The Lifespan of a Fact

2023 / 2024 season

INTIMATE. INCLUSIVE. INSPIRING. GET IN.

BY JEREMY KAREKEN & DAVID MURRELL AND GORDON FARRELL BASED

ON THE BOOK BY JOHN

D’AGATA

AND JIM FINGAL DIRECTED BY JESSICA HOLT†

Dear Friends-

Welcome to the final production of Aurora’s 2023/2024 Season! I’m so pleased to close out the season with this based-on-real-life story that asks big questions with a tremendous amount of wit and humor.

I’m also pleased to introduce our audiences to director Jessica Holt, making her Aurora directorial debut. I’ve known Jessica for many years, and have always admired her talent, her uncanny ability to ask the right questions, and her facility for creating a fun and creative environment for her ensemble of artists.

We live in a moment where facts are under assault. We’re seeing lies being spread for political gain by public figures, while misinformation and disinformation spread like wildfire on social media. We’ve reached a point where people choose which facts they want to believe. This is quite obviously a dangerous situation, and an increasingly tragic one.

At the same time, human beings understand the world through stories – not through facts. Our brains are built to remember a narrative. No matter how many times we fact-check a falsehood, that information is always less compelling than the story the falsehood creates. Obviously this is a problem when setting public policy or making a vote, but in other ways it’s a part of what makes us human. Theatre is all about telling stories that reveal deeper truths; about ourselves, our history, our world. Whether those stories are factually accurate has little bearing on the truth they may reveal.

Such is the dilemma that celebrated essayist John D’Agata and entry-level factchecker Jim Fingal fell into around “What Happens There,” D’Agata’s essay about a teen suicide in Las Vegas. John’s essay beautifully explored truths about his community and our society, but Jim quickly discovered that John changed the facts to better suit the deeper story he wanted to tell. The real Jim and John spent seven years wrestling over the essay, eventually publishing it as a book – including Jim’s fact-checking page by page – in 2012.

Fortunately for us, the stage adaptation compresses the timeline – playing fast and loose with the facts – to make for a compelling night of theatre. I’m so pleased to share it with you this evening.

Thank you all for being a part of the Aurora family. Enjoy the show!

Josh Costello ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

PLACE

New York City and Las Vegas.

Robin Dolan & Nicole Elise Schulz

CO-MANAGING DIRECTORS

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

BY JEREMY KAREKEN & DAVID MURRELL AND GORDON FARRELL

BASED ON THE BOOK BY JOHN D’AGATA AND JIM FINGAL DIRECTED BY JESSICA HOLT†

ELIJAH ALEXANDER*

ANGULO*

TIM GARCIA

JENNIFER

ROBERT PARSONS*

THE CAST

UNDERSTUDIES

CREATIVE TEAM

JESSIE AMOROSO**

COSTUME DESIGNER

RUSSELL H. CHAMPA**

LIGHTING DESIGNER

BROOKE COX

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

TEDDY HULSKER

SOUND / PROJECTION DESIGNER

VINCENT KHIẾT CHÂU LEAD PROPS

KATE NOLL

SCENIC DESIGNER

SCOTT REARDON* STAGE MANAGER ZOE SWENSON-GRAHAM FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER

ASSOCIATE SEASON SPONSORS

CRAIG & KATHY MOODY

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

ELLEN & BARRY LEVINE

PATRICK LANEY & KINMAN TONG

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.

THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT was originally produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Norman & Deanna Twain, Will Trice, Barbara H. Freitag, Suzanne Grant, Gold/Ross Productions, Jamie deRoy, Jennifer Manocherian, Barbara Manocherian, ManGol Productions, Carl Moellenberg/Wendy Federman, Ken Greiner, Van Kaplan, Dominick LaRuffa Jr., Marc David Levine, WitzEnd Productions, Eric Falkenstein/Moreland Mott, Caiola Productions, Remmel T. Dickinson, & Jayne Baron Sherman

Special Thanks to John & Molly Gordon

FEELINGS ARE NOT FACTS. DOES THAT MATTER?

BY DAWN MONIQUE WILLIAMS

There is a popular ice breaker, often played as a theatre game, “Two Truths and a Lie.” Each participant shares three statements: two true and one fabricated. The goal is for the single lie to be indistinguishable from the two truths. Levi Presley, a 16-year-old young man, died by suicide in 2002. Together, John D’Agata and Jim Fingal authored the book The Lifespan of a Fact chronicling their seven-year journey with D’Agata’s article on Levi’s life and death. This play, Lifespan of a Fact, is their story.

In 2003, Harper’s rejected D’Agata’s Presley essay, “What Happens There,” so he took the piece to The Believer where he first met Jim Fingal. D’Agata’s interest was in telling Levi’s story, not reporting on his death. D’Agata is not a journalist, he is an essayist. One, he believes, with the privilege to sublimate or alter “reality in the service of a better reading experience.” This is what D’Agata shared in a conversation with Ben Marcus in 2011.

Fingal was an intern in 2003, tasked with fact-checking D’Agata’s essay. In the spirit of journalistic integrity, Fingal held fast to his beliefs that facts matter, and questioned D’Agata over details of the story. After seven years of debate, editing, and compromise, The Believer published the article and D’Agata released his monograph, About a Mountain. In this work of literary nonfiction, D’Agata weaves Levi Presley’s story with that of the Yucca Mountain Project and dispute.

Jim Fingal (left), John D’Agata (right). Photo from “‘Lifespan Of A Fact’: Truth And Consequences “. NPR.ORG

About a Mountain and its generative process sparked questions and controversy about the role of fact in creative nonfiction.

Academics have termed this style of writing as the fourth genre. The first three are fiction, poetry, and drama. This fourth genre pulls elements of the first three into the art of nonfiction (an oxymoron given that nonfiction, etymologically, is the opposite of art). Creative nonfiction gives the author a wider berth, opportunities for a little flair, and certainly some license. But just how much? That is what dramatists Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell were interested in exploring when they set out to adapt D’Agata and Fingal’s The Lifespan of a Fact.

While D’Agata and Fingal’s book is, in many ways, a performance of their seven-year collaboration, it is not a playscript, Kareken and Murrell had to craft that on their own. The drama, as a written form, has held its place as the third genre for well over 2,500 years. It has always been a site for fictive storytelling; a place where the imagination is free to roam; wish fulfillment and fantasy can collide with lofty ideas and unanswerable questions. For Kareken and Murrell there was a hilarity in the faceoff of “unstoppable force and immovable object” (as they have characterized John and Jim).

This essay opened with two truths and a lie. The lie is that the play is John D’Agata and Jim Fingal’s story. It is not, it is inspired by their relationship, their book, and their stances on fact and poetic truth. The play is “based on a true story,” but D’Agata and Fingal agree that the only thing they share with these characters are names. Kareken, Murrell, and Farrell take their inspiration from the experience of John and Jim but drop their avatars in a pressure cooker, compressing years of email exchanges to an all-nighter in Vegas. The characters tease semantics, challenge power dynamics, and present worthy arguments on all sides. What does the truth have to do with facts? The play offers an invitation for readers and audiences to decide.

Levi Presley was real, he lived, and, at 16 years old, he died by suicide, falling 1,149 feet from the 109th floor of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. For more information scan QR codes.

LINK TO JOHN D’AGATA’S ESSAY “WHAT HAPPENS THERE,” PUBLISHED IN THE BELIEVER LINK TO FRANCES HENDERSON’S DOCUMENTARY THIS MUCH WE KNOW, WRITTEN BY JOHN D’AGATA

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 Post-show discussions

On Fridays, 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.

JUNE 21 - College Night

JUNE 28 - LGBTQIA+ Night

JULY 12 - BIPOC Night

JULY 19 - AAPI Night

Post-show discussions are hosted after the show on the select days listed below. Discussions will be led by Aurora staff, or members of the Creative Team, who may be joined by the actors, director, community members, or local storytellers.

FRIDAY - JUNE 28

TUESDAY - JULY 2

WEDNESDAY - JULY 10

THURSDAY - JULY 18

ELIJAH ALEXANDER* (JOHN) is currently filming Season 5 of The Chosen where he plays Atticus Aemilius. He recently wrapped a rep run at The Utah Shakespeare Festival as Timon in Timon of Athens and Tullus Aufidius in Coriolanus. He continues to tour with his work The Mitzvah Project, a socialjustice themed educational program/one man performance piece. TV/Film - Mr & Mrs Smith, Amazing Love, Awake, Touch, Summerland, JAG, Emily’s Reasons Why Not, and So Notorious. Broadway - Mary Zimmerman’s Tony Award Winning Metamorphoses. Royal Shakespeare Company - John Barton’s Tantalus directed by Sir Peter Hall. Regionally - Camp David, Public/Alley Theatre, Guthrie, Berkeley Rep, NYTW, Yale Rep, ATC, Mark Taper, 5 seasons at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 5 Seasons at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and 3 Seasons at the California Shakespeare Theater, and ACT Theatre in Seattle (Gregory Award for Best Male Performance of the Year in Ayad Ahktar’s The Invisible Hand ). He’s a Fox Fellowship Award Winner and a graduate of The Yale School of Drama. www.elijahalexander.net

HERNÁN ANGULO* (JIM) is thrilled to be making his Aurora debut. His regional theater credits include: Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep, American Conservatory Theater, and Perseverance Theatre. Hernán is an alum from UC Berkeley and A.C.T.’s MFA program.

CARRIE PAFF* (EMILY) is thrilled to return to Aurora where she has previously appeared in The Real Thing, This Is How It Goes, A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Small Tragedy, and Betrayal. Off-Broadway: About Alice (Theatre for a New Audience), Ideation (59E59). Regional: A Distinct Society (TheatreWorks, Pioneer Theatre Company), King Charles III and After the War (A.C.T.), The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin, Stage Kiss, and Stupid Fucking Bird (SF Playhouse), Double Indemnity (ACT Seattle), Holmes & Watson and Jekyll & Hyde (Arizona Theatre Company), A Streetcar Named Desire

and Tiny Alice (Marin Theatre Company), The Other Place (Magic Theatre), The Big Meal (San Jose Rep), and Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress (Leicester Square Theatre, London). Carrie holds a master’s degree from New York University. She can be heard in Pixar’s Finding Dory, The Good Dinosaur, and Lamp Life

TIM GARCIA (U/S JIM) is a Bay Area based actor. He was most recently seen in Heroes of the Fourth Turning at Los Altos Stage Company. He has performed with New Conservatory Theatre Center, TheatreFIRST, SF Playhouse, Cal Shakes, Theatre Rhinoceros, Custom Made Theatre Company (SFBATCC nomination), Shotgun Players, Brava Theatre Center, Douglas Morrison Theatre, Boxcar Theatre, Z Space Studio, Coastal Repertory, Pacifica Spindrift Players, Left Coast Theatre Company, The Pear Theatre, Perspective Theatre Company, and Foothill & Ohlone Colleges. He studied at San José State University (B.A., Theatre), and also works in arts administration. EMC. tim-garcia.com

JENNIFER

MCGEORGE* (U/S EMILY ) is thrilled to be working with Aurora Theatre Company for the first time. Recent appearances include Mrs. Webb in Our Town (RVP), Phyllis in Aunt Jack (NCTC), Margery in Vinegar Tom (Shotgun Players) and Rosie in Mamma Mia! (Mt. Play Association). She has also worked with Livermore Shakespeare (SPARC), Berkeley Rep, Marin Shakespeare Company, Prospect Theater Company (NYC), McCarter Theatre Education Department, and Williamstown Theatre Festival, among others. Jennifer holds a BFA in Acting from Emerson College.

ROBERT PARSONS* (U/S JOHN) has been seen at the Aurora in A Bright New Boise, and Private Jokes, Public Places

Other Bay Area Credits include work at ACT, Berkeley Rep, Magic,

TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, Marin Shakes, SF Shakes, SF Playhouse, Word for Word, Cutting Ball, San Jose Stage, and Shotgun Players. Regional and international credits include work at Ford’s Theatre, CTG Ahmanson, Alley Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, LA Theatreworks, HERE Arts Center, New York Theatre Workshop, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Sydney Festival, San Miguel Playhouse, and Teatro Santa Anna. Film: Sunday Errand, Freaky Tales, Fairyland, Interview With Traveler# 582, Freeland, and Prufrock. Founding member of Actors’ Reading Collective www.arcstream.org

JESSICA HOLT † (DIRECTOR) is thrilled to make her Aurora directing debut. Recent projects include Sense & Sensibility (The Cape Playhouse), The Great Leap (Oklahoma City Repertory Theater), Fun Home (River & Rail Theatre), Ironbound, The Code by The Kilbanes (American Conservatory Theatre), Uncovering Downtown by Jessica Holt & Mona Mansour (En Garde Arts), The Thanksgiving Play, Sense and Sensibility, Fun Home, Venus in Fur (Virginia Stage Company), The Resting Place, Bright Half Life, The Lily’s Revenge (Magic Theatre), Speech and Debate (Barrington Stage Company), Rich Girl (Florida Studio Theatre), The Daughters (San Francisco Playhouse), and Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance Theater). She has developed and directed new work at Cape Cod Theatre Project, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Berkeley Rep, Rivendell Theatre, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Sewanee Writers Conference, among others. MFA in Directing, Yale School of Drama. Proud member: SDC. www.jessicaholt.org

GORDON FARRELL (PLAYWRIGHT) Trained as a playwright at the Yale School of Drama, Gordon received an MFA in 1986 and went from there to work with major Hollywood studios, initially as a story analyst for Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures, and eventually as a screenwriter. He has written for hire and sold screenplays to Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers, MGM, and ITC. He has worked with Robert Simonds (producer of The Wedding Singer, Molly’s Game, Mile

22 ); Neal Moritz (producer of XXX, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Fast & Furious) and Bruce Berman (producer of The Matrix, Three Kings, Mad Max: Fury Road ). Working in independent film, Gordon has written for and sold projects to NYC indie producer Norman Twain (producer of Lean on Me, Boycott, My Dog Tulip). Gordon’s first independent screenplay, Girls Who Smoke, premiered in 2011. It went on to be an official selection at over a dozen film festivals, ultimately winning the Audience Choice Award in Seattle at the Post Alley Film Festival. As a playwright, from 2009 to 2013, Gordon worked with dozens of women on New York’s Lower East Side who wanted to tell their personal stories on stage. The series of monologue plays that grew out of it was called In The Red Room/ Every Woman Dances For Someone. In May 2019 the fully dramatized version, Girls Who Walked On Glass, played to SRO houses and rave reviews in Buffalo. His other plays have been produced in San Francisco, at the Alleyway Theatre, at the Yale School of Drama, and at Primary Stages in New York. He is the author of “The Power of the Playwright’s Vision,” published by Heinemann Press in 2001. It has been translated internationally and become a standard playwriting text at colleges and universities in North America, Europe, and Asia.

JEREMY KAREKEN (PLAYWRIGHT) is a playwright living in New York and Baltimore. His short plays Hot Rod, Big Train, and 80 Cards have been performed around the country and internationally. He served as a speechwriter and policy analyst for two presidential campaigns. His awards include the Sewanee Conference’s Dakin Fellowship for Farblondjet, and Guthrie/Playwrights Center’s Two-Headed Challenge for The Sweet Sweet Motherhood. The Hamptons Film Festival Screenwriters Conference selected Kareken and David Murrell for their horror-comedy script about haunted breast implants—THESE! Conquered the Earth! In 2018, PlayPenn shortlisted Jeremy’s new political satire about an illiterate king, The Red Wool. Born and raised in Rochester, New York, and a graduate of the University of Chicago, he has taught at NYU, NYIT, the Actors Studio Drama School, and currently teaches at the Acting Studio—New York. A lifetime member of The Actors Studio, Jeremy occasionally acts and for 18 years served as the researcher for Bravo TV’s Inside the Actors Studio

DAVID MURRELL (PLAYWRIGHT) was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and the University of Chicago, currently lives in Queens, and has written a sea chest’s worth of TV and film treatments and spec scripts. Access Theater (NYC) and the Cleveland Public Theatre each produced his play Ductwork and the Hamptons Film Festival Screenwriters Conference selected his and Jeremy Kareken’s feature screenplay about haunted breast implants, THESE! Conquered the Earth! In 2019, the Outer Critics Circle co-awarded David its John Gassner Playwriting Award for The Lifespan Of A Fact.

JESSIE AMOROSO** (COSTUME DESIGNER) is pleased to make his debut at Aurora with director Jessica Holt after many collaborations in San Francisco and online. Costume design credits at American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) where he serves as costume director include Testament, Ah, Wilderness!, Love and Information, Underneath the Lintel, Chester Bailey, John, Vietgone, Vietgone 2, dozens of MFA & YC productions, and next season’s Private Lives. At Cal Shakes he designed Romeo y Juliet, directed by KJ Sanchez. Bay Area theater design and styling credits include work at Center Rep, California Theatre Center, Julia Morgan Theater, Solano College Theater, Berkeley City Club, Marines Memorial Theater, Herbst Theater, and The Palace of Fine Arts. At Theatre Artaud/Z Space he designed Camus’ Caligula with Nancy Carlin and Round Heeled Woman starring Sharon Gless. Jessie is a graduate of California State University Hayward (Now CSU East Bay) and a member of United Scenic Artists local 829. In his spare time Jessie has volunteered many hours for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids, Broadway Bares NYC/SF, and the Richmond Ermet Aid Foundation.

RUSSELL H. CHAMPA** (LIGHTING DESIGNER)

Current and recent projects include Big Data, Fefu And Her Friends, and Wakey Wakey (American Conservatory Theater), The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (Dallas Opera), As You Like It, Romeo y Juliet and Macbeth (California Shakespeare Theater), Wintertime and Becky Nurse (Berkeley Rep), About Alice (Theatre for a New Audience), Everest (Kansas City Opera), and Thresh|Hold (Pilobolus). Broadway credits include China Doll (Gerald Schoenfeld Theater), In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play )

(Lyceum Theatre/Lincoln Center Theater), and Julia Sweeney’s God Said “Ha!” (Lyceum Theatre). New York work includes Playwrights Horizons, Lincoln Center Theater, The Public Theater, Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, MCC, Julliard, and New York Stage and Film. Regional work includes Steppenwolf, The Old Globe, The Wilma, Trinity Rep, Mark Taper Forum, and The Kennedy Center. Thanks J + J. PEACE.

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 third and final show this season. 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 recent work includes Blue Door and Manahatta at Aurora Theatre Company, and The Triumph of Love and (trans)formada at Shotgun Players.

TEDDY HULSKER (SOUND / PROJECTION DESIGNER) is a San Francisco Bay Area born multidisciplinary theater artist and artistic director/founder of Klanghaus, an experimental theater ensemble. He has been creating installations, plays, and hosting immersive events around the Bay Area since 2009. Favorite collaborations include Woyzeck at Shotgun Players, Pansy at NCTC, Into the Woods at San Francisco Playhouse, and The Great Big Also with Mugwump. He received the Landisman Fellowship for Emerging Designer in 2012 and has been awarded BATCC awards for his sound designs for the plays Warplay with theater company NCTC, Jesus Christ Superstar with Ray of Light, and for his projection design on Sunday in the Park With George with the San Francisco Playhouse. He is currently performing in Prose and Confluence: A Queer Cowboy Musical which after completing a sold out Bay Area tour this spring will be performing at the San Francisco Fringe Festival. In addition to his theater work Teddy also runs a Dungeons and Dragons business Bay Area Role Playing Games which offers sessions for children, teens, and families. For more information about Klanghaus check out: https://klanghaus.art For more information about Bay Area Role Playing Games: https://bayarearpg.com

KATE NOLL (SCENIC DESIGNER) is an award-winning scenic designer and visual artist. She loves opera and has designed productions at Juilliard, Yale Opera, BEMF, Yale Baroque Opera Project, Bard, and Heartbeat Opera. Additionally, she has designed theater productions across the US and abroad, at theaters such as Playwrights Horizons, Yale Rep, Berkeley Rep, Barrington Stage Company, and Shanghai Dramatic Art Center, among others. Kate also works as an installation artist with architects and curators, designing interactive environments for public libraries, rock concerts, and museums. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design she has studied in Rome, Amsterdam, and Paris. Living in New York, she designed for TV and film, and was a set and prop stylist for photoshoots. She has an MFA in Scenic Design from Yale School of Drama.

SCOTT REARDON* (STAGE MANAGER) 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 EducationAlliant International University. www.ScottReardon.net

ZOË SWENSON-GRAHAM (FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER) is thrilled to work with Aurora Theatre Company for the first time! She returned to the states in 2015 after living in London for nearly seven years, working as an actor and dancer, and trained as a stage combat instructor and fight choreographer. Skilled in over a dozen weapons, Zoë served as stage combat choreographer and teacher around the UK, including the Royal Opera House, Soho Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe,

Guildford School of Acting, Royal Welsh College, and Southwark Playhouse. Since returning to the Bay Area, she has choreographed and taught with the American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep, Marin Theatre Company, San Francisco Playhouse, Hillbarn Theatre (SFBATCC nomination for fight choreography), Marin Musical Theatre Company (TBA Award finalist for fight choreography), Sierra Repertory Theatre, Mountain Play, and Shotgun Players, among others. Zoë is lucky to work as a director, teacher, dance and fight choreographer around the Bay Area.

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, 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 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.

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

ELLEN & BARRY LEVINE (ASSOCIATE SPONSORS) freely admit that they are long-time theater addicts and believe that this is a wonderful addiction. They have been sharing their theater passion for over 50 years not only in the Bay Area but also with annual visits to New York and, as often as possible, to London. These theatrical “pilgrimages” tie in perfectly with their great love of traveling throughout the world.

PATRICK LANEY

& KINMAN TONG (ASSOCIATE SPONSORS) are new supporters of Aurora Theatre Company, with Kinman joining Aurora’s board in 2021. Both are avid supporters of the performing arts – where they had their first date at Orpheum Theatre, enjoying Wicked the Musical. As a partner at Moss Adams, Kinman has been excited to share his expertise in accounting and finance with Aurora – being on the finance committee. Aurora’s commitment to confronting and dismantling oppression aligns closely with Kinman and Patrick’s passion for creating inclusive and welcoming communities in their personal and professional circles of influence.

CRAIG & KATHY MOODY (ASSOCIATE SEASON SPONSORS) believe live theatre can be life-changing. 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. *Actors’

ANNUAL FUND DONORS

Aurora Theatre Company extends its heartfelt appreciation to all of our generous annual fund donors, whose gifts enable us 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 May 21st, 2024.

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Anonymous (13)

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James Abers

Julie Ackerman

Martha Salzman & Jay Aleck

Abbey Alkon

Kathy Allen

Claire & Kendall Allphin

Hope & Noah Alper

Ken & Joyce Altshuler

Carlene & Richard Anderson

Sara Armstrong

Terry & Barbara Atlas

John Atwood

Alison Aubrejuan

Stephen Twigg & Susan C. Aumiller

Helen Hutchison & Lee Aurich

Francine M. Austin

Laura Jane Bailey

Richard & Sandy Bails

Barbara Barer

Bobbi Baron

Gail Hillebrand & Hugh Barroll

Ruthanne Barulich

Susan & Barry Baskin

Gwen Costello Becker

Kathryn Seligman & Stephen Bedrick

Norman Abramson & David Beery

James Helman & Josephine Bellaccomo

Victoria C. Belco

Marilyn Beller

Elizabeth Benedict

Alicia B. Benito

Christine Berger

Paula Hughmanick & Steven Berger

Wendy & Robert Bergman

Allan Chinen & Roy C. Bergstrom

Susan & Ron Berman

Steve Beuerman

Nancy & Peter Bickel

Carl & Fumiko Bielefeldt

Barbara Anscher & Steve Binder

Sophie Hahn & Eric A. Bjerkholt

Sheryl Black

Liam Blaney

Terry Pink Alexander & John Blaustein

Heather Bloch & Mark Briner

Steven Goldberg & Sandee Blechman

Adrian & Daniel Blumberg

Bonnie G. Bogue

William Bombria

Thomas Bosserman

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Elizabeth Brady

Emilie Talbot Brooks

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Martha Brown

Rick Brown

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Wayne Bryan

Robert & Carin Bryans

Caroline & Rande Burton

Den Bush

Jean Butterfield

Adrian Byram

Patricia Cahill

Katherine Calvert

Bruce Carlton

Cassandra & James Carpenter

John Carr

Andrea & Michael Cassidy

Steven & Karin Chase

Anirvan Chatterjee

Victor Chieco

Geoffrey A. Clarke

Pamela C. Haenke-Clark

Gayle Dekellis & David Clayton

Francoise Mauray & Ronald Clyman

Susanne Stoffel & Michael Coan

Christine Cochrane

Ms. Sandra I. Blair & Dr. Carol Cohen

June & Michael Cohen

Marilyn & Richard Collier

Adam Costello

Janaki Fox Costello

Janaki & Heine Costello

Melissa A M Costello

Lawrence R. Cotter

Kasa L. Cotugno

Gary & Diana Cramer

Kathleen Crandall

Lynn & Chris Crook

Pat & Bob Cross

Christina Crowley

Ann O’Connor & Edward Cullen

Clytia & Joseph M. Curley

Scott Curtin

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Judith W. Davis

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David DeRose

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Louise Dibble

Julia H. Diez

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Sharon Dolan

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Anthony Fusco

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Cornelius Moore

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Sabella Moreno

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Carol D. Muller

Russell Nelson

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Ellen Rosen

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Paula Rosenthal

Susan & Robert Roth

David Rovno, M.D.

Yvonne Lalanne & Mark M. Rubenstein

Susan Rubio

Joshua Miele & Elizabeth Ruhland

John Ruskin

April & Jake Ruygt

James Ryan

Diane & Ed Ryken

Kitt Saginor

Rick Marcus & Andrea Saltzman

Giovanna Sardelli

Sylvia Saunders

Thomas A. Savignano

Susan Sawyer

Gillian Scharff

Danny Scheie

Darlene Schumacher

Jeff Sensabaugh

Tanya Shaffer

Laurie Shapley

Sue Sheftel

Sandra Keith & Bob Shephard

Ginny Sidells

Marsha Silberstein

Barbara Silverberg

Elizabeth Sklut

Jacqueline A H. Smalley

Neil & Sharin Smelser

Betsy Smith

Chris A. & Catherine Smith

Chris & Jeff Smith

Cleavon Smith

Dennis Cress & Te Smith

Peter & Ann Smith

Sigrid Snider

Eileen Soden

Molly Aaronson-Gelb & Jonathan Spector

Ronald & Dianne Spector

Ruth MacNaughton & Harold Spencer

Suzy Spradlin

Helen Wickes & Donald J. Stang

Laura Steinman

Sally Stevens

Anne & Douglas Stewart

Bonnie Stiles

Mark Chaitkin & P. Cecilia Storr

Donna Straff

Bruce K. Suehiro

Rebecca Q. Nestle & Michael Suenkel

Scott Sugarman

Tara Sullivan

Jane & Robert Sullwold

Jay Atkinson & Ariel Summerlin

Mangal Swaminathan

Judy Weiss & Stuart Swiedler

Tom W. Swift

Margaret T. Szabo

Barbara Szudy

Jane & Jay Taber

Mark Takaro

Marilee Talkington

John Cunningham & Ying-Mei Tcheou

Betsy Bigelow-Teller

Donna Terman

Frances M. Ternus

Mary R. Thompson

Nate & Rebecca Tico

Fern Tiger

Helaina Titus

Mary Lou Torre

Revan & Elsa Tranter

Shirley & Michael Traynor

Thomas W. Trent & Laurel I. Schaefer-Trent

Charles & Heidi Triay

Rosenthal-Murphy Family Trust

Carolyn Uno

Lucinda Valdes

Stephen van Meter

Gretchen vonDuering

Kimberly Wadycki

Craig & Elizabeth Wahl

Susan & Brad Wait

Arlene Waksberg

Laurence Walker

Kim Elise Walton

Susan Ward

Emily & Robert Warden

Meredith J. Watts

Margaret Webster

David White & Rande Lee Webster

Georganne Ferrier & Steven Weinberg

Robert L. Weiner

Margo Wesley

Laurellee Westaway

David W. Wheeler

Richard Makdisi & Lindsay Wheeler

Gail Wiemann

Linda M. Wilford

Judy Wilkinson

Shelly Willard

Marilyn B. Willats

Donna M. Williams

Ann Willoughby

Diane Wilson

Barbara Lanier & John Wilson

Jennifer Winch

Fred D. Winslow

Andrew Witkowski

Susan & Harvey I. Wittenberg

Delene Wolf

Viviana Wolinsky

Andy Steinberg & Laurie Wolkow

William J. Woods

Sally Woolsey

Paul L. Wyman

Nancy Yeechan

Danuta Zaroda

Sharran A. Zeleke

Bess Zimmerman

Fran Burgess & Sandor P. Zirulnik

COMMUNITY

Anonymous (8)

Dale Albright

Joan M. Allen

Susan MacCharles-Anacker

Jeni Anderson

Stewart Applin

Jane Ashland

UCB ‘73-76

Alona Bach

Maria Baird

Janet Baker

Debra Baldwin

Stephanie Barnhill

Rob & Lisa Bates

David Brossard & Sally Beck

Jodie Berger

Lauren Berman

Andrea Bernard

Ann T. Binning

Betsy Brazy

Judith Brisby

China Brotsky

Linda Gallaher-Brown

Barbara & Gerald Brunetti

Nina & Frank Brunetti

Linda & Tim Butler

John A. Caldwell

Kathie Campbell

Lois L. Cantor

Leah Carroll

Shawna Casey

Charley

Amara Kali Lawson-Chavanu

Lywen Chew

Rose Cohan

Renee Cheney-Cohen

Janet Coleman

Zipporah W. Collins

Cecilia Alise Comparini

George Anders & Elizabeth Corcoran

Brenda Jean Corelis

Adam & Felicity Cowlin

Chava Craft

Susan David

Tom Diettrich

Keith E. Doerge

Angela Don

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Lauren Doyle

Ian H. Duncan

Elaine & Gregory Dunlap

Christopher R. Dutra

Elizabeth Duval

Jack Dynis

Laura Ernst

The Grevenworth Family

Schaffer Family

Hal Fischer

William Bennett Fisher

Jake Fong

Lisa Foust

Joan Frenkel

Christine Frick

Jason Fuges

D G

Mitchell M. Gitin

Michaela S. Goldhaber

Steve Gomas

Barbara Goodman

Jane A. Goodwin

Dorothy Gordon

Nina Anne Greeley

Sandra Green

Natalie Greene

Hollis Greenwood

Stephen Hale

Jennifer Hastings

Rosemary Hegarty

Jaclyn Higgs

Marija & David N. Hillis

Frances R. Hopson

Elisabeth Houseman

Estie & Mark Hudes

Mitch Huitema

Susan M. Jenny

William Joyce

Johanna Kenney

Edward Kimak

Sasha King

Ks Korpell

Lisa Korwin

Marilyn Langbehn

Dottie Langthorn

Carol Larsen

Jennifer LeBlanc

David Leonard

Dean Linnard

Barbara Loften

Jane Lundin

Carolyn Mahoney

Pat Manley

Wendy Markel

Jill Cary Martin

John Golding & Martin Mass

Megan Mateosky

Dyan McBride

Maudie McCormick

Caitlin McGarty

Katherine McKenzie

Julia McNeal

Anthony Meixner

Penny Mikesell

Charles P. Miller

Wayne Montoya

Sarah Nell Morgan

Jessica M. Munarolo

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Murphy

John J. Nagle

Dirk Neyhart

Stephen Nocita

Philip O’Brien

Maureen Oconnor

Margaret Faye O’Day

Evren Odcikin

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Celena Peet

Scott D. Phillips

Wayne Phillips

Ronald Alan Pike

Evelyn Jean Pine & Doug Peckler

Victoria Pohl

Joyce Pollack

Becky Potter

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Matthew Reyes

Anne T. Richards

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Lewis & Gail Rubman

Jessica Ruygt

Bobbi Schear

Holly Scheider

Daniel & Amy Schiff

Karen Schiller

Paul Schmidt

Elizabeth Schrey

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Ted Shaner

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Anne Sigmon

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Kevin Clarke & Karl Patrick Soehnlein

Brian E. Spencer

Susan Stanley

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Cianna Stewart

Bhuma Subramaniam

Bruce Allan Thompson

Tommy Amano-Tompkins

Gary McDole & Sharon Toth

Selma Meyerowitz & Malcolm Trifon

Lisa A. Tromovitch

Karen van Zandt

Gabi von Ingersleben

Susan Jane Wallace

Jo L. Warner

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Matt Weimer

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Paul Werner

Chris White

Peter & Ann Whitehead

Frances Ann Widejko

Cristin M. Williams

Verna Winters

Jackie Yang

Pik Yee

Pam Young

Lois Yuen

Steve Zolno

Anonymous (2)

Gertrude E. Allen

Nancy Axelrod

Steven Beckendorf

Norman Abramson & David* Beery

Elizabeth Burwell

Carol Emory

Jacquelin Ewing

Marge Glicksman*

Candy & George Hisert

CORPORATE DONORS

$2500 +

$100-$999

Adobe Systems Incorporated+

ChevronTexaco+

+ Matching Gift Program

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

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 Queer Acceptance Fund of the Horizons Foundation

HONOR ROLL List is current as of May 21st, 2024.

In Memory of Sheldon Bornstein

In Memory of Mr & Mrs Theodore Collins

In Honor of Josh Costello

In Honor of Robin Dolan

In Memory of Marge Glicksman, Aurora Co-Founder and Mistress of Props

In Memory of Marcia Renee Goodman

In Memory of Ron Forsstrom

In Honor of Otto Frank, as Portrayed by Josh Costello in 1988

In Honor of Lisa S Fry

In Memory of William E. Jones

In Honor of Juris Klavins

In Memory of Jack Kirsch

In Honor of Dean Linnard

In Honor of Helen Marcus

In Honor of Leontyne Mbele-Mbong

In Memory of Pamela McKinstry

IN-KIND DONORS

The Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust

The Shubert Foundation

Ronald Whittier Family Foundation

The Wood Foundation

In Memory of Robert Meola

In Honor & Recognition of Alan Miller

In Memory of Denise Nolan

In Memory of Barbara Oliver

In Memory of Dorothy Orr

In Memory of Jesús F. González & Carmen González Prieto

In Memory of Leo P. Ruth

In Memory of George Sensabaugh

In Honor of Eric Sinkkonen, Scene Designer Extraordinaire

In Honor of Jonathan Spector

In Memory of Chuck Teller

In Memory of Paul Veres

In Honor of Margy Wilkinson

In Honor of Dawn Monique Williams

In Memory of David J. Williamson

Aurora Theatre Company is thankful for the following donors who gave generous in-kind contributions of $100 and above. List is current as of May 21st, 2024.

Ed & Kay Blonz

Roberta Brooks

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: We strive for accuracy in our

Samuela Evans

Susie Sargent

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

CONFRONTING & DISMANTLING OPPRESSION

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.

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

Anna Ishida* and Rajesh Bose* in This Much I Know. *Member, AEA. Photo by Kevin Berne.

Sam Jackson, Lorri Holt*, Mia Tagano*, and Denmo Ibrahim* in Abi Morgan’s Splendour. *Member AEA. Photo by David Allen.

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

4-PLAY SUBSCRIPTION

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

See any four shows in our season with a 4-Play Subscription. 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.

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.

at:

BY NOËL COWARD

DIRECTED BY JOSH COSTELLO†

STARTS OCT 19

Five years into their supposedly happy marriages, Jane and Julia’s perfectly polished lives are thrown into delightful disarray when an old flame announces his sudden return to London. Past passions and present desires – along with generous helpings of champagne – send the two friends into a frenzy of anticipation, jealousy, and determination to choose their own destinies. Set in the glamorous 1920s, this classic from the famously witty and charming Noël Coward is a hilarious excavation of the complexities of love and desire.

SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE AUGUST 1ST

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY

SUBSCRIPTION TICKET EXCHANGE

PERFORMANCES

BOX OFFICE

Hours:

Tues-Friday, 1pm-5pm

Phone: 510.843.4822

Online: auroratheatre.org

ADMINISTRATION

2081 Addison Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

Phone: 510.843.4042

Fax: 510.843.4826

Follow

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.

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 their own ticket.

Anna Ishida and Gianna DiGregorio Rivera in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo by David Allen

AURORA STAFF

Venee Call-Ferrer

MARKETING ASSOCIATE

Josh Costello

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Felicity Cowlin

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Kat Demith

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Robin Dolan

CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR

Eli Harris

DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Roman JohnDoza

ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE MANAGER

Dayna Kalakau

SENIOR DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Dee Miranda

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Jenn Ruygt

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Nicole Elise Schulz

CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR

David Shultz

BOX OFFICE MANAGER

BOX OFFICE ASSOCIATES

Zola Hanson

Melissa Scheulin

HOUSE MANAGERS

Lisa Klein

Michael Mansfield

Melissa Scheulin

Linda Wu

USHER COORDINATOR

Linda Wu

AURORA

PRODUCTION STAFF

Jere Dominic Avila

SCENIC PAINTER

Emma Buechner

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Nic Canditio

ELECTRICIAN

Brittany Cobb

LEAD ELECTRICIAN

Sophia Craven LX PROGRAMMER

Darrel De La Rosa

REHEARSAL BOARD OP

Mary Flandez

TECHNICIAN

Janice Gartin

COSTUME CREW

Verena Lee

ELECTRICIAN

Charlie Mejia LX PROGRAMMER

Cindy Ngu

COSTUME SHOP SUPPORT

Ashley Renee COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISOR

Becca Salsburg-Frank LEAD CARPENTER

CASTING DIRECTORS

The Casting Collective

Kieran Beccia

FOUNDERS

Dorothy Bryant

Marge Glicksman

Ken Grantham

Barbara Oliver

Richard Rossi

ADVISORY COUNCIL

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

O+G ARTISTS

Christopher Chen

Barbara Damashek

Britney Frazier

Felonious

Margo Hall

Cleavon Smith

Jonathan Spector

Beth Wilmurt

SHOW ARTWORK BY Eddie Colla

VIDEOGRAPHY BY Flying Moose Pictures

SPECIAL THANKS TO Scot Goodman

Katherine Sanderlin

FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

Barbara Oliver Tom Ross

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

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INTERIM PRESIDENT: Rebecca Parlette-Edwards | INTERIM VICE-PRESIDENT: Rosalind Kim

INTERIM TREASURER: Tom Worth | INTERIM SECRETARY: Alan Edmond Miller

Josh Costello | Robin Dolan | Nicole Elise Schulz | Kinman Tong

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 | Craig Moody

TOGETHER, WE CAN ENSURE THAT AURORA WILL CONTINUE PRESENTING INTIMATE, INCLUSIVE, INSPIRING THEATRE IN DOWNTOWN BERKELEY FOR ANOTHER 32 YEARS AND BEYOND!

HELP #SAVEAURORA

We are pleased to announce that one of our longtime supporters has graciously offered a $25,000 match for our campaign.

Please spread the word and donate at givebutter.com/AuroraSpring24

More good news, we are now officially on the proposed Annual Budget for the City of Berkeley to receive $150,000 in emergency funding. The budget will be voted on June 25th, 2024. Wish us luck!

If you would like to help, please join us in attending the June 25th Berkeley City Council meeting to demonstrate this community’s support for Aurora. The more the City Council hears from you, Aurora’s supporters, the more likely this funding will be approved.

FIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT: DONATE SIGN

1. Donate to our emergency fundraising campaign.

2. Sign our petition to the Berkeley City Council asking for emergency funding.

3. Contact the City Council directly in support of Aurora.

4. Purchase tickets and subscriptions to our intimate, inclusive, and inspiring productions.

5. Spread the word! Share our posts on social media. Post a video of yourself sharing what Aurora means to you (don’t forget to tag us). Encourage your friends and family to support Aurora and to attend our plays!

By Noël Coward

Directed by Josh Costello †

STARTS: OCTOBER 19, 2024

“An irresistible romp!” THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Heart Sellers The

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE

Co-Production with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley & Capital Stage

By Lloyd Suh

Directed by Jennifer Chang † STARTS: FEBRUARY 8, 2025

“In a nation of immigrants, this story belongs to everyone.” THE SOMERVILLE TIMES

By Lynn Nottage

Directed by Elizabeth Carter STARTS APRIL 26, 2025

“Crumbs From the Table of Joy [is] a small window into the past, and this almost voyeuristic glimpse is worth attention.” — NEW YORK POST

By Jane Wagner

Directed by Tom Ross STARTS JULY 12, 2025

“A true goosebump experience” — THE NEW YORK TIMES