BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE

MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS: BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE OPENED ITS 2024/25 SEASON WITH THE WEST COAST PREMIERE OF THE ELECTRIFYING LIVE-LOOPED MUSICAL "MEXODUS" FROM MULTITALENTED CREATORS BRIAN QUIJADA AND NYGEL D. ROBINSON, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED OFF-BROADWAY, FOLLOWED BY THE WEST COAST PREMIERES OF MARY ZIMMERMAN'S "THE MATCHBOX MAGIC FLUTE AND JOCELYN BIOH'S "JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING." IN FEBRUARY 2025, WE DEBUTED THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH," A VISUALLY STUNNING ADAPTATION BY KEITH BUNIN OF ALI BENJAMIN'S NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL, ALONGSIDE CONOR MCPHERSON'S ACCLAIMED ADAPTATION OF ANTON CHEKOV CLASSIC "UNCLE VANYA" FEATURING HUGH BONNEVILLE IN THE TITLE ROLE. "UNCLE VANYA" WAS A HUGE HIT WITH BERKELEY REP'S AUDIENCES, BREAKING THE HOUSE RECORD FOR (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THE PEET'S THEATRE. IN APRIL, WE FOLLOWED UP WITH ANOTHER PLAY THAT RESONATED DEEPLY WITH AUDIENCES, WELCOMING TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT'S "HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES" BY MOISES KAUFMAN AND AMANDA GRONICH ONTO OUR RODA THEATRE STAGE. TO CLOSE OUT THE SEASON, WE PRODUCED THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "THE AVES," A NEW PLAY BY JIEHAE PARK. ALONGSIDE THESE PRODUCTIONS, BERKELEY REP PRESENTED SPECIAL LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS OF COMEDIAN W. KAMAU BELL WITH HIS NEW SHOW "WHO'S WITH ME AND DRAG SUPERSTAR SASHA VELOUR WITH HER SHOW "THE BIG REVEAL LIVE SHOW." OVER THE 352 INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES, BERKELEY REP WELCOMED 8,382 SUBSCRIBERS (A 4% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS SEASON) AND A TOTAL OF 123,991 AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

BERKELEY REP SCHOOL OF THEATRE: MARKING 40 YEARS OF ARTS EDUCATION AT BERKELEY REP, IN 2024/25, OUR SCHOOL OF THEATRE SERVED OVER 13,000 YOUTH AND LIFE-LONG LEARNERS THROUGH SCHOOL OF THEATRE PROGRAMMING. A THROUGHLINE ACROSS OUR WORK THIS YEAR WAS A FOCUS ON DEEPENING CONNECTIONS WITH AND BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, GROWING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SCHOOL PARTNERS, CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH STORYTELLING, AND BUILDING POINTS OF CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR TEEN LEADERS AND MAINSTAGE AUDIENCE. THROUGH IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES, THE SCHOOL REACHED OVER 1,500 STUDENTS ACROSS 41 BAY AREA SCHOOLS, PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION ACROSS THE REGION, INCLUDING SEVERAL TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. OUR STUDENT MATINEES WELCOMED OVER 1,400 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ATTEND (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) OUR MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS, AUGMENTED WITH PRE-SHOW WORKSHOPS AND POST-SHOW CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ARTISTS. WE HOSTED OUR THIRD ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL, IN WHICH 115 STUDENTS FROM FOUR AREA HIGH SCHOOLS RECEIVED PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, AS WELL AS DEVISED AND SHOWCASED ONE-ACT PERFORMANCES TO NEARLY 250 AUDIENCE MEMBERS. OUR TEEN COUNCIL PROGRAMS ENGAGED NEARLY 600 PARTICIPANTS, RANGING FROM OUR TEEN LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S POLICY AND ADVOCACY WORK TO THE SHEPHERDING OF THE WORK OF THE FOUR TEENAGE PLAYWRIGHTS IN OUR YOUNG WRITERS OF COLOR COLLECTIVE, CULMINATING IN A PUBLIC READING BY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. OUR NEXT GENERATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDED 13 EARLY-CAREER THEATER PROFESSIONALS WITH IMMERSIVE, HANDS-ON TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP OVER AN 11-MONTH PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM. AND, NEARLY 1,500 STUDENTS OF ALL AGES--YOUTH, TEEN, AND ADULT--EXPLORED HANDS-ON CREATIVE PRACTICE IN OVER 130 UNIQUE CLASSES AND SUMMER CAMPS OFFERED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.