THE BERKELEY REP MAGAZINE
MEXODUS
BY BRIAN QUIJADA AND NYGEL D. ROBINSON DIRECTED BY DAVID MENDIZÁBAL
To ensure the best
While always encouraged , masks are required inside the theatres during Sunday and Tuesday performances for the first three weeks of a show’s run.
Food and drink: Beverages in cans, cartons, or plastic cups with lids are welcome in the theatre during unmasked performances. Food is prohibited in the theatre during all performances.
Courtesy reminder: To avoid disruption to everyone, please turn off your cell phones, beeping watches, and electronic devices, and refrain from unwrapping cellophane wrappers during the performance. For the comfort of all patrons, please avoid wearing strongly scented personal products.
Photos: Photos may be taken in the theatre before and after the performance and during intermission. Photos and videos during the performance are strictly prohibited. Photos posted on social media must credit Berkeley Rep and the show’s designers.
Smoking and vaping: Berkeley Rep’s public spaces are smoke- and vape-free.
One of the joys of live theatre is the collective experience . Audience members respond to the show in many different ways. We invite you to join together and enjoy the show! If there is anything we can do to make your experience more enjoyable, please see a member of the house staff.
Get closed captioning on your smartphone! Closed Captioning is available for the following evening performances: September 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, and every matinee through October 17. Use your smartphone to scan this QR code:
Then, switch your WiFi to the network CCTheaterPeets. Password: cctheater When the CC page appears, choose English captions. If you’d like assistance, please see an usher or house manager.
Captions powered by CCTheater, from AccessTech, LLC. (info@getaccesstech.com) 6 12
To
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Encore—Connecting Arts, Culture and Community.
Encore Media Group acknowledges that we are on the lands of the Duwamish People, and their other Coast Salish relations—past and present. We recognize that these lands are unceded and we support the Duwamish Tribe in their struggle to gain Federal Tribal Recognition. We honor with gratitude the land itself. This acknowledgement does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, which we seek to build. We hope that this step of honoring these lands, and the First People of Seattle who remain their stewards, will help us become better neighbors to the Duwamish Tribe and all the people who have called the Pacific Northwest home since time immemorial.
Welcome to the 2024/25 Season!
One of the great privileges of my job is the chance to introduce you to artists with whom I think you can fall in love, who will become part of that pantheon of writers, directors, designers, and performers who help shape the way you think about the possibilities of what theatre can be in this moment, and what it can mean to you personally. And I think you are really going to enjoy getting to know Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson! These two extraordinarily talented storytellers bring a breadth of skills to this seldom-told piece of our shared history — they are wordsmiths, composers, multi-instrumental musicians, singers, and actors. It has been such a pleasure to watch Mexodus develop over the last couple of years from a pandemic-initiated reach through virtual space to a fully embodied theatrical event, in collaboration with director David Mendizábal.
Over the last several years, I have often asked myself the question, “What does this audience, this community, want and need from their theatre-going at the moment? What do they need from us as a company?” And, of course, the more tumultuous the world feels at a given moment, the harder it is to answer that question. We know that immigration is one of the most significant issues facing our country in this election. One of the real pleasures of Mexodus is the way Brian and Nygel not only illuminate an aspect of our history in such a beautifully theatrical way, but also invite us to think deeply in this moment about the forces that have shaped our country, and the possibilities for our shared future if we can come together and see each other clearly.
Warmly,
As a theatre that produces what’s new, next, and fresh, we welcome you to the electrifying hip-hop, live-looping musical Mexodus and the beginning of your 2024/25 season at Berkeley Rep! We are excited to kick off this season of illuminating stories and joyful discoveries. Later this fall, you’ll enjoy the triumphant return of Mary Zimmerman with her new musical adaptation, The Matchbox Magic Flute, and the direct-from-Broadway Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Simultaneously, if you find yourself in New York City this fall, for the first time ever, you can see two shows that originated at Berkeley Rep running on Broadway — Swept Away and Cult of Love.
This season is more accessible than ever. With the new Theatre Explorer Series, our School of Theatre is offering age-appropriate educational workshops concurrent with select performances so parents can enjoy some grownup time at the theatre. We have also added additional closed-captioned performances and launched an audio described series that provides live narration of the visual elements of the show.
If you are not yet a subscriber to Berkeley Rep, I encourage you to join us to get the best deals, the best perks, and guarantee yourself a year of stellar storytelling featuring some of the best artists from the Bay, Broadway, and beyond. Subscribing is easy, flexible, and affordable — and the most popular way to experience all that Berkeley Rep has to offer.
This is an exciting time to be a part of Berkeley Rep, and we’re so glad you are here.
Enjoy the show!
Tom Parrish Managing Director
Johanna Pfaelzer Artistic Director
Berkeley Repertory Theatre acknowledges and honors its presence on the unceded ancestral lands of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people, now colonially known as Berkeley. The land from which we benefit continues to be a place of foremost importance to the Ohlone and all descendants of the Verona Band.
Berkeley Rep is committed to actively centering antiracism and living our values by promoting the history and culture of the Ohlone People and sustaining an ongoing relationship which supports the art, resources, and values of indigenous peoples and tribes.
We are grateful to our friends at the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and the Confederated Villages of Lisjan for their support and guidance as we continue to educate ourselves and our community to uplift and support our indigenous communities
BY TLALOC RIVAS
It is important to pause and reflect on what happened at the Coahuila-Texas borderlands in the period between Mexican Independence from Spain in 1821 and the establishment of the Republic of Texas in 1836. Although Coahuila y Tejas developed as a single region, colonization would eventually lead to its separation, not only in terms of administration and territory but also in terms of racial regimes.
U.S. nationals entered Mexico because of the Colonization Laws of 1821 (issued by Spain and ratified by Independent Mexico), which allowed the entry of immigrants if they converted to Catholicism. Under these laws, Moses Austin negotiated the establishment of a colony, and when he died, his son, Stephen Austin, obtained a license to take 300 families to Tejas in 1825 and later became the founder of the Republic of Texas. Appealing to U.S. owners of the enslaved while trying not to alienate abolitionist Mexico, Coahuila y Tejas passed a decree of lifetime indentured servitude (later reduced to 10 years) to mask the persistence of slavery.
The choice to flee to Mexico rather than Canada was a practical one due to distance, but it was no less dangerous. Texans loyal to the Republic ranged from indifferent to outright hostile to Blacks attempting to cross the Rio Grande. Enslavers employed posses to capture those who were attempting to escape. Often without footwear, escapees had to traverse across rugged and scalding terrain. Flash flooding and mudslides were common. Predatorial animals such as wolves and mountain lions, as well as poisonous rattlesnakes and scorpions, could fell unprotected runaways. And of course, the final threat: crossing the Rio Grande, a picturesque river with deceptively powerful currents fed by the snowpacks of the Rocky Mountains.
While there was no guarantee making a life in Mexico would be any better, it did not deter thousands of Black and African American people to seek their freedom. Many of them did have assistance from sympathetic ‘Texicans’, Native Americans, and of course, the Mascogos on the other side of the Rio Grande providing sustenance and shelter to those arriving to their settlements in the region.
In the town of Nacimiento de los Negros, located in the Coahuila region of Mexico, reside the descendants of the Mascogos, a group consisting of formerly enslaved African Americans who escaped the Southern United States and found refuge among the Seminole Native Americans in Florida during the early 19th century.
The Mascogos ' history is deeply intertwined with broader narratives of resistance, migration, and the quest for freedom. Following the Second Seminole War (1835-42) in Florida, the U.S. government relocated Seminoles and Black Seminoles to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). Upon arrival, they remained vulnerable to kidnapping and re-enslavement. Dissatisfied with these persistent threats, some of the Black Seminoles sought and secured asylum in Mexico in 1850, where slavery had been abolished since 1829.
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However, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the history and culture of the Mascogos, leading to academic studies and increased media attention. This interest not only highlights the Mascogos ' unique place in the African diaspora but also emphasizes the interconnected histories of the U.S., Mexico, and the Indigenous nations on both sides of the Rio Grande. The story of the Mascogos and other Black Mexicans who were able to reach freedom is a compelling example of resilience, adaptation, and the complex interplay of cultural identities in the Americas.
Much of this history is not as well-documented as those narratives of formerly enslaved people fleeing to the Northern U.S. and Canada, but it is no less worthy of our re-examination and remembrance. It exists in testimonials from the descendants of Mascogos. Letters and official documents are sparse, but provide a framework from which we can imagine and understand.
June 19, 1865 marks the day when the last enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom. This celebration, known as Juneteenth, is a testament to their enduring connection to their African American descendants and their history of resistance against enslavement.
Despite their rich cultural heritage, the Mascogos today face challenges related to identity, land rights, and economic development. They are a small, often overlooked community within Mexico, struggling to preserve their unique heritage in a rapidly changing world.
TLALOC RIVAS stands at the intersection of stage directing, playwriting, higher education, and arts advocacy. Currently on the faculty of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and the University of Connecticut, he has been part of the creative development of MEXODUS since late 2020.
SINGING IN SOLIDARITY
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson first met in February 2020, and soon after, the world shut down. Over the following year, with the backdrop of a global pandemic and racial reckoning, Brian and Nygel dedicated themselves to researching and co-writing Mexodus. Since then, Brian and Nygel have brought the show to life in Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, and now here, at Berkeley Rep. Mexodus Director, Costume Designer, and Berkeley Rep Associate Artistic Director David Mendizábal sat down with Brian and Nygel to ask them about their creative process, their influences, and their hopes for this radical, live-looping, hip-hop musical.
David Mendizábal: How has y'all's relationship evolved since first meeting, both as friends and as collaborators?
Nygel D. Robinson: Our lives have been weirdly paralleling the play. We started out pretty much as perfect strangers who had an idea and trusted each other enough to work on it, but you never know. So, we learned things along the way. I learned who Brian was, and Brian learned who I am. We know what works for each other, what doesn't work. We know how to coexist. We've learned how to collaborate much like the two men in the play must learn how to give and take with each other. Now, Brian is one of my closest friends.
Brian Quijada: I think when we came together, we saw that we had strengths and we had weaknesses. We both brought the things that we thought we knew how to do well to the table, and were like, cool, I can't do that, so can you help me figure it out? I'm excited to keep learning from Nygel because I feel like he makes me better.
NR: And vice versa. We challenge each other and are becoming more well-rounded as creatives, I think, because of each other.
DM: You've decided to tell this story about a Black man and a brown man who come together in solidarity to help each other find their own version of liberation. In this moment where our country feels especially divided, I’m curious what it means for you two to be artists intentionally telling stories, and what this story means to you now.
NR: Brian and I are not going to the Army. We're not going to the Navy. We're not going to the military. We're not going to pick up a gun and fight for anything like that. But what we can do is pick up a pen, pick up a guitar, and use our voices and use our minds to try to make things a little better. This piece is especially important this Fall because we're about to run into a lot of misinformation and a lot of division and a lot of things that pit Black people against brown people. So why not show us that if we get together, we can overcome these obstacles that whiteness is throwing in our faces?
BQ: Yeah, I feel like ever since I started writing — this year marks 10 years since I started — it always feels dire. I mean, it feels extra dire in this election cycle, but it always feels bad. Immigration politics is always on the ballot, and it's one of the things that I'm most passionate about because of my immigrant parents. So, it always feels important to share to a wide audience, to try to have compassion towards the American brown immigrant. I think where this piece differs for me is that it combines my passions with a more national and — let's be honest — global issue of anti-Blackness. It allows me to both fight for the things that I've been fighting for in my writing for the past 10 years and unite with Nygel in creating work for a more compassionate country that is trying to abolish white supremacy.
DM: We throw the word “solidarity” around so much, but what does it actually mean to you?
BQ: Maybe this is super corny, but I think of
the Martin Luther King Jr. quote about looking beyond what anybody looks like, their color of skin, disability, gender, and being like, who is this person? What is their heart? Can I connect with this person heart to heart beyond their physical appearance? I think that's solidarity for me.
NR: It's a willingness to feel discomfort for the sake of someone else. I think about the solidarity movements we're seeing right now with Palestinians, and it’s like, what does it cost you to stand up for this group of people? And if you're not willing to face the consequences of standing for this group of people, are you in solidarity with anyone other than yourself?
BQ: That's a better answer than mine.
DM: I love that idea of solidarity being a willingness to sit in discomfort if it means supporting the liberation of others because it's not actually harming you. Discomfort is not harmful if you're not placing yourself in harm’s way. One of the things that found its way into the show was the radical welcoming at the top. I'm curious why that feels important to you.
NR: I mean, no one else is radically welcoming you into a theatre. Churches might radically welcome you, but only if you're a Christian, only if you believe in what I believe in. But with this we're like, no, no, no. Bring yourself. Come experience this thing and don’t worry about what etiquette tells you to do. When you feel comfortable enough to be your full self, you're able to receive and hopefully walk out changed.
BQ: Yeah. I also think that the American theatre was made into a capitalist venture by and for white folk. And it's beginning to shift a little bit where it feels like we're on the brink of people like my parents coming to the theatre who would have never come before because they never felt invited, or that they could be themselves. Oftentimes they'll be like, oh, I don't know the etiquette of the place because it's not part of the culture. They've never felt welcomed in that way. And so, I think when we say “¡Bienvenidos!,” we're saying, we see you, and we're happy you're here. We’re saying whoever you are and wherever you came from; if this is your first play ever, you're welcome here.
DM: Let's talk about the musical influences in Mexodus . It's a hip-hop musical. And I know that you are both hip-hop heads, but you are also drawing from other styles including Mexican boleros and African American spirituals. How do these sounds come together to make Mexodus and why hip-hop?
NR: I mean, I hate to quote [Lin ManuelMiranda], but “hip-hop is the language of revolution.” Hip-hop was created by Black and brown people, and that history mirrors our story of Black and brown solidarity.
BQ: Yeah. I mean, it has to be hip-hop. It's such an effective form of relaying intense emotion, intense frustration, and getting out a bunch of exposition and doing it in a fun, cool way. In terms of the other music, I grew up listening to Los Panchos and Los Dandys and a bunch of Vicente Fernández and Selena, in the same way that we both grew up with hip hop and R&B, like Erykah Badu and —
NR: Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway and Luther Vandross and Earth, Wind, and Fire...
BQ: It's less of an intentionality of us being like, oh, what if this sounded like this? It's just the music that we grew up with and exists in the very way that we hear music. Live looping is the future of the American theatre!
NR: There you go. Hell yeah!
DM: And why?
BQ: Because it must be seen live. If we want people to choose the theatre over Netflix, we must do something that can only be seen live and experienced live. There's something about the magic of seeing and experiencing this show live.
DM: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
Mexodus is a bilingual musical written and sung in both English and Spanish. To support the tension between two men from different worlds trying to communicate with limited understanding, translations are not used in the production.
Below are a few key words and phrases to help non-Spanish speakers follow along.
As the playwrights note in the script, “It’s ok if you don’t understand every Spanish word, you’ll still get it.”
A Dios: To God
Adiós: Goodbye
Agua: Water
Amigos: Friends
Apestas: You Stink
Ayudar: To Help
Buscar: To Look For
Chismosa Gente: Gossipy People
Demonios: Demons
Dinero: Money
El Alcalde: The Mayor
El Commandante: The Commander
Esclavo: Slave
Familia: Family
Gringos: White Folks
Gritos: Screams
Guerra: War
Herido: Hurt
La Frontera: The Border
La Tierra: The Land
Libre: Free
Metelón: Meddler
Mi Casa: My House
Mi Nombre Es: My Name Is
Órale: Let's Go (Mexican Slang)
Pinche: Fucking (Mexican Slang)
Proteger: Protect
Pueblo: Town
Que Dios Tenga Piedad de los Orgullosos: May God Have Mercy On The Proud.
Qué Estás Haciendo: What Are You Doing?
Sobrevivir: To Survive
Tengo Derecho A Mi Libertad: I Have A Right To My Freedom
Trabajo: Work
Tranquilo: Calm down
Un Poco: A Little
Vete A La Verga: Go To Hell
Vida: Life
SHEILA WISHEK
Berkeley Repertory Theatre wishes to pay special tribute to longtime patron Sheila Wishek, who passed away earlier this year. Sheila began attending Berkeley Rep productions in the early '80s. In addition to being a loyal subscriber and supporter, Sheila chose to include Berkeley Rep in her estate plans.
Hers is one of the largest bequests ever received, and it helps ensure that Berkeley Rep will always be at the forefront of American theatre, telling unforgettable stories for generations to come.
Please consider joining Sheila and over 100 other patrons by becoming a Michael Leibert Legacy Society member. Legacy gifts of any size are most welcome and greatly appreciated.
To learn more about the Michael Leibert Society or about making a legacy gift, please contact Andrew Maguire, Philanthropy Officer, at 510-647-2904 or amaguire@berkeleyrep.org
BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE
Johanna Pfaelzer, Artistic Director | Tom Parrish, Managing Director
In Association with Baltimore Center Stage and Mosaic Theater Company of DC presents
MEXODUS
BY AND FEATURING
BRIAN QUIJADA* AND NYGEL D. ROBINSON*
DIRECTED BY DAVID MENDIZÁBAL
ORCHESTRATIONS
MIKHAIL FIKSEL
BRIAN QUIJADA
NYGEL D. ROBINSON
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR TONY THOMAS
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT VOLEINE AMILCAR
DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL OF THEATRE ANTHONY JACKSON
STAGE MANAGER HOPE VILLANUEVA*
GENERAL MANAGER SARA DANIELSEN
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT ARI LIPSKY
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND DIVERSITY MODESTA TAMAYO
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER CHRISTINA HOGAN* (THROUGH OCTOBER 6) JULIA FORMANEK* (OCTOBER 7–20)
FINANCE DIRECTOR JARED HAMMOND
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AUDREY HOO
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DAVID MENDIZÁBAL
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AMANDA WILLIAMS O’STEEN
World Premiere co-produced by Baltimore Center Stage and Mosaic Theater Company of DC
Stephanie Ybarra, Artistic Director; Adam Frank, Managing Director, Baltimore Center Stage
Reginald L. Douglas, Artistic Director; Serge Seiden, Managing Director, Mosaic Theater Company of DC
Mexodus was developed and presented at New York Stage and Film, Summer 2021
Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Summer 2021
Development support provided by the CRITICAL BREAKS Residency Program at Hi-ARTS and The New Harmony Project (newharmonyproject.org)
Stephen & Susan Chamberlin
Yogen & Peggy Dalal
Bruce Golden & Michelle Mercer
Frances Hellman & Warren Breslau
SEASON SPONSORS
Wayne Jordan & Quinn Delaney
Jonathan Logan & John Piane
Gisele & Kenneth F. Miller
SPONSOR
Jack & Betty Schafer
The Strauch Kulhanjian Family Kelli & Steffan Tomlinson
Gail & Arne Wagner
CAST
(in alphabetical order)
Brian Quijada* Carlos
Nygel D. Robinson* Henry
UNDERSTUDIES
(in alphabetical order)
Trent Lawson Henry
Alan Mendez* Carlos
Understudies never substitute for listed performers unless a specific announcement or notice is made at the time of appearance.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
This theatre operates under agreement with the League of Resident Theaters, Actors’ Equity Association (the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States), the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and United Scenic Artists.
Please turn off your cell phones, beeping watches, and electronic devices, and refrain from unwrapping cellophane wrappers during the performance. The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production and distributing recordings or streams in any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited, a violation of the author(s)’s rights, and actionable under United States copyright law.
SEPTEMBER 13-OCTOBER 20, 2024
PEET’S THEATRE
THIS SHOW HAS NO INTERMISSION
FOR THIS PRODUCTION
Assistant Director Manon McCollum (Bret C. Harte Artistic Fellow)
Associate Scenic Designer ...................................................................... Laura Valenti
Assistant Costume Designer ................................................................ Cody Von Ruden
Assistant Lighting Designer .......................................... Renata Taylor-Smith (Lighting Fellow)
Sound Consultant Simon Briggs
Assistant Sound Designer Kaileykielle Hoga (Harry Weininger Sound Fellow)
Associate Projection Designer ..................................................................... Andres Fiz
Assistant Projection Designer ..................................................... Michael Commendatore
Original Dramaturg Tlaloc Rivas
Production Assistant Trinity Wicklund (Stage Management Fellow)
Deck Crew & Automation Operator ............................................................. Isaac Jacobs
Wardrobe ................................................ Caz Hiro (Interim Wardrobe Supervisor), Dieyla Diop
Lighting Programmer/Production Electrician Desiree Alcocer Sound & Video Show Crew Angela Don (A1), Courtney Jean (A2)
Scenic Fabrication by Berkeley Repertory Theatre Scenic & Paint Shops
Additional Scenery Fabricators
Carl Martin, Maggie Wentworth, Isaac Jacobs, Cameron Edwards, Tyler Smith, Cassidy Carlson (Scenic Construction Fellow)
Additional Scenic Artists .................. Kenzie Bradley, E Wayman, Caitlyn Brown (Scenic Art Fellow)
Props Fabrication by Berkeley Repertory Theatre Properties Shop
Additional Props Artisans .................................Sofie Miller, Siobhán Slater, Brittany Watkins
Costumes Built by Berkeley Repertory Theatre Costume Shop
Additional Costume Technicians........................................... Chris Weiland, Breanna Bayba, Amanda Geyer (Costumes Fellow)
Additional Costumes Built by David Samuel Menkes Custom Leather
Costumes special thanks to Darrin George/DGeorge Designs, Jeffrey Wallach, Francisco Rojas
Lighting Services provided by Berkeley Repertory Theatre Lighting Department
Additional Lighting Technicians ......................
Amy Abad, Angelina Costa, Ash Brown, Ben Visini, Brittany Cobb, Cal Swan-Streepy, Charlie Mejia, A.Chris Hartzell, Dieyla Diop, Frankie Aranguren, Lauren Chang, Jack Grable, Jacob Hill, Jason Joo, Hannah Linaweaver, Margaret Linn, Matthew Sykes, Nori Hayden Quist, Riley Richardson, Shy Baniani, Taylor Rivers, Zoya Nanale
Sound & Video Services provided by Berkeley Repertory Theatre Sound and Video Department
Additional Sound & Video Technicians ............. Courtney Jean, Camille Rassweiler, Olivia Vazquez
Production Manager Kali Grau
Assistant Production Manager Rhea Mehta (Production Management Fellow)
Company Manager ......................................................................... Peter Orkiszewski
Assistant Company Manager ............................... Katie Anthony (Company Management Fellow)
Associate Casting Director ......................................................................... Karina Fox
Additional Casting Alaine Alldaffer, CSA and Lisa Donadio Alldaffer
Medical Consultation for Berkeley Rep provided by Agi E. Ban DC, John Carrigg MD, Cindy J. Chang MD, Christina Corey MD, Neil Claveria PT, Patricia I. Commer DPT, Kathy Fang MD PhD, Steven Fugaro MD, Olivia Lang MD, Allen Ling PT, Liz Nguyen DPT, Christina S. Wilmer OD, and Katherine C. Yung MD
BERKELEY REP STAFF
ADMINISTRATION
ARTISTIC
Johanna Pfaelzer ........................................ Artistic Director
David Mendizábal .......................... Associate Artistic Director
Karina Fox Associate Casting Director & Artistic Associate
Rebs Chan ....................................... In Dialogue Coordinator
Todd Almond, Christina Anderson, Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs, Dipika Guha, Richard Montoya, Nico Muhly, Lisa Peterson, Sarah Ruhl, Tori Sampson, Jack Thorne, Joe Waechter ................. Artists Under Commission
GENERAL MANAGEMENT AND COMPANY MANAGEMENT
Sara Danielsen .......................................... General Manager
Peter Orkiszewski Company Manager
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Audrey Hoo Director of Production
Kali Grau ............................................. Production Manager
COSTUMES
Maggi Yule ....................................... Costume Shop Director
Kiara Montgomery Resident Design Associate
Star Rabinowitz .................................................... Draper
Barbara Blair ....................................... Wardrobe Supervisor
ELECTRICS
Frederick C. Geffken
Lighting Supervisor
Sarina Renteria Associate Lighting Supervisor
Kenneth Coté ............................ Senior Production Electrician
Desiree Alcocer .................................. Production Electrician
PROPERTIES
Jillian A. Green Properties Supervisor
Amelia Burke-Holt Associate Properties Supervisor
Lisa Mei Ling Fong .................................... Properties Artisan
SCENE SHOP
Matt Rohner, Jim Smith ......................... Co-Technical Directors
Read Tuddenham Assistant Technical Director — Shop
Grant Vocks Assistant Technical Director — Engineering
August Lewallen, Zach Wziontka ................... Scenic Carpenters
SCENIC ART
Lisa Lázár ........................................... Charge Scenic Artist
STAGE OPERATIONS
Julia Englehorn Stage Supervisor
Gabriel Holman ............................ Associate Stage Supervisor
James McGregor ................................. Head Stage Technician
SOUND/ VIDEO
Lane Elms Sound and Video Supervisor
Chase Nichter Associate Sound and Video Supervisor
Angela Don ....................................... Senior Sound Engineer
Akari Izumi ............................................... Sound Engineer
BERKELEY REP SCHOOL OF THEATRE
Anthony Jackson Director of the School of Theatre
Dylan Russell Associate Director of the School of Theatre
MaryBeth Cavanaugh . Director of Classes and Summer Programming
Ashley Lim ...................... Marketing and Registrations Manager
AeJay Antonis Marquis Mitchell Education Programs Associate Bobby August Jr., Jessica Bettencourt, Diana Brown, Erica Blue, Rebecca Castelli, Iu-Hui Chua, Jiwon Chung, Lauren Brody-Clarke, Jim Edgar, Deb Eubanks, Rachel Garlin, Nancy Gold, Gary Graves, Lore Gonzales, Marvin Greene, Susan Jane Harrison, Wayne Harris, Gendell Hing-Hernandez, William Thomas Hodgson, Paul Jennings, Jennifer LeBlanc, Carolyn McCandlish, Jonathan Moscone, Joel Ochoa, Joe Orrach, Robert Parsons, Hans Probst, Dylan Russell, Teresa Salas, Pamela Rickard, M. Graham Smith, Hayley Sherwood, Joyful Simpson, Brennan Pickman-Thoon, Samuel Tomfohr, Elizabeth Woolford ................ Teaching Artists
Matty Bloom, Joy Lancaster, Selma Meyerowitz ....... Docent Chairs
Ted Bagaman, Michelle Barbour, Beth Cohen, Michelle Cordero, Miles Drawdy, Charles Evans, Alice Galoob, Kimberly Gilles, Randi Helly, Muriel Kaplan, Sue Kaplan, Ellen Kaufman, Jim Krampf, Richard Lingua, Mark Liss, Virginia McCarthy, Elaine Miller, Judith O’Rourke, Gigi Singer, Thomas Sponsler, Susan Wansewicz, Linda Williams ................................... Docents
Tom Parrish ........................................... Managing Director
Jared Hammond Finance Director
Katie Riemann .............................. Associate Finance Director
Jennifer Light Payroll Administrator
Alanna McFall ................................................. Bookkeeper
Kate Horton Executive Assistant
Modesta Tamayo ....... Director of Human Resources and Diversity
Kira Findling ............................................. HR Coordinator
DEVELOPMENT
Ari Lipsky ....................................... Director of Development
Laura Fichtenberg ................. Associate Director of Development
Kelsey Scott Senior Institutional Giving Manager
Andrew Maguire .................................... Philanthropy Officer
Harper Brown Annual Fund Manager
Isabella Chayet ...................... Corporate Partnerships Manager
Elaina Guyett Stewardship and Events Manager
Emily Betts ............................. Donor Stewardship Coordinator
Cassidy Milano ................. Development Operations Coordinator
OPERATIONS
Amanda Williams O’Steen ...................... Director of Operations
Adam Johnson Facilities Manager
Thomas Tran ........................................... Building Engineer
Jesus Rodriguez ..................................... Building Technician
Theresa Drumgoole, Wendi Lau
Sophie Li, Darrel De La Rosa ...................... Facilities Assistants
Destiny Askin CRM Project Manager
Christina Cone ........................... Web and Database Specialist
Nicole Peña Building Manager
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Voleine Amilcar .. Director of Marketing and Audience Development
Heather Orth Associate Director of Marketing
DC Scarpelli ............................................ Creative Director
Kevin Kopjak –Prismatic Communications Public Relations Consultant
Lindsey Abbott ...................... Audience Development Manager
Sarah Doherty Digital Content Manager
Calvin Ngu ..................... Video and Multimedia Content Creator
Beatriz Hernandez Marketing Associate
PATRON SERVICES
Derik Cowan
Director of Ticketing and Sales
pan ellington, Olga Khitarishvili, Jack Melcher, Aya Newman, Em Parker, Dom Refuerzo Box Office Agents
Kelly Kelley ...................................... Front of House Director
Maddi Gjovik, Nina Gorham.............. Patron Services Supervisors
Emma Allen-Landwehr, Alicia Battle, Megan Bedig, Steven Cole, Matthew Hayden, Latasha Hayes, Armando Herrera, Jeremy Johnson, Caitlyn Lee, Jennifer Light, Ana-is Lino, Kalani Murray, Maura Oliverira, Kathleen Parsons, Angela Phung, Nicolas Puorro, Tuesday Ray, Anna Riggin, Melissa Scheulin, Alana Scott, Debra Selman, Sloane Sim, Anna Vorobyeva, Linda Wu, Kailani Zabala Patron Experience Representatives
2024/25 BERKELEY REP FELLOWSHIPS
Katie Anthony ........................... Company Management Fellow
Caitlyn Brown Scenic Art Fellow
Cassidy Carlson ............................ Scenic Construction Fellow
Amanda Geyer .Costumes Fellow
Kaileykielle Hoga ........................ Harry Weininger Sound Fellow
Mondara Ixchel ......................................... Education Fellow
Xiaoyu (Mary) Liu
Peter F. Sloss Artistic Fellow
Manon McCollum ........................... Bret C. Harte Artistic Fellow
Rhea Mehta
Production Management Fellow
Renata Taylor-Smith .................................... .Electrics Fellow
Zach Terrillion Marketing and Development Fellow
Trinity Wicklund ............................. Stage Management Fellow
Brian Quijada* he/him
Carlos and Co-Creator
is an Emmy-nominated playwright, actor, composer, and Artistic Director of The Wild Wind Performance Lab for New Play Development. Brian has spent most of his career acting in Off-Broadway and regional theatres including: The Public Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Realm, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. As a playwright/composer, his work spans theatre to audio plays to television. His hip-hop solo show Where Did We Sit on the Bus? has been produced across the country, including at Teatro Vista, Ensemble Studio Theatre, City Theatre Pittsburgh, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Geva Theatre, and more. His other works include Kid Prince and Pablo and Somewhere Over the Border. He is a four-time Jeff Award winner, three-time Drama Desk nominee, and one-time Lucille Lortel winner. Visit brianquijada.com and @mrbrianquijada on Instagram for more.
Nygel D. Robinson* he/him
Henry and Co-Creator is a singer, actor, writer, music producer, and multiinstrumentalist based in Chicago, IL. Nygel’s select theatre credits include Brother Davis in The Amen Corner at Shakespeare Theatre Company, where he was also the music director; Jimmy Powers in Lady Day at North Carolina Theatre; Larry in Lincoln Center’s concert version of Beau: The Musical; Jesus in Godspell at St. Michael’s Playhouse; and The All Night Strut at Milwaukee Rep. Nygel would like to thank Berkeley Repertory Theatre for bringing this story to life. He would also like to thank his family for their love and unending support. None of this would be possible without them.
Alan Mendez*
u/s Carlos is a New York City-based actor and musician and is thrilled to be making his Berkeley Repertory Theatre debut. Off-Broadway credits include The Comedy of Errors and Socrates, both at the Public Theater. Regional credits include It Happened in Key West (Fulton Theatre), Bandstand (Playhouse on Park), Bandstand (Phoenix Theatre Company), Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Hangar Theatre), Evita (Fulton Theatre), and Once (Mason Street Warehouse). Alan is a multi-instrumentalist, and he is the bandleader and co-founder of the Shubert Alley
Cats. Proud graduate of Muhlenberg College (BA, Theatre & BS, Physics). @alan.r.mendez @shubertalleycats
Trent Lawson
u/s Henry is an actor, recording artist, and storyteller from the Bay Area, and has never been more excited to jump into performing professionally. From playing leading roles on the UCLA stage such as Jack in Into the Woods and Joe in The Time of Your Life, to starring in short films, to songwriting, releasing music, arranging ICCA award-winning a capella pieces, and playing in bands at venues like the Viper Room and the Troubadour, Trent is an artist in the truest sense. Lastly, in today’s world, he has never been more sure about the importance of telling stories that uplift underrepresented people.
David Mendizábal they/he Director and Costume Design
is a director, designer, producer, and the Associate Artistic Director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre. They are one of the producing artistic leaders of the Obie award-winning The Movement Theatre Company and a founding collective member of the Obie award-winning Sol Project. Select directing credits include Mother Road (Berkeley Rep), the bandaged place (Roundabout/NYSAF), Mushroom (People’s Light), Sanctuary City (Berkeley Rep/ Arena Stage), Notes on Killing… (Soho Rep/Solo Project; also Costume Designer), and Don't Eat the Mangos (Magic Theatre/Sundance). David served as the Assistant Costume Designer on the Tony Award-winning Broadway productions of Hair and Peter and the Starcatcher. They also designed costumes for Queendom, Creature, and Vanity by Bebe Zahara Benet, the original winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race. David is an alumnus of the Soho Rep Project Number One Residency, Ars Nova Vision Residency, Drama League Directors Project, Labyrinth Intensive Ensemble, artEquity, NALAC, LCT Directors Lab, and TCG Leadership U. They are the recipient of a 2021 Princess Grace Award Honoraria in Theater. David earned a BFA from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. davidmendizabal.com
Riw Rakkulchon he/they Scenic Design (pronounced Ree-you) is a set and costume designer, animator, and chef from Bangkok, Thailand. They have worked at Yale Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, The Old Globe, Asolo Rep, The Acting Company, Edinburgh Fringe, Primary Stages, Hartford Stage, Public Theater, and Brooklyn Academy of Music, amongst others. Broadway
Associate Set Design: Pass Over, &Juliet, Parade. Board member of WithAll, a non-profit organization on a fight to end eating disorders. BFA Ithaca College, MFA Yale School of Drama (Donald & Zorca Oenslager Fellowship Award in Design Recipient). riwrdesign.com
Mextly Couzin
Lighting Design
Recent credits include — Broadway: JOB. Off-Broadway: N/A, Fiasco Theatre’s Pericles, A Good Day to Me Not to You, Here We Are (ALD), Straight Line Crazy, peerless, Tambo & Bones. Regional: Mexodus (Baltimore Center Stage/ Mosaic), HENRY 6 (The Old Globe), Das Rheingold (Seattle Opera), Incendiary (Woolly Mammoth), West Side Story (Centro de Bellas Artes Puerto Rico), La Belle et la Bête (Opera Parallèle). International:Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Nuits de Fourvière. 2023 recipient of The 1/52 Project grant. MFA University of California, San Diego ’20. mextlycouzin.com
Mikhail Fiksel
Sound Design and Orchestration is an award-winning designer, composer, DJ, and audio producer returning to Berkeley Repertory Theatre having recently worked on Cambodian Rock Band and English. Other recent collaborations include projects with the Lincoln Center, New York Theatre Workshop, Steppenwolf, Playwrights Horizons, Guthrie Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, The Goodman Theatre, Third Rail Projects, Albany Park Theater Project, and numerous releases with Audible Originals and with Make Believe Association (where he is Head of Audio Production). Recent awards include the 2023 Signal Award for Original Music, the 2022 Tony Award for Sound Design, and the 2024 Michael Merritt Award. He is a Practioner-In-Residence at Columbia College Chicago, and is a proud member of USA and TSDCA.
Rasean Davonté Johnson
Projection Design
is delighted to be working with Berkeley Repertory Theatre. A Chicago-based video artist and theatrical designer, he has had the opportunity to work regionally with institutions such as Theatreworks Silicon Valley, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Rep, Portland Playhouse, Portland Opera, Public Theater, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, The Olney Theatre Center, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Yale Repertory Theatre, Toledo Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and Manual Cinema. He has degrees from the Ohio State University and the Yale School of Drama, and lectures at the University of Chicago where he is the Director of Design for TAPS raseandavontejohnson.com
Tony Thomas he/him Movement Director
is an award-nominated director, choreographer, and interior architect. His credits include The Colored Museum; Fat Ham; Good Bones; People, Places & Things; White Noise; Pass Over; Flow at Studio; Metamorphoses at Folger; Tempestuous Elements at Arena Stage; Mexodus and Native Son at Mosaic Theater Company; Out of the Vineyard at Joe’s Movement Emporium; and Miss Nelson is Missing, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience, and P.Nokio: A Hip-Hop Musical at Imagination Stage. Tony is also active in pre-professional education and private professional level artist coaching and technique, leading numerous workshops and coaching circuits between New York, D.C., and Los Angeles.
Hope Villanueva* Stage Manager
Berkeley Repertory Theatre debut! Recently: The Fires (SoHo Rep), King of the Yees (Signature Theatre), Blues for an Alabama Sky (Barrington Stage), A Nice Indian Boy (Olney Theatre Center). Off-Broadway: Who’s Your Baghdaddy? National Tour: Rock of Ages, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Bellobration. Regional/Other: Romy & Michele, Rock of Ages Hollywood, WILD: A Musical Becoming (A.R.T., feat. Idina Menzel, Javier Muñoz), Our Town (Olney Theatre Center). Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Resident Production Stage Manager. Washington, D.C.: BLKS (Woolly Mammoth), Twist Your Dickens (The Second City/Kennedy Center), Private and The Vagrant Trilogy (Mosaic Theatre), Hand to God and Choir Boy (Studio Theatre).
Christina Hogan* she/her
Assistant Stage Manager
returns to Berkeley Repertory Theatre after working on Mother Road, Bulrusher, POTUS,
English, and Sanctuary City. Other theatre credits include Sweatshop Overlord, The Headlands, Fefu and her Friends, Gloria, Top Girls, and Men on Boats (American Conservatory Theater); August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, Pass Over, and Georgiana and Kitty (Marin Theatre Company); Josephine’s Feast, In Old Age, and The Baltimore Waltz (Magic Theatre); The Road to Mecca and Ripped (Z Space). Hogan has a BA in theatre arts from Saint Mary’s College of California.
Julia Formanek*
Assistant Stage Manager
is a Bay Area-based stage manager. Formanek is excited to return to Berkeley Repertory Theatre after last working on Let The Right One In. Regional Credits include: Private Lives, A Strange Loop, Hippest Trip: A Soul Train Musical (American Conservatory Theater); Cambodian Rock Band, Goddess, Culture Clash (Still) in America (Berkeley Rep); Sleeping Beauty: Panto in the Presidio (Presidio Theatre); Romeo y Juliet, House of Joy, Everybody (California Shakespeare Theater).
Johanna Pfaelzer
Artistic Director
Johanna joined Berkeley Rep in 2019 as its fourth artistic director, following 12 years as artistic director of New York Stage and Film (NYSAF), a New York City-based developer of new works for theatre, film, and television. Johanna is proud to have developed work by notable established and early career writers like Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Goddess by Saheem Ali, Michael Thurber, and Jocelyn Bioh; The Humans by Stephen Karam; Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell; The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe; The Invisible Hand by Ayad Akhtar; A 24-Decade History of Popular Music by Taylor Mac; The Homecoming Queen by Ngozi
Anyanwu; The Great Leap by Lauren Yee; Doubt by John Patrick Shanley; The Fortress of Solitude by Michael Friedman and Itamar Moses; The Jacksonian by Beth Henley; and Green Day’s American Idiot. Johanna previously served as associate artistic director of American Conservatory Theater and is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Actors Theatre of Louisville Apprentice Program. She lives in Berkeley with her husband, Russell Champa, and their son, Jasper.
Tom Parrish
Managing Director
Tom has served as a theatre leader and arts administrator for over 20 years, with experience in organizations ranging from multi-venue performing arts centers to major Tony Award-winning theatre companies. Prior to Berkeley Rep, he served as executive director of Trinity Repertory Company, Geva Theatre Center, and Merrimack Repertory Theatre and as associate managing director/ general manager of San Diego Repertory Theatre. His work has been recognized with a NAACP Theatre Award for Best Producer and “Forty Under 40” recognition in Providence, Rochester, the Merrimack Valley, and San Diego. He received his MBA/MA in Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University; BA in Theater Arts and Economics from Case Western Reserve University; attended the Commercial Theater Institute, National Theater Institute, and Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management; and is certified in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Northwestern University. He and his husband live in Berkeley.
OCT 18–DEC
NOV
JAN
FEB
THANK YOU to our supporters!
We thank the many organizations, companies, and individuals who enrich our community by championing Berkeley Rep’s artistic, education, and community engagement programs.
Institutional Funders
FOUNDATION
Anonymous (3)
The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation Civic Foundation, Inc.
Davis/Dauray Family Fund
The William H. Donner Foundation, Inc.
The Ira and Leonore S. Gershwin Philanthropic Fund
Eva Gunther Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation JEC Foundation
Koret Foundation
Laurents/Hatcher Foundation
Jonathan Logan Family Foundation
The Maurer Family Foundation
Morris Stulsaft Foundation
The Bernard Osher Foundation
The Shubert Foundation
Taube Philanthropies
Westridge Foundation
Woodlawn Foundation
Corporate & Hospitality Sponsors
SEASON SPONSORS
EXECUTIVE SPONSORS
SPONSORS
The Resilience Campaign
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Armanino LLP
Aurora Catering
Bank of Marin
Comal
Covenant Wines
Hammerling Wines
Hugh Groman Catering
The Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Pinx Catering
PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
Andrea Gordon Real Estate
BluesCruise.com
Perfusion Vineyard
Smile City
PUBLIC FUNDING
Berkeley Civic Arts Program and Commission
National Endowment for the Arts
BENEFACTOR SPONSORS
Ayaba Wines
Broc Cellars
City Baking Co.
Eureka!
Family Laundry
Gallagher Risk Management Services
Heroic Italian
Jazz Café
Kermit Lynch
Lucia’s Berkeley
Picante
Residence Inn Downtown Berkeley
Revival Bar + Kitchen TheatreWorks
Berkeley Repertory Theatre gratefully recognizes the following contributors for their transformational contributions to The Resilience Campaign that support the Theatre’s future.
Anonymous
California Wellness Foundation
Stephen & Susan Chamberlin
Yogen & Peggy Dalal
Robin & Rich Edwards
David & Vicki Fleishhacker
Kerry Francis & John Jimerson
Jill & Steve Fugaro
Karen Galatz & Jon Wellinghoff
Bruce Golden & Michelle Mercer
Marcia Grand
Frances Hellman & Warren Breslau
Dugan & Philippe Lamoise
The Jonathan Logan Family Foundation
Sandra & Ross McCandless
Gisele & Kenneth F. Miller
Sudha Pennathur & Edward Messerly
Jack & Betty Schafer
Pat & Merrill Shanks
Michael & Sue Steinberg
The Strauch Kulhanjian Family
Kelli & Steffan Tomlinson
Gail & Arne Wagner
Linda & Steve Wolan
We thank the many individuals in our community who help Berkeley Rep produce adventurous, thought-provoking, and thrilling theatre and bring arts education to thousands of people every year. We gratefully recognize our donors at the Champion level and above, who made their gifts between January 1, 2023 and July 24, 2024. We also express our deep gratitude to all of the Friends of Berkeley Rep that we are unable to recognize here due to space limitations.
Sponsors Circle
SEASON SPONSORS
Anonymous
Stephen & Susan Chamberlin
Yogen & Peggy Dalal
Bruce Golden & Michelle Mercer
Frances Hellman & Warren Breslau
Wayne Jordan & Quinn Delaney
Jonathan Logan & John Piane
Gisele & Kenneth F. Miller
Jack & Betty Schafer
The Strauch Kulhanjian Family
Kelli & Steffan Tomlinson
Gail & Arne Wagner
LEAD SPONSORS
Anonymous
Barbara Bass Bakar
Jill & Steve Fugaro
Mary Ruth Quinn & Scott Shenker
EXECUTIVE SPONSORS
Anonymous (2)
Christina Crowley
Anne & Anuj Dhanda
Christopher Doane & Neal Shorstein, MD
Robin & Rich Edwards
Bill Falik & Diana Cohen
Kerry Francis & John Jimerson
Dr. Daniel F. Goodman
Marcia Grand
Melinda Haag & Chuck Fanning
Scott & Sherry Haber
Fred Levin
Melanie Maier
Sandra & Ross McCandless
Sudha Pennathur & Edward Messerly
Leonard X & Arlene B. Rosenberg
Pat & Merrill Shanks
Michael & Sue Steinberg
Steven & Linda Wolan
SPONSORS
Anonymous
Shelley & Jonathan Bagg
Walter Brown
David & Vicki Cox
William T. Espey & Margaret Hart Edwards
Paul Friedman & Diane Manley
Karen Galatz & Jon Wellinghoff
Paul Haahr & Susan Karp
Rick Hoskins & Lynne Frame
Rosalind & Sung-Hou Kim
Jack Klingelhofer
Suzanne LaFetra Collier
Susan & Moses Libitzky
Erin McCune
Pam & Mitch Nichter
Artistic Directors Circle
PARTNER
Anonymous (3)
Edward D. Baker
Valerie Barth
Jeffrey & Karen Breslow
John Brennan & Stephanie McKown
Linda Brown
Byers Family
Italo & Susan Calpestri
Jennifer Chaiken & Sam Hamilton
John Dains
Richard DeNatale & Craig Latker
Thomas W. Edwards & Rebecca Parlette-Edwards
Merle & Michael Fajans
Linda Jo Fitz
Lisa Franzel & Rod Mickels
Rico & Maya Green
Karen Grove & Julian Cortella
Earl & Bonnie Hamlin
Lisa Herrinton
Elaine Hitchcock
Lynda & Dr. J. Pearce Hurley
The Jackson Family Foundation
Teresa Kersten
Duke & Daisy Kiehn
Randy Laroche & David Laudon
Joel Linzner & Teresa Picchi
Rosa Luevano & Charles Marston
Elsie Mallonee
Mona Marbach
Marymor Family Fund
Judy Minor
Sandi & Dick Pantages
Lauri Paul & Mark Hamilton
Peter Pervere & Georgia Cassel
Pure Dana Fund
Jaimie Sanford & Ted Storey
Emily Shanks
Ama Torrance & David Davies
Elizabeth Werter & Henry Trevor
Sheila Wishek
BENEFACTOR
Anonymous (2)
Norman Abramson, in memory of David Beery
Eric Allman & Kirk McKusick
Philip Arca & Sherry Smith
George & Marcia Argyris
Linda & Mike Baker
Michelle L. Barbour
Ashvini Bhave & Kishore Bopardikar
Becky & Jeff Bleich
Ronnie Caplane
Constance Crawford
Ed Cullen & Ann O’Connor
Lisa Conte
Dr. Jim Cuthbertson
Richard & Anita Davis
Ilana DeBare & Sam Schuchat
Bill DeHart
Corinne & Mike Doyle
Linda Drucker
Sandra & Ken Eggers
William & Susan Epstein
Jerry Falk
Paul Feigenbaum & Judy Kemeny
The Flatows
Jack & Valerie Rowe
Todd Rubin
Chris & Mike Rupp, Descendant Cellars
Patricia Sakai & Richard Shapiro
Joan Sarnat & David Hoffman
Sargina & Marc Silvani
Jean Strunsky, in memory of Michael Strunsky
Barbara Tomber
Felicia Woytak & Steven Rasmussen
ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
Anonymous (3)
Edith Barschi & Robert Jackson
Anna Bellomo & Josh Bloom
Lynne Carmichael
Cindy J. Chang, MD & Christopher Hudson
Venus David, in memory of Narsai David
Cynthia A. Farner
David & Vicki Fleishhacker
Shirlen Fund
Steven Goldin
Laura Graham
Elise Haas
Richard N. Hill & Nancy Lundeen
Ms. Wendy E. Jordan
Dean Francis
Sharon & Tom Francis
Herb & Marianne Friedman
Dennis & Susan Johann Gilardi
Mio & Jon Good
Mary W Graves
Stan Hoffman
Robert & Judith Greber
Anne & Peter Griffes
Migsy & Jim Hamasaki
Dan & Shawna Hartman Brotsky
Henry L. Hecht
Tamra C. Hege
Ruth Hennigar
Bill Hofmann & Robbie Welling
Paula Hughmanick & Steven Berger
Muriel Kaplan & Bob Sturm
Bill & Lisa Kelly
Dana Kirkland
Stephen F. Kispersky
Peggy Kivel
Michael H. Kossman
Woof Kurtzman & Liz Hertz
Jane & Mike Larkin, in memory of
Lynn & Gerald Ungar
Jay & Eileen Love
Luna Foundation
Susanna & Brad Marshland
Rebecca Martinez
Henning Mathew
Miles & Mary Ellen McKey
Susan Mazzetti
Susie Medak & Greg Murphy
Robin Meezan
Sy Kaufman & Kerstin Edgerton
Dugan & Philippe Lamoise
Eileen & Hank Lewis
Ali Long, In Honor of T. Dixon Long
Helen M. Marcus, in memory of David J. Williamson
Phyra McCandless & Angelos Kottas
Martin & Margi Cellucci McNair
Seth Mickenberg & Alfredo Silva
Julie Moreland
Tom Parrish & Steve Dow
Norman & Janet Pease
Johanna Pfaelzer & Russell Champa
Sue Reinhold & Deborah Newbrun
Audrey & Paul L. Richards, in honor of Barbara Peterson
Gary & Noni Robinson
Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock
David S. H. Rosenthal & Vicky Reich
Dennis Ryan & Rebecca Sutter-Ryan
Barbara Sahm & Steven Winkel
Monica Salusky & John K. Sutherland
Cynthia & William Schaff
Sarah E. Shaver
Audrey & Bob Sockolov
Salomon Strategic Development
Susan West
Wendy Williams
Stephanie Mendel
Andy & June Monach
Geri Monheimer
Muriel Mora
Ronald Morrison
Shanna O'Hare & John Davis
Carol J. Ormond
Janet & Clyde Ostler
Judy O’Young, MD & Gregg Hauser
Barbara L. Peterson
Leslie & Mark Ragsdale
Dr. Jason Ravenel and Leann Ravenel
Carla & David Riemer
Richard A. Rubin & H. Marcia Smolens
Becky Saeger & Tom Graves
Jeane & Roger Samuelsen
Dan Scharlin & Sara Katz
Jackie Schmidt-Posner & Barry Posner
Jon and NoraLee Sedmak
Shirlen Fund, in memory of Shirley & Philip Schild
Allan & Maria Smith
Ed & Ellen Smith
Henry Spencer & Nicky Cass
Karen Stevenson & Bill McClave
Alison Teeman & Michael Yovino-Young
Henry Timnick
Larry Vales
Deborah & Bob Van Nest
Beth Weissman
Patricia & Jeffrey Williams
Mark Zitter & Jessica Nutik Zitter
CHAMPION
Anonymous (3) • Paul Bendix • Patti Bittenbender • Eric Brink & Gayle Vassar • Stacey Carlo • Dr. Jon Carr • Keith & Maria
Carson • Bart Connally • Karen & David Crommie • Barbara & Tim Daniels • Josh Dapice • Jacqueline Desoer • Carol DiFilippo
• Joan M. Dove & Jim Daughn • Donald and Jeannette Dow • Ben & Mary Feinberg • Donald & Dava Freed • Marjorie Ginsburg & Howard Slyter • Mary Grogan • Sylvaine Guille • Thomas & Elizabeth Henry • Mr. Robert and Judy Huret • Sudhir
Kasanavesi • Susan Kolb • Janet Kornegay & Dan Sykes • Shirley Langlois • Ellen & Barry Levine • Marcia C. Linn • Mark & Roberta
Linsky • Lois & Gary Marcus, in memory of Ruth Weiland, Mose & Selma Marcus • Paul Mariano & Suzanne Chapot • Mina Morita • Jane Neilson • Judith & Richard Oken • Juan Oldham & Deborah Morgan • Bob & MaryJane Pauley • Todd & Susan Ringoen • Maxine Risley, in memory of James Risley • John & Jody Roberts • Mitzi K. Sales • Helen Schulak • Susan Shafton
• Laura Shennum • David & Lori Simpson • Amrita Singhal & Michael Tubach • Suzanne Slyman • Betsy Smith • Cherida Collins Smith • Trevor & Anne-Marie Strohman • Annie Ulevitch • William van Dyk & Margi Sullivan • Gerald & Lynda VurekMartyn • Brian Watt & Daisy Nguyen • Kimberly Webb & Richard Rossi • Jonathan & Kiyo Weiss • Irene Yen
ADVOCATE
Anonymous (15) • David Ahirhima • David Baer • Paula Bakalar • Celia Bakke • Irene Balcar • Richard & Kathi Berman • Brent Blackaby • Mark & Peggy Bley • James Blume & Kathryn Frank • Judy Blumenstein • Thomas Bosserman • Cathy Bristow • Paul Brody • Aimee Brown • Jane V. Buerger • John Bundschuh & Deborah Sorondo • Fran Burgess • Robert & Margaret Cant • Bruce Carlton • Russell Champa • Daren Chan • Steven and Karin Chase • Laura Chenel • Joan & Edward Conger • Cathy Corison and William Martin • Pam & Mike Crane • Rajen Dalal • Harry & Susan Dennis • Joe & Lisa Downes • Tammerlin Drummond • Kevin Eggan • Sue J. Estey • Paul Finkle & Sue DeVinny • Martin & Barbara Fishman • James & Jessica Fleming • Carol & Tony Friscia • Chris R. Frostad • Lisa and Jack Fuchs • Clara Gerdes & Ken Greenberg • Ellen Geringer & Chris Tarp • Judy & Sheldon Greene • Mark Greenstein • Karen Greig & Mike Frank • Don & Becky Grether • Jeannene Hansen • Dennis & Juanita Harte • Paula Hawthorn & Michael Ubell • Donald Hershman • Al Hoffman & David Shepherd • Rachel & John Horsch • Hilary & Tom Hoynes • Maria Inchauspe • Patricia J. Ishiyama • Atsuko Jenks • Barbara & Peter Jensen • May Johnston • Alan Karras & David Schulz • Leslie Karren • Ralph & Tonya Koenker • Andrea & Kenneth Krueger • Lucy Kuntz and Ned Fielden • Wayne Lamprey & Dena Watson-Lamprey • Susan Carol Ledford • Elizabeth Lewis • Jennifer S. Lindsay • Ari Lipsky & David Nahmias • Steve & Judy Lipson • Margo & Josh Lowensohn • Peter Luk • Gerry & Kathy MacClelland • Ingrid Madsen & Victor Rauch • Rob and Diane Master • Don Mathews • M. Mathews & K. Soriano • Kevin McCarty • Amelie Mel de Fontenay • Ellen Meltzer and George Porter • Melinda & Ralph Mendelson • Susan Morris • Ron Nakayama • Sandra Nichols • James O'Toole • Patti Oji Haas • Jeannie Pfaelzer & Peter Panuthos • Malcolm & Ann Plant • Kathleen Quenneville & Diane Allen • Daniel & Barbara Radin • Elizabeth Raffin • Jackie Lynn Ray • Kalpana Reddy • Terri Remillard • Michael Rocha • William Rogers • Patrick Romani • Shasta Roope • Deborah Dashow Ruth, in memory of Leo P. Ruth • Lisa A. Salomon • Eve Saltman & Skip Roncal, in honor of Kerry Francis & John Jimerson • Dorothy Saxe • Eric & Lauren Schlezinger • Teddy & Bruce Schwab • Deborah Sedberry & Jeff Klingman • Jacob Sevart • Ruchira Shah & David Grunwald • Brenda Buckhold Shank, M.D., Ph.D. • Steve & Susan Shortell • Beryl & Ivor Silver • Robert Sinha • Gary & Jana Stein • Jane & Jay Taber • Margo & Drew Tammen • Kathy Taylor • Ruthann Taylor • Karen Tiedemann & Geoff Piller • Dana Tom & Nancy Kawakita • Dale Underwood & Kirsti Aho • Jill Van Dalen • Leon Van Steen • Benny & Liz Varon • Galen Wilson • Barbara & Mordechai Winter • H. Leabah Winter • Susan Wittenberg • Molly Wood • Moe & Becky Wright • Ned Zlatarev Galen Wilson • Barbara & Mordechai Winter • H. Leabah Winter • Susan Wittenberg • Molly Wood • Moe & Becky Wright • Ned Zlatarev
The Michael Leibert Society
Berkeley Rep gratefully acknowledges the following individuals who have generously provided for the theatre in their estate plans:
Anonymous (9)
Norman Abramson & David Beery*
Sam Ambler
Carl W. Arnoult & Aurora Pan
Ken & Joni Avery
Nancy Axelrod
Edie Barschi
Neil & Gene Barth
Susan & Barry Baskin
Linda Brandenburger
Broitman-Basri Family
Bruce Carlton & Richard G. McCall*
Stephen K. Cassidy
Paula Champagne & David Watson
Terin Christensen
Sofia Close
Ed Cullen & Ann O’Connor
Andrew Daly & Jody Taylor
Narsai* & Venus David
Darren & Sunshine Deffner
M. Laina Dicker
Thalia Dorwick
Robin & Rich Edwards
Thomas W. Edwards
& Rebecca Parlette-Edwards
Bill & Susan Epstein
William Espey
& Margaret Hart Edwards
Bill Falik & Diana Cohen
Dr. Stephen E. Follansbee
& Dr. Richard A. Wolitz
Catherine Fox
Kerry Francis
Dr. Harvey & Deana Freedman
Joseph & Antonia Friedman
Paul T. Friedman
Laura K. Fujii
David Gaskin & Phillip McPherson*
Marjorie Ginsburg & Howard Slyter
Mary & Nicholas* Graves
Elizabeth Greene
Sheldon & Judy Greene
Don & Becky Grether
Barry* & Micheline Handon
Julie & Paul Harkness
Linda & Bob Harris
Fred Hartwick
Ruth Hennigar
Daria Hepps
Douglas J. Hill*
Peter Hobe & Christina Crowley
Hoskins/Frame Family Trust
Lynda & Dr. J. Pearce Hurley
Robin C. Johnson
Janice Kelly & Carlos Kaslow
Bonnie McPherson Killip
Lynn Eve Komaromi
Michael H. Kossman
Woof Kurtzman
Scott & Kathy Law
Dot Lofstrom
Ingrid Madsen & Victor Rauch
Andrew Maguire
Helen M. Marcus
Dale* & Don Marshall
Rebecca Martinez
Sarah McArthur LeValley
Sandra & Ross McCandless
Suzanne & Charles McCulloch
John G. McGehee
Miles & Mary Ellen McKey
Ruth Medak
Susie Medak & Greg Murphy
Stephanie Mendel
Toni Mester
Shirley & Joe Nedham
Jane & Bill Neilson
Theresa Nelson & Bernard Smits
Pam & Mitch Nichter
Wallace Oman
Sharon Ott
Fr. David Pace
Amy Pearl Parodi
Barbara L. Peterson
Regina Phelps
Margaret Phillips
Mark J. Powers
Marjorie Randolph
Gregg Richardson
Bonnie Ring Living Trust
David Rovno, M.D.
Tracie E. Rowson
Deborah Dashow Ruth
Patricia Sakai & Richard Shapiro
Brenda Buckhold Shank, M.D., Ph.D.
Emily Shanks
Valerie Sopher
Michael & Sue Steinberg
Dr. Douglas & Anne Stewart
Jean Strunsky
Mary, Andrew & Duncan Susskind
Jim Tibbs & Philip Anderson
Henry Timnick
Guy Tiphane
Dana Tom & Nancy Kawakita
Phillip & Melody Trapp
Janis Kate Turner
Gail & Arne Wagner
Barry & Holly Walter
Weil Family Trust - Weil Family
Susan West
Sheila Wishek*
Steven & Linda Wolan
The Woolfson Blumenfeld
Living Trust
Karen & Henry Work
Anders Yang, JD
Martin & Margaret Zankel
* deceased
GIFTS RECEIVED BY BERKELEY REP
Estate of Suzanne Adams
Estate of Pat Angell, in memory of theater architect Gene Angell
Estate of Nina Auerbach
Estate of Helen C. Barber
Estate of Fritzi Benesch
Estate of Carole B. Berg
Estate of Nelly Berteaux
Estate of Jill Bryans
Estate of Paula Carrell
Estate of Victoria Carter
Estate of Nancy Croley
Estate of John & Carol Field
Estate of Ralph Garrow
Estate of Richard & Lois Halliday
Estate of Nancy Kornfield
Estate of Audrey J. Lasson
Estate of Zandra Faye LeDuff
Estate of Ines R. Lewandowitz
Estate of Jim Lillienthal
Estate of John E. & Helen A. Manning
Estate of Richard Markell
Estate of Sumner
& Hermine Marshall
Estate of Margaret D. & Winton McKibben
Estate of Robert S. Newton, in honor of John T. & Jean Knox
Estate of Sheldeen G. Osborne
Estate of Timothy A. Patterson
Estate of Gladys Perez-Mendez
Estate of Margaret Purvine
Estate of Guy T. Roberts, Jr.
Estate of Leigh & Ivy Robinson
Estate of Gretchen Saeger
Estate of Stephen C. Schaefer, in honor of Jean and Jack Knox
Estate of Kevin Shoemaker
Estate of Peter Sloss
Estate of Louis & Bonnie Spiesberger
Estate of Harry Weininger
Estate of Grace Williams
As of July 2024. Berkeley Rep makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of these listings. If there is an error or you would like to adjust your listing, please contact us at 510 647-2905 or give@berkeleyrep.org.
MAKING THEATRE
MEET THE ARTISANS WHO BUILD OUR SHOWS
BY DC SCARPELLI
Sound design is something that enormously influences how audiences experience a production, but many audience members don’t realize that it’s happening (or even what it is). Below, Berkeley Rep sound and video supervisor Lane Elms shares his thoughts on how sound design impacts a show like Mexodus. Lane Elms : The sound designer shapes the overall aural experience of the audience — from lobby music to sound reinforcement to the acoustics of the space or the set.
Vocal and band reinforcement often ends up being the most technical part of our job, but sound designers also give input to the scenic and lighting designers, and props artisans. For example, if a door needs to slam, but its sound is cheesy, we might suggest that scenic design use a heavier door or reinforce its framing. If a moving light makes too much noise during a quiet scene, we might ask lighting to swap it out.
There are often subtle changes in sound that the audience might not notice, but that they might feel as a change of mood — like changing the reverb in the space, or using subwoofers to vibrate seats. We try to make the sound design transparent, enhancing the storytelling without distracting from it.
Mexodus is a very music-heavy show that requires a lot of sound support. All the live instruments on stage must be reinforced and sent through processors that loop the sound, routing them to and from many computers, processors, and the console. All the looping is triggered by the actors onstage, so we have triggers built into the set at lots of different locations to free their movement.
The sound operator, Angela Don , ensures that the programming is tracking correctly and that the performers aren't getting out of sync with the looping cycles. The lighting and video departments also get looping information from sound/music to sync the video and lights to the sound, so there is a large network of communication happening all the time.
The actors have to hear each other as well as what they're playing and looping, so we have video monitors that show them where they are in the cycles, and in-ear audio monitors so they can hear what's happening all the time. Each actor wears two wireless lavalier microphones, a wireless handheld mic, and a wireless in-ear monitor, so we work closely with the costume department to coordinate where all that technology goes. Plus, we coordinate sound-making props with the props department — it's a real all-department collaboration. Our backstage audio engineer, Courtney Jean , manages all these wireless elements and makes sure all the instruments are tuned and in working order before and during the show.
After all of that, the show still needs to sound clear and seamless, and Misha Fiksel , the sound designer, has woven the complexity of the technology into the beauty of the storytelling beautifully. I encourage the audience to listen to the sound of the show in the same way they might observe the changes in the lighting, or the texture of the set or costumes. How do the movement, levels, or texture of the aural space help to tell the story? What does it draw attention to or away from?
Top: sound engineer Akari Izumi and associate sound and video supervisor Chase Nichter at the sound console in the Peet's theatre.
Bottom: The elaborate audio setup in the Mexodus rehearsal room
OCT 18–DEC 8, 2024
THE MATCHBOX MAGIC FLUTE
ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY MARY ZIMMERMAN | BASED ON MOZART’S OPERA IN ASSOCIATION WITH GOODMAN THEATRE | WEST COAST PREMIERE
Theatrical powerhouse Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphoses, The Arabian Nights, The White Snake) triumphantly returns to Berkeley Rep with a mesmerizing adaptation of Mozart’s iconic Magic Flute, using only 10 singers and five musicians. Join Tamino on a daring quest to rescue the captive princess Pamina. Encounter dragons, birdmen, and trials by fire in this enchanting microcosm of wonder where magic and music intertwine. Hailed as “a box of treasures, a haze of marvels, a banquet of dreams,” by The Chicago Reader, The Matchbox Magic Flute will transport you to realms of imagination and wonder.
Interested in sharing the magical world of The Matchbox Magic Flute with young theatre enthusiasts? The show is suitable for ages 8 and up.
Tickets at berkeleyrep.org
Performances Cal
BAY AREA PREMIERE Ex Machina / Robert Lepage & Cirque FLIP Fabrique SLAM!
When theater & cirque meet the mat
Quebec’s revered circus-arts company partners with renowned opera and theater director Robert Lepage to bring the breathtaking spectacle and daring physicality of pro wrestling to the stage.
Mummenschanz
50 Years
The delightful Swiss mime troupe visits with a retrospective program celebrating 50 years of wonderfully inventive—and totally silent!— storytelling, bringing mesmerizing creatures and creations from its favorite repertoire to life with its distinctive charm and wit.
Oct 26 & 27
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Disney Concerts Presents Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert
Disney’s beloved animated feature comes to life in an interactive performance and screening that’s perfect for the whole family. Sing along to the award-winning soundtrack with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, played live by Banda de la Casita!
Step Afrika!
The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence
Washington DC’s celebrated step dance company tells the story of the Great Migration in this vivid production inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s famous paintings from the 1940s, set to an uplifting soundtrack with movement that mixes stepping, tap, body percussion, and modern dance.
An Illuminations: “Fractured History” event. calperformances.org/illuminations
Nov 2 & 3
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
BAY AREA PREMIERE Dorrance Dance The Nutcracker Suite
Explosive tap dance meets hot jazz rhythms in this acclaimed company’s intoxicating interpretation of the holiday classic, danced to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s joyful take on the iconic Tchaikovsky score.
Dec 14 & 15
BAY AREA PREMIERE William Kentridge’s The Great Yes, The Great No
A Cal Performances Co-commission William Kentridge, concept and director
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
The internationally acclaimed South African artist returns to campus with his latest creation for the stage, a chamber opera set on a 1941 sea voyage from Marseille to Martinique. The production merges surrealist imagery with reallife historical events, lush South African choral music, dance, and poetry.
An Illuminations: “Fractured History” event. calperformances.org/illuminations
Mar 14–16
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
