Berkeley Rep Blog
Category archive: General theatre talk
American Idiot earns Grammy nom
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Dec 3, 2010
in General theatre talk , News , Shows on tour
Congratulations to Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day for their Grammy nomination for the Broadway score of American Idiot! The band scored two Grammys for their original album, so wouldn't this be a nice one to add to the collection?
This is the second time in two years that a Berkeley Rep show was nominated for a Grammy. Last year, Carrie Fisher was nominated for the audio book of Wishful Drinking.
In related American Idiot news, Billie's joining the Broadway cast on January 1 for another turn as St. Jimmy.
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Outlandish new trailer for Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead
posted by Karen McKevitt on Thu, Dec 2, 2010
in At the theatre , General theatre talk , Our shows
Our new trailer for Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead racked up more than 8,900 views on YouTube in less than a week! Check it out for yourself -- and share with your friends.
And yep, the show launches with what else but a movie! Says Tony Taccone, the show's director, "In order to introduce you to a live event — the magic of living, breathing theatre — we’re going to show you a movie. Right? It makes absolutely no sense, except it absolutely does makes sense in the world of Lemony Snicket, who is completely eccentric, wildly imaginative and clever and hysterically funny."
Read the entire interview with Tony on the making of the movie, The Magic of Living, Breathing Theater, here.
Hey, tonight's opening night! If we don't see you tonight, we hope to see you soon. Purchase your tickets now!
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A curious dispatch from Lemony Snicket
posted by Pauline Luppert on Thu, Nov 18, 2010
in At the theatre , General theatre talk , Our shows
With the world premiere of Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead mere days away, Lemony Snicket himself has taken the time to send you a curious dispatch in which he shares with you why theatre is important – and how you may find a more or less everlasting joy and peace.
Is theatre important to you? Make a gift to Berkeley Rep today.
Click www.berkeleyrep.org/give
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Concerning cultural intercourse
posted by Pauline Luppert on Mon, Mar 22, 2010
in Events , General theatre talk
In one of my favorite quotes from a review of Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, The San Francisco Chronicle's Rob Hurwitt said scenes from the show "set the mind spinning about topics as varied as the art and commerce of photography, the ways in which humans love and use one another, a century of intercourse between Japan and America . . ." I love this concept of cultures having intercourse. It's sexy, and so much more dynamic than cultures "influencing" each other or "exchanging" with each other.
On that note, an upcoming evening event on Thursday, April 1 at The Asian Art Museum set my mind spinning about a century of intercourse between Shanghai and America.
Here's how the museum describes the event: "Dubbed 'the boy Billie Holiday,' Coco Zhao (seen right) performs an intimate set of original works and Shanghai jazz favorites in conjunction with the special exhibition Shanghai. Jazz thrived in Shanghai’s colorful cabarets and dance halls during the ’20s and ’30s. Suppressed during the Cultural Revolution, it’s enjoyed a renaissance thanks to a new generation of jazz musicians. Zhao cross-pollinates Mandarin vocals with distinct sounds of contemporary American jazz; his unique heritage (his parents performed traditional Chinese opera) is infused with youthful interpretations."
The event begins at 5pm and features a cash bar and various exhibit-related activities. Tickets are $10, but the museum is giving away some free tickets. Click here for a chance to win.
Watch a video of Coco Zhou performing at the Yokohama jazz festival:
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They don't walk alone
posted by Megan Wygant on Fri, Oct 9, 2009
in General theatre talk
American Idiot is a high-energy show. The cast members act, they sing, they dance – as loud as they can, hard as they can, eight shows a week.
And, sometimes, they get hurt.
I’m not saying we’re carrying folks out on stretchers night after night...but this is a strenuous performance. Conditioning and personal training is a required part of all the actors’ routines. During the rehearsal process, choreographer Steven Hoggett led the cast through an intense (and mandatory) 90-minute warm-up/workout at the start of each day’s work. More recently, it’s been an informal (but no less intense) warm-up led by associate choreographer Lorin Latarro before each performance. This session is specifically geared toward stretching out and strengthening the muscles and ligaments that the actors will use during the show – created not just to ensure that they’re performing at their best, but to ensure they're avoiding injury.
And yet...people slip. Someone steps on a piece of paper and loses footing. A head bang gets a little too enthusiastic. Blocking gets off, and two people land their leaps in a place where only one was meant to be.
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Bond, James Bond and Wolverine to hit Broadway?
posted by Elissa Dunn on Thu, Jul 9, 2009
in General theatre talk
Apparently so! While Broadway is no stranger to the occasional mega-watt movie star hitting the stage, this is a whole lot of star-power for one production! It's also being directed by John Crowley of the 2003 London production of The Pillowman. Will Craig and Jackman soon make their way to the Bay Area? One can dream! A Steady Rain by Keith opens at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City in September 2009.
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Beautiful and sad
posted by Megan Wygant on Wed, Jun 17, 2009
in General theatre talk
Our internal staff newsletter can contain wonderful things: announcements of art shows created by coworkers, invitations to plays at local theatres, the occasional good joke, staff gossip, and the like.
Occasionally, there's something beautiful that a member of our staff wants to share with others. Like this: a slideshow of abandoned theatres, found and shared by Ashley Dawn, our prop manager. Check it out.
Thanks for the link, Ashley!
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Drama Obama
posted by Robert Sweibel on Tue, Jun 2, 2009
in General theatre talk
It would be too simple to compare the fact of President and Mrs. Obama's attendance last night at a performance of August Wilson's contemporary masterpiece, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, in New York City, with the patronage habits of his predecessor. I can only suppose that President Bush #43, were he a playgoer, would have attended only matinees. Hard to make it bed by 9pm if you've got an 8pm curtain.
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The Zombie Chicken Awards
posted by Megan Wygant on Tue, May 26, 2009
in General theatre talk
You like us! You really like us!
OK, well, Chad Jones over at Theater Dogs likes us, which is totally awesome.
Theaterdogs.net is run by Chad Jones, who writes about the ins-and-outs and behind-the-scenes buisiness of theatre at many of our local papers. I also have it on good authority that he's an excellent bowler. One of my favorite things about Theater Dogs is that it really reflects the wealth of theatre taking place in the Bay Area -- whether it's an interview with a local playwright, a profile on a Bay Area comedy troupe (well, hello, Killing My Lobster!), or a carefully examined, thoughtful critique of the latest show on one of the Bay Area's numerous stages.
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Contact your Senators!
posted by Susie Medak on Tue, Feb 10, 2009
in General theatre talk
President Obama proposed including $50 million for the arts in the stimulus package and, once again, the culture wars are upon us. Our senators have defeated efforts to support the arts. Now is our last chance to fight to include artists among the people who can be put to work as part of stimulating our economy. It is also the final opportunity to remove the onerous amendment that would prohibit arts organizations from receiving the benefits of any stimulus money... be it NEA funds, environmental funds, capital improvements funds, education funds, etc.
Click here to take action: http://theperformingartsalliance.org/campaign/SupporttheArtsintheEconomicStimulusBill/65b56x947iwtxm3.
And, in case you're interested, here are some more of my thoughts on this topic:
Since when are artists not workers? During the Great Depression, artists of every persuasion were employed by the government... actors, directors, writers, painters, and musicians were all eligible for subsidized work. And the result was that some of the most important artists of the 20th century were given the chance, early in their careers, to hone their skills. Authors like Saul Bellow and directors like Orson Welles, to name only two, were fed by the WPA. And our post offices and schools are embellished with the work of sculptors and painters like Diego Rivera who immortalized that period through their unique sensibilities.
In the late '60s or early '70s, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) was open to artists and arts organizations along with every other industry in the country. The result of that initiative is the hundreds (if not thousands) of arts organizations that have enriched our communities throughout the last 40 years. There is a great tradition in this country of recognizing that artists have real, substantial value and that they contribute to a societal good. They contribute to the common good. They should be entitled to all the same benefits as the rest of our American workforce.
As for infrastructure, we have already submitted to the City of Berkeley a list of shovel-ready projects that we’d like to see included for consideration, should our city receive stimulus money. We’ve taken the position that our ability to spend money for physical improvements has as much validity as does programs for the City pound, street improvements, local housing projects, or university expansion. Our ability to impact the viability of the area’s restaurants and shops is well documented. Our impact within the schools is unparalleled in the state. And artists, just like every construction worker, pay taxes, purchase groceries, and pour money into the local economy.
I came across this opinion piece in the Boston Globe last week. It is specifically about Brandeis University's decision to sell its art collection, but at some level it speaks to this issue of why we must support art and artists. You can read it at http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/02/05/why_should_we_care_about_the_arts/.
Please join us in supporting the arts as an essential part of the American economy.
