Berkeley Rep Blog
Category archive: News
And the winners are...
posted by Karen McKevitt on Mon, Aug 8, 2011
in News
How did the following people win such fabulous prizes? They gave us great feedback on our big patron survey and were randomly selected among all the particpants -- well, those particpants who gave us their name and contact info so they could be entered, anyway.
Sheila S. and Marcia G. won the grand prize: they each picked up a free full 2011-12 season subscription!
Wendy S. and Bonnie H. got a pair of premium seats to In Paris with Mikhail Baryshnikov.
And the following people got a pair of premium seats to any subscription show in the 2011-12 season: Brad M., Rick R., Catherine L., Carol K., Robin S., Stuart F., Judy O., Ellen S., Corina A., Diane T., Marilyn L., Marvin H., Jane R., Judy G., Karla S., Carol W., Kay B., Meredith E., Betty H., and Dianne F.
Congratulations, and thanks to everyone who participated in our survey. We really do love to receive feedback, and your input will help us provide more superb Berkeley Rep experiences!
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Anna Deavere Smith in the Huffington Post
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Aug 5, 2011
in News , Our shows
In case you haven't already heard, Anna Deavere Smith returns to Berkeley Rep next Wednesday for a limited encore presentation of Let Me Down Easy. And just yesterday, she published a fascinating essay in the Huffington Post about her 2005 trip to Africa to research her show, particularly around the HIV/AIDS crisis.
While she was in Africa, Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. She later conducted interviews with people in New Orleans, including Dr. Kiersta Kurtz-Burke, whose monologue is one of the most affecting in the show. While Anna says that much of the interviews she conducted in Africa did not make it into the version of the show we see now, her Huffington Post essay offers, among her own personal observations, excerpts of interviews with two AIDS activists. She says their words "still play like music in my ears."
Read Anna's essay in the Huffington Post
Buy tickets to Let Me Down Easy
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East Bay Express readers can't be wrong
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Jul 22, 2011
in News , Our shows
Anna Deavere Smith's Let Me Down Easy was voted Best Theatrical Production by East Bay Express readers in the Best of the East Bay issue. Aww, thanks everyone! You have terrific taste in theatre, if we do say so ourselves.
Did you miss Let Me Down Easy? Don't worry, you can still find out what East Bay Express readers already know -- that this show rocks! It's coming back to Berkeley Rep starting August 10 for a really short encore presentation. It must close September 4. What's more, this time the show is on our intimate Thrust Stage, so you can get an even closer view of Anna's artistic genius.
See Let Me Down Easy for the first time, or again. (So many people came more than once to the original run.) Buy your tickets here!
Photo of Anna Deavere Smith by Joan Marcus.
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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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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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American Idiot coming to the big screen
posted by Karen McKevitt on Tue, Jun 14, 2011
in News , Shows on tour
The Hollywood Reporter and Playbill.com reported that the film version of American Idiot will be released in 2013, with Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong in the role of St. Jimmy -- the same role he played in several Broadway performances that drew huge box office receipts. Additional casting for the film has not been announced. Tom Hanks' company Playtone holds the film rights, and Michael Mayer -- the director of the Berkeley Rep and Broadway runs -- will direct the film. Of course, American Idiot premiered here at Berkeley Rep in 2008.
The national tour of American Idiot begins this fall and will come to San Francisco in June 2012.
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Berkeley Rep artists at the Tony Awards
posted by Karen McKevitt on Mon, Jun 13, 2011
in News
Quite a few past Berkeley Rep artists made appearances at last night’s Tony Awards. Colman Domingo, who performed at many Bay Area theatres and played Franklin in Passing Strange, was nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Scottsboro Boys. Joshua Henry, who was in the ensemble of American Idiot, also received a nomination for Scottsboro Boys as Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. Mark Wendland, who was the scenic designer for Master Class starring Rita Moreno, was nominated for his scenic design of The Merchant of Venice. But it was Brian Ronan, sound designer for American Idiot, who walked away with a Tony Award last night for Best Sound Design of a Musical for The Book of Mormon. He was also nominated for Anything Goes. Congratulations all!
Colman Domingo (in the top hat) along with Rebecca Naomi Jones, Chad Goodridge, de’Adre Aziza, and Daniel Breaker in Passing Strange. Photo by Kevin Berne.
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Les and Will reunite at Steppenwolf
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Jun 10, 2011
in News
Even though he just directed the critically acclaimed Three Sisters, it's not quite the end of the season for our Associate Artistic Director and director extraordinaire Les Waters. In fact, he's reuniting with playwright Will Eno (TRAGEDY: a tragedy) over at Steppenwolf to direct Will's play Middletown. Its first performance is next week, June 16. Break a leg, guys!
Photo of Steppenwolf ensemble member Tim Hopper, director Les Waters, and playwright Will Eno by Joel Moorman.
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Announcing our Limited Season, plus a special event!
posted by Karen McKevitt on Wed, May 11, 2011
in News , Our shows
We just announced our Limited Season! We’ve got two premieres plus a special presentation starring legendary performer Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Following its success with Brief Encounter, Britain’s celebrated Kneehigh Theatre Company returns to the Bay Area for the American premiere of The Wild Bride. Then we debut Black n Blue Boys, a powerful world premiere written and performed by Pulitzer Prize-finalist Dael Orlandersmith, which will be staged by Obie Award-winner Chay Yew. To top it off, Baryshnikov performs next spring in a special event: tickets for In Paris, a dazzling romance from visionary director Dmitry Krymov, will go on sale to our subscribers before they’re available to the general public. These new shows round out an incredible schedule that already includes three world premieres, a classic Molière comedy, and a remarkable script that won the Tony Award for Best Play.
Want more information? How about information on subscribing?
2011-12 SEASON SCHEDULE
Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup
Main Season Play #1 – Roda Theatre
World premiere
Written by Tony Taccone
Directed by David Galligan
September 2 – October 30, 2011
How to Write a New Book for the Bible
Main Season Play #2 – Thrust Stage
World premiere
Written by Bill Cain
Directed by Kent Nicholson
October 7 – November 20, 2011
The Wild Bride
Limited Season Play #1 – Roda Theatre
American premiere
Adapted and directed by Emma Rice
December 2, 2011 – January 1, 2012
Ghost Light
Main Season Play #3 – Thrust Stage
World-premiere production
Conceived and developed by
Jonathan Moscone and Tony Taccone
Written by Tony Taccone
Directed by Jonathan Moscone
January 6 – February 19, 2012
A Doctor in Spite of Himself
Main Season Play #4 – Roda Theatre
Written by Molière
Adapted by Christopher Bayes and Steven Epp
Directed by Christopher Bayes
February 10 – March 25, 2012
Red
Main Season Play #5 – Thrust Stage
Written by John Logan
Directed by Les Waters
March 16 – April 29, 2012
In Paris
Special Presentation – Roda Theatre
Adapted from the short story by Ivan Bunin
Directed by Dmitry Krymov
April 25 – May 13, 2012
Black n Blue Boys
Limited Season Play #2 – Thrust Stage
World premiere
Written and performed by Dael Orlandersmith
Directed by Chay Yew
May 25 – June 24, 2012
Photo: Emma Rice and Kneehigh Theatre Company return to the Bay Area for the American premiere of The Wild Bride. (Photo courtesy of Kneehigh Theatre)