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Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio

The Cook

Fri, Sep 4, 2026 - Sun, Oct 11, 2026

By Eduardo Machado
Directed by David Mendizábal
Peet’s Theatre

An aristocratic Cuban family flees from Havana to Miami on the eve of Castro’s revolution, entrusting their mansion to their devoted cook Gladys who vows to protect it until their return. For forty years, she keeps her promise, enduring loss, upheaval, and the slow unraveling of a country’s dreams. But when the aristocrats’ daughter returns, Gladys finds she has sacrificed everything for a bond that has been forgotten. Berkeley Rep’s Associate Artistic Director David Mendizábal (All My Sons, Mexodus) directs Eduardo Machado’s sharp, funny, and quietly devastating play where two worlds are held in tension: the life carefully preserved, and the life that had to be lived.

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“Spellbinding.”
KQED
“A blooming garden of life.”
San Francisco Chronicle
“The play belongs to Iglesias…a wonderful showcase of range.”
KQED (on Yesenia Iglesias)
“An intricate yet expansive Cuba-in-miniature.”
San Francisco Chronicle
“A powerful, emotional performance.”
BroadwayWorld
“A thrilling — and touching — evening of theatre.”
Talkin‘ Broadway
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Daniel Duque-Estrada in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Daniel Duque-Estrada and Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Gisela Chípe in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Gisela Chípe in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Ashton Muñiz in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Ashton Muñiz in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Ashton Muñiz in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Yesenia Iglesias and Georgina Morillo in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Georgina Morillo and Yesenia Iglesias in The Cook. Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
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Production information

  • Runtime: Two hours including one 15-minute intermission
  • Age recommendation: Suitable for ages 12 and up
  • Stage effects advisory: Contains onstage smoking of herbal cigarettes
  • Content advisory: Contains strong language, including racial and homophobic slurs, and explores themes of racism, colorism, classism, and persecution in Cuba

 

Important dates

  • Masks required: Sep 6 evening, Sep 15 evening, and Sep 20 matinee
  • Closed captioning: evenings Sep 10, 11, 13, 15, and 16; and every matinee through Oct 8
  • Audio description: Oct 10 matinee
  • Teen Night: Sep 25 evening
  • Theatre Explorers: Sep 26 matinee — K–5 workshop for families
  • Postshow discussions: evenings Sep 17, Sep 25, and Sep 29 — guided by members of Berkeley Rep’s artistic team
  • Docent-led postshow discussions: after all matinees

 

Events and extras

  • En Vivo: Where Art Comes Alive: In partnership with CubaCaribe, join us on Oct 1 for a preshow In Dialogue Community Salon celebrating Cuban artistry. Enjoy a multidisciplinary showcase featuring artists across visual and performing arts alongside a complimentary rum tasting hosted by Wright & Brown Distilling Co. Free with RSVP. Performance tickets for The Cook sold separately.

Special thanks to our In Dialogue community partner: CubaCaribe

Who’s who

Cast

Gisela Chípe* | Adria/Lourdes
Daniel Duque-Estrada* | Carlos
Yesenia Iglesias* | Gladys
Georgina Morillo* | Elena/Rosa
Ashton Muñiz* | Julio
Luis Kelly-Duarte* | Carlos Understudy
Georgina Morillo* | Gladys Understudy
Monica Rose Slater | Adria/Lourdes Understudy
Omar Stewart | Julio Understudy
Courtney Thomas* | Elena/Rosa Understudy

 

Creative team

Eduardo Machado | Playwright
David Mendizábal | Director
Tanya Orellana | Scenic Design
Toni-Leslie James | Costume Design
Mextly Couzin | Lighting Design
Mikaal Sulaiman | Sound Design and Original Music
Matthew Armentrout | Wigs and Hair Design
The Telsey Office, Karyn Casl, CSA | Casting
Adi Cabral | Voice and Dialect Coach
Dani O’Dea | Intimacy Consultant
Sofie Miller* | Stage Manager
Emma Walz* | Assistant Stage Manager

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Season presenting sponsor

Peet’s Coffee

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More on Cuban history

Hungry for more of the history on stage? See highlights from Fidel Castro’s revolution, from Batista to present day, as seen in The Cook.

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Berkeley Rep is wheelchair accessible and offers assistive listening devices (ALDs), closed captioning, and audio description for the hearing-impaired.

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