Mark Jackson News

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company is proud to announce a call for submissions for its ninth 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 and March of 2014; the festival will coincide with the company's fully-staged Bay Area Premiere of Johnna Adams's incendiary new play GIDION'S KNOT, directed by Jon Tracy (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity). Each of the four prizewinners 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 June 3; deadline for play submission is July 31, 2013. Finalists will be announced in early December 2013.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh will play Marin Theatre Company, directed by Mark Jackson and featuring Joy Carlin,* Rod Gnapp,* Joseph Salazar and Beth Wilmurt (* member, Actor's Equity Association), from May 23 to June 16, 2013. Opening night is Tuesday, May 28, with previews tonight, May 23 - Sunday, May 26.

Richard Bean's One Man Two Guvnors has to be one of the funniest plays written to date. It is nonstop hilarity from beginning to end. The show opened in 2011 on the West end, transferred to Broadway and has been on an International tour in 2013. With a multitude of musicals opening in Melbourne over the next 4 weeks, it feels like the National Theatre of London's production in conjunction with MTC could slip in and out of Melbourne without much mention, especially with King Kong dominating every available publicity space in the city. If every performance of this show is not sold out it will be a travesty. It deserves it ten fold along with an extended season.

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 21st season is the Bay Area Premiere of Neil LaBute's dark, edgy comic drama THIS IS HOW IT GOES, directed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Delicate Balance). Ross helmed LaBute's The Shape of Things, the first LaBute play produced in the Bay Area, in 2003. Featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal), THIS IS HOW IT GOES presents a one-two punch after LaBute's Fat Pig (staged at Aurora in 2009). Tweaking perspectives of truth and interpretation to broach sharp questions about race, love, and manipulation,THIS IS HOW IT GOES, about which the Chicago Tribune raved "Highly recommended! LaBute's play has a lot of sting and nothing is as it seems!" plays June 14 through July 21 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($35-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

On May 6, EXIT Theatre received yet another award, this one from the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. At their Gala awards ceremony, BATCC honored the blood, toil, tears and sweat behind EXIT - Artistic Director Christina Augello and Managing Director Richard Livingston - with the Paine Knickerbocker Award 'for continuing contribution to Bay Area theatre.'

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 21st season is the Bay Area Premiere of Neil LaBute's dark, edgy comic drama THIS IS HOW IT GOES, directed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Delicate Balance). Ross helmed LaBute's The Shape of Things, the first LaBute play produced in the Bay Area, in 2003. Featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal), THIS IS HOW IT GOES presents a one-two punch after LaBute's Fat Pig (staged at Aurora in 2009).

Marin Theatre Company closes its 2012-13 Season with a revival of Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane in Mill Valley from May 23 to June 16. Named San Francisco Chronicle's MVP of 2012 Bay Area theater, Mark Jackson (Shotgun Players, Aurora Theater Company) directs this "gloriously funny; wickedly amusing; unalloyed delight" (The Telegraph). Opening night is on Tuesday, May 28.

Spare Stage, the award-winning Bay Area theatre company, presents Oleanna, David Mamet's exploration of sexual politics in academia, for two weekends only, June 6-16 at EXIT's Studio Theatre, 156 Eddy Street in downtown San Francisco. The drama features Aaron Murphy and Frannie Morrison, and is directed by Stephen Drewes.

Spare Stage, the award-winning Bay Area theatre company, presents Oleanna, David Mamet's exploration of sexual politics in academia, for two weekends only, June 6-16 at EXIT's Studio Theatre, 156 Eddy Street in downtown San Francisco. The drama features Aaron Murphy and Frannie Morrison, and is directed by Stephen Drewes.

What is the great evil we are failing to face up to today? Award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (Salomania, Metamorphosis, Salome, Miss Julie) returns to Aurora Theatre Company to direct British playwright Alistair Beaton's elegant new translation of THE ARSONISTS, Max Frisch's classic comic parable about appeasement (sometimes known as Beidermann and the Firebugs or Fire Raisers). Featuring Dan Hiatt, Tim Kniffin, and Michael Ray Wisely, along with Kevin Clarke, Tristan Cunningham, Gwen Loeb, Dina Percia, and Michael Uy Kelly, THE ARSONISTS plays tonight, April 5 through May 12 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company, now celebrating its 21st season, lit up the night on Saturday, March 23 with an evening of heavenly wining and dining at Aurora Borealis, the company's 15th annual benefit, held at The Claremont Hotel in Berkeley. Over 218 guests attended the fundraising fete honoring Robert B. Hetler (Berkeley), and co-chaired by Ellen Levine (Oakland) and Jacquelin Ewing (Walnut Creek); the event raised upwards of $200,000. Funds raised at Aurora Borealis will support Aurora Theatre Company's outstanding live performances, innovative education program, and the Global Age Project new works program. Individual tickets to the invitation only event sold for $295, with tables going for $3000-$7,500.

Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company has announced the lineup for its 22nd season. The company opens the season with the highly-anticipated Bay Area Premiere of Obie-winning playwright Amy Herzog's AFTER THE REVOLUTION, directed by Joy Carlin.

Sarah Chalke guest stars on the next episode of ABC's GREY'S ANATOMY titled "Can't Fight This Feeling". Get a sneak peek below!

Any mention of Aaron Sorkin's A FEW GOOD MEN makes people instantly think of Jack Nicholson yelling, 'You can't handle the truth!' Currently, the Alley Theatre is offering a production of Aaron Sorkin's play that easily surpasses the 1992 film adaptation in quality. The Alley Theatre's powerful production of A FEW GOOD MEN is a tense, taut court room drama thrill-ride that will leave audiences breathless and speechless.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh will play Marin Theatre Company, directed by Mark Jackson and featuring Joy Carlin,* Rod Gnapp,* Joseph Salazar and Beth Wilmurt (* member, Actor's Equity Association), from May 23 to June 16, 2013. Opening night is Tuesday, May 28, with previews Thursday, May 23 - Sunday, May 26.

Bringing together an outstanding, large cast with a world-class artistic team, Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd directs Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men. This epic production brings this captivating military courtroom drama to life. A Few Good Men runs tonight, March 1 through March 24, 2013, on the Hubbard Stage.

What is the great evil we are failing to face up to today? Award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (Salomania, Metamorphosis, Salome, Miss Julie) returns to Aurora Theatre Company to direct British playwright Alistair Beaton's elegant new translation of THE ARSONISTS, Max Frisch's classic comic parable about appeasement (sometimes known as Beidermann and the Firebugs or Fire Raisers). Featuring Dan Hiatt, Tim Kniffin, and Michael Ray Wisely, along with Kevin Clarke, Tristan Cunningham, Gwen Loeb, Dina Percia, and Michael Uy Kelly, THE ARSONISTS plays April 5 through May 12 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($35-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Bringing together an outstanding, large cast with a world-class artistic team, Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd directs Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men. This epic production brings this captivating military courtroom drama to life. A Few Good Men runs March 1 through March 24, 2013, on the Hubbard Stage.

What is the great evil we are failing to face up to today? Award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (Salomania, Metamorphosis, Salome, Miss Julie) returns to Aurora Theatre Company to direct British playwright Alistair Beaton's elegant new translation of THE ARSONISTS, Max Frisch's classic comic parable about appeasement (sometimes known as Beidermann and the Firebugs or Fire Raisers), featuring Dan Hiatt, Tim Kniffin, and Michael Ray Wisely, along with Kevin Clarke, Tristan Cunningham, Gwen Loeb, Dina Percia, and Michael Uy Kelly.

Aurora Theatre Company continues its 21st season with the World Premiere of OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN from acclaimed playwright Anthony Clarvoe (Pick Up Ax, Show and Tell, Ambition Facing West). This family drama, which originated as one of Aurora Theatre Company's Global Age Project (GAP) finalists in 2011, is the third main stage production to develop from the GAP. OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN plays tonight, January 25 through March 3 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.