Berkeley Rep Blog
Category archive: At the theatre
Page to Stage
posted by Mina on Fri, Jun 12, 2009
in At the theatre
Theatre is not a passive art form, and no one knows this better than the Berkeley Rep audience.
As the house lights come up after a show, our audiences buzz in response to the art on the stage. And that is the way it should be. Why go through the Herculean effort of bringing a play to life (it takes a village, really) if it is stale and makes us listless? Let us question, debate, and assert!
Every season, Berkeley Rep expands this forum by offering a series of free discussions with the theatre artists creating the work. Did you know that it takes two to three years to create a new play that we, the audience, experiences for two to three hours? What passion drove the artist to dedicate their days and nights during those 2-4 years to creating this piece, for us, the audience? "Page to Stage" provides us a brief window into their perspective, their struggle, and the fulfillment of their vision.
As the Artistic Intern here at Berkeley Rep, I work with the development department’s Margo Chilless and Literary Manager / Dramaturg Madeleine Oldham, to put together three evenings of “Page to Stage” for the season. We begin planning well in advance (we're currently planning for next season). Margo starts the process by reviewing Berkeley Rep's events calendar to ensure that we are evenly peppering the season with a variety of events. Once we have a sense of potential dates, Madeleine and I discuss what shows and themes will resonate most with our audience. It's like planning a dinner party: we consider complimentary voices (artists matched to moderators) along with the representation of diverse perspectives and experiences through the season. Guests can include playwrights, directors, designers, actors, and musicians; past guest have included David Edgar, Tony Kushner, Mary Zimmerman, Rita Moreno, Salman Rushdie, and Charles Mee. Can you imagine enjoying your glass of wine while chatting intimately with these guests?
This Monday, we have our final “Page to Stage” event for the season with Amy Freed and Tony Taccone. What I love most about putting it all together is that I get to meet the artists before the audience arrives. Since I worked as the assistant director on Freed's piece, You, Nero, it will be a reunion and celebration of the hard work, commitment, and passion that went into the play! Following the discussion (open to the public...and FREE), there's a special reception where supporters of the Theatre will be able to speak with the artists in a more intimate setting.
Come join us!
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Ride-along
posted by A Susskind on Tue, May 19, 2009
in At the theatre
I work in a very strange place.
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Lieutenant's tour is EXTENDED
posted by Robert Sweibel on Tue, May 5, 2009
in At the theatre
Thank you, citizens of the Bay Area and beyond. You've welcomed The Lieutenant of Inishmore into your ranks. You've stood shoulder to shoulder to protect and promote this extraodinary foot soldier in Wee Thomas' Army (if you've seen the show, you know what I mean). Because of the support of allies like you, the Lieutenant's tour has been extended for one week. Tell your friends -- they now have until May 24 to join. The Lieutenant wants everyone to enlist. Sign up here!
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Food for thought
posted by Lynn Eve Komaromi on Wed, Mar 18, 2009
in At the theatre
I just wanted to share with you a wonderful interaction I had with one of our donors last week. I was in the Mendel Room at intermission for In the Next Room and started chatting with one of newer supporters and her husband. Like many of the donors I've been speaking with lately, they wanted to talk about the economy, how was Berkeley Rep faring, etc. And then they said, "But it is so good to be here tonight...and to laugh. And not just to laugh, but to be with other people who are laughing. That's what theatre is about...that sense of community. You don't get this sitting in front of your computer watching YouTube."
It was a great reminder that especially in times like this, that the work that each of us does in this theatre is important and has meaning in people's lives. That's a great feeling.
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Patron Word Jumble: Vibrator Edition
posted by Elana McKernan on Thu, Mar 12, 2009
in At the theatre
One would think that a title as distinctive as "The Vibrator Play" would stick in people's minds. Even if you forget that, Sarah Ruhl's new show has ANOTHER title for you to fall back on: "In the Next Room."
Apparently, though, double titles lead to double confusion for patrons. While "In the Next Room" may not be the most jumbled title in the history of the Berkeley Rep, it is certainly one of the most amusing. I have compiled a list of the top ten alternate titles for "In the Next Room," brought to you by your confused neighbors in Berkeley!
Want to join in the action? Call in for tickets! You only have until Sunday to share a deliciously awkward interaction with the Box Office employee of your choice. Don't miss out! Because, really, how many ways can you mangle "Crime and Punishment?" "Punishment and Crime?" "That Murder Show?"
Without further ado, read on for butchered vibrator goodness (one can only hope that Sarah Ruhl takes notes so as to better title her plays in the future):
10. The Room Next Door (A fairly accurate description of the location of the Roda Theatre in relation to the Box Office)
9. The Door Down the Street (Ditto)
8. Down the Hall (A bit less accurate, but I admire the creativity)
7. That Sarah Ruhl Play (Can't fault the logic here)
6. The New Play by that Eurydice Author (True, true)
5. The Vibrator Room (Sure, why not?)
4. In the Next Vibrator Room (One wonders where the "first" Vibrator Room is?)
3. That Play About Sex (Ok, now this is getting a little ridiculous)
2. That Vagina Show (I'm doing my best not to develop too many mental images of this one)
...and finally, winning the prize for the most amusing and uncomfortable interpretation of Sarah Ruhl's new masterpiece:
1. I WANT VIBRATORS (Emphasis was the patron's, not mine. At the time, I wasn't sure if she had mistaken us for a sex shop. In retrospect, I'm fairly certain she was just a little overzealous in inquiring about tickets)
I must give an honorable mention to the most awkward conversation of the year, though it illustrates a metaphorical, rather than literal, mangling of the Vibrator Play. The conversation went as follows:
Patron: What do you have playing this evening?
Leah: In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play.
Pause.
Patron: What's a vibrator?
Leah: ...excuse me?
Patron: A vibrator. What's that?
Pause.
Leah: It's...something...people use on their bodies...to massage themselves.
Pause.
Patron: Why is there a play about that?
Leah: Well, it's not just for massages. It's--um--women use it, mostly...it vibrates, you know?
Pause.
Leah: (continuing) ...um, women, they sometimes use it on other parts of their body...
Patron: What?
Leah: Down, you know...they, um, use it sometimes for...sexual pleasure.
Long pause.
Patron: (Smaller voice) I think I'll check online for information on your next show.
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Oops!
posted by Megan Wygant on Wed, Mar 4, 2009
in At the theatre
We all make mistakes--and this week, it looks like I made a doozy.
Actually, I didn't make it this week -- that train left the station in early February. But I found out about it this week, and that's what really matters.
As I've mentioned before, one of my main responsibilities is to edit the program you receive each time you come to the Theatre. It is a massive undertaking. (We're in the thick of things for The Lieutenant of Inishmore right now actually, which means that I'm convinced that this will be the time we don't make the deadline and all of you will be handed photocopied-and-stapled flyers when you come to see the show next month.) But, amazingly, we always do make it--and all the fuss is absolutely worth it in that first moment when I take the published program into my hand.
The first skim through the program is all about enjoying the ride. Our art director, Cheshire, and his sidekick, Abby, do a really good job of making the words of all the program writers look fantastic on the page--and seeing it in a glossy magazine is so different than the black and white printouts that I proof.
I've read these articles at least 10 times apiece; the writers and I have haggled over punctuation and phrasing (we all have very particular ideas about how a story should sound); and I've personally checked each i and t to make sure it's been dotted and crossed--but seeing the program in its entirety is like seeing it all for the very first time.
Unfortunately, seeing it for the first time means that I see the things that I missed. Usually it's a missing space, or a spot where "there" got mixed with "their." But sometimes, while proofing, I get so wrapped up in the trees that I miss the forest entirely. And it's in this first read-through that those errors jump out, hit me in the face, and then run around my head laughing about the futility of proofreading.
That's what happened this week with the Crime and Punishment program. The show opens tonight, and there's a pretty big goober on the title page (of course, it couldn't be some page in the back of the book that everyone skips over, oh no.)
So let's play a little game: what's wrong with this picture?
I'm not the only one who spotted this error at the office, but let me just spell it out for those of you at home: the first production of this show was at the Writers' Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, in May 2003. That's five years ago. So, yeah, our show? Not the world premiere.
This is actually what we would call a Very Big Deal -- premiering a show is a huge risk for theatre companies. It's a massive investment of time and resources, and having the courage to take that leap affords a theatre certain perquisites going forward. Like, I don't know, not having another theatre jump on their claim.
I'm not the only one who missed it in the proof, but I'm the one who has final responsibility...so there's egg all over my face today (and signage admitting the mistake all over the theatre).
Hey, at least we spelled Dostoevsky's name right.
Anyone want to make me feel better? Share your most embarrassing work-related errors in the comments.
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Medicinal theatre?
posted by Terence Keane on Mon, Mar 2, 2009
in At the theatre
If you visit Berkeley Rep regularly, and certainly if you visit this blog, you're familiar with our logo. The circle with the clapping hands has symbolized superior theatre since it was designed for us in the late '70s by Walter Landor, the advertising guru who created the ubiquitous logo for cotton among other things.
This weekend, I encountered a brochure from another local business that made me chuckle. I saw a pair of hands on a postcard that looked somewhat similar to our logo, but upon closer inspection those palms clearly have other plans.
Check it out:
That's the logo for Harborside Health Center in Oakland, a medical cannabis dispensary. Judging from the postcard, we do have some things in common: "Close to parks and restaurants... Elegant, bright, cheerful environment. Attractive, clean & well-maintained restrooms... Full complement of staff who are: well-trained, courteous, compassionate."
Beyond that, well, I'm not sure the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. That sure doesn't look like cotton to me!
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Box Office Brain Freeze
posted by Elana McKernan on Mon, Feb 9, 2009
in At the theatre
Unfortunately, I am not referring to the painful overindulgence that causes milkshake-hungry children to furrow their brows and hop up and down in pain. No; our flavor of ice cream is much less delicious, and much more embarrassing than the traditional chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. I call it the "box office brain freeze" and it comes in one flavor only: shame.
While its symptoms are sometimes identical to a more traditional brain freeze (scowls, extended periods of silence, incomprehensible noises, etc.), the box office brain freeze is a thing unto itself.
We don't like to admit it, the proud box office creatures that we are, but sometimes our brains simply fail us. Perhaps this happens to everyone, but since we are talking to patrons 24/7 we are less able to hide our premature senility. If you are ever on the phone with one of us during such an episode, I sincerely apologize. The first step in addressing a problem is identifying it. Common symptoms of the box office brain freeze are:
1. Slow reaction time. Does your box office representative sound distant? Is he or she speaking at an abnormally slow tempo? Perhaps he or she just came back from a relaxing yoga session. To determine if this is the case, make a casual mention of a "downward facing dog." If your box office rep. responds with a "yeah, man" (other telling responses are a good-natured chuckle accompanied by a "right on," a mention of the lotus pose, or the sound of a nodding head), then he or she is likely a yoga master trying to bring zen to the world of ticket exchanges. Proceed with patience. Perhaps the zen will rub off on you! If your reference is met with more silence, proceed to number two. *In mild cases of box office brain freeze, the mere mention of a downward facing dog may shock said box office rep. into full cognitive abilities.
2. Prolonged periods of silence. Before we jump to any conclusions here, please check your phone connection. Are you using a cell phone? If so, are you standing in a tunnel or cave? Are you in the woods? Are you in a BART car? The French countryside? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, please hang up the phone and call us when standing outside in a populated area. Are you using a land line? If so, do you have any small pets that might have chewed through and/or peed on your phone jack? If so, please hang up the phone and bunny-proof your house. Good. Now that you have secured your method of communication, are your questions met with resounding silence? Proceed to number three.
3. Does your sales representative make comments that are completely unrelated to the question you may or may not have asked? This could point to an obscure form of the brain freeze in which every part of the mind is frozen except for that which triggers the speech function. The symptoms often resemble the previously discussed "Word Jumble." However, the Word Jumble is much less extreme than the Box Office brain freeze and is almost immediately identified by the sales representative (and duly apologized for).
Though commonly mistaken for apathy or us simply not paying attention, the Box Office brain freeze is really quite innocuous. We don't mean to ignore you; our brains give us no other choice. The best remedy for the Box Office brain freeze is patience and plenty of good humor. We box office folk have no trouble laughing at ourselves. In fact, it tends to be the quickest way of thawing our addled minds.
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Art imitates life imitates...
posted by Megan Wygant on Mon, Feb 2, 2009
in At the theatre
Image from the New York Times' recent article on female desire
Zeitgeist. I love that word. I love the way it sounds, how it feels in my mouth, how it zips off the tongue. It's a little spicy, a little sexy, all intellectual.
I love writing it. I love that the e comes before the i -- twice.
I like that hearing it evokes images of Hegel and Marx, and college students bumming cigarrettes off each other while on break from their philosophy and creative writing classes (I also love that the creative writing kids are often more fascinated with talk of zeitgeists than are the more philosophically-minded). I like the idea of being part of something bigger than just me.
I like knowing that, if Zeitgeist were a guy, I'd have one of those kinds of crushes where I'd stand in the corner and blush madly every time he looked my way.
And I love, love, love, that never before have I seemed to be sitting at the eye of an honest-to-goodness one, watching it form and coalesce around me.
This article was in the New Yorker two weeks ago.
This was in the New York Times last Sunday.
This began previews on Friday, and opens on Wednesday.
If you have seen In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the interplay between the articles and the show.
Actually, if you haven't seen the show yet, I'd still like to know what you thought about the confluence of those pieces.
Heck. If you've seen the show, and don't want to read the articles, I'd still like to know--what did you think?
Zeitgeist. Awesome.
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The "Buzz" on 30 Below and night/OUT
posted by Elissa Dunn on Thu, Jan 29, 2009
in At the theatre
Two actors from The Arabian Nightssmile
for the camera at our last 30 Below party
When I started 30 Below at Berkeley Rep last season I had two goals: to create an event to encourage young audiences to come to the theatre, and to sell 100 tickets to it. We sold over 120 tickets to the first young audience party, held in conjunction with Argonautika. Now, with tomorrow's 30B, we've far surpassed that number, with 175 tickets sold!
I’m thrilled about the world premiere of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play) and especially excited about this particular 30 Below event. For all those under the age of 30, tickets start at $13.50 and include:
- Pre-show cocktail hour hosted by Dimmi Spirits(they’ll be pouring a delightful concoction called “The Fresca” for $2!)
- The world premiere of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)
- Post-show party with catering by Curryous, music by DJ Alabaster, and drinks by Spaten Brewing and Raymond Vineyards
- Good Vibrations' “Wheel O’ Pleasure"!
- Live burlesque performance by Twilight Vixen Revue
ANDon Thursday, February 5th we'll be hosting our LGBT event, night/OUT, which includes a ticket to the show with:
- Post-show party catered by Bistro Liaison
- Drinks by Triple Rock Brewery and Raymond Vineyards
- And an encore performance by Twilight Vixen Revue! (really, these ladies are spectacular)
Both of these events are part of our audience development program at Berkeley Rep. This program is a particular passion of mine. The survival of theatre depends on new and invested audiences, and it's important that they come out and show their support. I hope to see you at one or more of these events in the future!