"Amidst record sales at the box office," reads an announcement, "Berkeley Rep is adding performances of both shows to meet the earth-shattering demand for tickets."
Argonautika, which was slated to end Dec. 16, will now see another week of shows through Dec. 23. after the quake, which was already extended to Dec. 2 (from an original end date of Nov. 25), will add a Dec. 1 matinee. Both shows must close on their new closing dates.
"We're honored to present two exceptional productions from America's leading directors - and truly thankful for the phenomenal audience response," said artistic director Tony Taccone. "Add to that Berkeley Rep's 40th birthday and our recent successes on both coasts, and we certainly have a lot to celebrate. This Thanksgiving, we could not be more grateful."
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Berkeley Repertory Theatre co-presents after the quake with La Jolla Playhouse — where it recently played. The Berkeley run began Oct. 12 and opened Oct. 17 on the Thrust Stage. Director-adaptor Galati's (The Grapes of Wrath) take on the Haruki Murakami short stories premiered at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre in 2005.
Inspired by Murakami's return to his hometown of Kobe in 1995 following the disastrous earthquake that nearly destroyed the entire city, after the quake weaves two of the collection of short stories together and sets the tale to live cello and koto music.
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Zimmerman (Metamorphoses, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci) returns to the California stage to direct her latest work, Argonautika. The show began performances Nov. 2 and opened Nov. 7 at the company's Roda Theatre.
Argonautika follows "Jason on his ancient quest for the Golden Fleece – an epic journey of love and loss, hubris and honor, danger and adventure. Jason confronts giants, kings, sirens, nymphs, centaurs, sea monsters, and one treacherously heartsick sorceress," as show notes reveal.
The Berkeley staging is a co-production with Princeton, NJ's McCarter Theatre Center and Washington, DC's Shakespeare Theatre Company. Argonautika made its world premiere at Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago.
Tickets to after the quake or Argonautika at Berkeley Rep in downtown Berkeley, are available by calling (510) 647-2949, toll-free at (888) 4-BRT-Tix or online at berkeleyrep.org.
