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[email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BERKELEY REP’S OVATION GALA: IMAGINE CELEBRATES THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS SCHOOL OF THEATRE Event hosted by School of Theatre alum and current Saturday Night Live cast member Chloe Fineman Grammy Award nominees The Avett Brothers and Oscar winner and Bay Area native Tom Hanks scheduled to appear April 30, 2021 – On Saturday, June 5 Berkeley Repertory Theatre invites guests to OVATION: Imagine, an evening to honor the 20th anniversary of its School of Theatre and to celebrate the anticipated reopening of its doors this fall. The event will be hosted by Chloe Fineman, a School of Theatre alum and a current cast member of Saturday Night Live. OVATION will feature an evening of exclusive performances from Grammy Award nominees The Avett Brothers, whose music is featured in Berkeley Rep’s upcoming production of Swept Away. This world premiere musical stars Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr., who will also perform at the June 5 Gala. Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza, who is currently starring in the Theatre’s first musical film venture, The Waves in Quarantine, is also scheduled to perform. Attendees will experience a few other sneak peeks of the upcoming season, including the world premiere production of Goddess with an appearance by Amber Iman, and a performance by Kuhoo Verma who will be seen next season in Octet. Bay Area native Tom Hanks will round out the star-studded evening. The livestream of OVATION is free to all who RSVP at berkeleyrep.org/ovation.