The Berkeley Rep Magazine 2017–18 · Issue 7
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Heidi Schreck and Oliver Butler discuss politics over guacamole 17 · The program for What the Constitution Means to Me 23 THE BERKELEY REP MAGAZINE 2017–18 · ISSUE 7 CM_program.indd 1 4/13/18 3:27 PM Beverley Calvo, joined in 2011 Living LARGER Moving to a smaller apartment meant giving up a lot. Or so Beverley thought. But she found out smaller meant smarter. When Beverley moved to St. Paul’s Towers, the East Bay’s most appealing Life Plan Community, she realized that minimizing meant maximizing. She could do more, enjoy more, and found our spacious, maintenance-free apartment homes to be a perfect fit. With wonderfully prepared menu options, Wi-Fi, and an expanding choice of amenities, Beverley has the freedom to explore her newest love—acting. See why 94% of our residents highly recommend living here. To learn more, or for your personal visit, please call 510.891.8542. 100 Bay Place Oakland, CA 94610 stpaulstowers-esc.org A not-for-profit community owned and operated by Episcopal Senior Communities. License No. 011400627 COA #92 EPSP754-01WD 100116 CM_program.indd 2 4/13/18 3:27 PM IN THIS ISSUE BERKELEY REP PRESENTS WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME · 23 MEET THE CAST & CREW · 24 PROLOGUE A letter from the artistic director · 5 Connect with us online! A letter from the managing director · 7 Visit our website berkeleyrep.org facebook.com/ @berkeleyrep You can buy tickets and plan your visit, berkeleyrep watch videos, sign up for classes, donate to vimeo.com/ @berkeleyrep REPORTS the Theatre, and explore Berkeley Rep. berkeleyrep Opening night and election day: berkeleyrep. berkeleyrep An interview with Eddie Kurtz · 11 We’re mobile! tumblr.com A collegial network: Cultivating Download our free iPhone or Google Play app —or visit our mobile site —to buy tickets, read relationships on Corporate Council · 14 the buzz, watch videos, and plan your visit. The Marge Grants keep staff working at the top of their game · 15 Considerations FEATURES Only beverages in cans, cartons, or cups with You are welcome to take a closer look, but The Origin Story · 16 lids are allowed in the house. Food is prohibited please don’t step onto the stage or touch in the house. the props. Heidi Schreck and Oliver Butler discuss politics over guacamole · 17 Smoking and the use of e-cigarettes is prohibited Any child who can quietly sit in their own by law on Berkeley Rep’s property. seat for a full performance is welcome at Notes on women’s rights and the Berkeley Rep. Please inquire if you have amendments to the Constitution · 19 Please keep perfume to a minimum. Many questions about content or language. All patrons are sensitive to the use of perfumes attendees must be ticketed: please, no and other scents. babes in arms. CONTRIBUTORS Please make sure your cell phone or watch alarm If you leave during the performance, we may Foundation, corporate, and in-kind sponsors · 30 will not beep. Use of recording equipment or taking not be able to reseat you until an appropriate Individual donors to the Annual Fund · 31 of photographs of the show is strictly prohibited. break. You may watch the remainder of the act on a lobby or bar screen. Michael Leibert Society · 33 ABOUT BERKELEY REP THE BERKELEY REP MAGAZINE 2017–18 · ISSUE 7 Staff, board of trustees, and sustaining advisors ·34 The Berkeley Rep Magazine Editor Writers Contact Berkeley Rep is published at least seven times Karen McKevitt James Dinneen Box Office: 510 647-2949 per season. Sarah Rose Leonard Groups (10+): 510 647-2918 Art Director Karen McKevitt Admin: 510 647-2900 For local advertising inquiries, Nora Merecicky Arielle Rubin School of Theatre: 510 647-2972 please contact Pamela Webster at Graphic Designer Click berkeleyrep.org 510 590-7091 or Email [email protected] [email protected]. Kendall Markley Cover and above: Heidi Schreck (photo by Christian Peacock) 2017–18 · ISSUE 7 · THE BERKELEY REP MAGAZINE · 3 CM_program.indd 3 4/13/18 3:27 PM May 2018 Volume 50, No. 7 Paul Heppner Publisher Susan Peterson Design & Production Director Ana Alvira, Robin Kessler, Stevie VanBronkhorst Production Artists and Graphic Design Mike Hathaway Sales Director Amelia Heppner, Marilyn Kallins, Terri Reed San Francisco/Bay Area Account Executives Brieanna Bright, Joey Chapman, Ann Manning Seattle Area Account Executives Carol Yip Sales Coordinator Paul Heppner President Mike Hathaway Vice President Kajsa Puckett Vice President, Marketing & Business Development Genay Genereux Accounting & Office Manager Shaun Swick Senior Designer & Digital Lead Barry Johnson Digital Engagement Specialist Ciara Caya Customer Service Representative & Administrative Assistant Corporate Office 425 North 85th Street Seattle, WA 98103 p 206.443.0445 f 206.443.1246 [email protected] 800.308.2898 x105 www.encoremediagroup.com Encore Arts Programs is published monthly by Encore Media Group to serve musical and theatrical events in the Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay Areas. All rights reserved. ©2018 Encore Media Group. Reproduction without written permission is prohibited. 4 · THE BERKELEY REP MAGAZINE · 2017–18 · ISSUE 7 CM_program.indd 4 4/13/18 3:27 PM PROLOGUE from the Artistic Director Like most people, I learned about the basic princi- ples of American government in grade school. The Constitu- tion of the United States, along with its romantic sibling the Declaration of Independence and the slightly younger Bill of Rights, was required reading, and the words and ideas embed- ded in the document quickly became not only part of my un- derstanding of how government works, but life itself. Its stated intention, “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,” is nothing short of inspiring. The bulk of the text that follows is relatively straightforward. The concepts shockingly simple. The symmetry profound. Even for a seventh grader, the architecture and intent of the Constitution is mightily impressive. But from the fierce battle that marked its initial ratification in 1788, the Constitu- tion has been the source of relentless scrutiny and divisive arguments. Politicians of every kind have used it to bolster their positions. Pundits and television commentators refer to the Founding Fathers as if they were personal relatives. And the federal courts parse over the interpretation of every word in an effort to apply its original wisdom to current law. In spite of the clarity of the original document, an endless number of complications have arisen over its interpretation. As history has unfolded and social conditions change, as different generations have embraced different values, and as the world tries to grapple with rapidly changing economic and political developments, the arguments over what the Constitution means grow louder and louder. So what does the Constitution mean to you? Heidi Schreck’s bright new play provides a theatrical forum for us to re-imagine that question. Using an essay she wrote when she was in high school and her experience as a successful debater, Heidi re-creates a competition with a young, female student. Together they argue a press- ing legal question that impacts their lives, including an entire section that is entirely improvised right in front of us. In doing so they celebrate a central principle of our democracy: participation. It’s a thrilling experience, made only more important by our dire, current political situa- tion and the need for all of us to grapple with our essential beliefs and to force them into consciousness. For in addition to being entertaining and engaging, this play is a celebration of the three most powerful words in our political history: “We the people.” So glad you could be here to take part. Sincerely, Tony Taccone 2017–18 · ISSUE 7 · THE BERKELEY REP MAGAZINE · 5 CM_program.indd 5 4/13/18 3:27 PM CM_program.indd 6 4/13/18 3:27 PM PROLOGUE from the Managing Director A few months ago I was so delighted to see a Reach Your Highest copy of the Constitution on sale at an airport bookstore Business Potential right next to the sales registers. I bought one copy with the • Make getting reviews a breeze fervent hope that every other customer was doing the same • Show up higher in search results thing. Revisiting that remarkable document, I was awed by its • Appear in “near me” searches aspirational nature and surprised by both the breadth of what it does include and the reminder of what is not included. And www.real.review it was such a good reminder of the necessity of clearly stating those ideas and goals that we hold dear. The timeliness of Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me is striking for its commentary on the national political climate. Heidi connects the dots be- tween intention and impact as it relates to the most important principles of our coun- try. But her play is also timely for Berkeley Rep in that it comes as we are revisiting Proud to our own foundational documents. Given Berkeley Rep’s leadership continuity—Tony Taccone has been here for Support over 30 years (first as associate artistic director, then the artistic director), and I’ve been here for almost as long —it has been a while since we’ve reexamined our mis- Berkeley Rep sion statement and values. In all those years we’ve strived to honor our mission and live by a set of values, even if we haven’t spent much time talking about them. But as our board has set out in search of the Theatre’s next artistic director, it has been time to revisit our foundations, examine what remains true to who we are, jettison what we aren’t, and articulate the values we aim to live by.