ARABIAN NIGHTS Director Mary Zimmerman to Speak at PAGE TO STAGE 11/3

Ten days before Mary Zimmerman unveils THE ARABIAN NIGHTS at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, fans of her work will have an opportunity to peek inside the process of creating a play with this Tony Award-winning director. Zimmerman will be interviewed by Robert Hurwitt, theatre critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, on November 3 during Page to Stage – the second installment in Berkeley Rep's annual trio of talks with eminent theatre artists. This event will be held in the auditorium of the new Berkeley City College at 2050 Center Street, just one block from the Theatre.

"This is Mary's sixth visit to Berkeley Rep, and each time she takes us on a remarkable journey," asserts Tony Taccone, artistic director of Berkeley Rep. "As we approach an election in which oil prices and the Iraq war are such important issues, it truly seems timely to look at the Middle East through the lens of its own ancient tales. I look forward to hearing what Mary has to say about The Arabian Nights – and about her long, successful career."

Though this is Zimmerman's sixth trip to Berkeley Rep, this is the first time she works her magic on the intimate Thrust Stage. The Arabian Nights runs from November 13 through January 4. The executive producers of this play are Betty and Jack Schafer and Jean and Michael Strunsky. The production sponsor is the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Philanthropic Fund, with co-sponsorship from Wealth Management at The Mechanics Bank. BART and Wells Fargo are the season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre. Starring in the lead roles will be Sofia Jean Gomez and Ryan Arztberger.

"The first time I ever saw the Thrust Stage, I turned to [Managing Director] Susie Medak and said, 'This space is perfect for The Arabian Nights,'" Zimmerman remarks. "It is set up beautifully for the show, with that steep rake that lets the audience see to the floor – which is such an important part of this show – and the intimacy that makes the stage space and the theatre space feel so integrated. So it is very exciting to have that first impulse realized now, and to work on the Thrust for the first time."

Mary Zimmerman made her career by reanimating ancient myths like Argonautika and Metamorphoses… now she breathes new life into the legend of the 1,001 nights. To save her life, a beautiful bride must spin hypnotic tales of genies, jesters, thieves, and kings – winning her freedom by eventually winning her husband's heart. He falls under Scheherazade's spell, and Zimmerman enchants the audience as well with her signature style that transforms simplicity into the sublime. Amidst a thousand tales of honor, revenge, and humor, only love emerges victorious. A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Arabian Nights will travel to Missouri and to Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company in 2009.

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS is adapted from the Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night. It is designed by Daniel Ostling (sets), Mara Blumenfeld (costumes), TJ Gerckens (lights), and Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman (sound), and stars Alana Arenas, Barzin Akhavan, Ryan Artzberger, Ari Brand, Noshir Dalal, Allen Gilmore, Sofia Jean Gomez, Melina Kalomas, Ramiz Monsef, Jesse J. Perez, Nicole Shalhoub, Louis Tucci, Pranidhi Varshney, Stacey Yen, and Evan Zes.

Every year, hundreds of people enjoy Page to Stage, a series of discussions sponsored by Peet's Coffee and Tea. Past programs have featured luminaries such as David Edgar, Will Eno, Danny Hoch, Sarah Jones, Tony Kushner, Delroy Lindo, Terrence McNally, Rita Moreno, Itamar Moses, and Salman Rushdie. No tickets are necessary for these free events, but seating is limited. Each talk begins at 7:00 PM, and doors open at 6:45 PM for general-admission seating. Peet's offers a free coffee tasting to all guests starting at 6:00 PM, and donors to Berkeley Rep at the Supporter level or above also enjoy an exclusive post-talk reception with Zimmerman, catered by Bistro Liaison.

Mary Zimmerman is the recipient of a 1998 MacArthur Fellowship and the 2002 Tony Award for Best Director. She has worked at noted theatres across America, and Berkeley Rep audiences have embraced her acclaimed productions of Argonautika, Journey to the West, Metamorphoses, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, and The Secret in the Wings. Now she breathes new life into the legend of the 1,001 nights. To save her life, a beautiful bride must spin hypnotic tales of genies, jesters, thieves, and kings – winning her freedom by eventually winning her husband's heart. He falls under Scheherazade's spell, and Zimmerman enchants the audience as well with her signature style that transforms simplicity into the sublime. Amidst a thousand tales of honor, revenge, and humor, only love emerges victorious.

The Arabian Nights runs November 13 to January 4 on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage. For more information about Page to Stage or tickets to the show, call 510.647.2949 or 888-4-BRT-tix (toll-free) – or visit berkeleyrep.org.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison Street @ Shattuck, Downtown Berkeley

November 13, 2008 – January 4, 2009
Tuesdays & Fridays @ 8:00 PM
Wednesdays @ 7:00 PM
Thursdays & Saturdays @ 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Sundays @ 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
No performances on 11/27 (Thanksgiving) or 12/25 (Christmas Day)
No matinees on 11/13, 11/15, 11/16, 11/20, 12/4, 12/13, 12/20 or 1/1
Special 2:00 PM matinee on 12/24 (Christmas Eve) – no performance that night

Special Events:

Page to Stage (free talk w/ Zimmerman): Monday 11/3 @ 7:00 PM
Low-cost previews: Thursday 11/13, Friday 11/14 & Saturday 11/15 @ 8:00 PM & Sunday 11/16 @ 7:00 PM
Target Teen Night: Friday 11/14 @ 6:30 PM
VIP night: Tuesday 11/18 @ 8:00 PM
Press night: Wednesday 11/19 @ 8:00 PM
night/OUT (LGBT event): Thursday 11/20 @ 8:00 PM
30 Below (party for the under-30 crowd): Friday 11/21 @ 8:00 PM
Docent talks: Tuesdays 11/25, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23 & 12/30 and Thursdays 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18 & 1/1 @ 7:00 PM
Student matinees: Wednesdays 12/3 & 12/17 @ noon
Post-play discussions: Thursday 12/11, Tuesday 12/16 & Friday 12/19 @ 8:00 PM

Free tastings: Fridays 11/14 (Berkeley Farmers' Market), 11/21 (Triple Rock Brewery and Fra' Mani Salumi), 12/5 (Kokomo Wines) & 12/12 (Triple Rock Brewery) @ 7:00 PM; Saturdays 11/15 (Fra' Mani Salumi), 11/22 (Domaine Carneros and Teance), 11/29 (Domaine Carneros), 12/6 (Kokomo Wines and Peterson Winery), 12/13 (Craft Distillers and St. Helena Road Winery) & 12/20 (Teance) @ 7:00 PM; and Sundays 11/16 (Raymond Vineyards), 11/23 (Bravante and Raymond Vineyards), 12/7 (Kokomo Wines and Peet's Coffee & Tea) & 12/14 (Bravante Vineyards and Domaine Carneros) @ 6:00 PM

Tickets range fro $13.50 to $7. Half-price tickets available for anyone under 30 years of age. $10 discount for students and seniors one hour before curtain. Groups of 10 or more, contact 510.647.2918 or groups@berkeleyrep.org. For tickets, call 510.647.2949 or 888-4-BRT-Tix (toll-free) or visit www.berkeleyrep.org.

Photo credit: Kevin Berne

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