Tom Ross News

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company presents the final Aurora Script Club meeting of the season with Lynn Nottage's RUINED on July 15, 2013.

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).

It is with great sadness that Aurora Theatre Company announces the passing of the company's founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver due to complications from a recent stroke. Barbara passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 20 at her Berkeley home, surrounded by family.

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.

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.

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).

Closing Aurora'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 (The Shape of Things, A Delicate Balance), and featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal). 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!" 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.

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.

The University of Chicago's (UChicago) Arts and Public Life initiative will host a free open house for its new Arts Incubator today, March 8, 2013, from 3-6 p.m. Located in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood at 301 E. Garfield Boulevard (55th Street and Prairie Avenue), the Arts Incubator is the latest project envisioned by renowned artist Theaster Gates and provides space for artist residencies, arts education and community-based arts projects, as well as exhibitions, performances and talks.

The University of Chicago's (UChicago) Arts and Public Life initiative will host a free open house for its new Arts Incubator on Friday, March 8, 2013, from 3-6 p.m. Located in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood at 301 E. Garfield Boulevard (55th Street and Prairie Avenue), the Arts Incubator is the latest project envisioned by renowned artist Theaster Gates and provides space for artist residencies, arts education and community-based arts projects, as well as exhibitions, performances and talks.

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.

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 January 25 through March 3 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company presents a "house" concert for the holidays with Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally in A DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS WITH NELL & JIM. This intimate show inaugurates Aurora Theatre Company's Second Stage cabaret performance space, Harry's UpStage, located in the Nell and Jules Dashow Wing. A DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS WITH NELL & JIM plays for eight performances only, tonight, December 13-21 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company, along with GAP Producer M. Graham Smith and GAP Associate Producer Deborah Taylor, announces the four plays chosen as finalists by a committee of local directors for the eighth annual Global Age Project (GAP), the company's new works initiative that promotes the creation of forward-looking theater. The selected GAP plays will be presented as staged readings in a four-week festival at the Aurora Theatre, Mondays, February 4-25 at 7:30PM.

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 a "house" concert for the holidays with Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally in A DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS WITH NELL & JIM. This intimate show inaugurates Aurora Theatre Company's second stage cabaret performance space, Harry's UpStage, located in the Nell and Jules Dashow Wing. A DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS WITH NELL & JIM plays for eight performances only, December 13-21 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

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.