TONY KUSHNER AND MAURICE SENDAK TEAM UP TO STAGE BRUNDIBAR Berkeley Rep’s magical production to be staged in Berkeley, New Haven and New York City BERKELEY CA, SEPTEMBER 15, 2005Fact Sheet Berkeley Repertory Theatre is proud to present a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event: Brundibar, a remarkable collaboration between renowned playwright Tony Kushner and beloved artist Maurice Sendak. In late 2003, this prominent pair published a picture-book version of the tale; now audiences across America can enjoy it live. A co-production between Berkeley Rep and Yale Repertory Theatre, this extraordinary show opens in Berkeley in November 2005, transfers to New Haven in February 2006 and then takes the stage at New York’s New Victory Theater in April. Directed by Kushner’s longtime collaborator, Berkeley Rep Artistic Director Tony Taccone, Brundibar promises to be an unforgettable theatrical experience for adults and for children. Brundibar begins previews on November 11, opens on November 16 and closes December 28, 2005. Performed in Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre, this family opera is the perfect holiday treat for the whole family. The lead sponsors for the local production are the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Philanthropic Fund, Marcia and John Goldman and the Bernard Osher Foundation. The production sponsors are Altria, the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate and the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. The executive producers are BoomerangIT.com, Rena Bransten, C. David Goldman, Michael and Sue Steinberg, the Strauch Kulhanjian Family and the Alexander M. and June L. Maisin Foundation. The education sponsor is the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, and additional support is provided by the Koret Foundation Funds. Berkeley Rep welcomes Wells Fargo as an official sponsor of the 2005/06 Season, along with returning Season Sponsor BART. An allegory of innocence triumphing over evil, Brundibar was originally composed in the ominous years leading up to World War II and was performed by children imprisoned at Terezín, the Nazi’s notorious “model ghetto.” Like the book and the original opera, it tells the tale of a brother and sister who must earn enough money to buy milk for their sick mother. They join forces with talking animals and a throng of children to outwit the town’s sinister organ-grinder. Brundibar will be presented alongside Kushner and Sendak’s adaptation of Comedy on the Bridge, an absurdist commentary on war also written in Czechoslovakia in the thirties. When their visas allow them onto a bridge, but not off it, five ordinary people find themselves trapped between two warring cities. The bridge becomes the site of accusations, confessions and reconciliations as these neighbors are besieged by two outlandish sentries and a meaningless war. Not only is Kushner the acclaimed author of Angels in America and Homebody/Kabul, he wrote the brilliant libretto for Caroline, or Change—now he’s penned new libretti for these timeless musical fables. Sendak’s singular style is famous from books such as Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen—don’t miss his spectacular production design for this show. This pair of one-act operas will be performed by a multigenerational cast that includes a chorus of 29 local school children. “Both shows are products of the middle of the 20th century, at a time when the world was sunk in nightmare,” Kushner comments. “Their beauty is testament to the creative power of human beings, even in dark times, to turn ugliness into music. But it’s music with a point, or rather two simple but all-important points: fight together for justice; work, hope, pray and strive for peace.” “I fell powerfully in love with the music,” remarks Sendak. “I don’t think I could have ventured into this project if the subject and the music hadn’t affected me so sharply. This fresh, original score never condescends to children, nor does it betray the real suffering of those children. It is music so diamond true and has the power to wound and heal the heart.” Based on the opera of the same name, Brundibar features music by Hans Krása and Kushner’s translation and adaptation of the original libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister. Comedy on the Bridge combines the music of Bohuslav Martinu with Kushner’s adaptation of the libretto by Václav Kliment Klicpera. The production design by Sendak and Kris Stone relies on an expert team of artists: Kris Stone (scenic designer), Robin I. Shane (costume designer), Don Holder (lighting designer) and Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound designers). The musical director, Valerie Gebert, will conduct members of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. Berkeley Rep’s resident production stage manager, Michael Suenkel, will stage manage the show. “I am proud to be a part of this collaboration,” says Taccone. “Through these fairy tales, we can explore the reality of wartime for children in modern culture and the desire to sustain a community under the most trying of circumstances. We invite audiences to this glorious universe, which combines Kushner’s skill with language and Sendak’s phenomenal imagination.” Tony Kushner is one of the most important and thought-provoking voices in American theatre. His epic play, Angels in America, garnered a Pulitzer Prize, two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, the Evening Standard Award, two Olivier Award nominations, the New York Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and the LAMBDA Literary Award for Drama. In 1998, London’s National Theatre selected Angels in America as one of the ten best plays of the 20th century. His most recent work is the Broadway musical Caroline, or Change and his other plays include A Bright Room Called Day, Homebody/Kabul, Hydriotaphia and Slavs! Thinking About the Longstanding Problems of Virtue and Happiness. Among his many books, Kushner has written the text for a new survey of Sendak’s illustrations and stage designs, entitled The Art of Maurice Sendak: 1980 to the Present. Maurice Sendak is one of America’s most beloved illustrators and authors. He has illustrated over 80 children’s books, some 20 of which he also wrote, including his classic trilogy: Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There. Sendak was awarded the National Medal of the Arts by President Clinton, was the first recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature from the Swedish government and was the first American to receive the Hans Christian Andersen International Medal for the body of his work. His other designs for musical productions include Mozart’s Magic Flute, Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges, Leo Janáek’s The Cunning Little Vixen and the Holocaust-themed A Selection. In 1992, Tony Taccone directed the world premiere of Kushner’s Angels in America at the Mark Taper Forum. He has staged more than 20 productions at Berkeley Rep, including Kushner’s Homebody/Kabul, Hydriotaphia and Slavs!; Caryl Churchill’s Cloud Nine; Sarah Jones’ Bridge & Tunnel and Surface Transit; The Oresteia (with Stephen Wadsworth); and Culture Clash in AmeriCCa, as well as the world premiere of the trio’s upcoming Zorro in Hell. Taccone recently directed the world premiere of David Edgar’s Continental Divide at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and its subsequent productions at Berkeley Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, England’s Birmingham Rep and the Barbican. His other credits in Ashland include Othello, Pentecost, Coriolanus and the American premiere of Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy. Formerly artistic director of San Francisco’s Eureka Theatre, Taccone served as associate artistic director at Berkeley Rep for eight years prior to becoming artistic director in 1997. This unique production has inspired several important collaborations to increase the community’s access to the show and to deepen people’s understanding of its origins: • The UC Berkeley Jewish Studies Program will present a series of community lectures in association with this production that illuminates life at Terezín. The topics include “University over the Abyss,” about the thousands of educational seminars taught by the highly educated prisoners for their fellow inmates (Tuesday, November 15); “Life for Art and Teaching,” about the artist Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and her experience in Terezín as an art teacher for the camp’s children (Thursday, November 17); and “Any Genre Except Tragedy: Theatre & Cabaret in Terezín,” about the more than 400 performances given by those interned at the camp (Monday, November 21). • Target® Family Matinees provide special youth tickets on Saturday afternoons at the exceptional price of only $10 (limit two per family). This incredible discount is made possible by sponsorship from Target and is available on November 19, November 26, December 10 and December 17 at 2:00 PM and on Christmas Eve, December 24, at noon. To purchase seats, call the box office at 510.647.2949. • Citigroup Student Matinees provide affordable tickets to local school groups for special weekday performances. For more information on this program generously underwritten by Citigroup, contact Joanne Seelig at 510.647.2973 or school@berkeleyrep.org. • Once Upon a Wild Thing: Celebrating the Works of Maurice Sendak is a wonderful event the whole family will love! Before select matinees of Brundibar, join us for snacks and story-time. Local luminaries like Rita Moreno, Delroy Lindo and Thacher Hurd will read from classic Sendak books such as Where the Wild Things Are and Really Rosie. Space is limited so reserve your spot now. Just call the box office at 510.647.2949 and say “Wild Thing” when purchasing tickets for the matinees on Saturday, November 19, December 10 or December 17. • Through Target® Story Builders, teaching artists from the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre visit second- and fourth-grade classrooms at local schools. They help students bring the story of Brundibar to life while reinforcing state education standards in theatre. The one-hour commitment and the low $50 fee make this program the perfect option for schools facing drastic cuts in the arts. To book a visit, contact Joanne Seelig at 510.647.2973 or school@berkeleyrep.org. • Finally, on Sunday, November 6, the monthly Target® Family Series will focus on Brundibar. This free theatre workshop at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre gets the entire family playing together. Toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents all can participate. And, thanks to Target, there’s no cost! To attend, contact Joanne Seelig at 510.647.2973 or e-mail school@berkeleyrep.org. There will also be six special events associated with this production during its Berkeley run: • Target® Teen Night begins at 6:00 PM on Friday, November 11 and includes dinner, a preview performance and a behind-the-scenes discussion with a member of the artistic team. Tickets are $5 for members of Berkeley Rep’s Teen Council, $20 for all other teens. For more information, call 510.647.2978 or e-mail school@berkeleyrep.org. • Opening night festivities take place on Wednesday, November 16. • night/OUT, an event for the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender community, takes place on Thursday, November 17 and features a post-play party with hors d’oeuvres, drinks and music mixed by cutting-edge Bay Area DJs. • Three post-play discussions moderated by theatre professionals follow the performances on Thursday, December 8; Friday, December 16; and Tuesday, December 20. Berkeley Rep’s usual curtain times have been adjusted to make it easier for families to attend Brundibar. Performances will begin at 7:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at 7:00 PM on Wednesdays and Sundays. There will also be matinees on most Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM. On Friday and Saturday evenings, shows will start at the usual 8:00 PM. Special performances on Christmas Eve, December 24, will be held at noon and 5:00 PM. There will be no shows on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Tickets and subscriptions for Berkeley Rep’s 2005/06 Season are on sale now. Seats for Brundibar’s Berkeley engagement are priced from $15 to $64, and subscriptions begin as low as $72. Discounted seats are available for groups of 15 or more, as well as half-price rush tickets for students and seniors. For every weekday performance, 20 half-price HotTix go on sale that day at noon at the Berkeley Rep box office (cash only). Berkeley Rep also offers half-price tickets for anyone under 30; this discount is subject to some restrictions, and valid identification is required. Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre is located at 2015 Addison Street, one block from Berkeley’s downtown BART station and close to AC Transit bus lines. The theatre is accessible to the handicapped, offering wheelchair seating and special services for those with hearing- or vision-impairment. The box office is next door at 2025 Addison Street. For tickets, call 510.647.2949 or toll-free at 1.888.4BRTTix—or simply click berkeleyrep.org. By uniting these eminent artists and respected theatres, Brundibar marks a momentous collaboration of creative talent and theatre resources. For more details, contact the box office near you: • November 11–December 28, 2005 at Berkeley Rep: 510.647.2949 or berkeleyrep.org • February 10–March 5, 2006 at Yale Rep: 203.432.1234 or www.yale.edu/yalerep • April 26–May 21, 2006 at New Victory Theatre: 646.223.3020 or www.newvictory.org ABOUT BERKELEY REP Founded in 1968, the Tony Award-winning Berkeley Repertory Theatre has established a national reputation for its ambitious programming and dynamic productions. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Taccone and Managing Director Susan Medak, Berkeley Rep seeks to engage its audience in an ongoing dialogue of ideas. Through its bold choice of material and vivid style of production, Berkeley Rep reflects a commitment to diversity, excitement and quality. The company is especially well known for its presentations of important new dramatic voices and its fresh adaptations of seldom-seen classics. In 2001, Berkeley Rep opened The Roda Theatre, a 600-seat proscenium theatre that complements the 400-seat Thrust Stage, and the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, housed in the Nevo Education Center. The addition of these two buildings has transformed what was once a single stage into a vital and versatile performing arts complex. ABOUT YALE REP Committed to the production of new plays and classics of world theatre in vivid and inventive interpretations, Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) was founded in 1966 to serve as Master Teacher to Yale School of Drama. Now celebrating its 40th Anniversary, Yale Repertory Theatre has produced 93 world and American premieres, two of which have received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Yale Rep has sent ten productions to Broadway, earning nine Tony Awards and a total of 37 Tony Award nominations. Recognized as one of the leading regional theaters in the United States, Yale Rep itself received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1991, and it was awarded the 1992 Jujamcyn Theatres Award for its outstanding contribution to the development of creative talent for the theatre. In 2002, Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theatre received the Governor’s Arts Award in recognition of its remarkable artistic achievement and contribution to the arts in the state of Connecticut. BRUNDIBAR / COMEDY ON THE BRIDGE WHO libretti by Tony Kushner, adapted from Adolf Hoffmeister and Václav Kliment Klicpera music by Hans Krása and Bohuslav Martinu production design by Maurice Sendak with Kris Stone directed by Tony Taccone music director Valerie Gebert / featuring members of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra designers: Kris Stone (sets), Robin I. Shane (costumes), Don Holder (lights) and Rob Millburn and Michael Bodeen (sound) cast to be announced WHAT Brundibar / Comedy on the Bridge WHERE AND WHEN November 11–December 28, 2005 Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Roda Theatre / 2015 Addison Street at Shattuck / Berkeley, CA 94704 510.647.2949—toll-free 1.888.4BRTTix—www.berkeleyrep.org February 10–March 5, 2006 Yale Rep / University Theatre / 222 York Street / New Haven, CT 06510 203.432.1234—www.yalerep.org April 26–May 21, 2006 New Victory Theater / 209 West 42nd Street at 7th Ave / New York, NY 10036 646.223.3020—www.newvictory.org LOCAL SCHEDULE Previews November 11–15, 2005 / performances November 16–December 28, 2005 • Tuesdays, 7:30 PM • Wednesdays, 7 PM (except opening) • Thursdays, 2 PM and 7:30 PM • Fridays, 8 PM • Saturdays, 2 PM and 8 PM • Sundays, 2 PM and 7 PM • No matinees during previews or on November 7 or December 3 or 8 • No performances on Thanksgiving (November 24) or Christmas Day (December 25) • Christmas Eve (December 24) performances, NOON and 5 PM SPECIAL EVENTS IN BERKELEY • Target® Teen Night: Friday, November 11, 6 PM • Opening night: Wednesday, November 16, 8 PM • night/OUT (LGBT event): Thursday, November 17, 7:30 PM • Once Upon a Wild Thing—Celebrating the Work of Maurice Sendak (luminaries read his stories for kids): Saturdays, November 19, December 10 and 17, 1 PM • Post-play discussions: Thursday, December 8; Friday, December 16; Tuesday, December 20 TICKET PRICES These prices valid for the Berkeley run only! Standing room (once sold out) $15.00 Preview Performances (Fri/Sat 8PM, Sun 7PM, Tue 7:30PM) $35.00 Tuesday and Thursday evenings 7:30PM $50.00 Wednesday evening 7PM $50.00 Thursday and Saturday matinees 2PM $50.00 Sunday matinee 2PM $53.00 Sunday evening 7PM $53.00 Friday evening 8PM $58.00 Opening Night (Wed 8PM) $64.00 Saturday evening 8PM $64.00 DISCOUNTS $10 youth tickets on Saturdays for Target® Family Matinees (limit 2 per family) Half-price tickets available to those under 30 (some restrictions apply) 20 half-price HotTix go on sale at NOON Tuesday–Friday Student/Senior half-price RUSH tickets sold one-half hour before curtain Groups of 15+ contact 510.647.2918 or groups@berkeleyrep.org TICKET INFO 510.647.2949—toll-free 1.888.4BRTTix—www.berkeleyrep.org For photos, interviews, etc. contact: Terence Keane, Director of Public Relations 510.647.2917, tkeane@berkeleyrep.org BACK TO TOP