Michael Storm Becomes Artistic Director Of TheaterFIRST

Long-time East Bay-based actor and director Michael Storm will take over as Artistic Director of TheatreFIRST with immediate effect. "We are absolutely delighted," said Artistic Director Emeritus Clive Chafer of the results of the search for a new leader. "Michael is completely committed to furthering the interests of theatre in the East Bay, and to establishing a viable and sustainable professional company for Oakland. He is a great choice to take this company to the next stage in its development," said Paul Sugarman, Board Vice-President.

Michael has been acting, directing and teaching theatre in the Bay Area for over 18 years. Most recently, he directed The Hermit Bird for Virago Theatre and appeared as Pericles at San Francisco Shakespeare Festival last summer. For the past 3 years, he has been an Associate Artist and Education Director for San Jose Stage Company, where he directed Beckett Shorts and Every Christmas Story Ever Told. He has worked locally with The American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Festival, Pacific ALLIANCE THEATRE Company, Napa Valley Repertory Theatre, California Conservatory Theatre, and Solano Repertory, among others. He was born in Berkeley and grew up in southern California until his family relocated back to the Bay Area in 1980. In 1984 he graduated from Encinal High in Alameda and left for the University of California at Irvine where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Drama Minor. He immediately returned to the Bay Area upon graduating, to begin his professional career in theatre, and has been a resident of Oakland and Alameda for over 25 years. Michael will immediately begin work programming the company's 2009-10 season, and working on the vexed question of finding TheatreFIRST a permanent home in Oakland.

Meanwhile, TheatreFIRST is preparing to open Harold Pinter's Old Times at the Gaia Arts Center in downtown Berkeley, with L. Peter Callender playing the role of Deeley. As rehearsals pass the halfway mark, all signs are that this will be a powerful rendition of one of Pinter's most intriguing and challenging dramas. Under the direction of up-and-coming Bay Area director Susannah Martin, who will go on to direct The Three Sisters at Porchlight Theatre and The Threepenny Opera at Shotgun Players later this year, the cast is unraveling this extraordinary play to reveal its full, multi-layered complexity and power. L. Peter Callender's strong presence will bring an intensity to the three-way power struggle at the heart of this tense chamber piece which it lacks when staged in larger, less intimate surroundings. He will be joined onstage by TheatreFIRST newcomers Julia McNeal and Zehra Berkman, whose depth of performance experience will add further to the audience's enjoyment of this rarely played, but critically acclaimed work.

Pre-sales have been strong, and the company has therefore added an additional performance to the original schedule, a matinée on Saturday, April 18, the final day of the scheduled run.

TheatreFIRST looks forward to welcoming the press to Opening Night of Old Times on April 4, and to announcing its upcoming season in July of this year.

Production details:
Old Times by Harold Pinter
Directed by Susannah Martin

Featuring: L. Peter Callender*, Julia McNeal* and Zehra Berkman.
(*Members, Actors' Equity Association)

Dates and location:
Gaia Arts Center
2120 Allston Way (at Shattuck), Berkeley
Preview: Thursday, April 2nd - 8pm
(Note: no performance, Friday, April 3rd.)
Opening: Saturday, April 4th - 8pm - Press welcome!
Run: Wednesday - Saturday 8pm, through April 18th
Matinee: Saturday, April 18, 3pm

Location is wheelchair accessible.

Ticket prices: Wednesday, Thursday $23; Friday, Saturday $28; Preview $10
Under 25's: Always half price.
Seniors, students, TBA members: $3 discount
Pay what you can: Wednesday, April 8th.

Box Office: 1-800-838-3006 or BrownPaperTickets.com
Information: www.theatrefirst.com or 510 436 5085

 

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