PALACE WRECKERS, INC. Comes to Berkeley City Club This Spring

Central Works 2018 season of new plays leaps into the spring with the world premiere of Palace Wreckers, Inc, written and directed by Gary Graves, opening with a press night on Saturday, May 12, and running through June 10 (previews May 10 & 11) in architect Julia Morgan's historic Berkeley City Club. This Central Works Method play is a "revenge comedy" - based on a Greek tragedy, turned into a contemporary comedy.

The Central Works Method brings together writer, actors and director at the very outset of the playwriting process. In a supportive workshop environment, group research and collective brainstorming contribute to the entire development of the script. Palace Wreckers, Inc features a cast that includes John Patrick Moore (member AEA), Regina Morones, Khary Moye and Jan Zvaifler. The production has stage management by Vanessa Ramos, costumes by Tammy Berlin, sound by Gregory Scharpen, and props by Debbie Shelley.

Palace Wreckers, Inc is a "revenge comedy" based on the Oresteia by Aeschylus - the play Hamlet is based on, more or less - but funny. An old house, once a mansion, out in the high desert of Nevada is surrounded by a junkyard. It's a family owned auto wrecking yard called Palace Wrecking, Inc., because in better days the old house used to be called "The Palace." Oresteez, a prodigal son of sorts, returns home. He has a new plan for the business that he wants to present to his father. But his mother greets him with some sad news: his father is dead. They're not exactly sure how he died. There was some sort of accident? And Dad's old business partner is running the place now ... and living in the house. Then, upon encountering his wild and free-spirited (aka "crazy") sister, he learns that she believes that Mom and her new housemate murdered Dad. And she wants revenge! How does she know this? Well, she has no proof. She just knows it. So, what's our prodigal son to do?

The Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley. Performances: Thurs, Fri & Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 5 pm. Ticket prices: $30-$35 online at centralworks.org, $35-$15 sliding scale at the door. Previews and Thursdays: available seats are pay-what-you-can at the door. Tickets & info: 510.558.1381 or centralworks.org

Gary Graves (playwright/director) has been a resident playwright and company co-director at Central Works since 1998. He has been a part of developing 58 world premiere productions with the company, many of which he has either written and/or directed. Some of the other productions he has both written and directed for the company include Edward King, Machiavelli's The Prince, An Anonymous Story by Anton Chekhov, Lola Montez, Enemy Combatant, The Mysterious Mr. Looney, Misanthrope, Mata Hari, and Pyrate Story. He directed the company's first collaboratively developed script, Roux, at the City Club in 1997. He also leads the Central Works Playwriting Program, and he teaches playwriting regularly at the Berkeley Rep School of Theater.

For over 27 years Central Works has filled a special niche for theater artists in the San Francisco Bay Area, producing more new plays by local playwrights than any other company in the region. "The New Play Theater" utilizes three basic strategies: some are developed in the Central Works Writers Workshop, some are products of the Central Works Method, and some come to the company fully developed.

The Central Works Method brings together writer, actors and director at the very outset of the playwriting process. In a supportive workshop environment, group research and collective brainstorming contribute to the entire development of the script.

The Central Works Writers Workshop is an ongoing commissioning program established in 2012. Twice a year, in 12-week sessions, 8 local playwrights are selected to develop projects through informal readings and carefully directed discussions. For more information, visit our website: www.centralworks.org.

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