Frances Hellman News

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announced the lineup of guests who will participate in moderated discussions following each performance of The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics production of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski.

Performances of the West Coast premiere of Emma Rice's critically acclaimed Wuthering Heights—a reimagined version of Emily Brontë's gothic masterpiece with live music, dance, passion, hope, and a dash of impish irreverence, creating an intoxicating revenge tragedy for today—begin this Friday, November 18 at Berkeley Repertory Theater's Roda Theatre (2015 Addison St., Berkeley).

Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer and Director of the Ground Floor Madeleine Oldham announced the Residency Lab participants and the return to full capacity of the Residency Lab portion of The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the Creation and Development of New Work.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announced two upcoming limited-engagement special events—Emmy Award-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael's latest show, Ari told me I lack focus; and The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics production of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, by Clark Young and Derek Goldman, directed by Derek Goldman, and featuring Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee David Strathairn.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announced casting for the world premiere production of the ripple, the wave that carried me home by Christina Anderson, directed by Jackson Gay, and produced in association with Goodman Theatre. 

Berkeley Repertory Theatre's new artist housing will be named after longtime Managing Director, Susie Medak. The ambitious new artist housing project at 2009 Addison Street is located directly next door to its two theatres: the Roda and the Peet’s.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere musical, Goddess. The musical stage production is conceived and directed by Saheem Ali, music and lyrics by Michael Thurber, and written by Jocelyn Bioh. Previews begin Saturday, August 13, and the show runs through Sunday, September 25.

Berkeley Rep today announced a special event with the 2022 Tony Award-nominated director, Les Waters (Dana H).  Waters, Berkeley Rep’s Associate Artistic Director from 2003-2011, will appear in person in the Roda Theatre on Monday, June 27 at 8pm to discuss his new book, The Theatre of Les Waters: More Like the Weather.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced today the cast for the upcoming West Coast premiere of Sanctuary City written by Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok (Cost of Living) and directed by David Mendizábal (Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Board Members).

Today Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announces a new selection of plays for the upcoming 2022/23 season. The six-play subscription series is comprised of an array of highly accomplished artists including Lynn Nottage, Emma Rice, Ari’el Stachel, Jack Thorne, Sanaz Toossi, and more

This past Friday evening, April 29, Bay Area arts supporters gathered at The Presidio Theatre in San Francisco to celebrate Berkeley Rep’s return to live theatre. The celebration raised $500,000 for the Theatre’s artistic and educational programming.

Following a positive response from audiences and critics alike, Berkeley Rep has announced that the world premiere of Swept Away will extend for a third and final week. The popular show will now run through Sunday, March 13.

Due to overwhelming demand from enthusiastic theatregoers in 42 states, Berkeley Rep has announced that the world premiere musical Swept Away will extend for an additional two weeks. Previews begin on Sunday, January 9 with the show originally scheduled to close on February 13.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass​​ continues to support the music community during the Covid-19 pandemic with a new philanthropic effort aimed at immediate relief needs and more equitable recovery. 

Berkeley Rep’s leadership announced today that after being closed for a year and a half, the Tony Award-winning theatre will reopen for live performances on Friday, October 1. The 2021-22 subscription season kicks off with a Berkeley Rep commission, Christina Anderson’s the ripple, the wave that carried me home, directed by Miranda Haymon. 

Presented in outdoors and indoors locations in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, Time of Change is a new, site-specific dance theater work featuring pop-up moments of original music, monologues, and movement.

This past Saturday evening, June 5, Bay Area arts supporters gathered for a live stream event to celebrate Berkeley Repertory Theatre's plan to reopen this fall and to honor the 20th anniversary of its School of Theatre. Berkeley Rep's OVATION: Imagine was attended by over 500 people, tuning in from home and in private catered gatherings around the Bay Area.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the theatre has been approved for a $50,000 Art Works grant to support The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. The Ground Floor is among 1,073 projects across America totaling nearly $25 million that were selected during this first round of fiscal year 2021 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects funding category.

The Hardly Strictly Music Relief Fund: Bay Area is now accepting applications from local musicians. Created by Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, this $1.5 million charitable effort seeks to recognize, appreciate, and care for the people who lend their creativity, heart, and hard work to the American roots music ecosystem in the Bay Area. The fund includes $450,000 for individual musiciansa?? relief and additional support for local music venues and their workers.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the theatre company has been approved for a $50,000 Art Works grant to support The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.