Berkeley Rep Celebrates Two Of Their Productions Hitting The Broadway Stage

Even as the world premiere of Green Day's American Idiot takes the Roda Theatre by storm, Berkeley Repertory Theatre celebrates bringing two shows to Broadway that were developed on the same stage. Earlier this week, at Studio 54, Artistic Director Tony Taccone began previews for Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking, which officially opens on October 4. And, next month at the Lyceum, Associate Artistic Director Les Waters stages Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room (or the vibrator play) with his original design team and a cast led by Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti and Broadway veteran Michael Cerveris.

"This is certainly a busy and exciting time for us," Taccone remarks. "We are proud that the adventurous work we do at Berkeley Rep continues to attract national attention and pleased to share these shows with a wider audience. We're grateful that our community shares our commitment to develop new work and to permit artists to take creative risks. And we appreciate the trust placed in us by the many partners who made it possible to bring these shows to Broadway. I look forward to opening Wishful Drinking here at Studio 54, and wish Les and Sarah the best for their collaboration with Lincoln Center Theater."

During its extended run at Berkeley Rep last year, Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking won critical acclaim, set box office records, and delighted theatregoers night after night. Then it became a New York Times bestseller and played for sold-out crowds on a six-city national tour. Tony Taccone made his Broadway debut in 2006 with Sarah Jones' Tony Award-winning Bridge & Tunnel; now he returns with another outrageous solo show. Wishful Drinking is playing a limited run at Studio 54, produced by Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Jonathan Reinis, Jamie Cesa, Eva Price, and Berkeley Rep. The production continues to feature scenery, lighting, and projections by local designer Alexander V. Nichols. It started previews on September 22, opens October 4, and is scheduled to close on January 3, 2010.

In 2007, Sarah Ruhl and Les Waters brought Eurydice from Berkeley Rep to an extended off-Broadway run. Then the Theatre commissioned a fresh script from the young writer, a comedy about marriage, intimacy, and electricity called In the Next Room (or the vibrator play). The Obie Award-winning director staged its world premiere in the Roda earlier this year; now both artists enjoy their Broadway debuts when Lincoln Center Theater presents the show at the Lyceum. The creative team remains intact for the Broadway production with sets by Annie Smart, costumes by David Zinn, lights by Russell H. Champa, sound by Bray Poor, and original music by Jonathan Bell. In the Next Room features Laura Benanti (Gypsy, Into the Woods, Swing!) as Mrs. Givings and Michael Cerveris (Assassins, Sweeney Todd, The Who's Tommy) as Dr. Givings. Maria Dizzia, who portrayed the title character in Eurydice, reprises her role as Mrs. Daldry alongside Thomas Jay Ryan, who performed at Berkeley Rep last year when Waters staged the American premiere of Will Eno's TRAGEDY: a tragedy. The cast also showcases Quincy Tyler Bernstine as Elizabeth, Wendy Rich Stetson as Annie, and Chandler Williams as Leo Irving. In the Next Room begins previews on October 22 and opens November 19.

In the last four years, four shows have moved from Berkeley Rep to Broadway - including Bridge & Tunnel (2006) and Passing Strange (2008) - and the Theatre has helped send 12 shows to New York in the last 12 years. This list of hits also includes Danny Hoch's Taking Over (2008), Ruhl's Eurydice (2007), Tony Kushner and Maurice Sendak's Brundibar (2006), Naomi Iizuka's 36 Views (2002), Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses (2001), Hoch's Jails, Hospitals & Hip-Hop (1998), Anne Galjour's Alligator Tales (1997), and Philip Kan Gotanda's Ballad of Yachiyo (1997). In fact, Berkeley Rep's devotion to creating new work has delivered 18 shows to Manhattan in the last 22 years - and the Theatre has upped the ante by promising to commission dozens of new plays by 2013.

Known for its core values of innovation and excellence, as well as its educated and adventurous audience, Berkeley Rep provides a safe haven for emerging and established artists to explore new ideas. In 1968, during its inaugural season, the Theatre staged its first premiere - and it has presented 52 world premieres, 38 West Coast premieres, and four American premieres in its history. In the last five years alone, Berkeley Rep has invested more than $1 million in new play development. Writers currently under commission include David Adjmi, Glen Berger, Marcus Gardley, Rinne Groff, JorDan Harrison, Naomi Iizuka, Dan LeFranc, Tarell McCraney, Dominic Orlando, and Stew and Heidi Rodewald. Through important new voices such as these - and daring initiatives such as this one - Berkeley Rep will continue to introduce inventive, intelligent, and relevant new material into the repertoire of American theatre

Tickets for Wishful Drinking range from $31.50 to $111.50 and are available now from the Roundabout box office at (212) 719-1300 or roundabouttheatre.org. Studio 54 is located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Fisher performs Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 PM with Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM.

Tickets for In the Next Room, priced from $46.50 to $96.50, go on sale on October 4 at (212) 239-6200 or telecharge.com. The Lyceum Theater is located at 149 West 45th Street in Manhattan, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue. The show will be performed Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 PM, and Sundays at 3:00 PM.

See tomorrow's plays today at Berkeley Rep. Subscribe now for the 2009/10 Season, which features seven daring new shows: the world premiere of American Idiot from Green Day and Michael Mayer, the world premiere of Girlfriend from Todd Almond and Matthew Sweet, the world premiere of Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West from Naomi Iizuka and Les Waters, the world premiere of The Wake from Lisa Kron and Leigh Silverman, the West Coast premiere of Tiny Kushner from Tony Kushner and Tony Taccone, and local debuts for Athol Fugard's Coming Home and Aurélia's Oratorio. For details, call (510) 647-2949 or toll-free at (888) 4-BRT-tix - or simply click berkeleyrep.org.

Photo credit Walter McBride