TheatreFIRST

My husband and I just saw SeaFarer last night and thought it was awesome! We don’t go to the theater very often, but the excellent acting and intimacy of the theater will definitely bring us back! Thanks for a great show!

Oleanna, one of David Mamet’s most disturbing plays is artfully staged by Theatre First in the Historic Berkeley Club. Director /​actor/​artistic director: Michael Strom (John) is verbally cudgeled by Josie Alvarez (Carol), a spokesperson for her ‘group’. In a few choice words, the lives of the professor and student are irreversibly changed forever. Never has language been more powerful. Nowhere is power more potent. See this show! Bring your favorite teacher. Be prepared to be provoked.

We saw «Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter» last week and loved it! Having theater this good nearby is such a treat. The cast took us to a new place of awareness and compassion with their portayal of a group of misfits who welcome a new war veteran with as much grace as any of us could. So worth it, such a good way to spend an evening!

Nice intimate black box theater in the Fox. The Grapes of Wrath was fantastic. Beautifully directed. An old story made new. Actors brought it with their acting, physical and music talent. Wow, am I watching theatre in New York? No, downtown Oakland!!!

I saw Drawer Boy the other night and the acting was superb. It’s a great small space, without a bad seat in the house. There’s easy access on BART and either street parking or a lot across the street had parking for $ 5. Plus, there are lots of fantastic places to eat close by — Flora, Ozumo, Pican, Luka’s Tap Room, to name just a few. It’s in the same building as the Fox Theatre and The Den. Highly recommended! They’re adding play readings on some Monday evenings — I’m looking forward to that too.

THIS IS A SMALL THEATER COMPANY THAT IS DEFINITELY WORTH FOLLOWING. Good choice of scripts, able directing, very good acting and affordable season subscriptions ($ 75 for 3 plays). They have a three year lease on the little theater in the newly renovated Fox Theater building in downtown Oakland with convenient parking and public transit. In their opening production two actors play 10+ characters in the contemporary Irish Play «Stones in His Pocket» and Artistic director Michel Storm picked two performers who met the challenge of a minimal set and requiring the audience to keep up with their multiple character changes as the play progresses. Rosencranz and Guildenstern are Dead (Tom Stoppard) opens in January and I hope they will continue with their high standards.

I concur with Eliz D’s review of Stones in His Pockets. Not only was the show thoroughly entertaining, but it was also quite affordable, especially if you subscribe to the 3 show season. The venue is great, BART is around the corner and the neighborhood is springing to life. TheatreFirst is a great time out and worth supporting.

I saw their most recent show, Old Times, at the Gaia Arts Center, and it was fantastic. Even when the scene was between two of the three actors, the third actor was always just as engaging as the others, but wthout pulling focus! I went with a friend and we could not stop discussing the show afterward. Needless to say, I look forward to seeing shows in their new space!