“DRACULA”—A HAUNTING MASTERPIECE, AT THEATRE LUNATICO, BERKELEY

Millennial Notes

Steven Dietz Entices Us with Suspense and Mystery

by Rachel Norby

I thoroughly enjoyed Theatre Lunatico’s masterful presentation of “Dracula.” Performed in La Val’s Subterranean Theater, the setting is intimate and spooky. Whispered echoes from the ensemble add to the eeriness. An ageless story about the vampire who cannot die, Lunatico’s “Dracula” impressed me with superb acting, costuming, and staging.

“Dracula” opens in London, 1897, where serious Dr. Seward (resolute Shoresh Alaudini) has fallen in love with the fickle Lucy (versatile April Culver). Dr. Seward is determined to make a name for himself by understanding what causes the lunacy of a patient in the mental hospital, Renfield (talented Maria Grazia Affinito).  Alaudini perfectly conveys Seward’s stalwart nature, mingled with quiet desperation.

“Superb acting, costuming, and staging”.

 

Eileen Fisher (Dr. Anna Van Helsing) and Shoresh Alaudini (Dr. Seward)

Maria Grazia Affinito, brilliant as Renfield, endears herself to us, creepily, with her desperate loyalty for Count Dracula (sinister Michael Barr). Renfield, the “madwoman,” is constantly on-stage, many times in the shadows, never allowing us to forget that something sinister is lurking in the dark, soon to be revealed.

Maria Grazia Affinito (Renfield)

 

“The creative team spares no horrors. Bravo to all Lunatico’s”.

 

Read the full review by Rachel Norby at Theatrius.

See our Dracula production gallery here!

“MEASURE FOR MEASURE” MOCKS FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS, AT LUNATICO, BERKELEY

July 9, 2018

Millennial Notes

Shakespeare Says, “Get Over Sex Obsession!”

by Tyler Jeffreys

Think a fusion of Mad Max, The Purge, and The White House all in one. Theatre Lunatico uses Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” to create a surreal post-apocalyptic world. In this world,sex surrounds the citizens but is against the law (unless you’re married).  Scraps and trash hang on the walls along with sharp weapons, the world looks like a violent wasteland. Angelo—he’s no angel– worries about who is having sex, when his world needs a literal environmental clean up job.

Women in supporting roles are the highlights the show. Lucio, a  devious jokester, (boisterous Shawn Oda), frolics and taunts the authorities. It’s refreshing to see a woman  playing such an energetic and sexually charged role as she hits on men and women, alike, energetically.

 “Women in supporting roles are the highlights the show”.

 

James Aaron Oh (Claudio) & Keara Reardon (Juliet)

Costume designer, Cierra White gives the trickster baggy cargo jeans adorned with pins a mesh top with deathly skull heads. As Lucio, Oda uses Shakespeare’s innuendos to grab her crotch, repeatedly. Having a blast, she thoroughly entertains with his/her over the top physicality.

Jean Cary plays a over-zealous Constable Elbow, a ditsy cop on the prowl for sex criminals. She sports a southern red-neck accent and an American Flag handkerchief. Cary delivers her comic lines so naturally, they sound fresh and news.  Even when she is not talking I can’t help but watch her eyes as she takes in Lucio’s antics. Elbow twitches or bangs her night-stick against the wall in rebellion or agreement. Her comedic timing and heartfelt dialogue light up the stage.

“Cary delivers her comic lines so naturally, they sound fresh and new.”

 

Read the full review by Tyler Jeffreys

“KURSK” DIVES DEEP TO SUBTERRANEAN DEPTHS, AT LUNATICO, BERKELEY

March 18, 2018, Theatrius

Bryony Lavery, Tina Taylor Sing of Seafaring Women

by Barry David Horwitz

The British nuclear submarine silently shadowed the Russian sub Kursk, on 12 August 2000. In fact, there were three subs circling each other, British, Russian, and U.S., each pretending they are not there. The UK and US ships could have helped save 118 men, but they maintained their silence.

If you want to dive below, under the Arctic Ocean, over by Russia in the Barents Sea, then hustle over to La Val’s Subterranean Theater, for a plunge into these icy, enlightening waters.

“Lavery and Director Taylor string a taught bow that chills our blood. “Kursk” makes for disquieting, intense theater.”

Lauri Smith, Shawn Oda & Melissa Clason. All photographs by Robin Jackson

Down the steep stairs, we join six women in the Trafalgar-Class Hunter-Killer sub, amid the low murmur of engines. Stunning arrangements of aluminum pipes create cramped quarters for six Royal British sailors. Originally written for men in 2009, British playwright Bryony Lavery has left the hatch open for an all-female cast. Director Tina Taylor enters with gusto, bringing Theatre Lunatico magic.

“As they slip and slide through the narrow hatches, circling round ducts and pipes, they evoke the terror of the freezing waters.”

 

Read the full review by Barry David Horwitz

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KURSK Opens March 9, 2018!

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On a covert mission to the Barents Sea, a British submarine crew witness the sinking of the Kursk. As the crew grapple with how to respond, we become immersed in a poignantly personal story set against the backdrop of a devastating maritime disaster. Written originally for five men, playwright Bryony Lavery has given permission for Theatre Lunatico’s production to be an all-female ensemble.

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays at La Val’s Subterranean Theatre in Berkeley, CA, through April 8, 2018.

Featuring: Melissa Clason, Eileen Fisher, Jennifer Greene,
Isabelle Grimm, Shawn Oda, & Lauri Smith.

All photographs by Robin Jackson.

 

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“School for Scandal” Satirizes Twitter, Trump, Tech at Theatre Lunatico, Berkeley

November 27, 2017, Theatrius, by Gilad Barach

Director Tina Taylor’s modernized version of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1777 classic “The School for Scandal” shifts its tone between explosive/ silly, hysterical/ grounded, and jarring/ intimate. Theatre Lunatico has recently moved into LaVal’s on Northside, Berkeley, and they are already at home. They manipulate the small space brilliantly, with a performance built for the place. The tightly packed theater adds to the “Scandal’s” rising tension—with gossip spreading quickly in the intimate space.

Continue reading Gilad Barach’s Theatrius review.

Something’s Brewing in the Basement

Theatre Lunatico Artistic Director Tina Taylor was recently interviewed by Theatre critic, Sam Hurwitt, for the November issue of The Monthly, a magazine on culture in the East Bay. The article focuses on Theatre Lunatico’s move into the Subterranean Theater at La Val’s Pizza in Berkeley, the company’s upcoming season of productions, and future plans for the space.

Read the entire article here:

 

 

La Val’s Subterranean Theater—Here We Come!

Theatre Lunatico moves in to the La Val’s space on September 1, 2017!

We’re moving from our humble, nomadic accommodations to our very own black box theatre, complete with pizza & a pint!

Theatre Lunatico produces big theatre in small spaces, and we have big plans for this small venue beneath the pizzeria. We intend to establish a laboratory space for physical ensemble theatre, providing classes, performance opportunities, discussions, workshops, and a vibrant gathering hub for theatre artists, poets, musicians, dancers & more.

 

 

But we have a lot of work to do! With enormous thanks to Theatre Bay Area for our Cash Grant, we can get started on vital work in the space, but it is essential that we match those funds through other sources!

Our first priority—the theatre needs a new floor. The current floor is concrete, the worst possible surface for physical ensemble work.

And just as our feet would like to dance on a softer surface, our heads would like to be adequately illuminated! Lighting needs to be upgraded, and backstage and audience realms need a little primping…

What can you do to help us achieve our goals?

• Join a work party in August and/or September (emphasis on work AND party)!
• Make a donation. Cash is always nice!
• Produce or sponsor one of our shows!
• Emptying your garage? Maybe that old shelving unit or sofa could be useful…
• OR updating your office and have old computers, laptops…?

We’re building from the ground up!

 

 

Last seen in Theatre Lunatico’s production of Macbeth, we now find Fleance, Lennox & Macbeth getting down to business—dusting & mopping the new space!

Help us make Theatre Lunatico’s space a hive of activity!

Donate!

Huge thanks and important updates!

Theatre Lunatico’s core company would like to thank all of our friends, family, colleagues and theatre community for coming out to San Rafael to see our production of Macbeth. This project was a fantastic experience for our ensemble cast and crew, made more so by your warm support and enthusiastic responses.

We would also like to send out a huge thank you to Margot Jones and the West Coast Arts Foundation for collaborating with us to present Macbeth here in Marin, and to Sylvia Israel at the Imagine Center for Creativity and Healing and Eileen and Andrew Fisher for providing additional rehearsal space. Ross Valley Players gave us tremendous support on many fronts, including the generous donation of set, costume and props; we could not have pulled this off without their support! Additionally, we received generous donations of materials from Macbeath Hardware, and donated technical support from Scott Hess. Steve Price went out of his way to help us in finding a replacement actor for King Duncan. Katherine Cope, Sumi Narendran Cardinale, Frank Cardinale, Heather Cherry and Peter Bradbury provided much needed and appreciated front of house support.

Thanks also goes out to the staff at AEA who have patiently guided us through the BAPP process, enabling us to continue to work with our fabulous AEA actors.

And lastly (but by no means least!), we would like to send out an excited “Thank you!” to Theatre Bay Area, who not only worked with such generous support and kindness in helping us to navigate the TBA adjudication process, get the word out about our company and production, and encourage us at every step along the way, but also just announced that they will be awarding us a CA$H grant to support our efforts to get La Val’s Subterranean Theatre up and running as not only our new home, but also an exciting new venue for the Bay Area theatre community. We are so grateful for the very real and solid support they provide to emerging companies like ours! Thank you, TBA!

2017 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for us, one in which we are seeing all our past efforts bearing golden fruit! We are excited by the prospects ahead, and deeply appreciative of all the support we have received from our Bay Area theatre community along the way.

Stay tuned for more news as we move into our new home and start to put the pieces together for an exciting season of theatre ahead, and see you all at La Val’s!

With love and appreciation – The Theatre Lunatico core company (Tina, Eileen, Michael, Shawn, and Melanie) on behalf of the Lunatico ensemble of theatre artists.

Theatrius review! “Macbeth goes primal at Theatre Lunatico”.

“If you have never experienced stripped down theater, take this opportunity to embrace a deeper bond with these powerful actors, and be swept away. Theatre Lunatico gives us the full tale, full of power.  I recommend the front row. I like it raw.”

Irene Nelson – Theatrius

You can read the full review here at the Theatrius website.

 

Macbeth

At Theatre Lunatico we are currently in the research phase of Macbeth, the second production in our Shoebox Shakespeare Series.

We were working together on the script the night of the US elections. At some point during that evening, as the frighteningly impossible became increasingly probable, the rehearsal seemed to grind to stunned and perplexed halt. We hugged hurriedly, fled early, all wanting, I believe, to get home to our loved ones. We left, one by one, in a state of quiet shock to “seek out some desolate shade and there weep our sad bosoms empty”.

Tyranny, it seems, is descending on us. As crude corruption stalks the corridors of power, it truly does appear that “our country sinks beneath the yoke. It weeps, it bleeds”.

Our exploration of this astonishing text has taken on new meaning since we heard the results. We are channeling our horror and fear, and our hopes, into our art. 

Here is a taste of what’s to come…