KPFA - Bay Area Theater

Darryl V. Jones, in conversation with KPFA associate theater critic C.S. Soong.

Darryl V. Jones directs Marco Ramirez’s play “The Royale,” now at Aurora Theatre in Berkeley through December 10. The play is loosely based on the life and times of Jack Johnson, who in 1908 became the first African American heavyweight boxing champion. In “The Royale,” Jay Jackson pursues his dream of becoming the champ in the face of social and institutional racism and a family member’s intervention. Darryl V. Jones is Chair of the Theatre Program at Cal State East Bay.

The Aurora Theatre is located at 2081 Addison Street in Berkeley.

Aurora Theatre Company’s website

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Lisa Peterson, Associate Director of Berkeley Rep, and director of “Watch On The Rhine” at Berkeley Rep, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

“Watch on the Rhine” by Lillian Hellman was first presented before the U.S. entered World War II, when few people in this country understood the dangers of the rise of fascism in Europe. Today, it’s still a relevant anti-fascist play. During World War II, it became a film starring Bette Davis and Paul Lukas (who won the Best Actor Oscar that year) and is available via streaming.

In this interview, Lisa Peterson talks about this new stage production of “Watch on the Rhine,” as well as her upcoming directorial project, “Office Hour” by Julia Cho, and her history as a director.

Berkeley Rep website

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Bill English, Artistic Director of San Francisco Playhouse, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Every year or so, Bill English comes over to KPFA to discuss his theater company and the upcoming season. In this interview, he talks about the origins of SF Playhouse and how it came to be in its current location at 450 Post Street. The discussion includes a look at the upcoming season, including the musical “A Christmas Story’ which runs during the 2017 holiday season into January 2018, as well as the company’s previous productions this season.

San Francisco Playhouse website

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KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Royale” a play by Marco Ramirez, directed by Darryl V. Jones, at Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley through December 10, 2017.

Aurora website

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Emma Keith, producer of the National Theatre Live series of theatrical broadcasts, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, talks about the latest broadcast, the National Theatre in London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s 1971 musical, “Follies.” The producer of the series since 2016, she discusses what is required to put on this kind of international live broadcast, some of the technical issues involved, and how the National brings in a younger audience.

The Royal National Theatre is the English equivalent of New York’s Public Theatre, or perhaps Lincoln Center, supported to a great degree by the government’s National Arts Council, and is in that sense a model of how government can support the arts. Founded in 1963 with Sir Laurence Olivier as its first director, the National now encompasses three theaters on its side near Waterloo Bridge in London.

“Follies” airs on November 16, 2017 with encore presentations following. To find out more,

National Theatre Live website

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