Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Today Nina treated me to "The Thing About Jellyfish". It was my Chanukah present and I loved it, as did she. It was marvelous, almost two hours w/o intermission; I was never bored or restless. In some ways it reminded me of "Arcadia", by Tom Stoppard, in that it was intellectually stimulating while also being emotionally engaging. I love plays like that! The staging was absolutely magical, w/ changing projections, etc. I won't give you any plot details because I don't want to spoil any surprises. I encourage you to see it and let the play unfold for you. The cast was wonderful and everything worked well together. II was incredibly magical and imaginative. If you love theatre you will love this.

The prices are reasonable for most tickets. The shows are great and there is a variety of shows over the season. It's difficult to get around if you can't do stairs easily. While the bathrooms are non gender specific, there is only the one set and intermission isn't quite long enough to get everyone from upstairs into the bathroom and out because of all of the stairs and only a small elevator on the opposite side of the building from the bathrooms. People with walkers were having the most trouble.

REVIEW: "Galileo: A Rock Musical" at the Roda Theatre on June 8, 2024.Until this past weekend, I didn't realize I had not been to Berkeley Rep in nearly twenty years when I saw Rita Moreno's stirring turn as Amanda Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie". It's still a really well constructed facility, especially the 600-seat Roda Theatre. This time I was motivated to see the brand new musical about Galileo because it stars one of my favorite Broadway performers, Raul Esparza.In my opinion, he was the definitive Bobby in the 2006 Broadway revival of Sondheim's "Company" (review: https://yelp.to/ks7d5rzNC3), so I was thrilled to read that he was playing the title role. I convinced Jamie W. to come with me this past Saturday, and happily, Esparza was in top form playing Galileo as an obstreperous visionary. His powerful voice has not diminished over the years, and he inhabited the character with passionate brio.Although visually arresting, the Broadway-bound musical itself still needs a bit of work. The book by Danny Strong worked well in tracing the challenges Galileo faced in presenting his scientific findings against the omnipotence of the Catholic Church in the early 17th century. The "rock" music, however, often felt asynchronous with the setting as it sounded like a mash-up of "Rent" and a rap-free "Hamilton".The power ballad-heavy score by Michael Weiner and Zoe Sarna presented a few genuine highs like "Heaven's Changing" when Galileo discovered the telescope, but there were songs that should be jettisoned like the showy rocker "Two Sides". The repetitive chorus "Louder and Louder" really got on my nerves. There wasn't really a standout number in the entire show because it felt more like an opera than a musical.Beyond Esparza, there were a couple of vocal standouts. Jeremy Kushnier carried the show's biggest character arc as Galileo's initial ally, Bishop Barbarini, who becomes Pope in record time. The other was Madalynn Mathews as Galileo's feisty daughter Virginia who becomes a nun. Both deliver powerful numbers. Less impressive was the often clunky choreography and the uncertain ending with no big finish.I should mention this was the first time we took advantage of the seating in the bar lounge before the show. Cocktails were not overly pricy though most of the choices came prepackaged in cans. By the way, similar to most theatres, there were never enough restrooms, especially during intermission. Jamie discovered the second restroom beyond the terrace but a little too late. Second row orchestra seats cost $93.RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

They always have high quality plays. I personally appreciate they still have certain days that are"mask" days. The attendants are always helpful, professionals. Only area of concern... they are pricey. I'm a past season ticket holder and always found their play selections entertaining and insightful. Has to start being more selective because the prices are just too high.

This was my first time at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and I'm new to theater and Broadway. My boyfriend loves musicals, so I've been going to more shows and discovering new theaters. I've visited larger venues like the Orpheum Theatre, but Berkeley Rep felt different--warm and inviting, like a cozy family gathering where you feel close to the play. I highly recommend it! Plus, the show we saw, *Mexodus*, was amazing!

Amazing play @ Roda Theatre of Berkeley Rep- The thing About Jellyfish- saw last night. SPECTACULAR!!! GO. JUST GO!! It's beyond any performance we've seen in awhile. Just AWESOME

We just saw Galileo there and it was as good as any Broadway production! Don't miss this one!

Really nice venue, with lots of restrooms. I like the size of the venue. We had row M seats on the first level and felt like we had a really good view of the performance.We attended last night's performance of Galileo and were really impressed with the caliber of talent they were able to get to perform and direct the show. We will definitely be checking out other shows.It is also really convenient that it is a few minutes walk to the Downtown Berkeley BART station, which makes it much easier for us coming from the Peninsula.

The best theater in the Bay Area in my opinion!I've seen everything from their season thus-far and each play has been well written, acted, directed and designed. I am always excited to see what they will do next and make a point not to miss a show.Even if you're not a regular theater patron, I highly recommend seeing something here. Some of the most entertaining and enriching theater I've seen.

This is mainly a review of the Cambodian Rock Band.My cousin told me about his friend seeing this show a week prior and how they recommended it to us. We impromptu bought the tickets ($30 under 30 years old and $60 for those over) a couple of days before the show for ourselves and my dad, a Khmer Rouge survivor, and it was well worth it. Initially, I was under the impression this was only a concert. Instead, it was a heartfelt, entertaining play that puts you on a roller-coaster of emotions. The story is set in 2008 Cambodia as you follow a 26-year-old Cambodian American's journey and her relation to Comrade Duch. You are immersed in energetic music, tragic history, and outstanding storytelling. Masks-They do require masks and provide any if you didn't bring them. I saw that they required vaccination proof but didn't check when we arrived. Parking-The parking structure is conveniently located across the street. You can pay at the pay station or on your way out. It was $9 for a weekday night.