Theater News

Frances McDormand, Kathleen Chalfant, Sarah Ruhl, and More Join Berkeley Rep Season

Check out the full slate of productions for the San Francisco theater.

San Francisco
Frances McDormand will play Lady Macbeth in Daniel Sullivan's production of Macbeth at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Frances McDormand will play Lady Macbeth in Daniel Sullivan's production of Macbeth at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Oscar and Tony winner Frances McDormand will star as Lady Macbeth in Daniel Sullivan's upcoming production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, part of Berkeley Repertory Theatre's 2015-16 season.

Macbeth will begin its run in February 2016, with additional casting still to be announced. McDormand won Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in Sullivan's production of Good People, and also collaborated with him on the original off-Broadway production of Wendy Wasserstein's The Sisters Rosensweig. Her many films include Olive Kitteridge, Moonrise Kingdom, and Fargo, for which she won an Oscar.

The Berkeley Rep season will also include the West Coast premiere of Sarah Ruhl's For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday, directed by Les Waters and starring Kathleen Chalfant, in May 2016, as well as Steven Epp as Long John Silver in Mary Zimmerman's Treasure Island in April 2016.

The season begins August 28 with the world premiere of Amélie, A New Musical, adapted from the Academy Award-nominated film. Written by Tony nominee Craig Lucas, Amélie features music by Daniel Messé of the acclaimed band Hem with lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Messé. The production is directed by Tony winner Pam MacKinnon. The cast is led by Samantha Barks in the title role, alongside Randy Blair (Hipolito), Adam Chanler-Berat (Nino), Alison Cimmet (Amandine/Philomene), Carla Duren (Gina), John Hickok (Raphael/Bretodeaux), Alyse Alan Louis (Georgette/Fluffy/Sylvie), and Paul Whitty (Joseph).

For tickets to and more information about Berkeley Rep's new season, click here.