Welcome

I’m so proud to welcome Lloyd Suh’s beautiful play home to the Bay Area. The Far Country gives us access to our region’s particular history and an opportunity to reckon with the experiences of past generations, to understand the forces at work that motivated their decisions, and the impact (intended and not) on the generations to come. And while I can claim no shared history with these characters, there are so many aspects of Lloyd’s play that I find personally resonant and deeply moving. My grandfather came through Ellis Island, not Angel Island, but like Moon Gyet was driven from his homeland by war, poverty, and political dissent. And like Moon Gyet, he struggled to make a home here, to find his footing first within his community of immigrants — many of whom, like him, had recently arrived from eastern Europe and Russia — and then within the country.

Lloyd has spoken of his work as a means of connecting his parents to his children, of creating a continuum between generations. For me, The Far Country is also a chance to connect the many of us whose parents and grandparents came to America from distant locales, driven by a desire to create opportunity for the children who would succeed them. How can we acknowledge the disparate aspects of our history and current lives and recognize the elements that connect us? In this region that has long drawn ambitious dreamers and visionaries, what are the stories we can share with our children to give them an understanding of the extraordinary voyages that enabled them to claim this as home?

Welcome to The Far Country and thank you for joining us to share in this journey.

Warmly,

Johanna Pfaelzer | Artistic Director

Thank you for joining us for The Far Country, the second of three California stories this season. This summer, we will journey to California’s Central Valley with Octavio Solis’ Mother Road, inspired by John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.

It has been a fantastic season so far. After playing at 102.8% capacity, our production of Harry Clarke is now running in London. The special, limited engagements of Alex Edelman’s Just for Us and W. Kamau Bell Gets His Act Together also played to sold-out houses. Berkeley Rep has incredible momentum, and subscribing is the best way to guarantee you don’t miss our most exciting shows.

We are busily planting the seeds for next season’s projects, planning and working to balance our artistic ambition, community impact, and financial resources. As you have come to expect from Berkeley Rep, next season will feature top-notch storytelling sure to inspire, provoke, entertain, and create cherished memories.

While our team is putting together the finishing touches, new this year, we are offering Early Bird access to 2024/25 season subscriptions before we announce next season in mid-April. Renew for the full season before April 15, and not only will you lock in our best prices, saving at least 25% off individual ticket prices, your loyalty will be rewarded with waived subscription fees and the chance to win four tickets to the opening night reception and performance of Galileo. Your Early Bird subscription secures your same seats (if you are renewing for the same day and time) and makes you first-in-line for any change requests. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity.

Enjoy the show!

Tom Parrish | Managing Director