Barbara Oliver News

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company presents the second Aurora Script Club meeting of the season with Gertrude Stein's Stein Times. Gertrude Stein, a contemporary and friend of Thornton Wilder, wrote numerous plays in addition to the other prolific written and artistic contributions she made in her life. Several of her short works (The Making of Americans: Being a History of a Family's Progress (1906-11); Do Let Us Go Away A Play (1916); A Family of Perhaps Three (1922); and A Circular Play (1930) ) will be read together to explore the parallels they have with the one-act plays of Wilder Times, revealing how she influenced, and conspired with, Thornton Wilder to give a brand new, and specifically American, dramatic form to their 20th century world. Aurora Theatre Company Education Director Michael Mansfield hosts this moderated discussion series. The Aurora Script Club was conceived and developed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross. All of the Script Club selections for the season are plays that are penned by female playwrights.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company presents the second Aurora Script Club meeting of the season with Gertrude Stein's Stein Times. Gertrude Stein, a contemporary and friend of Thornton Wilder, wrote numerous plays in addition to the other prolific written and artistic contributions she made in her life. Several of her short works (The Making of Americans: Being a History of a Family's Progress (1906-11); Do Let Us Go Away A Play (1916); A Family of Perhaps Three (1922); and A Circular Play (1930) ) will be read together to explore the parallels they have with the one-act plays of Wilder Times, revealing how she influenced, and conspired with, Thornton Wilder to give a brand new, and specifically American, dramatic form to their 20th century world. Aurora Theatre Company Education Director Michael Mansfield hosts this moderated discussion series. The Aurora Script Club was conceived and developed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross. All of the Script Club selections for the season are plays that are penned by female playwrights.

Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to the company for its 21st season to direct WILDER TIMES, a collection of one-act plays by Thornton Wilder. Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and playwright, and former Berkeley resident, Thornton Wilder is best known for his full length play Our Town, but he was also an accomplished master of the short play form, specifically creating shorter works to be staged in spaces such as Aurora's, with the audience seated on three sides of the action or in the round.

Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to the company for its 21st season to directWILDER TIMES, a collection of one-act plays by Thornton Wilder. Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and playwright, and former Berkeley resident, Thornton Wilder is best known for his full length play Our Town, but he was also an accomplished master of the short play form, specifically creating shorter works to be staged in spaces such as Aurora's, with the audience seated on three sides of the action or in the round.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company announced today the appointment of Ryan O'Steen as Technical Director and Production Coordinator of Aurora Theatre Company. O'Steen replaces Chris Killion, Aurora's first Technical Director and Production Coordinator at its current Addison Street space. Killion, an integral part of the company for 11 years, collaborated with the architects and builders on both the original Aurora Addison Street space, as well as the new Dashow Wing, in addition to constructing sets for 55 Aurora productions. O'Steen joins the company directly from Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional four performances of its current hit production SALOMANIA, Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross's first new play commission for the company, written and directed by award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (Metamorphosis, Salome, Miss Julie).

Closing Aurora's 20th season is the World Premiere of SALOMANIA, Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross's first new play commission for the company, written and directed by award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (Metamorphosis, Salome, Miss Julie). Workshopped and developed at Aurora in 2010, SALOMANIA features Madeline H.D. Brown (Metamorphosis), Mark Anderson Phillips (Small Tragedy), Alex Moggridge (Betrayed), Liam Vincent (California Shakespeare Theater), Anthony Nemirovsky (Awake and Sing!), Marilee Talkington (Crowded Fire), and Kevin Clarke (Shotgun Players). SALOMANIA plays tonight, June 15 through July 22 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company has announced a call for submissions for its eighth season of the Global Age Project (GAP) festival of new works. The company will choose four new plays to be presented as staged readings with professional directors and actors during the GAP festival in February of 2013; the festival will coincide with the company's fully-staged World Premiere of Anthony Clarvoe's OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN, directed by Allen McKelvey, the third Aurora main stage production to develop from the GAP. Each of the four finalists will receive a $1,000 award and their work will be considered for further development and production during Aurora Theatre Company's regular season; out of town artists will receive travel and accommodation expenses. The submission period opens today, May 22; deadline for play submission is July 31, 2012. Finalists will be announced in early December 2012.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company has announced a call for submissions for its eighth season of the Global Age Project (GAP) festival of new works. The company will choose four new plays to be presented as staged readings with professional directors and actors during the GAP festival in February of 2013; the festival will coincide with the company's fully-staged World Premiere of Anthony Clarvoe's OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN, directed by Allen McKelvey, the third Aurora main stage production to develop from the GAP. Each of the four finalists will receive a $1,000 award and their work will be considered for further development and production during Aurora Theatre Company's regular season; out of town artists will receive travel and accommodation expenses. The submission period opens May 22; deadline for play submission is July 31, 2012. Finalists will be announced in early December 2012.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2011-12 season with ENDGAME and PLAY-two landmark one-act plays by modernist master Samuel Beckett, directed by A.C.T. artistic director Carey Perloff.

Closing Aurora's 20th season is the World Premiere of SALOMANIA, Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross's first new play commission for the company, written and directed by award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (Metamorphosis, Salome, Miss Julie). Workshopped and developed at Aurora in 2010, SALOMANIA features Madeline H.D. Brown (Metamorphosis), Mark Anderson Phillips (Small Tragedy), Alex Moggridge (Betrayed), Liam Vincent (California Shakespeare Theater), Anthony Nemirovsky (Awake and Sing!), Marilee Talkington (Crowded Fire), and Kevin Clarke (Shotgun Players). SALOMANIA plays June 15 through July 22 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announced two special events associated with their upcoming production of Samuel Beckett's Endgame and Play, opening May 9 at the American Conservatory Theater.

Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to the company for its 20th anniversary season to direct Arthur Schnitzler's (La Ronde) first theatrical work for the stage, ANATOL. This World Premiere translation, commissioned by Aurora Theatre Company, from renowned Schnitzler expert (and Berkeley resident) Margret Schaefer, features Mike Ryan (Shakespeare Santa Cruz) in his Aurora debut as Anatol, along with Aurora veterans Tim Kniffin (Trouble in Mind, The Best Man) and Delia MacDougall (SEX, The Old Neighborhood). ANATOL plays April 6 through May 13 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($30-55) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company has announced the lineup for its 21st season.

Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to the company for its 20th anniversary season to direct Arthur Schnitzler's (La Ronde) first theatrical work for the stage, ANATOL. This World Premiere translation, commissioned by Aurora Theatre Company, from renowned Schnitzler expert (and Berkeley resident) Margret Schaefer, features Mike Ryan (Shakespeare Santa Cruz) in his Aurora debut as Anatol, along with Aurora veterans Tim Kniffin (Trouble in Mind, The Best Man) and Delia MacDougall (SEX, The Old Neighborhood). ANATOL plays April 6 through May 13 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($30-55) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

The Bay Area Critics Circle Award nominations are in and Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company, now celebrating its 20th season, garnered 33 nods for the company's 2011 productions, the most of any company in its theater tier in the Bay Area. Top honors included nominations in the Drama category with recognition going to A DELICATE BALANCE, METAMORPHOSIS, THE ECCENTRICITES OF A NIGHTINGALE, and THE SOLDIER'S TALE. Aurora Artistic Director Tom Ross received two nominations for direction, as well as a co-directing nomination with Muriel Maffre. The 33 nominations are a record number for Aurora, the most nominations received during the company's 20 seasons.

Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional six performances of its current hit production of Obie-winning playwright Annie Baker's BODY AWARENESS.

The Open Book (Marvin Kaye, Co-founder and Artistic Director) has announced post-show talkbacks immediately following its production of 'BOB, Blessed Be The Dysfunction That Binds' written and performed by Anne Pasquale and directed by Mary Ann Hay on January 19th, 20th and 21st.

The Open Book (Marvin Kaye, Co-founder and Artistic Director) has announced post-show talkbacks immediately following its production of 'BOB, Blessed Be The Dysfunction That Binds' written and performed by Anne Pasquale and directed by Mary Ann Hay on January 19th, 20th and 21st.

The Open Book (Marvin Kaye, Co-founder and Artistic Director) has announced post-show talkbacks immediately following its production of 'BOB, Blessed Be The Dysfunction That Binds' written and performed by Anne Pasquale and directed by Mary Ann Hay on January 19th, 20th and 21st.