Photo Flash: Get A First Look At FAIRVIEW at Berkeley Rep

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Berkeley Repertory Theatre's production of Fairview. Written by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Sarah Benson, with choreography by Raja Feather Kelly, the world premiere production comes straight to Berkeley Rep from a critically acclaimed New York run. Previews began on Thursday, October 4 with regular run of the show opening on Thursday, October 11 and continuing through Sunday, November 4. Individual tickets begin at $30 ($15 if you're under 35) and can be purchased online at berkeleyrep.org or by phone at 510 647-2949.

A co-commission by Berkeley Rep and Soho Rep., the play was developed as part of The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work.

"I can't wait for our audiences to experience Fairview, a groundbreaking piece that subverts our expectations at every turn," says Artistic Director Tony Taccone. "Jackie Sibblies Drury's mastery of her craft is astonishing. As directed by the expert Sarah Benson, Fairview takes us on a wild, funny, surprising ride that leaves us unsettled in the best way, mulling over the ethics of perception and its impacts on the lives of Black Americans."

Among the recent American plays examining racial division, the New York Times notes how this play stands out: "Fairview is a galvanizing addition to this gallery. It is also a glorious, scary reminder of the unmatched power of live theater to rattle, roil and shake us wide awake."

Fairview begins simply enough: It's Grandma's birthday, and Beverly needs the family's celebration to be perfect. But her husband is no help, her brother hasn't arrived, and her teenage daughter may be in trouble. What's more, they are being watched...and judged. Soon, the attitudes and assumptions of these watchers begin to manifest in the family's celebration, forcing them to fight for their very identities.