BERKELEY, CALIF.: Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced four of the seven shows featured in it’s 49th season. The lineup will include Roe by Lisa Loomer, a new play by Jeff Augustin set in Haiti, and the American premiere of a new show by British company Kneehigh.
“Each season, we offer a range of stories that we hope unlock new ideas, new ways of connecting with our community, and even new ways of thinking about theatre itself,” artistic director Tony Taccone said in a statement.
Run-dates have not been announced, but the productions are ordered as follows:
First up is Jeff Augustin’s The Last Tiger in Haiti, in a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, and will be directed by Joshua Kahan. The play depicts five kids in modern-day Haiti who, after dreaming of freedom and competing for the title of best storyteller, reunite after 15 years. This was developed at the Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the creation and development of new work.
Next will be 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, adapted by Michael Morpurgo and Emma Rice. It will be produced in association with U.K. companies Kneehigh and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Directed by Rice, the play uses music, puppetry, and stage sorcery to tell the story of what happens to a young girl and her cat, Adolphus Tips, when American soldiers occupy their home in Slapton, England.
Hand to God, penned by Robert Askins, will be directed by David Ivers. The show recently closed on Broadway and is set in a Christian church in Texas, where the devil appears in the form of a sock puppet named Tyrone.
The final play that has been announced is Lisa Loomer’s Roe, which will be co-produced with Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Arena Stage. Directed by OSF artistic director Bill Rauch, Roe depicts the aftermath of the 1973 case that legalized abortion.
Berkeley Repertory Theatre was established in 1968 and is the winner of the 1997 Regional Tony Award; it presents innovative new plays.