among the first songs that Garcia learned with the Young Americans, and West Side Story became his favorite musical of all time. “It’s so crazy that I’m dancing it with Rita Moreno now,” he says. “I have to pinch myself every time.”
Salvatore Vassallo’s moment hit when he was a young teen. Like Moreno, Vassallo came to America as a child immigrant, but his family came from Italy. For many years, culture shock and an unfamiliar language silenced Vassallo until he discovered he could communicate through dance. His “Gotta Dance!” moment came after watching the captain of the dance team perform at Dana Junior High School in San Pedro, CA. “She looked like she was in her element and having such a great time,” he says. “From the moment I auditioned for the dance department at 14, I have never stopped moving.”
By the time Vassallo and Garcia launched their careers, they didn’t have to lighten their skin or hide their ethnicity like Moreno did in her early career. “She paved the way for Latinos in show business,” says Garcia. “I’m very grateful for that.” Garcia is passing the torch, too. He frequently returns to his old high school in Bay City to talk to the kids. “It’s hard to get out of a small town like that, and even harder to believe you can go somewhere and pursue your dreams.”
The three American success stories now onstage of the Roda Theatre have proven that it’s not only possible to pursue you dreams but to attain them.
Aleta George, house manager at Berkeley Rep and a journalist, had her “Gotta dance” moment in high school. In her 20s she was a DAW (dancer, actress, waitress) in Los Angeles and played Rosalia in West Side Story at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera. She applied pancake makeup to darken her skin.
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Outreach to local schools - why are we doing this?
posted by School of Theatre on Tue, Sep 20, 2011
in School of Theatre
By Dave Maier, outreach coordinator
Earlier this week I was driving up to Santa Rosa for my first high-school outreach visit of the year. Excited to build on the previous year’s success, I was going over the three-hour playwriting curriculum in my head and how I might adapt it to fit the needs of this particular class. When suddenly: TRAFFIC! The 101 highway north was a parking lot due to construction. “Don’t panic,” the voice in my head began, “you have plenty of time and this back-up can’t last too long.” During the seemingly endless delay my frustration grew and that voice became more frantic and challenged me with the repeated question, “Why are you doing this?”
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Teaching students age 6 to 80
posted by School of Theatre on Tue, Sep 20, 2011
in School of Theatre
By MaryBeth Cavanaugh, associate director of the School of Theatre
One of my earliest experiences at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre was a class I taught for an open house that involved teaching movement techniques to people of all ages. As I entered the class I saw a girl about 6 and an 80-year-old woman. I was completely taken aback at the situation before me. I'd taught young children and adults and professional actors/dancers, but never in the same space at the same time. Movement classes by their nature force people to stretch their boundaries and get outside their comfort zones. In my experience, the social makeup and experience levels of the group (whether college students, K-8, etc...) would invariably dictate the degree to which the students would explore and challenge themselves. Now I was facing a generational spectrum I'd never seen in any class, anywhere. I forced a smile as I took my place and muttered quietly, "This is going to be rough."
The students, I noticed, seemed completely at ease and eager to begin the class. And so I simply launched into the lesson plan, and felt immediate relief that the students -- all ages -- were instantly engaged and moved with great enthusiasm and commitment. There was no obvious generational discomfort; there was no self-segregation by age or sex or race or aptitude; everyone moved and worked as a group, as a community. The students displayed none of the trepidation I initially felt, and I will never forget watching a 6- and 80-year-old doing triplets together across the floor. They were moving in unison, as members of a community.
What sets the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre apart is its unique and inclusive student body. They play as important a role as any teacher or any curriculum. They enter the classes as members of a community. They challenge and accept their classmates -- inclusive of age, race or experience. Everyone learns, everyone is challenged as much as they want to be, and everyone is accepted.
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“What do ya do with a B.A. in English?”
posted by School of Theatre on Mon, Sep 19, 2011
in School of Theatre
Good question, Avenue Q writers. As two recently graduated English majors who “can’t pay the bills yet, cuz we have no skills yet,” that question dominated our thoughts for the last year. And so, in celebration of National Arts in Education Week, we’re sharing our answer with you.
Our answer: Arts Education.
I’m Shari McDonald, education fellow and recent graduate of Bennett College with a B.A. in English and concentration in Theatre. Here’s why “arts education” is my answer.
Arts education is a basic necessity. Sure, including arts education as a basic necessity along with water, food, shelter, and clothing is a bit of a stretch, but maybe all too often we neglect our need to exhibit human qualities. The need to connect, touch, inspire, engage, and express will never vanish, so perhaps arts education needs to be added to that list of basic necessities.
Arts education serves as an integral part of an adolescent's development. Youth who have participated in the arts have improved communication skills, motivation, cognitive ability, confidence, concentration, and teamwork. The arts help to create well-rounded students who not only care about their own success, but also are empathetic, compassionate, and charitable to others. And, people who create art often allow themselves to be vulnerable and empathetic. If everyone allowed themselves to experience these emotions, we’d have a world of humanitarians!
“The children are the future,” so I have decided to invest in our society’s future by being an educator who utilizes the arts as a teaching method. Education is the most unique and fluid field. It is a noble, selfless, and evolving profession. Teachers exist in all forms: dancers, philosophers, doctors, scientists, architects, economists, and artists. The ability to share your knowledge, and inspire others is the most rewarding experience. There is no better way to change the world than to be an educator who understands the importance of integrating arts education.
I’m Hannah Lennett, education fellow and recent Graduate of Brown University with degrees in English Literature and Performance Studies. Here’s why “arts education” is my answer.
I went to college with a lot of people who wanted to change the world. I sat in a seminar one day with a student to my left studying health policy in order to travel to Mali and start an orphanage, while to my right was a soon-to-be civil rights attorney. I sat in the middle, swamped with rehearsal schedules, English papers, and teaching gigs, hoping that I would be able to construct as noble and vast a dream as theirs. My classmates' dreams were immense and different, creative and challenging -- but there was one thing they had in common. They had all been touched by the arts in some way. The civil rights lawyer learned her love for public speaking in her middle school drama club. The orphanage had been the brainchild of my other classmate ever since he took an African drumming class in his elementary school and became engrossed in Malian culture. Every dreamer I talked to was inspired by the arts.
There I was -- graduation approaching, staring at the options available to an English major like myself, and pretty consistently humming the Avenue Q soundtrack under my breath like the faithful theatre geek that I am.
In the end I skipped over the consulting firms and the entry-level publishing jobs (even though they were tempting both in salary and content) because in this culture of big dreamers, I found myself looking around me at my outstanding peers who were able to enter such incredible fields, and I decided my big dream was to make sure that our country is preserving and creating new generations of big dreamers. Dreamers who get their start when a teacher hands them their first musical instrument, teaches them a dance step, or asks them to take the lead in the school play.
So here I am in my dream(er) fellowship at Berkeley Rep School of Theatre. In National Arts in Education Week, I am thankful for all the arts educators who work to inspire students every day and look forward to supporting and working with them in my time at Berkeley Rep and beyond.
Happy National Arts in Education Week!
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The critics applaud Rita Moreno
posted by Karen McKevitt on Wed, Sep 14, 2011
in Our shows
The reviews are in, and critics applaud Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup, an unflinchingly honest and spectacularly entertaining new show about her amazing life and career. Here's what they say:
"Moreno -- past and present -- is a pleasure… Written by Berkeley Rep Artistic Director Tony Taccone, in his local playwriting debut, developed with Moreno and directed by David Galligan, Rita is an idiosyncratic cross between star showcase and intimate memoir." Read more from the SF Chronicle
"A highly pleasurable showbiz memoir steeped in the nostalgia of the Golden Age of Hollywood... Rita Moreno sparkles!" Read more from the Mercury News/Bay Area News Group
"Raw, honest, fun, inspiring. What a life in show biz is all about. Hats off to Rita. Do not miss this show!" Jan Wahl of KCBS-AM and KRON-TV
Good seats are still available for this fabulous show, so reserve yours now. Prices vary based on availability. For the best seats at the consistently lowest prices -- plus perks like free performance rescheduling -- sign up for a season ticket package of three or more plays.
Reserve your seats online!
(or call the box office at 510 647-2949 from noon to 7pm, Tuesday through Sunday)
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National Arts in Education Week
posted by School of Theatre on Tue, Sep 13, 2011
in School of Theatre
By Rachel Fink, director of Berkeley Rep School of Theatre
It's National Arts in Education week!
Never heard of it? Not surprising, as it is a relatively new initiative. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the resolution (H. Con. Res. 275) last year designating the second week of September as “National Arts in Education Week.” Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier of California, the resolution succinctly defines the value of arts education, highlighting its considerable influence on students’ academic achievement and well-being as well as the economic and collective impact on their communities. It’s actually a great, simple arts advocacy resource (for a piece of legislation).
(Interested in learning more about arts education advocacy? I’ve listed some of my favorite resources below. They’re easy reads and I encourage you to take a look.)
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When you register for a class...
posted by School of Theatre on Mon, Sep 12, 2011
in School of Theatre
By Katie Riemann, registrar at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre
I should have realized that I would end up with a career in the arts when I used to make the skulls “talk” about their adventures out on the African savannah in a Sesame Street fashion in my Introduction to Physical Anthropology course. And so began a decade-long odyssey in stage managing around the Bay Area. But 14 hour days, 6 days a week don’t lend themselves to bringing up a two year old, so I landed as the registrar here at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre.
What I love about my job is connecting people to their passion. I always felt this was the best part of stage managing, supporting actors as they work on creating that perfect performance. And now I feel that I serve the same function here. Whether it’s a first time Improv student trying to overcome his or her shyness in social situations or a professional actor looking to master that cockney accent, each one is trying to challenge his or herself in our classes. I like the idea that our students don’t want to just sit back and be passive, but want to push the envelope within themselves. And that willingness to push past one’s comfort zone and realize you have more to learn, I think that’s what makes human beings fascinating. It becomes a quest for that “perfect performance” in a seemingly mundane setting.
And that’s what I think about when I see your registration come across my desk.
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Rita Moreno's big night/OUT
posted by Cari Turley on Mon, Sep 12, 2011
in At the theatre , Events , Our shows
Last Friday's night/OUT party for the LGBT community was a huge success! I mean, I know we say that a lot (what can we say; it's a successful series!) but this was one of the best night/OUTs we've had in a while. We had a huge crowd, a great DJ, incredible food and drink...but what really put the icing on the cake was a special, surprise visit from none other than Rita Moreno herself.
Rita (and dancers Ray Garcia and Salvatore Vassallo) stopped by the party and were gracious enough to mingle and take photos with our guests for a good long time. Or maybe they were just enjoying the party--can't say I'd blame them!
Take a peek and some of our photos below. (I may have gotten a little Instagram-happy.) If you were there and took a photo with Rita, share it in the comments!
Did you miss out this time? Don't worry, we have two more night/OUT events this season. It's not too early to buy tickets, so make sure you don't miss out again!
Thanks to our night/OUT season sponsors, San Francisco Bay Guardian and The Bay Area Reporter, as well as La Bonne Cuisine, Ale Industries, Tres Agaves, and DJ Gstar of the Hella Gay Oakland Dance Party for making this night a success. See you next time!
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Podcast of Anna Deavere Smith panel now available!
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Sep 9, 2011
in Events
A Symphony of Ideas - Anna Deavere Smith at Berkeley Rep
Did you miss the terrific panel discussion on August 17 moderated by Anna Deavere Smith? No worries, because now the podcast of "A Symphony of Ideas: A Conversation About the Body and the Body Politic" is now available. This discussion was also moderated Paul Costello, CCO of Stanford School of Medicine, and featured the panelists Dr. Judith Butler, Dr. Arnold Milstein, Janice Mirikitani, and Lance Williams.
For more info on the panelists, click here. Otherwise, enjoy the podcast!
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Happy feet at the School of Theatre
posted by Karen McKevitt on Thu, Sep 8, 2011
in School of Theatre
The Berkeley Rep School of Theatre received this sweet "thank you" from one of the Summer Intensive students who performed in For Feet's Sake, a retelling of the Little Mermaid story. Aww, isn't this sweet?