Culture Clash, Creators, Writers and Performers Tony Taccone, Director Christopher Acebo, Set Designer Christal Weatherly, Costume Designer Alexander V. Nichols, Lighting Designer Robbin E. Broad, Sound Designer Kimberly Mark Webb, Stage Manager Dave Maier, Fight Director MaryBeth Cavanaugh, Movement Driector Shirley Fishman, Dramaturg Amy Potozkin, Casting Molly Aaronson-Gelb, Assistant Director Edward Kurtz, Assistant Director Sara Clement, Assistant Scenic Designer Carla Pantoja, Assistant Fight Director THE CAST Richard Montoya, Clasher / Ensemble Ric Salinas, Kyle (the Bear) / Ensemble Herbert Sigüenza, Don Ringo / Ensemble Joseph Kamal, Diego / Zorro / Ensemble Sharon Lockwood, 200 Year Old Woman / Ensemble Vincent Christopher Montoya, El Musico / Ensemble CULTURE CLASH (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Sigüenza) Culture Clash’s Zorro in Hell comes in the group’s twenty-second year as theatre artists, writers, activists and all around troublemakers. Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Sigüenza founded the group in 1984 in the heart of San Francisco at the Mission District’s venerable Galería De La Raza with Bay Area super-curator, René Yañez. Culture Clash started out as a performance group with a strong sense of political satire, social commentary, stand-up comedy, performance art, rap, spoken word and agitprop Chicano Teatro. Never far from their roots, the group’s work has shifted in the last 10 years, however, as they’ve created full-length, site-specific works for the nation’s premier regional stages. Anthems (D.C.), Bordertown (Tijuana/San Diego), Chavez Ravine (L.A.), Mission Magic Mystery Tour (S.F.), Nuyorican Stories (N.Y.C.) and Radio Mambo (Miami) are a few of the company’s works. They’ve also produced new plays for Berkeley Rep, Boston’s Huntington Theatre, Houston’s Alley Theatre and Yale Repertory Theater in New Haven, as well as two musicals: an adaptation of Aristophanes’ The Birds and Señor Discretion, Himself, a long-lost Frank Loesser tuner. Their work fills a unique role in American arts, and their goal is to bring new and untraditional audiences to American theatre. Developing an audience that reflects America, Culture Clash has been known to shatter box-office records with folks attending theatre for the first time while also rocking the world of willing subscribers. Culture Clash’s Zorro in Hell reunites the boys with director Tony Taccone, in what they describe as “an ongoing wonderful conversation we’ve enjoyed with Comrade Tony over many years.” It marks the first of two world premieres for them in the next five months: Water and Power, penned for the group by Montoya, premieres at the Mark Taper Forum in July. Culture Clash has authored two books of plays, set a milestone for Latinos with 30 episodes of their half-hour sketch comedy show on TV and have appeared in a handful of motion pictures, including the upcoming Nacho Libre with their pal, Jack Black. The Culture Clash Writers Portal Project is a nonprofit foundation that was recently established to identify and work with the next generation of poets and playwrights. TONY TACCONE (Director) made his Broadway debut in January with Sarah Jones’ Bridge & Tunnel. He serves as artistic director of Berkeley Rep, where he has staged more than 35 shows, including the world premieres of Continental Divide, The Convict’s Return, Culture Clash in AmeriCCa, The First 100 Years, Geni(us), Ravenshead and Virgin Molly. He commissioned Tony Kushner’s renowned Angels in America, and co-directed its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum. His latest collaboration with Kushner features designs by beloved children’s author, Maurice Sendak: a holiday hit in Berkeley, Brundibar traveled to Yale Rep in February and opens in New York City’s New Victory Theatre in April. Before bringing Bridge & Tunnel to Broadway, Taccone staged its record-breaking off-Broadway run, and also directed Sarah Jones’ previous show, Surface Transit. In 2004, his production of David Edgar’s Continental Divide transferred to the Barbican in London after playing Berkeley Rep, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and England’s Birmingham Rep. Taccone frequently works in Ashland, where he has also directed Coriolanus, Othello, Pentecost and the American premiere of Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy. His other regional credits include noted theatres such as Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arizona Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, San Jose Rep, Seattle Rep and San Francisco’s Eureka Theatre, where he served six years as artistic director before coming to Berkeley Rep. SHIRLEY FISHMAN (Dramaturg) oversees new plays in development as associate artistic director at La Jolla Playhouse, and serves as dramaturg on many main stage productions. At NY’s Public Theatre, she served as dramaturg on productions, readings, workshops and co-curated the Public’s annual New Work Now! Festival. As Creative Advisor/Dramaturg at Sundance Theatre Lab, Shirley worked on such projects as Doug Wright’s I Am My Own Wife and Moisés Kaufman’s The Laramie Project. She holds an M.F.A. from Columbia University in Dramaturgy, is a Guest Lecturer at UCSD’s Theater Dept., and is a dramaturg for the annual UCSD Playwrights Festival. She is executive vice president of the San Diego Performing Arts League Board. CHRISTOPHER ACEBO (Scenic Designer) is pleased to design his first production for Berkeley Rep and his fourth with Culture Clash. Recent world premiere productions include The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl (Yale Repertory Theatre and the upcoming production at Lincoln Center Theater); The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabbler by Jeff Whitty (South Coast Rep); Electricidad and Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner by Luis Alfaro (The Goodman Theatre and Mark Taper Forum); Living Out by Lisa Loomer (Mark Taper Forum); and Chavez Ravine by Culture Clash (Mark Taper Forum). Other regional credits include productions at The Guthrie, Denver Center Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theatre, Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Pasadena Playhouse, East West Players, Portland Center Stage and Missouri Rep, among others. Christopher is also an ensemble member of the nationally recognized, Los Angeles-based Cornerstone Theater Company. He is a recipient of an NEA/TCG fellowship and a member of the faculty at CSULA. Upcoming productions include The Falls by Jeffrey Hatcher (world premiere) at The Guthrie and Two Gentlemen of Verona at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. ROBBIN E. BROAD (Sound Designer) is a principal audio designer for Walt Disney Imagineering where she designs for Tokyo Disney Resort, California Adventure and is lead designer for Hong Kong Disneyland. Recent theatre credits include La Jolla Playhouse productions: Eden Lane; Tartuffe, directed by Des McAnuff; and Diva, directed by Neel Keller. Other original works: Desire; The Shaggs—Best LA Musical, 2004; Brothers Karamosov (Circle X), directed by John Langs; Up the Week without a Paddle (Neurotic Young Urbanites); and Workin’ Shit Out—director, Jo Bonney (Taper Too). Also noted for her visual designs, recent sound design awards include LA Weekly: Best Musical and Golden Triangle: Best Sound Design. Very happy to be joining Tony and the Berkeley Rep team, Robbin lives in Los Angeles with her beloved husband, Michael. CHRISTAL WEATHERLY (Costume Designer) last designed costumes at Berkeley Rep for Fêtes de la Nuit. Her most recent designs include Anon(ymous) at The Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis and Apparition, directed by Les Waters, at the Connelly Theatre in NYC. She has created costume designs for Center Theatre Group, La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre, the Humana Festival, Deaf West Theatre, the Actors’ Gang, Open Fist Theatre Company, the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, Sledgehammer Theatre and We Tell Stories. Short films include Lee Kirk’s The Man Who Invented the Moon and Jessica Goldberg’s Affair Game. She is a graduate of UCSD and a 2004 recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Designers. ALEXANDER V. NICHOLS (Lighting Designer) has designed several shows for Berkeley Rep including Culture Clash in AmeriCCa, Surface Transit, Menocchio, Continental Divide, Fêtes de la Nuit, Honour, Galileo, Rhinoceros and The Guys. Other credits include productions at Arena Stage, Alley Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, California Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, National Theater of Taiwan, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Alvin Ailey, ODC/SF, Hubbard Street, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Kronos Quartet, Paul Dresher Ensemble and Rinde Eckert. Mr. Nichols served as resident designer for the Margaret Jenkins Dance Co., Pennsylvania Ballet, Hartford Ballet and lighting director for American Ballet Theater. Dance credits include designs for choreographers Christopher d’Amboise, Ann Carlson, Val Caniparoli, Bill T. Jones, Jean Grand Maitre, Mark Morris, Mikko Nissinen, Kevin O’Day, Kirk Peterson, Stephen Petronio, Dwight Rhoden, Michael Smuin and Brenda Way. THE CAST CULTURE CLASH (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Sigüenza) Culture Clash’s Zorro in Hell comes in the group’s twenty-second year as theatre artists, writers, activists and all around troublemakers. Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Sigüenza founded the group in 1984 in the heart of San Francisco at the Mission District’s venerable Galería De La Raza with Bay Area super-curator, René Yañez. Culture Clash started out as a performance group with a strong sense of political satire, social commentary, stand-up comedy, performance art, rap, spoken word and agitprop Chicano Teatro. Never far from their roots, the group’s work has shifted in the last 10 years, however, as they’ve created full-length, site-specific works for the nation’s premier regional stages. Anthems (D.C.), Bordertown (Tijuana/San Diego), Chavez Ravine (L.A.), Mission Magic Mystery Tour (S.F.), Nuyorican Stories (N.Y.C.) and Radio Mambo (Miami) are a few of the company’s works. They’ve also produced new plays for Berkeley Rep, Boston’s Huntington Theatre, Houston’s Alley Theatre and Yale Repertory Theater in New Haven, as well as two musicals: an adaptation of Aristophanes’ The Birds and Señor Discretion, Himself, a long-lost Frank Loesser tuner. Their work fills a unique role in American arts, and their goal is to bring new and untraditional audiences to American theatre. Developing an audience that reflects America, Culture Clash has been known to shatter box-office records with folks attending theatre for the first time while also rocking the world of willing subscribers. Culture Clash’s Zorro in Hell reunites the boys with director Tony Taccone, in what they describe as “an ongoing wonderful conversation we’ve enjoyed with Comrade Tony over many years.” It marks the first of two world premieres for them in the next five months: Water and Power, penned for the group by Montoya, premieres at the Mark Taper Forum in July. Culture Clash has authored two books of plays, set a milestone for Latinos with 30 episodes of their half-hour sketch comedy show on TV and have appeared in a handful of motion pictures, including the upcoming Nacho Libre with their pal, Jack Black. The Culture Clash Writers Portal Project is a nonprofit foundation that was recently established to identify and work with the next generation of poets and playwrights. SHARON LOCKWOOD (Cast) has a long association with Berkeley Rep, having appeared in Our Town, For Better or Worse, The Oresteia, The Magic Fire, The Triumph of Love, Pentecost, Volpone, The Alchemist and many others. Ms. Lockwood also appears frequently at A.C.T, most recently in A Christmas Carol. Other Bay Area credits include Cal Shakes, Theatreworks, San Jose Rep, Marin Theatre Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and Pacific Alliance Theatre. She was also a long-standing member of the Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe. Out-of-town credits include Seattle Rep, Alley Theatre, Old Globe and Long Wharf as well as Seattle’s Intiman Theatre, where she recently created the role of Barbara in the world premiere of Nickel and Dimed. She reprised the role at Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum. Film and TV work includes roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Midnight Caller and The Long Road Home. JOSEPH KAMAL (Cast) returns to Berkeley Rep following Fêtes de la Nuit. Other credits include: Regional—Omnium-Gatherum, ACT/ Seattle; Anthems: Culture Clash, Arena Stage; Gum, Baltimore Center Stage; Coriolanus, St. Joan, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure For Measure, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, D.C. New York—Dinner at Eight, Lincoln Center Theater; Guantanamo, The Culture Project; Roar, The New Group; Homebody/Kabul, New York Theatre Workshop; Ecco Porco, Mabou Mines; The Brave, Atlantic Theater Company; Two Little Indians, HERE. Television: Law & Order; Law & Order: SVU; Blind Justice; the voice of Desi Arnaz in Finding Lucy (Emmy Award for Best Documentary, 2001). VINCENT CHRISTOPHER MONTOYA (Cast) returns to the stage following Culture Clash’s The Birds at Berkeley Rep and South Coast Rep. An accomplished singer/songwriter, he was lead composer for Octavo Solis’ El Otro, which premiered at Brava Theatre in 1999, and the co-founder of Tattooed Love Dogs, with whom he was inducted into the Sacramento Music Hall of Fame. Currently, Vincent is the co-founder, guitarist and vocalist for Seventy, Sacramento’s premiere indie pop and soul quintet. Their 2004 debut album, also called Seventy, was nominated for a Sacramento Music Award. He would like to point out that he will always be younger than Richard Montoya. The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. BACK TO TOP