Berkeley Rep Blog
City Council passes the Downtown Berkeley Business Improvement District
posted by Karen McKevitt on Tue, Jul 5, 2011
in News
Last week, the Berkeley City Council authorized the formation of the Downtown Berkeley Property-Based Business Improvement District, which will begin operation in January 2012 with a $1.2 million annual budget and will be managed by the Downtown Berkeley Association (DBA). One of the many projects planned include the renovation of BART Plaza.
Our managing director, Susan Medak, is the board chair of the DBA. She says, "Downtown Berkeley has such great fundamentals, with a world class university, stellar arts district, and great transit, dining, recreation, and shopping. The PBID will create a consistent quality of life experience and economic development initiatives that will attract new investment and visitors to Downtown Berkeley."
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What if teens invaded TCG 2011? Part 3
posted by School of Theatre on Fri, Jul 1, 2011
in School of Theatre , Teen Council
By Marcelo Gutierrez
Member, Berkeley Rep Teen Council
Last weekend I attended the 2011 TCG national conference, this time held in downtown L.A. Let me tell you something, be excited for the future of art and technology! The relationship between art and technology was a major theme throughout the three-day long conference, and my eyes were opened to a whole new world of possibilities.
On Thursday, I attended the breakout session called "Earning your Social Media MFA: 90 Months in 90 Minutes" presented by Devon Smith. The presentation was absolutely amazing, and I was introduced to a world of social media that can honorably present art and bring it into the future. She spoke about Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Kickstarter, YouTube, Groupon, and many other social media sites that I had never heard of. She went into detail about each one of these sites and shared the many wonders and opportunities that come with these tools, for example, the many resources Facebook has created for nonprofits at Facebook.com/nonprofits and all the apps available for smartphones, like Google Goggles, which allows you to use your phone camera to instantly access a Wikipedia page on what you're seeing, and an app that suggests who you should meet and talk to at social gatherings based on work and personal interests.
Many people complain that technology is taking away creativity and credibility from art. Devon emphasized that social media is a tool ready for our use, a tool that can enhance, spread, and promote your theatre, art, music, books, fashion designs all over the world like never before. Artists can use these tools to bring their work to an entirely new level. In the new global landscape of the internet and social media, artists no longer need a publicist, they are their own publicist. Programs like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs allow you to connect to a global audience instantly in a more direct and personal manner. The painter, George Condo, who recently designed new album art for Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, had an exhibition at the MoMa in New York earlier this year. To promote it, massive posters were put up all over New York with one of his images and the name of his exhibit. But what was really innovative about these posters was that it included a QR code. When people with smartphones took a picture of the code, it took them to a live Twitter feed relating to his exhibition.
Everything today is on a global scale! The technology today is absolutely beautiful and groundbreaking. Use it! It's free! No matter where you live, what skin color you have, how rich/poor you are, you can have and take part in any of these global networking sites and share your voice as a global citizen.
Marcelo talking to a theatre professional after the teens' breakout session.
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Berkeley Rep's reading list
posted by Amy Potozkin on Thu, Jun 30, 2011
in General theatre talk
A few weeks ago I found myself going through all my books deciding which were ready to be taken down to Half Price Books (right here at the corner of Addison and Shattuck) and which were treasures worth keeping. I came across a few books that I consider to be bibles of mine. Books that I can still remember lines or passages from and that inspired my core values as a theatre artist. I was curious as to what books inspired our staff in their early (or late) days as theatre folk. I asked my colleagues here at Berkeley Rep to contribute the titles of the books they read for a list I was making. Some were quick to respond enthusiastically while others claimed they found books about theatre pretentious. With continued prodding I asked if perhaps there was a different type of book that inspired them in their creative lives, or even one moment of creative insight that would leave said book a treasure for them. Again some contributed and some pushed back. “No!” they cried, “no books! No books about theatre!!” Okay, I said. Perhaps a play or a videotape or …something? Anything? Hence the following list from a number of staff members, fellows, and one former intern.
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What if teens invaded TCG 2011? Part 2
posted by School of Theatre on Wed, Jun 29, 2011
in School of Theatre , Teen Council
By Taylor Greenthal
Member, Berkeley Rep Teen Council
During my entire time at the Theatre Communications Group conference, my mind was exhausted from the endless analyzing and synthesizing of facts, opinions, and hypotheses that were constantly circulating around me. Through the incredible whirlwind that was the conference, I needed to find a focus, a path to help me navigate through all the discussions and really become engrossed in one major issue that mattered most to me. Of course, after my experiences with arts education at TCG last year and the newly formed Arts Advocacy Committee with Teen Council this year, I tried to seek out the discussions and people trying to make a difference in that area of the field. I was pleasantly surprised with this year’s theme of the conference, the hopeful, progressive mindset of “What if…?”. With this future-based theme, so many more plenary sessions, breakout discussions, and casual conversation revolved around us: the young people, Generation Y, “Digital Natives,” etc. I like to think that the teen voice at the conference last year reminded enough people that theatre isn’t just for the older generations, and that in fact, the theatre industry needs to learn more about and include younger generations in order to keep the industry relevent and popular. I hope that as a result of our presence last year, teens helped shift the conversation from the problems of today to the possibility of the future.
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Get your Rita fix
posted by Karen McKevitt on Mon, Jun 27, 2011
in Our shows
Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup debuts in September, but this new stage show isn't Rita's only current project. She's also starring in the new TV show Happily Divorced, playing Fran Drescher's mother. So, if you can't wait until September to get your Rita fix, check out the TV show page and this LA Times article.
Rita Moreno (center) in Happily Divorced.
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What if teens invaded TCG 2011?
posted by School of Theatre on Fri, Jun 24, 2011
in School of Theatre , Teen Council
By Regina V. Fields
Member, Berkeley Rep Teen Council
This past weekend, seven teens from Berkeley Rep’s Teen Council attended the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) conference in Los Angeles, joined by three members of Steppenwolf’s Young Adult Council. This was only the second year in TCG’s history that teens have participated in this national conference. It was an incredible experience; it opened my horizons in terms of what I can do in the field of theatre, I met some amazing theatre professionals, and I had the opportunity to contribute to the conversation about engaging teens in the theatre.
The major theme of the conference was “What If” (e.g., what if we imagined the theatre field of the next 50 years, and began making visible progress today?) and ways the theatre industry can and will evolve in years to come. But I noticed that teens, the people who will be around to make those changes within the theatre industry, were left out of the conversation. Though we were often talked about and referred to as the “next generation,” we were never actually included in these important dialogues.
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Hot nights, cool parties
posted by Cari Turley on Thu, Jun 23, 2011
in At the theatre , Events
Last Friday was the season's final 30-Below, AKA the coolest theatre afterparty for people in their 20s. And it was a blast! We had the good folks at Picante on hand making fresh tortillas in our courtyard (after four salmon tacos, I am a fan for life), a keg of delicious Triple Rock Bug Juice Ale, wine courtesy of Raymond Vineyards, and even a pre-show maragarita tasting with the always-fabulous Tres Agaves. And as for entertainment? Our old friend DJ Ome was back to spin tunes while we waited for our turn in the Magbooth. That's right, I told you the photo booth would be back!
For those of you who missed it, here's a few snaps we took at the event. And those of you who were there, see if you can spot yourself in the crowd! Leave us a comment if you find yourself or a friend.
Thanks to David Trease for the photos! Click on the pictures to open a larger size in a new window.
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partygoers enjoying 30-Below |
the collectable Triple Rock coasters |
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Picante's fresh tortillas were a huge hit |
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(Looking for the full set of photo booth pictures? Check out the album here.)
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Announcing the encore presentation of Let Me Down Easy
posted by Karen McKevitt on Wed, Jun 22, 2011
in News , Our shows
Hot off the press!
Anna Deavere Smith -- already one of the most popular performers in Berkeley Rep history -- is coming back! Let Me Down Easy will close on July 10, and re-open on August 10.
Get in on Let Me Down Easy for the first time -- or again -- and this time see it on our intimate Thrust Stage! This final encore presentation is only 4 weeks. Let Me Down Easy must close for the final time on September 4.
Check out the new video trailer (1 minute), watch Anna introduce the show (3 minutes), or discover the show, the buzz, and more. Then reserve your seats!
Join us in the courtyard one hour before most performances of the encore presentation for a free tequila tasting with Berkeley’s own award-winning Tres Agaves Tequila!
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Anna's interviews
posted by Karen McKevitt on Mon, Jun 20, 2011
in News , Our shows
Let Me Down Easy is a hit with audiences with many sold-out performances. Still, Anna Deavere Smith isn’t slowing down, giving several interviews a week. And we want to share the recent ones with you! Here’s a particularly wonderful TV interview conducted by Dave Iverson for KQED’s This Week in Northern California. She also did interviews for more public radio shows, including NPR’s Forum and NPR’s California Report. And here’s more for CBS’ Bay Sunday and KPFA’s Cover to Cover.
Intrigued? Reserve your seats for Let Me Down Easy!
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Drink to your health
posted by Karen McKevitt on Tue, Jun 14, 2011
in Our shows
A couple of weeks before each Berkeley Rep show opens, the members of the marketing team unleash their inner mixologists to concoct that show's specialty drink. We consider the play's themes -- or "flavor," if you will -- as well as any references to drinks. Three Sisters nearly depleted our vodka reserves, and Fanta made an appearance at our concessions counter courtesy of Ruined.
So, how to approach Let Me Down Easy, with its themes of spirituality and health care? Smoothies came to mind and were quickly dismissed. But visions of cucumber, lemon, and lime slices danced in our heads, and we came up with the Lemon-Mint Spa Spritzer:
Revitalize your body and spirit with this refreshing virgin blend of lemon, mint, and sparkling water. $5. Add gin -- detox can wait! $8.
Now on sale at our concessions counter throughout the run of Anna Deavere Smith's Let Me Down Easy.