Berkeley Repertory Theatre begins their 2002-2003 season with a revival of John Guare's The House of Blue Leaves, the first Guare play ever produced by the company. Barbara Damashek, famous for her Tony-nominated musical Quilters, directs this dark comedy, playing Sept. 6-Oct. 27 in the Roda Theatre.
Blue Leaves finds wannabe Hollywood composer Artie Shaughnessy lusting for something more in life for himself and his girlfriend Bunny Flingus. Unfortunately, he's saddled with an unstable wife named Bananas, his missing son Ronnie who is plotting to bomb the Pope and his day job at the zoo. The House of Blue Leaves won an Obie in 1971 and four Tony Awards for the 1986 Lincoln Center revival, which starred Stockard Channing as Bunny, Ben Stiller as Ronnie, Swoosie Kurtz as Bananas and John Mahoney as Artie.
Berkeley Rep vet Jarion Monroe stars as Artie. Rebecca Wisocky (36 Views) is Bananas; Marisa Redanty ("The Sopranos," 45 Seconds From Broadway) is Bunny and Adam Ludwig is Ronnie. Also in the cast are Bill Geisslinger (Billy), Susannah Schulman (Corrinna), Wilma Bonet, Jeri Lynn Cohen and Laura Holliday.
Tickets are $10-$54. Berkeley Repertory Theatre is located at 2025 Addison Street. For reservations, call (510) 647-2949. Berkeley Rep is on the web at http://www.berkeleyrep.org.
— By Christine Ehren
