Photos: THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH is Rehearsal at Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Berkeley Repertory Theatre is now presenting the world premiere of The Thing About Jellyfish, performing at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre. Performances run through Sunday, March 9, 2025. Check out rehearsal photos below! 

During the final week of summer vacation, 12-year-old Suzy Swanson is devastated to learn that her Best Friend, Franny, has drowned. Struggling to comprehend this tragic loss, Suzy retreats into her imagination, embarking on journeys around the globe, diving into the ocean's deepest realms, and pondering the enigmas of distant, collapsed stars. Based on the novel by Ali Benjamin, adapted for the stage by Keith Bunin, The Thing About Jellyfish is directed by Tyne Rafaeli. This visually stunning and deeply moving coming-of-age story delves into love, loss, friendship, and the boundless resilience of the human spirit and invites audiences on a journey that transcends the boundaries of grief and illuminates the resilience within us all.

The Thing About Jellyfish features Matilda Lawler (HBO’s “Station Eleven” and “The Gilded Age,” The Ferryman on Broadway) in the role of Suzy. She is joined by Jasper Bermudez, Cassidy Brown, Christiana Clark, Sydney Walker Freeman, Andy Grotelueschen, Maxwell Hamilton, Stephanie Janssen, Colby Kipnes, Lexi Perkel, Rebecca Schweitzer, Robert Stanton, Kayla Teruel, and Antonio Watson (listed alphabetically).