Manahatta

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

BY Mary Kathryn Nagle

DIRECTED BY Shannon R. Davis

STARTS FEB 9, 2024

Dear FriendsAs we have been acknowledging for a few years now, Aurora Theatre Company is located on the continuous homeland of the East Bay Ohlone people. Of course any acknowledgment is wildly insufficient to address the ways in which colonialism and capitalism have impacted Native communities throughout American history and continue to cause tremendous hardship today. It’s insufficient, but we believe an acknowledgment has some worth nonetheless as a way to remind ourselves and our audiences of the immense debt and respect the rest of us owe to Native peoples, and of the importance of Native members of our community. Moreover, we acknowledge the immense resilience of the East Bay Ohlone people, who continue to maintain their culture and live in the East Bay in an unbroken manner.

In MANAHATTA, Mary Kathryn Nagle tackles the effects of colonialism and capitalism directly. In telling two parallel stories in two widely separated periods of history, she emphasizes the humanity and complexity of all her characters, while also providing a powerful critique of the ways our financial system – first developed into its modern form by the Dutch in the 17th century – continues to wreak havoc among Native communities.

When I first read the play at the urging of director Shannon R. Davis, who was the Directing Fellow on the premiere production of MANAHATTA, I immediately knew that this was an important story that would shine in Aurora’s intimate space. Its previous productions have been in much larger venues – the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Rep, and the Public – and I’m excited to see how the intimacy of the Aurora stage will highlight the many nuances of thought and feeling as these characters struggle with maintaining identity and finding ways to survive and thrive despite the daunting challenges our society has imposed upon them. I’m also excited to introduce you to Shannon, a cherished and celebrated Bay Area theatre artist making her Aurora directorial debut.

We are thrilled to partner with Berkeley’s Cafe Ohlone on this production and beyond; information about their amazing work and an opportunity to hear them speak about their language preservation efforts (another subject addressed in MANAHATTA) can be found on pages 6-7.

Enjoy.

Josh Costello ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

TIME AND PLACE Manahatta, in the 17th and 21st Centuries Anadarko & Chickasha, Oklahoma, in the 21st Century

Josh Costello

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

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Robin Dolan & Nicole Elise Schulz CO-MANAGING DIRECTORS

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

BY MARY KATHRYN NAGLE

DIRECTED BY SHANNON R. DAVIS

THE CAST

LINDA AMAYO-HASSAN...............................................................................................MOTHER/BOBBIE LIVIA GOMES DEMARCHI*................................................................................... LE-LE-WA’-YOU / JANE MAX FORMAN-MULLIN* ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� JAKOB / JOE ANTHONY FUSCO* ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������PETER MINUIT / DICK IXTLÁN* �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������SE-KET-TU-MAY-QUA / LUKE OOGIE_PUSH............................................................................................... TOOSH-KI-PA-KWIS-I / DEBRA VICTOR TALMADGE*............................................................................... JONAS MICHAELIUS / MICHAEL

UNDERSTUDIES TASI ALABASTRO*..........................................................................................SE-KET-TU-MAY-QUA/LUKE ALAN COYNE................................PETER MINUIT / DICK, JONAS MICHAELIUS / MICHAEL, & JAKOB / JOE NAILAH UNOLE DIDANAS’EA HARPER-MALVEAUX..................................... LE-LE-WA’-YOU / JANE

CREATIVE TEAM JAMES ARD SOUND DESIGNER FRAN ASTORGA DRAMATURG ASA BENALLY COSTUME DESIGNER BROOKE COX ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER JOY GONZALEZ LEAD PROPS

RAY GONZALEZ* STAGE MANAGER NATALIE GREENE MOVEMENT DIRECTOR RAY OPPENHEIMER LIGHTING DESIGNER WOLFGANG WACHALOVSKY VIDEO DESIGNER DEANNA L. ZIBELLO SCENIC DESIGNER

ASSOCIATE SEASON SPONSORS CRAIG & KATHY MOODY

EXECUTIVE SPONSORS

DAVID WOOD & KATHLEEN GARRISON

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS GERTRUDE ALLEN

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.

World premiere produced by Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director, Bill Rauch Executive Director, Cynthia Rider MANAHATTA was developed by The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director and Patrick Willingham, Executive Director

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

THEN AND NOW: From Manahatta to Manhattan

BY FR AN A STORGA , DR AMATURG

In Manahatta, Mary Kathryn Nagle masterfully intertwines two distinct timelines, serving as echoing nexus points for the Lenape people. The first timeline unfolds in the early 17th Century, a period marked by the establishment and imposition of the Dutch West India Company’s presence on Manahatta. The second timeline, set in 2002, leads up to the financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath. Within the framework of these timelines, Nagle adeptly portrays the duality inherent in individuals, interpersonal relationships, generational divides, community dynamics, and national identity.

The characters in Manahatta grapple with the challenge of finding solid ground in the tumultuous social and economic landscape shaped by the greed of colonizers. This landscape is marred by corruption, exploitation, and the brutal treatment of indigenous communities and the ecosystems they rely on. The Lenape people are confronted with the daunting task of preserving their way of life amidst external pressures that seek to erode their cultural foundations.

Admiral Verijck Tulip. Tulip picture from the catalog of P.Cos printed in 1637 in the Netherlands.

A significant and moving theme emerges through Nagle’s exploration of languages and cultural values. In the 17th century, as the Lenape learn to communicate in settler colonial languages and customs, the Dutch show little regard for understanding the ways of the Lenape. Instead, they advocate and enforce assimilation into Dutch customs while trivializing Lenape culture and heritage. This legacy of forced assimilation reverberates through both timelines, leaving a lasting impact on the identity and resilience of the Lenape people.

In the 21st century timeline, the Lenape, having endured generations of displacement, genocide, and forced assimilation, strive to preserve and revitalize their language and customs in Oklahoma. The play poignantly captures the challenges they face as they navigate the complexities of cultural preservation in a rapidly changing world. Across both eras, the Lenape resist the colonizers’ culture of entitled superiority, which seeks to undermine their role as the indigenous caretakers of Manahatta.

Nagle’s narrative also delves into the concept of an economic bubble, where the intrinsic value of a good is inflated by a trading network frenzied by greed. The intrinsic value of a good is informed by the qualities and utility of the good in its given circumstances. For example, in 1630’s Amsterdam, tulips were appreciated for their beauty and the societal status they signified. The tulip prices were driven to unsustainable levels when the contracts for tulip orders were continuously sold and traded. At a certain point, the value of a contract

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became its potential to generate a profit when sold and not in the value or desire for the tulips themselves. When tulip prices dropped, the potential for profit evaporated and resulted in a tremendous loss for anyone who held on to a contract.

The play underscores the universality of this economic concept, emphasizing its potential occurrence at any scale and in any market. The detachment of value from tangible qualities is portrayed vividly through historical examples, ranging from tulips in 17th-century Amsterdam to the housing market in 21st-century America, and is reflected in the commodification of heritage items like wampum and furs and the potential loss of a generational home. The playwright’s exploration of economic bubbles serves as a powerful commentary on the inherent risks and consequences of unchecked greed within societies and what we consider worthy of investment.

Manahatta invites us to reflect on the cyclical nature of historical patterns, the continued and repetitive harm of settler colonialism, and the importance of cultural preservation.

By juxtaposing the 17th-century and 21st-century narratives, Nagle highlights the interconnectedness of past and present and leads us to consider the implications of historical actions on contemporary issues and engage with the broader questions of identity, heritage, and the enduring impact of historical forces on contemporary realities. Which cyclical legacies do we invest in to perpetuate and which do we divest in to break?

Lapowinsa. Lappawinsoe, Chief of the Lenape (1737)

by Gustavus Hesselius

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C O M M U N I T Y PA R T N E R 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.

CAFE OHLONE

mak-’amham (mahk-am-haam) means our food in the Chochenyo Ohlone language.

For Manahatta, Aurora is thrilled to partner with Cafe Ohlone, whose latest iteration, ‘oṭṭoytak, is located outside the Hearst Museum at UC Berkeley. Cafe Ohlone, the only Ohlone restaurant in the world, opened with two goals: to provide a physical space for their Ohlone people to be represented in the culinary world with a curated space that represents their living culture; and to educate the public, over Ohlone cuisine, in a dignified, honest manner about the original and continuous inhabitants of this land.

Learn more at makamham.com Photo: Hugo Alhberg/Heath Ceramics, courtesy of Cafe Ohlone.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

AURORA INSIGHTS RESTORING NATIVE LANGUAGES

SAT, MAR 2 STARTS AT 4PM

Join Cafe Ohlone founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino as they discuss their vital work in the ongoing preservation and restoration of their Chochenyo language ­— the indigenous language of the East Bay ­— and how through this work, they are able to “correct outdated stereotypes and misinformation that have lingered for far too long, while simultaneously teaching truths of our living culture,

history, and unbroken, permanent relationship with the East Bay.” Aurora INsights is a moderated panel and discussion offered to our donors of any level to continue the conversations inspired by the themes of our 2023/2024 Season.

To learn more about this program and other donor benefits, visit: auroratheatre.org/donor-benefits

Indigenous Community Night

COMMUNITY DISCOUNTS

FRI, FEB 23

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

Join us and honored guest Kathleen Grace, Ohlone healer and elder, as we acknowledge and celebrate the resilience of our local Native communities.

6:00 PM - Pre-Show Reception 8:00 PM - Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagle Post-Show Discussion Following the Show This event is open to everyone!

• Full-Time High School and College Students • Full-Time Teachers • Anyone 35 & Under • Active & retired U.S. military personnel For more details, please visit auroratheatre.org/discounts or contact the Box Office at 510.843.4822 or boxoffice@ auroratheatre.org 7

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LINDA AMAYO-HASSAN

(MOTHER/BOBBIE) is a Native/ Chicana actor, director, and playwright. She is honored to represent the Lenape people and delighted to make her Aurora debut. Linda’s most recent performance was in Yerma at Shotgun Players and in Oakland Theater Project’s Exodus to Eden. Linda also appeared in her solo show The Missing Songs, for PlayGround’s Solo Fest.

Linda is the founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Cultura and a theatre professor at Chabot College and Cal State University East Bay.

LIVIA GOMES DEMARCHI*

(LE-LE-WA’-YOU/JANE) is absolutely honored to be performing in this important play in the company of fantastic artists. Recent credits: Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing at SF Shakes (also directed by the amazing Shannon R. Davis), Cassandra in Somewhere

by Marisela Treviño Orta at Perspective Theater, Miri in Sapience at Playground SF and San Diego Rep Latinx festival, and Lola in the world premiere of Ghosts of Bogotá at AlterTheater (both by the incredible Diana Burbano), Tania in Native Gardens at Center Rep and Left Edge, and Olivia/Maria in Twelfth Night also with Perspective Theater (formerly Arabian Shakes, TBA Winner for Best Ensemble). She was also a part of the original production of The River Bride as Belmira, presented at Alter Theater Ensemble. Other companies: SF Playhouse, Magic Theater, Marin Shakespeare, Playwrights Foundation, BRAVA, Shotgun Players, among others. She holds a B.A. in Theater and performance studies from UC Berkeley and is an associate artist with Alter Theater Ensemble and a company member at Playground SF. Hoping this play helps decolonize ways of thinking and question harmful narratives that persist, whether it be in the collective or within oneself. Thank you for supporting theater!

MAX FORMAN-MULLIN*

(JAKOB/JOE) was born and

raised in San Francisco (Yelamu) and is delighted to make his Aurora debut. He has performed with numerous Bay Area theatre 8

companies, including Shotgun Players, SF Playhouse, Playwrights Foundation, Berkeley Rep, Word for Word, and Cutting Ball. In addition to acting, Max has worked extensively as a teaching artist and applied theatre practitioner with people of all ages, in schools, community centers, and prisons.

He continues his work with incarcerated people as a paralegal at a local criminal defense law office.

ANTHONY FUSCO*

(PETER MINUIT/DICK) a multi award-winning actor and Bay Area theatre mainstay, has performed major roles in dozens of productions since returning here in 1999 after twenty years working on- and offBroadway and at theatres around the country. He’s been a Core Company member of the American Conservatory Theater (35+ shows), an Associate Artist with CalShakes (15 shows), and has appeared with Berkeley Rep, SF Playhouse, Marin Theatre Company, and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, among others. He is a 1983 graduate of The Juilliard School and trained subsequently with The Barrow Group. He was one of ten American actors named as a 2023 Lunt-Fontanne Fellow by the Ten Chimneys Foundation. He is thrilled to be making his full production debut with Aurora, for whom he participated in the 2020 audio drama The Flats. Anthony and his wife Martha live in San Francisco.

IXTLÁN* (SE-KET-TU-MAYQUA/LUKE) is a proud

relative of the Native American Plains Nations and Mexica Indigenous peoples. He has studied acting in New York at the Herbert Berghof studio and various teachers from LA and NY. Notable credits include: A.C.T’s A Christmas Carol as Giles and Ensemble, Marco in Word for Word’s Citizen, Bahoma in AlterTheater’s Pueblo Revolt, Nolan in Braided at CalShakes, Borrachio in SF Shakes’ Much Ado About Nothing, Seketemaqua/Luke in Manahatta at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Yale Repertory Theater, Wolf in Perseverance Theater’s Winter Bear, Menelaus in Helen, Poe in Puppets and Poe, and Jakubi in A Noh Christmas Carol at Theatre of Yugen, Barrow Group Theater

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Company’s Last of the Caucasians. For film and TV: The Monster Project film and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

IG: @flowersfromouterspace

OOGIE_PUSH (TOOSH-KI-

PA-KWIS-I/DEBRA) is Bear Clan from the Meskwaki Nation near Tama, IA, and has been a theatre-maker for over 20 years. Oogie first started studying and performing Native Theatre at Haskell Indian Nations University (Lawrence, KS) where she received an Associate of Arts in Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies with an emphasis in Theatre. From there she studied the technical side of theatre and received an MFA in Theatre: Design & Technology from University of Missouri-Kansas City. She works as an actor primarily in the Twin Cities with various theatre companies, does storytelling performances, works as a production assistant in the Twin Cities tv/ film/commercial industry, and at times emcees events. She is also creating a documentary series about cultural aspects of the Meskwaki Tribe. Tama Flint: A Meskwaki Tradition is the first in the series and is hitting the Film Festival circuit this year and is available for screenings. In November 2024, Full Circle Theater is producing Oogie’s play Adventures of a Traveling Meskwaki at the Andy Boss Stage in St. Paul, MN. In her spare time, she creates hemp twine bags using the Meskwaki Twine Bag Weaving technique which is a recently revitalized Meskwaki artform. You can see her work on display at the Chicago Field Museum in the revamped Native American Hall. You can find her on Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram @Oogie_Push.

VICTOR TALMADGE*

(JONAS MICHAELIUS/ MICHAEL) is very pleased

to be returning to the Aurora after performing here in Awake and Sing and After the Revolution.

Most recently he was seen in The Road to Mecca at Z Space and in San Francisco Playhouse’s production of Indecent. Other Bay Area venues include Cal Shakes, Berkeley Rep, ACT, Theater Works, OTP, The Magic Theater, Santa Cruz Shakespeare. He has worked extensively in New York and regional theaters and was on Broadway in

the world premiere of David Mamet’s November.

He played The King in the Tony Award winning production of the Broadway National Tour of The King and I and was seen as Scar in the Los Angeles production of The Lion King. Talmadge boasts extensive film and television credits as well and he was a recurring character on the TV series Manhattan and Vegas. As a playwright, his play The Gate Of Heaven was awarded The Nakashima Peace Prize. It was the first live theater to be produced at The U.S. Holocaust Memorial and has been subsequently performed at The Old Globe Theater, Ford’s Theater, and The Annenberg Center, as well as various venues around the country. He is currently Professor of the Practice and Director of Theater Studies, Mills College at Northeastern University.

TASI ALABASTRO* (U/S

SE-KET-TU-MAY-QUA/LUKE) is an actor, multi-disciplinary artist, and self-proclaimed flaneur. Alabastro is excited to be joining the Aurora team for the first time with Manhatta. Professional credits include A Christmas Carol (A.C.T); Twelfth Night, musical adaptation (SF Playhouse); Every Brilliant Thing, VIETGONE, and Stupid F**king Bird (City Lights Theatre Company); Sisters Matsumoto (CenterRep).

Alabastro is a recipient of the 2019 Leigh Weimers Emerging Artist Award and the 2018 SVCreates Emerging Artist Laureate. He is a senior company member of the Red Ladder Theatre Company, a nationally acclaimed, award-winning social justice theatre company.

For extended bio, work, blog, and pretty cool art visit tasialabastro.com. Twitter/Instagram: @tasialabastro @themodernclicksmith.

ALAN COYNE (U/S PETER

MINUIT/DICK, JONAS MICHAELIUS/MICHAEL, & JAKOB/JOE) is making his

Aurora Theatre Company debut with Manahatta. He has previously performed with Center Rep (The Legend of Georgia McBride), Ferocious Lotus (Evolutions), and Golden Thread (Autobiography of a Terrorist), as well as multiple shows with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (including 2022’s Much Ado About Nothing with Shannon, Steven, and Livia), We Players, Custom Made, and Lafayette Town Hall Theatre. In 2019, he took his two-person adaptation, 2ELFth Night, 9

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to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. You can see him next in the third installment of Patricia Milton’s Victorian Ladies’ Detective Collective series, Accused, at Central Works in July/ August, where he will reprise his role as #AllTheMen, or as part of Shotgun Players’ staged reading of David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face in June.

NAILAH UNOLE DIDANAS’EA HARPERMALVEAUX (U/S LE-LE-WA’-

YOU/JANE) is a queer

multiracial director, performer and producer focused on transformative new work that creates space for radical community imagination. She is currently Crowded Fire’s Leader of Artistic Curation and Producing. Directing highlights include: the West Coast premiere of Edit Annie by Mary Glen Fredrick, the world premiere of Getting There by Dipika Guha, and The Light by Loy A. Webb. She has worked at Woolly Mammoth, Pasadena Playhouse, Williamstown Theater Festival, Berkeley Rep, Baltimore Center Stage, and American Conservatory Theater. She received her B.A. in American Studies and Theatre Studies from Yale University.

JAMES ARD (SOUND DESIGNER) is a

noisemaker with a focus on new works, live experiences, and immersive stage productions.

Recent theatrical Sound Design credits include Colonialism is Terrible but Phở is Delicious, This Much I Know, Exit Strategy, Dry Powder, The Royale (Aurora Theatre Company); Our Country (Octopus Theatricals / Under The Radar Festival / The Public Theater); Mrs. Christie (Theatreworks); This Is Who I Am (Playco / Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company / Guthrie Theater / Oregon Shakespeare Festival / American Repertory Theater); 9 Parts of Desire (Portland Center Stage); La Ronde, Utopia (Cutting Ball Theater); Wolf Play, A Small Fire, (Shotgun Players); Our Town (Center Repertory Company), Chinglish, Indecent (San Francisco Playhouse); Time of Change (Joe Goode Performance Group). Ard is a Resident Artist with both Golden Thread Productions and Crowded Fire Theater.

W. FRAN ASTORGA (DRAMATURG) is a dramaturg, playwright, and performer residing on Yelamu, Ramaytush Ohlone land (San Francisco, CA) whose artistic works center the well-being of the community and artistic 10

excellence by working to decolonize approaches, practices, and procedures that negatively impact folx from marginalized communities. Their writing leans into the experimental and immersive to inspire curiosity, engagement, action, and joy.

Astorga’s work has been commissioned by the Walls and Bridges Monologue Festival, InstaNovelas, and the Desert Playwrights’ Retreat. Their full-length play Exhaustion Arroyo: Dancin’ Trees in the Ravine was commissioned and produced as a reading by IN THE MARGIN, the National New Play Network, and B Street Theater in 2021, and later featured as a reading at the Latinx Theatre Common’s 2022 Comedy Carnaval and received its world premiere at CuttingBall Theater in 2023.

ASA BENALLY (COSTUME DESIGNER) is a

Citizen of the Navajo and Cherokee Nations.

The Rez Sisters (New Native Theater); 1939 (Stratford Festival); Whale Song, Devilfish (Perseverance Theater); Seven Minutes (Waterwell); Where We Belong (Woolly Mammoth Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, The Goodman Theater, The Public); Mrs. Warren’s Profession (The Gingold Group); Blues for an Alabama Sky (Keen Company, Drama Desk Nomination); Somewhere Over the Border (Syracuse Stage); Too Heavy For Your Pocket (George Street Playhouse); Skeleton Crew (Westport Country Playhouse); Father Comes Home… (Juilliard); Measure for Measure (The Public Theater Mobile Unit); Cymbeline (Yale Repertory Theater); The Taming of the Shrew, Measure for Measure (Frog and Peach Theater Co.); The Brobot Johnson Experience (The Bushwick Starr); Tricks the Devil Taught Me (Minetta Lane Theater); Coriolanus, The Seagull (Yale School of Drama); Whale Song (Perseverance Theater); Roberto Zucco (Yale Cabaret); The Winter’s Tale (HERE Arts Center). Training: M.F.A Yale School of Drama. B.F.A. Parsons School of Design.

Online: www.asabenally.com, Instagram: @Asa_Benally_Design

BROOKE COX (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is a director, writer, and stage manager from the Bay Area. She is delighted to be working on Manahatta for her first show with Aurora!

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. Some of their recent work includes designing props for

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Cymbeline at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and stage managing for The Triumph of Love and (trans)formada at Shotgun Players.

SHANNON R. DAVIS (DIRECTOR) is a Bay Area director, educator, & community connector originally from Wisconsin. She is a Queer woman of mixed Indigenous/Native descent. She has most recently been: in the Cal Shakes Artist Circle, a Visiting Professor at Saint Mary’s College, the Director of Community Connections at American Conservatory Theater, a Guest Artist/ Lecturer at UC-Berkeley, and a co-founder of Bay Area Native Theatre Artists as well as the Bay Area Accountability Workgroup. She holds an MFA in Directing & Acting from UW Madison. She’s worked with: New Native Theatre, SF Shakes, A.C.T., Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Aurora Theatre, Native Writers Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, American Indian Community House, Cal Shakes, Saint Mary’s, Anchorage Opera, Theatre of Yugen, Berkeley Rep, MoxieArts, StageWrite, Brava Theater, Theatre Battery, Ohio University: Tantrum Theatre, Ashland New Play Festival, PlayGround, Freestyle Love Supreme, Forward Theatre, UCBerkeley, Shotgun Players, TheaterWorks, Marin Shakespeare, Renaissance Theaterworks, Playwrights Foundation, & others. www.shannonrdavis.com JOY GONZALEZ (LEAD PROPS) is a prop

artisan based in Oakland, CA. She has a BFA in Sculpture from Cal State University Long Beach and a Technical Theatre Certificate from Diablo Valley College. She finished a year-long props internship at PCPA – Pacific Conservatory Theatre and is excited to be working with Aurora Theatre Company for the first time.

RAY GONZALEZ* (STAGE MANAGER) is excited to return to Aurora for their second production with the company. Ray has stage managed since 2009, with most notable credits including The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cirque du Soleil, and the American Ballet Theatre. Their most recent credits include Napa Valley Shakespeare’s Es Una Vida Maravillosa, and Aurora Theatre Company’s Hurricane Diane. Ray would like to thank Griffin for all of his love and support throughout the process.

NATALIE GREENE (MOVEMENT DIRECTOR) is an artist and educator working at the intersection of dance, theater, and community engagement.

Her research and pedagogy focus on bringing people together for embodied creative experiences that build a culture of consent.

Choreography and intimacy work previously seen at Aurora in Hurricane Diane, Cyrano, The Children, and Father/Daughter, and in productions at 42nd St. Moon, A.C.T., AlterTheater, Aurora Theater, Cal Shakes, Center Rep, Custom Made, Cutting Ball, Portland Center Stage, Shotgun Players, Stanford University, and more. Her dancetheater work has been presented by California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco Airport, ODC Theater, Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco City Hall, Danspace (NYC), and elsewhere. Natalie was the Artistic Director of the award-winning devised theater ensemble Mugwumpin, and is currently the Director of Education and Community Programs at American Conservatory Theater. Congrats and love to Shannon and the whole wonderful Manahatta team!

MARY KATHRYN NAGLE (PLAYWRIGHT) is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and an alum of the 2013 Public Theater Emerging Writers Group. Commissions include Arena Stage, Rose Theater, Portland Center Stage, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Yale Repertory Theatre, Round House Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and Santa Fe Opera. She is an attorney whose work focuses on the restoration of tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of Indian Nations to protect their women and children from domestic violence and sexual assault.

RAY OPPENHEIMER (LIGHTING DESIGNER) is a San Francisco Bay Area based lighting designer, technologist, media designer, educator, and creator who has been bringing his boundless curiosity, chimerical aesthetic, and sisyphean perseverance to live design, performance, and education since 2005. Ray graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in lighting design from San Francisco State University in the Fall of 2017. He is currently the lighting design lecturer for UC Berkeley’s Theatre Dance and Performance Studies department. He also is an active company member at Shotgun Players. Ray’s lighting design has previously been featured in Aurora Theatre Company’s 2020 production of The Children.

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WOLFGANG WACHALOVSKY (VIDEO

DESIGNER) works in lighting and video in

various different forms for performance. They started working with manipulating live video 10 years ago and their design work includes theatre and dance. Their video work was honored by Theatre Bay Area for their design on In Event of Moon Disaster that was produced with Mugwumpin. Wolfgang has worked in various capacities throughout the Bay Area including Shotgun Players, ACT, Magic Theater to name a few. They are currently the Director of Technical Production for an event lighting company, using their knowledge of lighting, video, and design to craft experiences.

DEANNA L. ZIBELLO (SCENIC DESIGNER) is proud to be making her Aurora Theatre debut.

Some of Deanna’s favorite productions include Daughters of Leda with UC Berkeley’s Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, also directed by Shannon R. Davis; Passage and The Pliant Girls with A.C.T. Conservatory (San Francisco); Arcadia with Shotgun Players (Berkeley); The Shipment, Mechanics Of Love, and Edith Can Shoot Things And Hit Them with Crowded Fire Theatre (San Francisco); MilkMilkLemonade with Impact Theatre (Berkeley); and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, This Is Modern Art, In The Heights, ...

And Jesus Moonwalks The Mississippi, and Cabaret, all with Saint Mary’s College of California, where she is currently an Associate Professor and Director of the Theatre Program.

Upcoming: Choir Boy at Shotgun Players, September 2024. Deanna lives in Lafayette with her husband and their elementary school-aged son.

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.

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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.

C R E AT I V E T E A M

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 antiracist, 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

Aurora at its finest. Kathleen is a local artist and David, who served nine years on the Aurora board (two as its president), still works as a high school English teacher.

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

FIRST REHEARSAL AT-A-GLANCE

GERTRUDE ALLEN (ASSOCIATE SPONSOR) has been a supporter and subscriber for over twenty years. The plays are cutting edge or old time classics - a good mix.

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.

DAVID WOOD & KATHLEEN GARRISON

(EXECUTIVE SPONSOR) are longtime Berkeley

residents and theater goers, have supported the Aurora theater since its inception. They have seen stage productions all over the English speaking world, none better than the

Top and Middle: the Cast Bottom: Deanna L. Zibello (L) and Shannon R. Davis (R) Photos by Alandra Hileman

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DONORS

ANNUAL FUND DONORS

Aurora Theatre Company 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 January 31st, 2024.

PARTNER

$50,000 + Nina K. Auerbach

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 Gertrude Evans Allen Kay & Ed Blonz Thomas W. Edwards & Rebecca Parlette-Edwards Barbara Forsstrom Luna Foundation Tamra C. Hege Margaret & Matt Jacobson Helen Marcus Maris & Ivan D. Meyerson Ed & Liliane Schneider Alison Teeman & Michael Yovino-Young

FRIEND

$1,500-$4,999 Anonymous Alan Harper & Carol Baird Diana Cohen & Bill Falik Dean Francis Sandra & Richard Gilbert Bonnie & Earl Hamlin Lyn C. Isbell Miriam John Karen Hobbs & Mark R. Lillge 14

Karen & John McGuinn Adrian Borrero & David Nalley Margo & Roy Ogus Hillary & Jonathan Reinis Joan Emery & Eddy Rubin Deborah Dashow Ruth Valerie Sopher Sam Test Sallie Weissinger

NEIGHBOR

$100-$1,499 Anonymous (10) 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 James Helman & Josephine Bellaccomo Marilyn Beller Alicia Benito Paula Hughmanick & Steven Berger Wendy & Robert Bergman 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 Alexander Byron Patricia Cahill 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 Costello Michael & Melissa A M Costello Lawrence R. Cotter Jane & Tom Coulter Gary & Diana Cramer Te Smith & Dennis Cress Ann O’Connor & Edward Cullen Clytia & Joseph M. Curley Sue & Joe Daly Venus & Narsai David Mary Hope Dean Karen & Jean-Pierre Deshayes Sharon Dolan Susan Driscoll Tammerlin Drummond John Ehrlich Roger & Jane Emanuel Carol Emory Margery Eriksson William Espey & Margaret Hart Edwards

DONORS

Merle & Michael Fajans The Leo J. & Celia Carlin Fund Falk Family Fund Sandra R. Farkas Barry David Feiner Claudia H. Fenelon Karin L. Fetherston James & Jessica 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 Mark Aaronson & Marjorie Gelb Giedra Gershman Heidi Giordano 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 Dixie & Clifford Hersh Nancy Friedman & Terry Hill Mark A. Hoffman Wade & Jane Hughan Nolan R. Hughes & Darcy A. Hughes Gary & Carol Irwin 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 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 Leavitt Family Fund Leslie Radin & Nic Leo Joseph Jackson & Joann Leskovar Jill & Ray L’Esperance Sandra Lessing Henry Levy Jennifer S. Lindsay Bonnie Burt & Mark Liss Eugenia Loken Mimi Wheiping Lou Antonia Lozon Peter Luk Jonathan Luskin Robert & Johanna Mandel 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

Miriam Morgan Mike & Sharon Morris Sue Morris Karen Mullarkey Rosenthal-Murphy Family Trust Rachel & Ron Nissim Russell Nelson Bob Guilbault & Molly G. Noble Joan Sullivan & Walter Norton Thomas O’Brien 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 Caroline Purves Ingrid J. Madsen & Victor Rauch Leonard Gabriele & John Richardson Helen Rigby, Dramarama Theater Tours Ann Riley Maxine E. Risley William Martin Roberts Steve & Linda Rosen Paula Rosenthal David Rovno M.D. Yvonne Lalanne & Mark M. Rubenstein Joshua Miele & Elizabeth Ruhland John Ruskin Diane & Ed Ryken Claire De Chazal & Francisco Santamarina Thomas A. Savignano Laurie Shapley

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DONORS

Sue Sheftel Marsha Silberstein Barbara Silverberg Harriet Simpson 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 Richard Sterling Stephen van Meter & Joann Stewart Bonnie Stiles Jay Atkinson & Ariel Summerlin Mark Chaitkin & P. Cecilia Storr Jane & Jay Taber Lisa Taylor Helaina Titus Revan & Elsa Tranter Shirley & Michael Traynor Laurel I Schaefer Trent Marcia & David Vastine 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 Linda & Steve Wolan 16

Viviana Wolinsky Andy Steinberg & Laurie Wolkow Sally Woolsey

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 China Brotsky Barbara & Gerald 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 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 Judith Kunitz Dottie Langthorn Loren Dean Linnard Pat Manley Elene Z. Manolis Wendy Markel John Golding & Martin Mass Katherine McKenzie Penny Mikesell Sarah Nell Morgan Bergit Mueller Dirk Neyhart Philip O’Brien Thomas Owen Celena Peet Jack & Jessica Powell Chip Rice Josh Rotenberg Vickie Rozell Lewis & Gail Rubman Neal Shorstein Anne Sigmon Brian E. Spencer Susan Stanley Carl Stein Laurence R. Stevens Anne & Douglas Stewart Bhuma Subramaniam 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 Paul L. Wyman 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 *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 January 31st, 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 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 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 Roberta Brooks

Samuela Evans 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!

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For tickets & info: centralworks.org 510.558.1381

SHOTGUN PLAYERS

WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIRECTED BY

WILLIAM THOMAS HODGSON PERFORMANCES START MARCH 16 TICKETS at SHOTGUNPLAYERS.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.

AURORA DINING PARTNERS

CONFRONTING & DISMANTLING OPPRESSION

Eating out before or after the show?

Check out one of our Dining Partners for special offers to Aurora’s patrons!

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

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 19

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER I N AS S O C I AT I O N W I T H

SEASON PRODUCERS: Michael Golden & Michael Levy, Robert Holgate, Lowell Kimble, Ted Tucker EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Gary Demyen & Les Partridge, Alan Mattacola, Bev Scott & Courtney, Jim Taul & Dave Hopmann PRODUCERS: Annie Fisher, Maurice Kelly & Eric Jansen, Deb Mosk & Debra Shapiro, Ken Prag & Steve Collins

WORLD PREMIERE COMMISSION

World Premiere Commission

By Lambda Literary Award-Winner

Jewelle Gomez

Directed by Kimberly Ridgeway

“GOMEZ IS A REAL STORYTELLER, MAYBE ONE OF OUR BEST!”-BAY AREA REPORTER

APR 1-MAY 8, MAR 1-31, 2024 2022

OUR

TICKETS AT NCTCSF.ORG BOX OFFICE: 415.861.8972 25 VAN NESS AT MARKET ST.

2024/2025 SEASON IS ALMOST HERE!

More information on our next season is coming soon!

Be the first to know by subscribing to receive emails and following us on social media.

facebook instagram globe @ auroratheatrecompany Gianna DiGregorio Rivera and Patrick Kelly Jones in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Photos by David Allen.

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

AURORA STAFF

USHER COORDINATOR

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Josh Costello

Linda Wu

Felicity Cowlin

AURORA PRODUCTION STAFF

Kat Demith

Tiffany Hernandez Alberto

Robin Dolan

Thiago Dias De Andrade

Eli Harris

Emma Buechner

Alandra Hileman

Lev Collins

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

Roman JohnDoza

Sophia Craven

O+G ARTISTS

Darrel De La Rosa

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

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TECHNICAL DIRECTOR CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST MARKETING SPECIALIST ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE MANAGER

Dayna Kalakau

SENIOR DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Dee Miranda

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Jenn Ruygt

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Nicole Elise Schulz

ELECTRICIAN CARPENTER

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR SCENIC PAINTER

LX PROGRAMMER

SOUND TECHNICIAN

Janice Gartin

COSTUME CREW

Adriana Gutierrez STITCHER

Cindy Ngu

CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR

COSTUME SHOP & WARDROBE SUPPORT

BOX OFFICE MANAGER

COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISOR

David Shultz

Ashley Renee

Molly Van Der Molen

Taylor Ryan Rivers

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE

BOX OFFICE ASSOCIATES

Venee Call-Ferrer Zola Hanson HOUSE MANAGERS

Lisa Klein Michael Mansfield Melissa Scheulin Linda Wu

ELECTRICIAN

Becca Salsburg-Frank LEAD CARPENTER

CASTING DIRECTORS

The Casting Collective Kieran Beccia FOUNDERS

Dorothy Bryant Marge Glicksman Ken Grantham Barbara Oliver Richard Rossi

SHOW ARTWORK BY

Eddie Colla VIDEOGRAPHY BY

Flying Moose Pictures SPECIAL THANKS TO

Hotel Shattuck Curtis Zunigha

FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

Barbara Oliver Tom Ross

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 22

COMING UP NEXT

STARTS

BY TANYA BARFIELD DIRECTED BY DARRYL V. JONES

APR 19

Tanya Barfield’s two-man play, Blue Door, puts Lewis, a high-achieving Black mathematics professor, in conversation with three generations of his ancestors over the course of a fevered dream or night of sleepless delusion as he wrestles with his own sense of self and cultural identity. Estranged from his white wife, who accuses him of being out of touch with his heritage for refusing to attend the Million Man March, Lewis must journey through the past in order to determine his future. The ancestral visitations he receives call upon joy and pain, suffering and resiliency, music and song to situate Lewis in a long lineage of Black men in America from enslavement and Jim Crow to Black Power.

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION 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

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 their own ticket.

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2023/2024 INTIMATE. INCLUSIVE. INSPIRING.

GET IN.

DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LAST 2 SHOWS OF THE SEASON!

†

T I C K E T S O N S A L E AT A U R O R AT H E AT R E . O R G O R C A L L 5 1 0. 8 4 3 . 4 0 4 2

B AY A REA P REM I ERE

BY Tanya Barfield

DIRECTED BY Darryl V. Jones

APR 19 - MAY 19, 2024

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

JUN 21 - JUL 21, 2024