Blue Door

2023/2024 season INTIMATE. INCLUSIVE. INSPIRING. GET IN.

BY TANYA BARFIELD

DIRECTED BY DARRYL V. JONES

STARTS

APR 19, 2024

Dear FriendsWelcome to the fourth production of Aurora’s 2023/2024 Season! I’m so pleased to welcome back director Darryl V. Jones, who previously directed remarkable productions of The Royale and Detroit ’67 on our stage.

When playwright Tanya Barfield joined the faculty at Juilliard in 2020, she spoke in an interview about her reasons for writing Blue Door: I wrote the play pre-Obama administration as an examination of inherited trauma and how you transcend from and heal from that. What is the way to reconcile that truth within yourself? It’s a look at how the personal is political.

At Aurora, that connection between the personal and the political resonates powerfully.

We have always told stories that play out on a deeply personal level in our intimate space, and that use that personal specificity to explore ideas that transcend into the political, societal, and universal. Blue Door takes us inside the mind of Lewis, a Black man striving to assimilate into a predominantly white university culture, while also taking us on a sweeping tour of African-American history and this country’s particular oppression of Black men.

In conjunction with this personal and political story, Blue Door is filled with magic and song. We often use the word “theatrical” to describe a certain kind of theatre – theatre that fully embraces the way this form requires us to use our imaginations, and thus allows us to explore a world that extends beyond reality as we usually know it. In the magical space she explores with this story, Barfield creates an opportunity for reconciliation and growth.

Our season concludes with The Lifespan of a Fact this summer, and we’ve recently announced the plays that comprise our 2024/2025 Season starting this fall. Information about subscriptions and flex passes is available in our lobby and on our website. Theaters in the Bay Area and across the country are still in deep financial need due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, and Aurora is no exception. I hope you will help us remain a vital part of the Bay Area community by continuing to attend our productions and by making a donation today.

Thank you so much for being a part of the Aurora family. Enjoy the show.

Josh Costello ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

TIME Between 1851 and 1995.

Josh Costello

T H E AT R E C O M PA N Y

Robin Dolan & Nicole Elise Schulz

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

CO-MANAGING DIRECTORS

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

BY TANYA BARFIELD

DIRECTED BY DARRYL V. JONES

MUSIC LYRICS BY TANYA BARFIELD MUSIC BY LARRY GILLARD JR.

THE CAST

MICHAEL J. ASBERRY*................................................................................................................... LEWIS JAMES MERCER II*.......................................................................................................SIMON/REX/JESSE

UNDERSTUDIES

RON CHAPMAN*................................................................................................ LEWIS/SIMON/REX/JESSE

CREATIVE TEAM RAY ARCHIE SOUND DESIGNER BROOKE COX ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

DARRYL V. JONES COMPOSER OF ORIGINAL SONGS BIBI MAMA DIALECT COACH

CHERYLE HONERLAH* STAGE MANAGER, REHEARSALS

KITTY MUNTZEL COSTUME DESIGNER

ERIC DANIEL JOHNSON PROPERTIES

SCOTT REARDON* STAGE MANAGER, PERFORMANCES

STEPHANIE ANNE JOHNSON LIGHTING DESIGNER

HECTOR ZAVALA SCENIC DESIGNER

ASSOCIATE SEASON SPONSORS CRAIG & KATHY MOODY

SPONSORS

TOM & AMY WORTH

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

ROSALIND & SUNG-HOU KIM HELEN MARCUS Aurora Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges the following foundations and government agencies for their support: City of Berkeley Civic Arts Program & Civic Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, and The Shubert Foundation.

BLUE DOOR is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

BLUE DOOR was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons with funds provided by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Commissioning Program.

BLUE DOOR was first produced by South Coast Repertory.

A workshop of BLUE DOOR was presented by New York Stage and Film and The Powerhouse Theater at Vassar.

BLUE DOOR was developed in part with the assistance of the Sundance Institute Theatre Laboratory.

Special Thanks to John & Molly Gordon *Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers

D R A M AT U R G Y

MY SELF AND THE SELF THAT WATCHES MY SELF

By Dawn Monique Williams

Tanya Barfield’s Blue Door delves into one man’s psyche to explore memory, history, identity, and the legacy left him by his forefathers. Through the convention of a fevered dream, Lewis–a middle-aged Black mathematics professor who struggles with his sense of self and cultural heritage–is visited by ancestors from his deceased brother and as far back as his great-grandfather, who lived during the period of African enslavement in the United States. Employing elements of magical realism and integrating song in the tradition of spirituals and field hollers, Barfield unpacks the psychological effects of generational trauma.

Barfield explores themes of alienation, guilt, and redemption that are reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ novels. In very Dickensian tropes, Lewis (a tormented antihero grappling with an existential crisis and haunted by his past) is visited by the ghosts of his great-grandfather Simon, grandfather Jesse, and brother Rex over the course of a restless night. Lewis, all too aware of his Blackness, sees himself divorced from certain aspects of his community and cultural movements as a result of his intellectual and academic pursuits and his marriage to a white woman. These visitations call to the surface Lewis’ deep conflict with himself about his roots and how he came to feel disconnected from his African American heritage.

Lewis’ refusal to attend the Million Man March leads to the dissolution of his marriage, which serves as the catalyst for the play. Barfield uses the historical March as a device for Lewis to reflect on his relationship with and within the Black community and the development of his own racial identity. The Million Man March was a callto-action gathering held on October 16, 1995, in Washington, D.C. The controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan organized the event. While other prominent Black leaders took part in the planning of and certainly participated in the event, the involvement of Minister Farrakhan was cause for concern for many. The March placed an emphasis on the need for personal accountability, spiritual renewal, collective action, and Black male solidarity, addressing issues such as fatherhood, education, economic empowerment, and community building.

Throughout the play, Lewis grapples with his family’s history, particularly reconciling the stories of resilience in the face of racism, oppression, and cruel enslavement with his experience of the pressures to conform to what it means to be a successful Black man in America. The titular blue door serves as a portal through which the past and present are linked, a potent symbol of memory, trauma, and passage. In many African and Black American spiritual traditions, the color blue is believed to have protective qualities, warding off evil spirits and negative energy, so a blue door is thought to bring protection from haunts or malevolent spirits to the home and those residing within.

Lewis’ visitors perhaps mean him no harm, however, their great need prevents them from resting in or being at peace. Symbolically the figure of a door is also that of a mirror: Lewis must learn to see himself, to see his ancestors as part of himself.

Lewis’s journey in Blue Door is a deeply personal exploration of race, memory, and the complex interplay between individual identity and collective history. As he confronts his past and wrestles with his own demons, Lewis undergoes a profound transformation, ultimately finding a deeper understanding of himself and his place in the world.

4

C O M M U N I T Y PA R T N E R S & S P E C I A L E V E N T S

Aurora Theatre Company’s

Community Partners Program

Aurora Theatre Company’s Community Partners program connects each of our productions to a partner organization, grounding Aurora into the life, work, and culture of our community. By sharing resources between Aurora Theatre Company and our partner organizations, we build lasting relationships that further our mission and yours while strengthening our community in Berkeley, the East Bay, and the Bay Area.

Affinity NIGHTs Every Friday, we invite a specific group to come together and enjoy community in the Aurora space through the shared experience of playgoing. While all are welcome to any performance, these nights are meant to provide a safe and intentional experience for these specific cross-sections of our community.

APR 19................................................................. College Night APR 26 ............................................................LGBTQIA+ Night MAY 3 ............................... Black Diaspora Community Night MAY 10..................................................................BIPOC Night MAY 17..................................................................... AAPI Night

5

C R E AT I V E T E A M

MICHAEL J. ASBERRY*

(LEWIS) returns to Aurora

(Paradise Blue, The Incrementalist, The Bluest Eye, Exit Strategy and Satellites). Michael arrives on the heels of his most recent performance in The Merry Wives of Windsor with the Elm Shakespeare Company (New Haven, CT). Regional Theatre credits include Sacramento Theatre Company; Orlando Shakes (Orlando, FL); San Francisco Shakespeare Festival; San Francisco Mime Troupe; American Conservatory Theatre; Center Repertory Company; Capital Stage; Artists Repertory Theatre (Portland, OR); Lorraine Hansberry Theatre; TheatreWorks; and the 6th Street Playhouse. Film appearances include A Christmas Mystery; San Andreas; FreeByrd; and Mr. Incredible and Pals. Television credits: Chance, Trauma, and Nash Bridges. Asberry has voiceover spots with Pixar Animation, Pine Sol and Clorox, and appears as characters in the video games Watchdogs 2 and Battlefield Vietnam. Social media handles are: michaeljasberry (Instagram) and Michael J. Asberry (Facebook). (he/him)

JAMES MERCER II*

(SIMON/REX/JESSE) is a Black American multi-hyphenate artist originally from Philly-adjacent making their Aurora debut. Bay Area and regional theatre credits include American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep, AfricanAmerican Shakespeare Company, Irish Rep, and Arden Theatre Company. Mercer has also worked as a national touring physical theatre artist with Theater Unspeakable based in Chicago, and has workshopped plays with A.C.T., Penumbra, National Black Theatre, Playwrights Foundation, and Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor. School at Steppenwolf Group 21; MFA American Conservatory Theater. www. jamesmercerii.com IG @jmercer_ii

RON CHAPMAN* (U/S

LEWIS, SIMON/REX/JESSE) is an artist who believes in the power and necessity of storytelling. He last appeared as Cymbeline in Cymbeline with the San 6

Francisco Shakespeare Festival where he is a Resident Artist.

TANYA BARFIELD

(PLAYWRIGHT) Tanya Barfield’s plays include: Of Equal Measure (Center Theatre Group), Blue Door (Playwrights Horizons, South Coast Repertory; Seattle Repertory, Berkeley Repertory and additional theaters), Dent, The Quick, The Houdini Act, 121 Degrees WEST, Bright Half Life, and The Call. She wrote the book for the Theatreworks/USA children’s musical: Civil War: The First Black Regiment. Ms. Barfield was a recipient of the 2003 Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, 2005 Honorable Mention for the Kesselring Prize for Drama, a 2006 Lark Play Development/NYSCA grant and she has twice been a Finalist for the Princess Grace Award. She has been commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, Primary Stages and Geva Theatre Center. She is a member of New Dramatists and serves on the membership committee at The Dramatist Guild.

DARRYL V. JONES

(DIRECTOR, COMPOSER)

directed, co-wrote, and performed in the world premiere of Halie! The Mahalia Jackson Musical for Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in 2022. Other directing credits include: The Great Kahn (SF Playhouse), The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith (Center Rep), and the Shotgun Players production of Kill Move Paradise in collaboration with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Here at Aurora Theatre Company, he directed Detroit ‘67 and the awardwinning production of The Royale, which he also co-choreographed. Other directing credits include: Off-Broadway & National Tour of We Are Your Sisters, his DominicanAmerican version of A View From The Bridge (Source Theatre, DC); Spunk (African Continuum Theatre Co); and The Minneola Twins (Woolly Mammoth). As an actor in 2023, Jones appeared as the Tin Man in A.C.T.’s production of The Wizard of Oz. He followed that by appearing as The Man in

C R E AT I V E T E A M

Crowns at Center Rep. Jones holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Catholic University, and an MFA in Directing from Boston University. He is a member of Actors Equity Association.

Company. They hold a B.A. in Technical Theatre from CSU East Bay, and participated in CalShakes’ Professional Internship Program in 2013. Cheryle is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

EDWARD NEVILLE (DIRECTING FELLOW) is excited to be working at Aurora for the first time. He began acting in the Bay Area and recently completed his MFA at A.C.T. He has been blessed to work on some wonderful projects, including Ti Jean and His Brothers (Mi Jean) and A Christmas Carol (Young Dick) at A.C.T.; Kill Move Paradise (Isa) at Shotgun Players; The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Matthias of Galilee) with ARC/Remote Theater; Jitney (Youngblood) at AfricanAmerican Shakespeare Company; Gem of the Ocean (Citizen Barlow) at TheatreWorks; Two Trains Running (Sterling) at Marin Theater Company; and most recently SWEAT (Chris) at Center Repertory Company (he/him).

ERIC DANIEL JOHNSON (PROPERTIES) Blue Door marks Eric’s third production with Aurora after working on Everything is Illuminated and The Importance Of Being Earnest. Eric has worked extensively throughout the Bay Area propping all of your favorite plays, musicals, and operas! However, this production marks Eric’s return to the Bay Area theatrical world after a hiatus following the passing of his mother and father. This one is for them.

RAY ARCHIE (SOUND DESIGNER) is the Executive Director of Notes to the Soul and head engineer of Brooklyn Sound Lab. Ray plays cello, bass, & piano and has performed internationally with Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson-Thomas, LSO, SFSO, & many others. Ray is an award-winning engineer/ producer who has worked in television and radio for over 20 years, regularly presents AES and EBU conventions, and has recorded 30+ albums, 25+ audiobooks, and 100’s journalism pieces for the major publishers.

BROOKE COX (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER)

is a director, writer, and stage manager from the Bay Area. She is delighted to return to Aurora for her second show with the company. She holds a BA in Theatre and English from Willamette University and was a Fall ‘23 National Theater Institute Fellow at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Their most recent work includes Manahatta at Aurora Theatre Company, and The Triumph of Love and (trans)formada at Shotgun Players.

CHERYLE HONERLAH* (STAGE MANAGER,

REHEARSALS) is excited to be back for her fourth show with Aurora! She has had the pleasure of working with several theaters in the Bay Area, including California Shakespeare Theater, ACT, TheatreWorks, Shotgun Players, Douglas Morrisson Theatre, and African-American Shakespeare

STEPHANIE ANNE JOHNSON (LIGHTING

DESIGNER) Dr. Johnson has been a lighting designer for fifty years. Nationally she has done designs for La Mama Theatre (N.Y.), Telluride Repertory (Colorado), Arizona Repertory, National Black Theater Festival, and The Apollo (N.Y.). Locally, she has worked with Rhodessa Jones, Afro Solo, Cultural Odyssey, African American Shakespeare Company, Lorraine Hansberry Theater, Aurora Theatre Company, Oakland Theatre Project, Lower Bottom Playaz, and many others. This is her fourth show with Aurora. See her work at www.lightessencedesign.com

BIBI MAMA (DIALECT COACH) is a dialect coach based in Los Angeles, California. Recent projects include The Masters Tools (Zora Howard), The High Table (Diversionary Theater), Kim’s Convenience (Westport Country Playhouse), and Detroit ’67 (The University of San Diego). Bibi holds a BFA from Howard University in Washington, DC, and an MFA from the University of San Diego/Old Globe in San Diego, CA. She is an active member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA), serving proudly on its Junior Board, and is also a Knight-Thompson Speechwork Intern. With her passion for language and dedication to her art, Bibi’s mission is to help people discover, develop, and wield the power of their authentic voice.

KITTY MUNTZEL (COSTUME DESIGNER)

designed costumes for The Call, The Brothers Size, and The Legend of Pink at Theatre Rhinoceros. She also designed costumes for Urban Retreat at Lorraine Hansberry and Detroit ’67 at Aurora, (Darryl V. Jones directing), for which she was nominated for Best

7

C R E AT I V E T E A M

Costumes by the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critic Circle Award. She has created dance costumes for the dance troupes Capacitor, Upswing and Ego Umbria. Her art to wear designs have been exhibited at the Palos Verdes Art Center in LA and the Richmond Art Center. Kitty was the Women’s Draper at Berkeley Repertory Theatre for 25 years. She is delighted to be returning to the Aurora Theatre and to be working with Darryl V. Jones again.

SCOTT REARDON* (STAGE MANAGER,

PERFORMANCES) Actor’s Equity Association member. Actor/Stage Manager/Director/ Producer. Bay Area native/local. Theatre: Beach Blanket Babylon (12+ years), TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley, Center Rep, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Musical Theatre West, 5-Star Productions, Fresno Grande Opera, PCPA Theatrefest, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Presidio Theatre, Hillbarn, Disney Cruise Line, and Nickelodeon. Actor’s Equity Association’s Roger Sturtevant Award Winner. Commercial: Visa, Samsung, Philips, Dell, Verizon, LinkedIn, Logitech, LG, Dolby, Google, Cisco Systems, Symantec, Garmin, Intuit, Polycom, Service Now, and more. Education: B.A. Drama University of California, Irvine - Honors in Acting and Musical Theatre; M.A. Special Education - Alliant International University. www.ScottReardon.net

HECTOR ZAVALA (SCENIC DESIGNER) a Queer

Latinx Renaissance human. They mix their studies in Performative Art, Acting, Dance, Multimedia, Costumes, Set Design and their love for theater to instill their own style of culturalism, carrying with them the weight of the universal struggle to defend one’s own. A founding member of artist collective Latinx Mafia, they have participated in international festivals such as FITLA, International Latin Theater Festival of Los Angeles, the Edinburgh Theater Festival and the Ibero-American Art Festival and most recently participated in the 51st International Cervantino Festival representing the USA. They have collaborated with greats from the “Chicano’’ community.

Most recent Designs include Dream Hou$e at Cinnabar Theater, Pride of Lions at Theatre Rhino, The Legend of Georgia McBride Mexico City, Hallie at Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, and LDG’s SF Carnaval Float 2012-2024.

8

JOSH COSTELLO (ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) is the

Artistic Director of Aurora Theatre Company.

Throughout his career, he has worked to make theatre more accessible for more people, sharing a passion for the visceral experience of live theatre with new audiences and underserved communities.

He was the founding Artistic Director of Impact Theatre, which focused on audiences in their teens and twenties. As the Artistic Director of Expanded Programs at Marin Theatre Company, Josh created and administered several programs that built relationships with new audiences. At Aurora, Josh initiated student matinee and Community Partner programs and led a revision of Aurora’s mission to emphasize the theatre’s role as storyteller to the community.

Josh has directed Born with Teeth, Cyrano, This Much I Know, The Flats, Exit Strategy, The Importance of Being Earnest, Detroit ‘67, Wittenberg, and The Heir Apparent for Aurora, as well as the world premiere of Eureka Day, which won every Bay Area new play award. His world-premiere production of Aaron Loeb’s Ideation with SF Playhouse in both San Francisco and New York City won the Glickman Award for Best New Play in the Bay Area and the Theatre Bay Area Award for Outstanding Direction, and was named a New York Times Critic’s Pick.

Costello’s other directing work includes My Children! My Africa! at Marin Theatre Company, House of Lucky at Magic Theatre, and his adaptations of Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother and Aphra Behn’s The Rover. He was the Education Director at Marin Shakespeare Company, and a faculty member at Cal Shakes, ACT, SF Shakes, UC Riverside, Cal State Long Beach, South Coast Rep, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Costello holds a BFA in Theatre from Boston University, and an MFA in Directing from the University of Washington, Seattle.

ROBIN DOLAN (CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR)

began working at Aurora as Audience Services Manager in 2013, was promoted to the Business Manager position in 2018, and is now serving as Co-Managing Director. Her prior Arts Administration jobs were with CalShakes and the SF Ballet. Robin served as Co-Artistic Director for Magical Acts Ritual

C R E AT I V E T E A M

Theatre from 2003 - 2005, and directed the devised piece Heretics, Harlots and Heroes.

Robin has fed her passion for dramaturgy by leading post show talks with audience members at Aurora, and pre-show Grove Talks at CalShakes. Robin has sung with the Oakland Symphony Chorus, the San Francisco Choral Society, the trio Moonrise, the California Revels, and the Spiral Dance Chorus (where she also was Music Director for 8 years). With MART and at conferences, Robin has taught classes on audition prep, singing, improvisation, and acting, and post pandemic has taught dramaturgy and ritual theatre classes at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre.

NICOLE ELISE SCHULZ (CO-MANAGING

DIRECTOR) specializes in Finance, Ops, and HR, and brings to her current role at Aurora Theatre Company 20+ years of experience as a nonprofit administrative professional.

Nicole started at Aurora in the 2003/2004 Season. Over the 10 seasons that followed, Nicole played key roles in supporting the theatre’s tremendous growth. Her contributions were essential during the physical expansion of Aurora’s space as well as the multiple transitions of leadership over the years. Nicole rejoined Aurora in March of 2020 during the COVID shutdown. In between she worked with The Nature Conservancy, CAL Alumni, became a mother, traveled, and wrote. Though an accountant by day, with an MA in Dramatic Art and BA in Modern Literature, Nicole is at heart a lover of storytelling in all its forms.

this community instead of searching elsewhere for their talent. castingcollective.org

ROSALIND & SUNG-HOU KIM (ASSOCIATE SPONSORS) have been subscribers to Aurora

since 2010. Rosalind has been a Board Member since 2019. Aurora’s ¾ thrust stage allows for every seat to be a great seat. This small, intimate theatre is a real gem for the type of works dealing with in-depth and personal issues, current as well as historical, that are not suitable for large theaters.

HELEN MARCUS (ASSOCIATE SPONSOR)

attended her first theatrical performances with her parents at an age too young to remember.

Sprinkled with theatre dust at Stratford on Avon, musicals in NYC and many Bay Area theaters, she is pleased to support Aurora’s production of the Blue Door (in honor of her late husband David Williamson.)

CRAIG & KATHY MOODY (ASSOCIATE SEASON

SPONSORS) believe live theatre can be lifechanging. They are distressed by the paltry government support of the arts in general and of theatre in particular in the United States.

Accordingly, they encourage all who read this to donate generously to a theatre or theatres of their liking. Aurora would be an excellent place to start.

TOM & AMY WORTH (SPONSOR) have been

supporters and subscribers for many years.

They love the stories told in Aurora plays, and appreciate the superlative work of our actors, directors and production staff in putting on memorable live theatre.

THE CASTING COLLECTIVE is a team of

casting directors with extensive experience and deep ties to the Bay Area theatre community. They have created and maintain the most comprehensive, regularly updated local talent database in the region. Casting locally is the predominant practice of the Collective. In the wake of the pandemic and the massive national call for greater EDI representation and prioritization, regional theatre has fundamentally changed. The Casting Collective is a response to this call for change in the way theatres access, promote, and hire artists, in order to foster an anti-racist, inclusive, collaborative future.

Their purpose is to advance the interests of local actors and encourage institutions to explore, engage with, and hire from within

*Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

9

DONORS

ANNUAL FUND DONORS

Aurora Theatre Company extends its heartfelt appreciation to all of our generous annual fund donors, whose gifts enable Aurora Theatre Company to provide a nurturing environment for theatre artists and to enrich the lives of our audience. For more information about giving to Aurora Theatre Company’s annual fund, please visit auroratheatre.org/donate, or email development@auroratheatre.org or call 510.843.4042 x308. Thank you! List is current as of March 20th, 2024.

PARTNER $50,000 + Nina K. Auerbach Margaret & Matt Jacobson COLLABORATOR $15,000-$49,999 George & Candy Hisert Rosalind & Sung-Hou Kim Ellen & Barry Levine Craig & Kathy Moody Sally Shaver Cindy & Stephen Snow Kathleen Garrison & David Wood Tom & Amy Worth FAMILY $5,000-$14,999 Anonymous (2) Gertrude Evans Allen Kay & Ed Blonz Thomas W. Edwards & Rebecca Parlette-Edwards Barbara Forsstrom Luna Foundation Tamra C. Hege Kathy Roberts & Aaron Loeb Helen Marcus Maris & Ivan D. Meyerson Ed & Liliane Schneider Alison Teeman & Michael Yovino-Young FRIEND $1,500-$4,999 Alan Harper & Carol Baird Elizabeth Burwell Venus & Narsai David Diana Cohen & Bill Falik Broitman Basri Family Ronald Whittier Family Foundation Dean Francis Sandra & Richard Gilbert Bonnie & Earl Hamlin Lyn C. Isbell Miriam John 10

Karen Hobbs & Mark R. Lillge Robert & Johanna Mandel Karen & John McGuinn Adrian Borrero & David Nalley Margo & Roy Ogus Ingrid J. Madsen & Victor Rauch Hillary & Jonathan Reinis Joan Emery & Eddy Rubin Deborah Dashow Ruth Valerie Sopher Richard Sterling Sam Test Marcia & David Vastine Sallie Weissinger NEIGHBOR $100-$1,499 Anonymous (9) Ida & Myles Abbott Terry Pink Alexander Fred & Kathy Allen Kathy Allen Claire Allphin Hope & Noah Alper Carlene & Richard Anderson Sara Armstrong Stephen Twigg & Susan C. Aumiller Helen Hutchison & Lee Aurich Francine M. Austin Richard & Sandy Bails Bobbi Baron Ruthanne Barulich Susan & Barry Baskin Gwen Costello Becker James Helman & Josephine Bellaccomo Marilyn Beller Alicia Benito Paula Hughmanick & Steven Berger Wendy & Robert Bergman Allan Chinen & Roy C. Bergstrom Susan & Ron Berman Nancy & Peter Bickel Carl & Fumiko Bielefeldt Barbara Anscher & Steven Binder

Adrian & Daniel Blumberg Heather Bloch & Mark Briner Bonnie G. Bogue William Bombria Ruth & Michael Botchan Wayne Bryan Robert & Carin Bryans Caroline & Rande Burton Den Bush Alexander Byron Patricia Cahill Katherine Calvert Bruce Carlton Cassandra & James Carpenter Jon Carr, MD Andrea & Michael Cassidy Steven & Karin Chase Anirvan Chatterjee Pamela C. Haenke-Clark Arlene Waksberg & Mike Clark Gayle Dekellis & David Clayton Susanne Stoffel & Michael Coan Ms. Sandra Blair & Dr. Carol Cohen June & Michael Cohen Marilyn & Richard Collier Karen Hirsch & Jim Condit Janaki Fox & Heine Costello Michael & Melissa A M Costello Lawrence R. Cotter Jane & Tom Coulter Gary & Diana Cramer Kathleen Crandall Te Smith & Dennis Cress Ann O’Connor & Edward Cullen Clytia & Joseph M. Curley Sue & Joe Daly Mary Hope Dean Kathleen Derrig Karen & Jean-Pierre Deshayes Louise Dibble Sharon Dolan Susan Driscoll Tammerlin Drummond Monika & David M. Eisenbud John Ehrlich Roger & Jane Emanuel Carol Emory Margery Eriksson

DONORS

William Espey & Margaret Hart Edwards Merle & Michael Fajans Sandra R. Farkas Barry David Feiner Claudia H. Fenelon Karin L. Fetherston James & Jessica Fleming Mike & Lea Ann Fleming Cynthia Fleury Linda Fogel Norman Abramson & David Beery Charitable Fund of Horizons Foundation Deborah Fox Molly & Harrison Fraker Harvey & Deana Freedman Tiffany Treece & William Freeman David Fry The Leo J. & Celia Carlin Fund Falk Family Fund Leavitt Family Fund Mark Aaronson & Marjorie Gelb Giedra Gershman Heidi Giordano Karl Goldstein Rafael Gonzalez Deborah & Howard Goodman Anita Grandpre Gretchen & Richard Grant Josh Greenbaum Jane & Stephen Greene Judy & Sheldon Greene Elizabeth Groenewegen David & Susan Grote Lee Hackett Karen & Ken Harley Holly Hartley Elaine Beale & Susanne Herting John Sweitzer & Joyce Hawkins Donna Lee Heinle Kenneth S. Hempel Dixie & Clifford Hersh Jean Krois & Howard Hertz Nancy Friedman & Terry Hill Luke Hillman Mark A. Hoffman Laurie Shapley & Phil Hood Wade & Jane Hughan Nolan R. Hughes & Darcy A. Hughes Gary & Carol Irwin Jacqueline Ivens Deborah & Craig Janke Cheryl Guyer & Marty Kahn Barbara E. Jones

Robert & Kathleen Kaiser Richard Kalish Don Kaufman Patricia & Chris Kenber Margaret Kendall Marsha & Bob Kermish Nancy Mennel & David Kessler Martha & Michael Kessler Joan H. Story & Robert F. Kidd Beth & Tim Kientzle Marjorie Kirk Birthe Kirsch Steven Silberblatt & Rita Kohl Ben Hermalin & Ruth Konoff Martha Schimbor & Nancy Kornfield Diana & Jim Krampf Barbara Kuklewicz Kathryn S. Martin & David J. Kurtzman David H. Laforge Judith Lamberti Gretchen M. Larsen Leslie Radin & Nic Leo Joseph Jackson & Joann Leskovar Jill & Ray L’Esperance Sandra Lessing Henry Levy John Leys Jennifer S. Lindsay Bonnie Burt & Mark Liss Eugenia Loken Mimi Wheiping Lou Antonia Lozon Peter Luk Jonathan Luskin Rick Marcus Mike Marion Ana Maria Martel Claire & Paul Maxwell Brad & Jennifer McCullough Robert McDowell Arnold Yip & Alison McLean Marilee Talkington & Andrew Meisel John & Patricia Mengel Judith Wilber & Bob Miller Susan Kuramoto Moffat Everett & Julia Moore Thomas C. Moore Mark J Powers & Albert E Moreno Sabella Moreno Miriam Morgan Mike & Sharon Morris Sue Morris

Karen Mullarkey Rosenthal-Murphy Family Trust Russell Nelson Rachel & Ron Nissim Bob Guilbault & Molly G. Noble Joan Sullivan & Walter Norton Thomas O’Brien Emily Odza Roberta S. O’Grady Liam & Laura O’Malley Ken & Kim Olofsen Patrick O’Reilly Sylvia Pascal Kirk Patterson Barbara Schonborn & P David Pearson Robert P. Camm & Susan Pearson Linda Perkins The Perttula Family Susan Y. Petit Gini Erck & David Petta Evan Painter & Wendy Polivka Sylvia & Perry W. Polk Zachary Polsky Marilyn Pomeroy Genevieve Duboscq & Lynn Prime Caroline Purves Leonard Gabriele & John Richardson Helen Rigby, Dramarama Theater Tours Ann Riley Irene & Ed Rimer Maxine E. Risley William Martin Roberts Steve & Linda Rosen Paula Rosenthal David Rovno M.D. Yvonne Lalanne & Mark M. Rubenstein Susan Rubio Joshua Miele & Elizabeth Ruhland John Ruskin James Ryan Diane & Ed Ryken Claire De Chazal & Francisco Santamarina Thomas A. Savignano Nicole & Michael Schulz Jeff Sensabaugh Sue Sheftel Marsha Silberstein Barbara Silverberg 11 Harriet Simpson

DONORS

Jacqueline A. H. Smalley Neil & Sharin Smelser Betsy Smith Chris & Jeff Smith Peter & Ann Smith Sigrid Snider Eileen Soden Ruth MacNaughton & Harold Spencer Helen Wickes & Donald J. Stang Laura Steinman Stephen van Meter & Joann Stewart Bonnie Stiles Jay Atkinson & Ariel Summerlin Mark Chaitkin & P. Cecilia Storr Jane & Jay Taber Lisa Taylor Donna Terman Helaina Titus Mary Lou Torre Revan & Elsa Tranter Shirley & Michael Traynor Laurel I Schaefer Trent Lisa Vandenberg Gretchen vonDuering Gail & Arne M. Wagner Susan & Brad Wait Laurence Walker Emily & Robert Warden Carolyn Weinberger Georgeanne Ferrier & Steven Weinberg Stuart Swiedler & Judy Weiss Henry Trevor & Elizabeth Werter Margo Wesley Laurellee Westaway Richard Makdisi & Lindsay Wheeler Marilyn B. Willats Donna M. Williams Victor Willits Ann Willoughby Diane Wilson Barbara Lanier & John Wilson Fred D. Winslow Andrew Witkowski Susan & Harvey I. Wittenberg Linda & Steve Wolan Delene Wolf Viviana Wolinsky Andy Steinberg & Laurie Wolkow Sally Woolsey Paul L. Wyman 12

Bess Zimmerman Fran Burgess & Sandor P. Zirulnik COMMUNITY $1-$99 Anonymous (8) Martha Salzman & Jay Aleck Ken & Joyce Altshuler Jeni Anderson Stewart Applin Maria Baird Barbara Barer Stephanie Barnhill Rob & Lisa Bates David Brossard & Sally Beck Elizabeth Brady Roberta Brooks China Brotsky Barbara & Gerald Brunetti Nina & Frank Brunetti Kathie Campbell Shawna Casey Amara Kali Lawson-Chavanu Lywen Chew George Anders & Elizabeth Corcoran Brenda Jean Corelis Adam & Felicity Cowlin Charley Chava Craft Susan David Keith E. Doerge Elaine M. Eger The Grevenworth Family Hal Fischer Jake Fong Lisa Foust Joan Frenkel DG Cathy Gale Paul S. Gerken Mitchell M. Gitin Bobbi Schear & Michael Goloff Barbara Goodman Margaret Goodman Dorothy Gordon John S. Gravell Hollis Greenwood Barbara Hadenfeldt Gretchen Hayes Woof Kurtzman & Liz M. Hertz Hawley S. Holmes Elisabeth Houseman Estie & Mark Hudes Christine Izaret William Joyce

KS Korpell Lisa Korwin Judith Kunitz Dottie Langthorn Loren Dean Linnard Jane Lundin Pat Manley Elene Z. Manolis Wendy Markel John Golding & Martin Mass Katherine McKenzie Penny Mikesell Sarah Nell Morgan Bergit Mueller John J. Nagle Dirk Neyhart Stephen Nocita Philip O’Brien Vicki Oswald Thomas Owen Celena Peet Wayne Phillips Joyce Pollack Jack & Jessica Powell Rachel E. Reader Chip Rice Anne T. Richards Terry Rillera Josh Rotenberg Vickie Rozell Lewis & Gail Rubman Neal Shorstein Anne Sigmon Linda B. Breaux-Smith Brian E. Spencer Susan Stanley Carl Stein Laurence R. Stevens Anne & Douglas Stewart Bhuma Subramaniam Bruce Allan Thompson Nancy Toder Gary McDole & Sharon Toth Selma Meyerowitz & Malcolm Trifon Gabi von Ingersleben Jo L. Warner Margo Webster Paul Werner Frances Ann Widejko Linda M. Wilford Shelly Willard Jennifer Winch Pik Yee Pam Young Steve Zolno

DONORS Members of the Barbara Oliver Society for The Next Generation have designated Aurora Theatre Company in their estate plans, enabling us to serve not just you—our first-generation audience—but generations to come. For more information on how to make a charitable bequest or designate Aurora Theatre Company in your estate plan, contact the development office at 510.843.4042 x308 or development@auroratheatre.org. Thank you to the following members:

Anonymous (2) Gertrude E. Allen Nancy Axelrod Steven Beckendorf Norman Abramson & David* Beery Elizabeth Burwell Carol Emory Jacquelin Ewing Marge Glicksman* Candy & George Hisert

Ellen & Barry Levine Ines Lewandowitz* Sumner & Hermine Marshall* Margaret D. & Winton McKibben* Alison McLean Shelly Osborne Thomas W. Edwards & Rebecca Parlette-Edwards Gladys Perez-Mendez* Margaret A. Phillips

Betty Pigford* Tom Ross David Rovno Julianne H. Rumsey* Deborah Dashow Ruth Sylvia Saunders Valerie Sopher Lisa R. Taylor Janis Kate Turner Kathleen Garrison & David Wood *In Memoriam

CORPORATE DONORS $2500 + $100-$999

Adobe Systems Incorporated+ ChevronTexaco+ + Matching Gift Program

FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

Aurora Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges these foundations and government agencies for their support:

California Office of the Small Business Advocate City of Berkeley Civic Arts Program The Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust

The Shubert Foundation The Wood Foundation The Zellerbach Family Foundation

HONOR ROLL

List is current as of March 20th, 2024.

In Memory of Sheldon Bornstein In Memory of Mr & Mrs Theodore Collins In Memory of Marcia Renee Goodman In Memory of Ron Forsstrom In Honor of Lisa S Fry In Memory of William E. Jones In Honor of Juris Klavins In Memory of Jack Kirsch In Memory of Robert Meola

In Recognition of Alan Miller In Memory of Denise Nolan In Memory of Jesús F. González & Carmen González Prieto In Memory of Leo P. Ruth In Memory of George Sensabaugh In Honor of Dawn Monique Williams In Memory of David J. Williamson

IN-KIND DONORS

Aurora Theatre Company is thankful for the following donors who gave generous in-kind contributions of $100 and above.

List is current as of January 31st, 2024.

Ed & Kay Blonz Samuela Evans

Tracie Meloy Susie Sargent

We strive for accuracy in our program listing, but errors do occur. Please contact Development at 510.843.4042 x308 if you notice a discrepancy, and thank you very much for helping us keep our records as accurate as possible!

13

AURORA DINING PARTNERS Eating out before or after the show? There are many great restaurants, bars and cafes close to the theatre.

Here’s a list of our favorites that provide special offers to Aurora Theatre Company Subscribers.

Please note that these special offers are only valid on the night of the performance and subscribers must present ticket(s) to their server before placing an order.

Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen CAJUN/CREOLE

2261 Shattuck Ave. at Kittredge 510.548.6900

Limewood Bar & Restaurant AMERICAN

41 Tunnel Road at the Claremont Hotel 510.549.8585

Lucia’s Berkeley ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD

2016 Shattuck Ave. at Addison 510.225.9467

Razan’s Organic Kitchen MIDDLE EASTERN

Zino

2086 Allston Way at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza 510.845.7300

Find more details at: auroratheatre.org/dining-partners

OFFER:

10% FOOD AND NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN LIMEWOOD.

OFFER:

10% OFF DINE-IN AND FOOD ONLY

OFFER: 10% OFF

2119 Kittredge St. 510.486.0449

MEDITERRANEAN

OFFER:

1 FREE ORDER OF BEIGNETS PER TABLE

OFFER: 10% OFF

Are you a restaurant who would like to join our list?

Contact us at marketing@auroratheatre.org

CDO & SUPPORT

Give now. Give generously.

Together, we are Aurora.

As storytellers for our community, Aurora is a treasury: a plurality of voices and world views. Each of your unique perspectives and experiences is incredibly important to us: combined, they reflect the vast diversity of the Bay Area.

Your support today ensures Aurora will continue sharing works both old and new and classic that inspire each of us to laugh louder, think harder, and celebrate the many dimensions of the human condition. auroratheatre.org/donate Anna Ishida* and Rajesh Bose* in This Much I Know. *Member, AEA. Photo by Kevin Berne.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

CONFRONTING & DISMANTLING OPPRESSION

Aurora Theatre Company acknowledges that our building, as part of the Berkeley community, sits on the territory of xučyun (hooch-yoon), within the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people, the successors of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County.

At Aurora Theatre Company, we use the phrase “Confronting and Dismantling Oppression” rather than “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” because we recognize that this work must be active and ongoing. It is not a box to be checked: it is a continual and intentional process.

We recognize that every member of the Berkeley community continues to benefit from the use and occupation of this land, since the city’s incorporation in 1878.

Consistent with our values, we have a responsibility to acknowledge and make visible the East Bay Ohlone people and their unbroken relationship to their beautiful homeland.

As members of the Berkeley community, it is vitally important that we recognize not only the history of this land, but also that the East Bay Ohlone people are alive and flourishing members of the Berkeley and broader Bay Area communities today.

Thanks to Cafe Ohlone for providing the language used in this acknowledgement.

This work is an essential piece of Aurora Theatre Company’s intention to be the storyteller for our community. Thank you for being a part of this process with us.

Learn more about Aurora Theatre Company’s CDO initiatives and commitments at: auroratheatre.org/CDO 15

16

T H E AT R E YO U R WAY

SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES Get IN, where you fit in. Aurora offers a variety of subscription packages to meet our patrons where they’re at. Find a package that works for you and your lifestyle.

4-PLAY FLEX PASSES

All the benefits, zero commitment. Purchase an Aurora Flex Pass now and choose your plays and dates later.

4-PLAY SUBSCRIPTION

See any four shows in our season with a 4-Play Subsciption. Choose your plays and dates at purchase.

SUBSCRIPTION & SINGLE TICKET DISCOUNTS

Aurora is committed to making theatre affordable to all. We offer a variety of subscription and single ticket discounts, including Pay-What-You-Can and Rush tickets. Check out all the discounts we offer at auroratheatre.org/discounts.

WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE 510.843.4822 | AURORATHEATRE.ORG | 2081 ADDISON STREET BERKELEY CA , 94704

COMMUNITY DISCOUNTS Aurora is pleased to offer a variety of discounts for eligible subscribers or single ticket buyers, including options for:

• Full-Time High School and College Students • Full-Time Teachers • Anyone 35 & Under • Active & retired U.S. military personnel

We also provide options for: • Group Rates • Pay-What-You-Can for select performances • $20 Rush subject to availability

For more details, please visit auroratheatre.org/discounts or contact the Box Office at 510.843.4822 or boxoffice@auroratheatre.org

17

A U R O R A T H E AT R E C O M PA N Y

AURORA STAFF

Josh Costello

AURORA PRODUCTION STAFF

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Ulises Alcala, Jessica Broitman, John Caner, Joy Carlin, Barbara Damashek, Rafael Jesús González, Robert B. Hetler, Malcolm Margolin, Helen Meyer, Alan Miller, Bob Oliver, Hilary Perkins, Hillary & Jonathan Reinis, M. Graham Smith, Steve & Cindy Snow, Jonathan Spector, Beth Wilmurt

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Jere Dominic Avila

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Emma Buechner

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Lev Collins

CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR

Brooke Cox

DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Sophia Craven

ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Gartin

SENIOR DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Verena Lee

O+G ARTISTS

Ashley Renee

SCENIC ARTIST

Christopher Chen Barbara Damashek Britney Frazier Felonius Margo Hall Cleavon Smith Jonathan Spector Beth Wilmurt

CASTING DIRECTORS

SHOW ARTWORK BY

Felicity Cowlin Kat Demith

Robin Dolan Eli Harris

Roman JohnDoza Dayna Kalakau Dee Miranda

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Jenn Ruygt

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Nicole Elise Schulz

CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR

David Shultz

BOX OFFICE MANAGER

BOX OFFICE ASSOCIATES

SCENIC PAINTER

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR CARPENTER, SCENIC PAINTER ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER LX PROGRAMMER COSTUME CREW ELECTRICIAN

COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISOR

Taylor Ryan Rivers ELECTRICIAN

Becca Salsburg-Frank LEAD CARPENTER

Adeline Smith

Venee Call-Ferrer Zola Hanson Melissa Scheulin

The Casting Collective Kieran Beccia

HOUSE MANAGERS

Dorothy Bryant Marge Glicksman Ken Grantham Barbara Oliver Richard Rossi

Lisa Klein Michael Mansfield Melissa Scheulin Linda Wu

FOUNDERS

Eddie Colla VIDEOGRAPHY BY

Flying Moose Pictures FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

Barbara Oliver Tom Ross

USHER COORDINATOR

Linda Wu

BOARD OF DIRECTORS INTERIM PRESIDENT: Craig Moody | INTERIM VICE-PRESIDENT: Rosalind Kim TREASURER: Rebecca Parlette-Edwards | INTERIM SECRETARY: Alan Edmond Miller Josh Costello | Robin Dolan | Nicole Elise Schulz | Kinman Tong | Tom Worth

PAST BOARD PRESIDENTS IN ORDER OF SERVICE: Thomas Donovan | Grace Fretter | Ron Vincent | Judith Holland | David Wood Andy Cohn | Alison Teeman | Carolyn Weinberger | Robert B. Hetler | Ellen B. Levine Gary H. Moore | Joan Catherine Braun | Lance Gardner 18

COMING UP NEXT

BY Jeremy Kareken & David Murrel and Gordon Ferrell BASED ON THE BOOK BY John D’Agata and Jim Fingal DIRECTED BY Jessica Holt † †

STARTS

JUN 21

An intern at a top magazine is given the assignment of a lifetime – fact-checking a masterpiece by a legendary essayist. What the no-nonsense editor means as a simple task becomes a hilarious misadventure when it becomes clear that most of the facts in the essay are embellished, adjusted, or just made up. The essay is brilliant, but has the essayist undermined his own work or revealed a deeper truth by playing fast and loose to make his point? Facts battle with truth when the intern bucks his instructions and confronts the essayist in this Broadway hit.

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION BOX OFFICE Hours: Tues-Friday, 1pm-5pm Phone: 510.843.4822 Email: boxoffice@auroratheatre.org Online: auroratheatre.org ADMINISTRATION 2081 Addison Street Berkeley, CA 94704 Phone: 510.843.4042 Fax: 510.843.4826

SUBSCRIPTION TICKET EXCHANGE

Free exchanges require at least 25 hours’ notice. Exchanges to a more expensive date require payment of the difference in ticket price.

Exchanges with less than 25 hours’ notice will incur a fee.

SINGLE TICKET EXCHANGE

Single ticket buyers may exchange tickets with at least 25 hours’ notice for a fee of $10 per ticket.

PERFORMANCES

For Wednesday evening and Sunday matinee performances, masks are required at all times while in the Aurora building. For all other performances masks are encouraged but not required. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited. Please turn off all cell phones during the performance (and any other devices that could be distracting).

Photographs and recordings of any kind are strictly prohibited. No children under 5 permitted and every person entering the theatre must have 19 their own ticket.

WELCOME TO OUR

2024 / 2025 SEASON

fallen angels

The HEart Sellers

By Noël Coward Directed by Josh Costello

By Lloyd Suh Directed by Jennifer Chang

STARTS OCT 19, 2024

STARTS FEB 8, 2025

Crumbs from the table of Joy

By Lynn Nottage Directed by TBA

STARTS APR 26, 2025

The search for signs of intelligent life in the universe

By Jane Wagner Directed by Tom Ross

STARTS JUL 12, 2025

Subscriptions for next season are available now!

VISIT THE BOX OFFICE | CALL 510.843.4822 | VISIT AURORATHEATRE.ORG