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Event
The Last Night of the Barbary Coast Developed by Jessa Brie Berkner and The Idora Park Theatre Co.
A Heroine's Journey through the Wild West.
The Last Night of the Barbary Coast is very loosely based on a family legend, chronicling the story of young Babe Giralomi as she fled Meaderville, Montana with a Vaudeville troupe and headed West, where she eventually died in an Opium Den Fire (or laundry fire, depending on whose version of the story you believe).
The play's story follows the archetypal and mythical structure of the tarot, or hero's journey, as our heroine encounters the trials and tribulations of the Wild West from a young girl's perspective. Our Babe encounters Magicians and Devils, Madames and Cowboys, Miners and Whores. Elements of choice and chance, destiny and fate, and the rise and fall of fortune figure prominently throughout the show.
Using a devised theatre process, performers and design team are all in collaboration, creating a strong visual and musical landscape for the story. The play was developed using a series of workshops and structured improvisations.
Directed by Jessa Brie Berkner.
Choreography by Ena Dallas.
Musical Direction/Composition/Arrangement by Freddi Price.
Set Design by Simon Chefins and Jack Ruszel.
Lighting Design by Zoltan DeWitt.
Costume Design by Lucid Dawn.
Properties Design by Tracy Hobbs.
Jessa Brie Berkner, director and writer/developer, is best known for her work as an actress and theatre artist. She recently returned from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland where she directed her student company in an award-winning sold-out show. Her directoral work has been seen at Stanford and CalShakes, where she also Asst. Directed MacBeth this past summer.
The set is a giant rotating roulette wheel, designed by woodworker Jack Ruszel and artist Simon Cheffins, known for his creation of the infamous La Contessa, a Spanish galleon which sailed the desert.
Our lighting designer is Zoltan DeWitt, former lighting engineer for Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Choreographer is Ena Dallas, artist with The Starlings trapeze duo and member of the Extra Action Marching Band's legendary Flag Team. Starting with period dance forms, she is developing a sensual movement vocabulary with the cast.
Musical Director is composer and performer Freddi Price, front man for Rube Wadell, Lord Loves a Working Man, and several other collaborations with musicians and theatre artists. We've been listening to a lot of old-time fiddle, Morricone, erho, or Chinese fiddle, and opera.
Costume Design by Lucid Dawn of Waisted and Naked Nature.
Properties Design by Tracy Hobbs.
The show goes up February 17th-26th, 2011 at SOMArts in San Francisco.
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LocationSOMArts
934 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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