2012: So, What's Up Next?

 "Lord, we know what we are but know not what we may be." 

~ Ophelia, Hamlet IV.4

By now, everyone who is reading this is probably sick of reading “Looking Back and Looking Forward” posts, but since this is Up Next's first year as a non-profit, I thought it would be especially nice -- almost necessary, maybe -- to wrap things up with 2011 and introduce what's up for Up Next in 2012. Not only will this give all of you teens, theaters, and other arts supporters an idea of where we are and where we're headed, but it will also serve to hold ourselves accountable for the goals we set this year (because now that you've seen them, we can't pretend we never set them).

But first, you might be wondering -- who are "we", really? There are three of us behind the main Up Next operations (which consist of theater communications, organizing events and outreach, marketing, and more): Alona Bach, Saskia Levy-Sheon, and Kenya Granich. (You can read more about us here.) And if you know us, or know of us, or just read about us, you'll know this: we're all teens. Though we technically have several legal adults in our ranks, we have no adult-adults working with us. And we think this is important, at least for our first year -- because we don't want to be adults telling teens that they should think that theater is cool. We want to be teens telling our friends that we think theater is cool, so hey, chill with us at a show instead of a movie, because you might find it cool too. Yeah. Maybe not in those words. But that same idea.

So here's to the past year that got us up and running, and to the upcoming adventures in the new year -- because we know what we are, but know not what's up next.

Highlights of the past year...
- We became fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, and thus became an official non-profit.
- The wonderful Rob Dario designed our logo.
- Tim Bauer, a local playwright, wrote a lovely post about us on his blog.
- We made a splash at Cal Shakes' The Verona Project, where we numbered more than any other teen group that night -- and the show was awesome.
- We held a panel discussion on teens and theater-going, featuring teens Miguel Gamalinda and Naomi Zingman-Daniels, as well as Melissa Hillman (AD of Impact Theatre), Rachel Fink (Leader of Education programs at Berkeley Rep), and Simon Kaplan (theater teacher and Camp Director at Stagedoor Conservatory).

This coming year...
- In partnership with different theaters around the Bay, we'll be organizing a program called 8Rate, which will offer student rush tickets to card-carrying Up Next members for $8 (less than a movie ticket) -- more on this soon!
- Membership cards will be mailed out. (Want one? Go here!)
- In the works: a May Teen Theater Festival in a park, possibly?
- The fabulous Clio McConnell will switch over from her Teen Advisory Board position to the head of our Teen Reviewer program -- more on this soon.
- We'll sit down to write those press releases that seem so scary and send 'em off!
- We'll make a new website. A website that's more user friendly. And works in all browsers and on mobile devices. Which means that we need to...
- Seek out a web designer that can help us.
- You can now find us on Google+, though we're still primarily communicating through Facebook and Twitter.
- We'll figure out a better working model for the Focus Actor program -- our Teen Advisory Board selected two amazing Focus Actors (Reggie and Elena) for 2011-2012 season, but the program itself fell a bit to the wayside this past year while we focused on the more technical/legal aspects of running a non-profit. So we're going to get back on that horse, and hopefully get it in gear for the rest of this season!
- T-Shirts. Or sweatshirts. Or some other form of Up Next swag. It's coming.
- Perhaps some restructuring of our programs -- Next Night Outs seem to work, but not "Thumbs Up" events...hmmm.
- We hope to strengthen the Teen Advisory Board and make it a bigger part of our decision-making and development processes.
- Most importantly, we want to engage with the Bay Area teen community more, in person and online.

This past year, we focused on US -- how we could implement our own plans, how we could develop our own infrastructure. This coming year, we want to expand our focus more to YOU -- whether "you" means teens, arts administrators, teachers, or arts enthusiasts. We want to learn what fellow teens want in terms of theater-going, and then work on making those things happen. We want to hear your feedback.

Here are some of the questions we're facing as we move into a new year:
- How can we build up a strong infrastructure so that Up Next can function effectively? What should the role of the Teen Advisory Board be?
- What's the best way to structure the ticket-buying process? How can we find the right medium between advance reservations and wiggle-room (in case someone's homework load gets unexpectedly heavy)?
- How can we effectively engage and partner with schools?

And finally, we'd be remiss if we didn't thank lots of individuals and organizations who have helped get us on our feet this past year: Melissa Hillman, Jim Kleinmann, Erin Bregman, Jack Bauer, Valerie Weak, Laureen Mahler, Marilyn Langbehn, Tiffany Cothran, Michelle Dissel, Rob Dario, Simon Kaplan, Molly Aaronson-Gelb, Glenn Carroll, Sara Heitler, Focus Actors Elena Wright and Reggie White, Shotgun Players, Impact Theatre, Just Theater, Crowded Fire Theatre, and so many more -- not to mention adventurous teens. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We're looking forward to continuing to work with all of you in support of teen theater-going for many years to come.

- Alona Bach and the Up Next Team

Get in touch!
⦁ email us at info@upnextteens.org ⦁ comment on blog posts ⦁ tweet us ⦁ facebook us ⦁

59 Shows of 2011

A Bay Area Teen Theater-Goer Reflects on Her 2011 Show-Going

This year, I tried something new – I made an Excel spreadsheet of all the shows I went to see. The purpose of the list was to try to deter me from spending too much on theater-going (last year, I may have gone a little overboard money-wise, and my parents may have been a bit mad, which may have ended up badly for all parties involved, except the theaters). Looking over the spreadsheet at the end of this year, I wanted to share some statistics from the list, not because I feel I'm representative of teen theater-goers (I'm not, at all), but because I want people -- most importantly, other teens; but also theaters, arts administrators, and older ladies in the audience who give me withering glances when I take a seat next to them because they're afraid I'll text and chew gum loudly for the duration of the show (no exaggeration; these glances happen with frequency) -- to know that there are indeed teens who go see theater and enjoy it very much. In this overview, I'm going to leave off the money section, because despite the spreadsheet plan, I still spent way too much on show-going to admit publicly – so I suppose my spreadsheet failed in that respect. However, it did allow me to keep track of every single show I saw this year, and that not only allows me to share some (possibly interesting) statistics, but also share some of my excitement about Bay Area theater with other teens. So here goes!

Some assorted observations/notes:

- At most of the shows, I was conspicuously the youngest person in the audience (unless a younger sibling or friend came with).

- Most of the shows I saw were in venues easily accessible by public transit (bus, BART, Muni).

- This list doesn't count any show that I was part of.

- Readings are wonderful inventions.

- Most importantly: the Bay Area has some DARN awesome theater going on.

Of Dice and Men (Impact Theatre). Photo
by Cheshire Isaacs.

Here are some 2011 stats:

Total Shows Seen: 59

Non-Youth Productions: 50 
School (elementary, middle school, high school, and college) Productions: 4 
Other Youth Productions: 5 
Shows Seen More than Once: 4 (each counted only once in "Total Shows Seen") 
Readings: 13 
Shows Seen via #NewPlay TV Livestream: 2 
Shows Seen at "Big Name" Theaters: 6

Non-Musicals: 44

Musicals: 15

New Works: 26

Subscriptions to Theater Companies: 2 (PlayGround and Shotgun Players)

Farthest Traveled: Twelfth Night (Hebrew translation) – Khan Theater – Jerusalem, Israel

Shows Seen for Free: 22 (from comps, ushering, discounts for students, etc. – and just plain and wonderful free theater)

Average Cost per Ticket: $8.49

New Theaters Patronized: 12

Total Theaters Patronized: 27

Favorite Two New-for-Me Theater Companies: TheatreFIRST and Marin Theatre Company

Favorite Two Already-Known-to-Me Theater Companies: PlayGround and Shotgun Players (hence the subscriptions), with Crowded Fire close behind

Most Discouraging Teen Theater-Going Moment: getting handed the “Teen Discount Ticket” with my name on it from a box office person (who I didn't know) before giving them my name, and being told that they knew who I was because “How many teens do you think are coming to see this show?”

Most Encouraging Teen Theater-Going Moment: going to see The Verona Project at Cal Shakes with 10 other teenagers just in our group!

I thought this statistic was interesting:

Number of shows seen where I knew no one in the cast: 6
(I'll work on this for next year...)

Looking back and looking forward...

The Companion Piece (Z Space). Photo
by Pak Han.

Top Five 2011 Productions I Most Wish I Could See Again

1) The Companion Piece (Z Space)

2) Seven: A Documentary Play (TheatreFIRST reading)

3) Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter (TheatreFIRST)

4) The Verona Project (Cal Shakes)

5) Blackbird (The Aluminous Collective)

3 Top “I Missed This Show” Regrets
1) The Lily's Revenge (Magic Theater)
2) Pelleas and Melisande (Cutting Ball)
3) A Delicate Balance (Aurora Theatre Co.)

Top 6 Plays from 2010 that I'm Still Thinking About
(Is it cheating to include this category? I figure I spent enough time thinking about these shows this year that I had to mention them somewhere.)
1) Safe House (SF Playhouse, Sandbox Series)
2) God's Ear (Shotgun Players)
3) Hamlet on Alcatraz (We Players)
4) Forever Never Comes (Crowded Fire)
5) Tennessee Williams in Rep (Cat, Glass, Streetcar) (Boxcar Theatre)
6) Salt Plays: Part 1 and 2 (Shotgun Players)

5 Shows I'm Looking Forward to Next Year
1) Anything at Shotgun (especially Tom Waits' musical adaptation of Woyzeck)
2) Little Brother (Custom Made Theater Co.)
3) The Hundred Flowers Project (Crowded Fire)
4) Future Motive Power (Mugwumpin)
5) Sam Shepard in Rep (Boxcar Theatre)

 That was 2011. Can't wait to see what 2012 brings.

If you have questions about any of the stats above or want to see stats for a different catergory, I'd be happy to share -- just drop a comment below!

Focusing In on ELENA WRIGHT

Elena Wright

Introducing the second of our two 2011-2012 Focus Actors -- Elena Wright! Elena is a Bay Area actress and company member of PlayGround. You may have seen her as Thuria in The Verona Project at Cal Shakes or Athena in Salt Plays Parts I & II at Shotgun Players. We asked Elena a few questions about her experiences in the theater, and here's what she told us: 

NAME: birth name - Elana Wright, equity name - Elena Wright, it causes lots of confusion...

HOMETOWN: Wareham, MA

FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE: playing Eve in a church play when i was 4. i still remember how much i loved having a part and getting to hold my favorite stuffed cat while onstage.

Elena in Salt Plays Part II: Of the Earth (photo by Pak Han)

FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE: being in Oleanna in college. it was a two person show and the other cast member was my teacher. i learned so much by working with someone who was so committed and professional. The subject matter was incredibly intense, and every night the audience would audibly react to the ending. That was one of the first times I realized how powerful theatre could be, and that i could be a part of something that moves people.

BEST TEENAGE MEMORY: Meeting my best friend. Growing up, i had always felt a little out of place and unique, and it wasn't until freshman year of high school that i met someone who taught me that you don't have to be like everyone else, and in fact, being yourself is way more fun. 19 years later, she's still my best friend.

WHAT KIND OF THEATER EXCITES YOU? Good theatre. Of all kinds. Theatre that requires risk and passion, which can mean anything from new works to Shakespeare, contemporary dramas to farce, classic award winners to experimental physical theatre.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT FOR YOU? The season of Playground, where I'm a company member. And looking for the next gig, which is what a professional actor spends the majority of their time doing....

Elena as Una in Blackbird (photo by Pak Han)

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT YOU JUST FINISHED? I just closed Blackbird, which is another two-character play with an intense theme. What was interesting about it for me was realizing how much harder acting can get the more you do it and the more you know about how to do it well. When I did Oleanna, I was a very young and inexperienced actor. I used my intuition most of the time, and "felt" my way through it, but in Blackbird, I used equal amounts of skill and sensing. This actually turned out to be much harder, since sometimes, those two things cancel each other out, and are hard to do at the same time. It proved to me that the more you know, the more you have reason to stay humble.

To learn more about Up Next's Focus Actor program, visit our website: www.upnextteens.org

Please Don't Cut the Arts

Some of you who are high school students or recent graduates probably remember the day last year when thousands of California teachers received pink slips. The majority of the teachers selected for the chopping block were the newest and least experienced (i.e. the younger ones that we could actually relate to). At Oakland Tech, one of the teachers given notice was our beloved advanced drama teacher, Ms. Jessa Berkner. Those of us in her class were stunned. Luckily she did not lose her job and she is still inspiring and educating all of her students.

I made this video in an attempt to capture my fellow classmates' heartfelt and poignantly emotional reactions to the news that the arts programs at our school were facing serious cuts. I am sure that many Up Next teens can relate to the feeling that theater is not merely an extracurricular activity but a lifestyle.

The struggle to remind politicians, school board members and principals of the vital importance of the performing arts in schools is ongoing. Feel free to comment and share your stories.



I am far from a professional videographer. This was shot in a classroom with my phone. Please pardon the irregular sound quality and shaky transitions. Enjoy!

-Saskia Levy-Sheon

Come Unto These Yellow Sands

On Sunday I went with my family to see The Tempest at Marin Shakes, directed by Jon Tracy. This was unusual because:

Sarah Gold as Miranda.
Photo by Eric Chazankin.

a) I rarely get to see theater with my family. 
b) I rarely take the trek to San Rafael.

But.

It was worth it.

Very much so.

We went on Family Matinee Day, which was wonderful because it meant that my three siblings and I got in for FREE. I couldn't help thinking that was a bit of a steal, but hey – it would have been too expensive for a family outing otherwise (and I do love seeing theater without feeling like I'm falling into financial ruin). There was a pre-show speech directed at some of the younger kids in the audience who didn't know the story of The Tempest. “Prospero got very mad because Caliban wanted to have babies with Miranda,” the Managing Director explained, and a few children let out nervous giggles. (A few parents did, too.) And then the show started. 

Those of you who have seen Jon Tracy theater before may have some idea of what to expect when coming to watch this Tempest. Certainly you wouldn't expect straight Shakespeare. You'd expect some crazy re-imagining that, somehow, against all odds, would work. And you would not be disappointed. But before I elaborate on that (without giving too much away, I promise), I need to quote from the Director's Note included in the program. I rarely laugh at Director's Notes, but this one got me (and my brother) in a big way.

I hate wizards.

Specifically, I hate one type of wizard; those guys with the big beards and the purple gown and hat with the silver moons and stars embroidered on them. Oh, and these wizards always have a magic wizard staff. Dumb.

No, not dumb. Boring. Really boring. Why? Because they always win. Why else? Because they know they will always win. They are wizards and you aren't. Really, the battle is over before it ever began. We're left with a bunch of fun magic spells to bide our time but really, that dude in purple is going to be just fine.

You protest. “What about Gandalf?” you say. “When I used to play Dungeons and Dragons my wizard character was totally killed by the Rancor Monster!” I reply in these ways: first, Gandalf didn't do so bad for himself, second, the Rancor Monster was in Star Wars but I get what you're saying and third, I'm obviously not talking about those wizards. I am instead really talking about one wizard. His name is Prospero.

“But –” you continue to argue. I cut off with this addition: “It's my Director's Notes, not yours...back off.”

...

Jeremy Vik as a Quality.
Photo by Eric Chazankin.

Oh yes. So Tracy moved the action to 1901, and Prospero, instead of being a wizard, is based on the scientist Nikola Tesla, an electrical engineer and inventor famous for his work with alternating currents. Instead of brandishing a magic wizard staff, he fiddles with electricity, invents, fixes, works, and plays chess (in cluttered workspaces that are beautiful and interesting and designed by Nina Ball). Ariel is not one sprite but The Ariel Coil – with six goggled-and-suited beings called “Qualities” who move around the stage mechanically, as if on a grid, in a classic-ly creepy Tracian way. The production is full of sounds and surprises and Qualities popping out where you least expect them. (We saw it in the daytime so we missed whatever magic was happening with the lights, but I bet they're awesome at night [and probably raise the creepy level a couple of notches].)

There was one particular GREAT payoff for the electric transposition of the storyline: I have never appreciated the line: "My Ariel, chick / That is thy charge" as much as I did in this production, where the word “charge” becomes electrically punny. And, though I'm sure this is not what happened, I got a laugh imagining that Jon Tracy reimagined this whole show electrically primarily because of that great pun, and only secondarily because of the numerous and interesting reasons he outlined briefly in his Director's Notes.

Then my father pointed out to me that the pun was funny, but not that funny.

I have also never seen such a tough Miranda, and I like it. In most productions of The Tempest, Miranda will be played innocently, with a naivete and overpowering sweetness. Not that Sarah Gold's Miranda wasn't innocent or sweet, too. But when you see Miranda furtively lighting a cigarette when her father isn't looking, tucking her hair beneath a beanie, and sporting suspenders and breeches...suddenly she just becomes more interesting. Real. And yes, most certainly more of a teenager.

One caveat: this wouldn't be the Shakespeare show to go to if you were looking to familiarize (or re-familiarize) yourself with the Bard's work, because (to me, at least) the text was a bit underwhelming next to the synchronized mechanical Qualities and the shifting and surprising set. But if you:

a) know The Tempest (anywhere from “vaguely” like my brother to “almost-by-heart” like my father) and are interested in seeing a new interpretations of it, OR

b) you usually dislike Shakespeare because you find it boring, OR

c) you like Tracian takes on classics, OR

d) you're intrigued by anything mentioned above,

...you should probably go. Or, in other words: if you miss this show, you probably will never get to see another one like it. Ever. No pressure.

The Tempest plays through Sept. 25th at Marin Shakespeare Company. More info here.

>> Still curious? Read a review of the show here. 

Set design by Nina Ball. Photo by Eric Chazankin.

(The Teen Perspectives blog post series comes from teens around the Bay who have seen a piece of theater that made them think. Have you seen a show that you want to respond to? Write it up! Short, long, medium, three words. It doesn't have to be a review; it can be [and is encouraged to be!] just reactions, thoughts, musings. Email it to us at upnextbayarea@gmail.com to have it featured on our blog.)

A Teen's Perspective: Of Dice and Men at Impact

Up Next teens attended the first preview of Of Dice and Men at Impact Theatre in Berkeley. Here's one teen's (a self-professed proud nerd and occasional roleplayer) response:

I must confess, I was kind of setting myself up to be disappointed by Of Dice and Men. I mean, bringing my D&D 3.5 Player's Handbook might have been a bit overboard. A bit.

Amazingly, however, the show managed to be what I wanted it to be -- and more. The completely impossible expectations I had set up were resoundingly Sneak Attacked and critted. The actors were obviously having a fun time, and did a wonderful job of bringing the audience into the joking, arguing and fighting. A thoroughly enjoyable show. (Plus, they have über cool swords!)

Of Dice and Men previews August 25 & 26 and opens August 27, playing Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm through October 1 at La Val's Subterranean Theater in Berkeley.

Tickets and information at: http://impacttheatre.com/

The cast of Of Dice and Men. Photo by Impact Theatre.

A Month in Review(s): July 2011

One month in and our teen theater-going initiative is off to a great start! Here are some of the shows we've seen in July and what our members thought about them.

The Verona Project. Photo by Kevin Berne.

Tales of the City (ACT) – “I'd forgotten what high-budget theater can be like. This show is great. The actors are great. The music is great. The sets and costumes are great. Betsy Wolfe's voice is beyond great. Fun all around!”

The Verona Project (Cal Shakes) – “I am actually in love with the person playing Sylvio.” “I like the person playing Thuria and the person playing the various moms – they're my favorites!” “I really like the array of instruments and how they're using them to tell the story.” “It has a really good energy.” “The blend of play and concert is definitely working. I love it!”

Metamorphosis (Aurora) – “The direction of this show was amazing. I loved the stylized movement.”

Jesus Christ Superstar (YMTC) – “These teens are crazy-talented!” “It's loud. And awesome.”

Seussical. Photo by Larry Abel. 

Seussical (Berkeley Playhouse) – “What a fun show. I love Seussical in general but this production was especially full of surprises and laughs. (Also, the sets, props, and costumes made me feel like I was actually in a Dr. Seuss book. Actually.)”

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Woman's Will) – “I've never seen a Woman's Will show before and I really liked this one. There's something wonderful about all-female Shakespeare in a park – I can't describe it.”

Lend Me a Tenor (Livermore Shakespeare Festival) – “My side were hurting so badly at the end of this show because I was laughing so hard.” “All the actors were great (and it didn't hurt that the story was ridiculous and hilarious). So. Much. Fun.”

Lend Me a Tenor. Photo by Kenneth Alexander.

Rock Creek: Southern Gothic (Bay Area Playwrights Festival) – “Lauren Gunderson's script was funny and tragic (and sometimes both at the same time). Most of all, it was just wonderful. I can't wait to see where this play goes.”

Korczak's Children (ACT Young Conservatory) – “It's been a few days and I'm still thinking about this show. The cast's ages spanned from elementary school to ACT MFA students, but they all worked well as an ensemble to tell a really heartbreaking story.”

The Road to Hades (Shotgun) – “A very interesting look at war, theater, gender roles, and Walmart. (I know what you're thinking: 'Walmart?' My response: 'Yes. Walmart. Go see it.')”

Tell us about the shows you've seen in August – at big theaters, small theater, community theaters, school theaters – any and all theater! Write a sentence or two (or three) about what you thought of the show and email it to upnextbayarea@gmail.com to be featured in our August “A Month in Review(s)” blog post. (Or, if you can't fit it all into one or two sentences, write a review!)

...And if you saw one of the shows above, drop a comment below and let us know what you thought about it!

Focusing In: Lamplighters

Morgan gives us a teen's perspective on our penultimate 2011 Focus Theater: Lamplighters Music Theatre!

QUICK FACTS:

NAME: Lamplighters Music Theatre
NICKNAME: Lamplighters
LOCATION: Centralized on Bryant Street in San Francisco, but performs in theaters throughout the San Francisco and elsewhere, including in Walnut Creek, Livermore, and Napa.
WEBSITE: here
FACEBOOK: here

LAMPLIGHTERS IN THREE WORDS:
Hysterical, extravagant, classic (mmm, what more could you ask for?)

FAVORITE LAMPLIGHTERS PLAY:
Such a tricky question! The Mikado, with their rendition of The Secret Garden coming in at a close second. Any production of Pirates of Penzance is incredible too, as well as their yearly satirical Lamplighters Gala fundraisers.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT LAMPLIGHTERS:
Baker Peeples, the incredible resident musical director of the Lamplighters. A man of extraordinary musical talent, Peeples manages to maintain the traditional opera/operetta musical format while still keeping his productions sounding clean, precise, and fresh. He is also always dressed impeccably; expect him to be looking sharp in a tuxedo during every performance!

FAVORITE THING ABOUT LAMPLIGHTERS:
The Lamplighters is like witnessing a tiny piece of history. It focuses mainly on the productions of Gilbert and Sullivan, seasonally rotating their classics such as The Mikado, Yeoman of the Guard, and HMS Pinafore, and occasionally interspersing them with other operas/operettas such as The Secret Garden. Gilbert and Sullivan wrote their pieces in the mid to late 1800s. At that time, these pieces were considered to be the most edgy, scandalous works of the day. Going back and witnessing them in the 21st century is like examining history: not only is it incredible to witness just what things were considered "raunchy" during the 1800s, but it is also fascinating to contemplate just how relevant so many of these issues remain today.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A "CLASSIC LAMPLIGHTERS" SHOW?
Probably Gilbert and Sullivan themselves! I'm sure it would be fascinating for them to see how their works are still being produced and discuss with them how timeless these pieces really are.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT LAMPLIGHTERS:
Don't be intimidated by the concept of opera/operetta! While it may seem slightly out of your comfort zone if you aren't used to the format, don't be scared! Baker Peeples stresses the importance of diction like no other music director, so you will without question hear all of the words-and thus hear all of the jokes-without any problem. Also, the Lamplighters often provides supertitles projected above the stage, just in case anyone has trouble deciphering the story line. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy!

A press photo from Lamplighter's production of H.M.S. Pinafore.

Focusing In: Just Theater

Introducing a third theater in our 2011-2012 Season of Focus Theaters: Just Theater!

QUICK FACTS

NAME: Just Theater

LOCATION: various, but usually (always?) in Berkeley

WEBSITE: http://www.justtheater.org

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Just-Theater/266212518714

JUST THEATER IN THREE WORDS:

Intelligent, examining, compelling.

FAVORITE JUST THEATER PLAY?

Confession: I've only (really) seen one. It was 1001 by Jason Grote and it was great -- really gave me a lot to think about. But I just saw their reading series of five plays by five different playwrights, and they were fun and funny and heart-breaking and genius. I enjoyed each reading so much that I came right back for the next one. (And I heard Down a Little Dirt Road was pretty good, too. ;D)

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT JUST THEATER:

Molly Aaronson-Gelb and Jonathan Spector. They're the Co-Artistic Directors of Just Theater and also happen to be married. Both are really interesting, fun, and overall wonderful people. They make some great theater, too.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT JUST THEATER:

You can think about a Just Theater show for weeks, months, a whole YEAR after you've seen it and still not have it completely figured out. They never get stale.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC JUST THEATER” SHOW?

This is a perfect question because I actually just took tons of people to a Just Theater show. Teenage friends. Parents of teenage friends. Teachers. Siblings. Parents. Theater people. People who hadn't seen a show for 20 years. Just Theater shows are like that. You can take anyone who's up for some thinking.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT JUST THEATER:

Come early on in the run of a Just Theater show. It's cheaper, and it gets more expensive each week.

Above, a production photo from Just Theater's 1001.

Focusing In: Impact Theatre

Introducing another of our 2011-2012 Focus Theaters: Impact Theatre!

QUICK FACTS

NAME: Impact Theatre

NICKNAME: Impact

LOCATION: La Val's Subterranean Theater (1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley)

WEBSITE: http://www.impacttheatre.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/impacttheatre

IMPACT IN THREE WORDS:

BOOM! Crazy, fun. (Or, to quote their own tagline: Pizza. Beer. Plays.)

FAVORITE IMPACT PLAY?

I laughed so hard all the way through Impact's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream that it was painful to walk out of the theater. I'd gotta say that one wins.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT IMPACT:

Cheshire Isaacs, who, according to the website, is Impact's “managing director and graphics uberlord”. Sorry I'm so stuck on the visual art side of theater (see the Shotgun post), but really, if you've seen the awesome postcards/posters/programs/website he designed, you'll know why I'm saying this.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT IMPACT:

People come to Impact shows ready to have a good time. And they do. (Plus, there's pizza literally above your head.)

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC IMPACT” SHOW?

Someone who loves to laugh. Someone that already knows all the “bad words” and can explain the jokes that go over my head to me. Someone that won't be grossed out by copious amounts of stage blood. Maybe someone who thinks that Shakespeare is inaccessible or “uncool”, because I'd love to prove them wrong, Impact-style.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT IMPACT:

If you're really-uber-super-duper-tall, watch out. La Val's Subterranean is literally a little black box under a restaurant and you could bump your head on one of the lights. Hypothetically. Oh yeah, and if you come early enough, you can snag a seat on the couch!

Above, a production photo from Impact Theatre's Romeo & Juliet.

Focusing In: Shotgun Players

Introducing one of our 2011-2012 Focus Theaters: Shotgun Players!

QUICK FACTS

NAME: Shotgun Players

NICKNAME: Shotgun

LOCATION: The Ashby Stage (at Ashby and MLK in Berkeley) or John Hinkel Park (also in Berkeley)

WEBSITE: http://www.shotgunplayers.org

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ShotgunPlayers

SHOTGUN IN THREE WORDS.

Thought-provoking, explosive, unexpected. (I used a hyphen. I hope that's not cheating.)

FAVORITE SHOTGUN PLAY?

Ooh. Tough. I think it's a tie between God's Ear and In the Wound (though This World in a Woman's Hands and A Seagull in the Hamptons are high up there, too). All four blew my mind.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT SHOTGUN.

R. Black, artist extraordinaire. You know those awesome murals on the side of the Ashby Stage that you see whenever you drive by? You know those great posters and creative playbills? Yep, that's him.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT SHOTGUN.

Besides the quality of the shows? The Ashby Stage. It's easy to get to (BART, bus, car) and it has this distinct smell and feeling that's really hard not to love.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC SHOTGUN” SHOW?

Someone who likes to think, likes to question, and likes to challenge. Someone who wants to go to the theater and see something new – something they've never seen before. Maybe not my grandmother (although, actually, I do have a grandmother that would really like Shotgun's shows), but definitely my parents and my classmates.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT SHOTGUN.

They will sell out – especially at the Ashby Stage. Buy your tickets way, way, WAY in advance (or be prepared to get there really early to put yourself on the waitlist).

A production photo from Shotgun Players' recent show Of the Earth. Photo by Pak Han.