MAIN SEASON To view the PDF version of our brochure, click here. (1.2MB) (You must have Adobe Acrobat to view this document. Download a free Adobe Acrobat reader.) THE SECRET IN THE WINGS adapted and directed by Mary Zimmerman / September 3—October 17, 2004 WEST COAST PREMIERE After enthralling Berkeley Rep audiences with her stunning adaptations of Wu Ch’eng-en’s Journey to the West, Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks, Mary Zimmerman returns to her Bay Area home with The Secret in the Wings, a vivid staging of European fairy tales retold in the imaginative and colorful style for which she is so acclaimed. A captivating voyage into our collective childhood subconscious, The Secret in the Wings weaves elements from Beauty and the Beast with four lesser known stories into a dream-like exploration of the darker side of human impulses. Punctuating the tales’ haunting truths with breathtaking visual moments and poignant snatches of song, Zimmerman’s latest endeavor challenges the belief that fairy tales are only for children; The Secret in the Wings is her invitation for adults to immerse themselves in a rare and magical storybook experience. POLK COUNTY written by Zora Neale Hurston and Dorothy Waring / adapted by Kyle Donnelly and Cathy Madison / directed by Kyle Donnelly / November 19, 2004—January 9, 2005 WEST COAST PREMIERE In 1944, Harlem Renaissance legend Zora Neale Hurston deposited her script for Polk County in the U.S. Copyright Office. There it lay unseen and untouched—until 1997, when this musical was discovered in the Library of Congress. A testament to Hurston’s abilities as anthropologist, folklorist and writer, Polk County tells the story of aspiring blues musician Leafy Lee as she leaves New York to return to her childhood home in the working quarters of a sawmill camp in Polk County, Florida. With a rich cast of characters and a live band performing dozens of authentic early blues songs, Polk County is a musical guaranteed to lift the spirits. The extraordinary individuals of this rural hometown face the hardships of survival in the Depression-era South with a sense of humor and faith in the Blues, forming an unforgettable ensemble whose existence is seldom easy but always lived with gusto. FOR BETTER OR WORSE based on plays by Georges Feydeau / translated and adapted by Geoff Hoyle / directed by David Ira Goldstein / March 11—April 24, 2005 It has all the components of classic comedy: an unhinged husband, his wife, her lover, a constipated brat and a military contract for unbreakable chamber pots. In this world premiere production, comic genius Geoff Hoyle outdoes the outrageous as a hapless husband in the midst of a matrimonial hurricane. Don’t miss “one of the great and unique performers of our time” (San Francisco Chronicle) as he helps himself to a dose of inspired lunacy. It’s Hoyle’s own adaptation of the comedies of Georges Feydeau, master of farce and author of A Flea in Her Ear. He and his hilarious castmates are serving up a heaping helping of laughter! THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE written by Leigh Fondakowski with Greg Pierotti, Stephen Wangh and Margo Hall / directed by Leigh Fondakowski / April 15—May 29, 2005 WORLD PREMIERE As head writer of The Laramie Project, Leigh Fondakowski with her collaborators sculpted interviews with residents of Laramie, Wyoming, into a stirring portrait of the effects of hatred on a small American town. Her newest work, The People’s Temple, is a riveting examination of the charged events surrounding the 1978 murder-suicide of 913 members of Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple in Guyana and the unique mixture of radical local politics and Pentecostal fervor that fueled this organization. After decades spent enshrouded in secrecy by bitterness and remorse, the stories of Jonestown survivors are now being told, many for the first time. Splicing together gospel music and found text with testimony from former Peoples Temple members, families of the victims and Bay Area community leaders, The People’s Temple evokes empathy, humor, shock and insight. A quest to make sense of the inexplicable, and perhaps find healing power in the process, the play explores this historic event with a candor only hindsight can provide. Produced in association with Z Space Studio. HONOUR written by Joanna Murray-Smith / directed by Tony Taccone / May 20—July 3, 2005 Broadway veteran and OBIE Award-winner Kathleen Chalfant partners with John Doman of HBO’s The Wire for an exquisite portrayal of desire and infidelity. The story centers on Honor and George, who have been together for 32 years when a young and seductive journalist enters their lives. Suddenly, the sacred bond that holds this couple together begins to unravel at an alarming speed. Berkeley Rep Artistic Director Tony Taccone directs this tight, four-character drama. “Intelligent, powerful, and gripping,” raves the Times of London. In laying bare our most intimate institution, says London’s The Guardian, the play “brings fresh life” to a timeless tale of love and commitment. LIMITED ENGAGEMENT EURYDICE written by Sarah Ruhl / directed by Les Waters / October 15—November 14, 2004 WEST COAST PREMIERE The tragic story of Orpheus and Eurydice is a cornerstone of western mythology: shortly after her marriage to the musician Orpheus, Eurydice is fatally bitten by a snake and sent to the underworld, leaving her young husband behind to grieve. Seducing Hades, the lord of the underworld, with his beautiful music, Orpheus strikes a deal that will allow him to bring Eurydice back to life—as long as Orpheus does not look back until they have left the underworld. Reimagining this classic text from Eurydice’s point of view, with contemporary characters and ingenious twists, Sarah Ruhl’s award-winning play is a truly original tale. Ruhl’s lyrical writing and poetic imagery have marked her as a young playwright on the rise, talents confirmed by Eurydice, on which the age-old theme of “love and loss” takes on a whole new meaning. FÊTES DE LA NUIT written by Charles Mee / directed by Les Waters / January 28—February 27, 2005 WORLD PREMIERE Love, love, love! in its many splendored incarnations is the celebrated subject of playwright Charles L. Mee’s latest work, Fêtes de la Nuit. After winning rave reviews for their collaboration on Big Love during the 00/01 season, Mee and Les Waters, Berkeley Rep Associate Artistic Director, will pair up again for this long-awaited world premiere. Set in contemporary Paris, Fêtes de la Nuit is a theatrically vibrant collage on the themes of love and romance. The play examines the Parisians’ attempt to reconcile their history with the multiculturalism of the present. Mee’s vision is poetic and extravagant, making Fêtes de la Nuit a not-to-be-missed theatrical experience for anyone who has ever been enchanted by the complexities of life’s greatest enigma. Produced in association with AT&T:OnStage®, administered by Theatre Communications Group. SUBSCRIBE TO THE 2004/05 SEASON AND RECEIVE UP TO 22% OFF THE REGULAR TICKET PRICES. TO SPEAK TO A SUBSCRIPTION REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CALL 510.647.2949 OR TOLL FREE AT 1.888.4BRTTix (1.888.427.8849). SUBSCRIPTION PRICES SUBSCRIBE NOW All programming subject to change.