West Coast Premiere of Head of Passes Begins Performances

Head of Passes, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney, starts its run tonight at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. The play begins on Shelah’s birthday, during a storm near the mouth of the Mississippi river. As the family gathers memories and secrets from the past do as well. With the house caving under the weight of the rain, Shelah’s convictions threaten to wash away with the storm, leaving her to uncover the truth beneath the surface.

Directed by Tina Landau, the show features Francois Battiste as Aubrey, Cheryl Lynn Bruce as Shelah, Jonathan Burke as Crier, James Carpenter as Dr. Anderson, Brian Tyree Henry as Spencer, Sullivan Jones as The Angel, Nikkole Salter as Cookie, Kimberly Scott as Mae, and Michael A. Shepperd as Creaker.

"I’m thrilled to be making my debut at Berkeley Rep," says playwright McCraney. "For Head of Passes I was taken with the idea behind unyielding faith and how we hold on to it. In theatre I found so few people willing to talk about the bedrock of faith being a sort of human need. My experience of faith in the African American culture is with women, and so I chose to center the drama around a single female character. This play is about a literal discourse in faith, and I hope others join the conversation."

The creative team includes G.W. Skip Mercier (set design), Toni-Leslie James (costume design), Scott Zielinski (lighting design), and Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound design).

Performances will run through May 24.

For tickets and more information, click here.