Mayer-helmed GALILEO musical and more part of Berkeley Rep season

Looks like I'm road tripping to Berkley next summer! That creative team is absolutely stacked. After I saw (and became a little obsessed with) The Lonely Few, I was poking around trying to see what else Zoe Sarnak was working on, and this looked promising. I'm only sad we have to wait a year!

After the week I've had, this is definitely the good news I've needed.

My first exposure to Raul was listening to cast recordings of tick, tick, Boom and Rocky Horror Show, and I'm excited to be able to see him in person.

I have tickets to this on the Sunday after it opens next month. The musical has been bouncing around for a decade. There was a reported reading in 2014 and another apparently in 2019. Michael Weiner has been involved in the musical from the start. Zoe Sarnak, his co-composer and lyricist, wasn’t involved in earlier versions of the show, from what I can tell. I have never seen Raul Esparza live before, so that will be interesting.

jacobsnchz14 said: "Next, Berkeley Rep will present the dazzling world premiere musical, GALILEO (May/June 2024), helmed by Tony Award winnerMichael Mayer(American Idiot, Swept Away, Spring Awakening), written by two-time Emmy winnerDanny Strong(Dopesick, Empire, The Butler), and choreographed byDavid Neumann(Swept Away, Hadestown). When maverick scientist Galileo Galilei makes celestial observations that challenge humanity's understanding of its place in the universe, he's summoned to Rome to defend his discoveries before the most powerful religious institution in the world, which is facing a rebellion of its own. With an original rock score and lyrics byMichael Weiner(Broadway's First Date) andZoe Sarnak(Jonathan Larson uno online Award winner), Galileois an explosive collision of science and faith, truth and power.Galileo will likely join the constellation of world premieres that traveled from Berkeley Rep to Broadway. Galileo is presented by special arrangement withJordan Rothand Key to the City Productions. Performances of Galileo will take place at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Michael-Mayer-Helmed-GALILEO-World-Premiere-More-Set-for-Berkeley-Repertory-Theatre-202324-Season-20230412"

Hello, I have a question. What other world premieres have been produced by Berkeley Rep that went on to Broadway?

Prelude to a Kiss also was presented at Berkeley Rep with Mary Louise Parker and Sydney Walker in fall 1988 - I think it may have been a joint production with South Coast Rep who premiered it in January 1988. The Rep's version was later in 1988 and may have been the revised version that went to Broadway. Parker was Rita at Berkeley Rep and then on Broadway. Sydney Walker played the Old Man in the film version.

Not sure if this count, but The Virgin Molly had its world premiere at Berkeley Rep in its "alternative season" and later went to Off-Broadway for many months.

We will see if Swept Away actually makes it to a Broadway theatre.

Updated On: 4/3/24 at 11:32 PM

Performances started yesterday, any reports?

Mira Nair's stage musical of her 2001 movie ''Monsoon Wedding'' also started at Berkeley Rep in 2017. Margo Lion was a producer, and it was popular enough that it extended a couple of times. ''Monsoon' finally made it to New York last year, playing at St. Ann's Warehouse. Even though it never made it to Broadway, the show's talented then-leading man, Michael Maliakel, did, and he's been starring for some time in the title role of ''Aladdin'' on the Great White Way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcDLQanekPk

Updated On: 5/6/24 at 01:18 PM

What’s the score like? A rock parallel? Chess-ish.

There's a fairly detailed discussion of previews on Reddit (posted below), if anyone wants to check out early reactions. The comments are split between enthusiasm and ennui, the score coming under some fire for repetition/lack of variety. The biggest structural criticism seems to be that the foundational science vs faith theme lacks urgency, sufficient emotional suspense for a full evening, i.e., the dialectic between a scientist and a skeptical, threatened church doesn't have a dramatic enough outcome to keep us engaged for 2.5 hours. Others disagree.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1cna302/galileo_thoughts/

Updated On: 5/16/24 at 08:00 AM

The Chronicle pan - performances aside - is rather startling. No effort was made to see the glass half full, or to in any way acknowledge the value of a story with thematic parallels; on the contrary, she finds the effort to find relevance strained. Having not seen the show, I'm in no position to dispute her take, but must cavil anyway on one point: the incidentals in this slice of history are not as well known as she opines. Most theatergoers will arrive with a rudimentary recall of the defining battle between faith and scientific inquiry. Still, the creators can't be having a good a.m. Perhaps more critics will weigh in with more nuanced reservations (as the critic for this site has).

Updated On: 5/17/24 at 10:48 AM

San Jose Mercury review: Raul Esparza is brilliant in 'Galileo'; the rest of the show can't keep up

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/17/review-raul-esparza-is-brilliant-in-galileo-the-rest-of-the-show-cant-keep-up/

Auggie27 said: "The Chronicle pan - performances aside - is rather startling. No effort was made to see the glass half full, or to in any way acknowledge the value of a story with thematic parallels; on the contrary, she finds the effort to find relevance strained. Havingnot seen the show, I'm in no position todisputeher take, but must cavil anyway on one point: the incidentals in this slice of history are not as well known as she opines. Most theatergoers will arrive with a rudimentary recall of the defining battle between faith and scientific inquiry. Still, the creators can't be having a good a.m. Perhaps more critics will weigh in with more nuanced reservations (as the critic for this site has)."

Had the same thought about this review. Most people don't know the story and does it take longer to lay out than Brecht did? Doubt that. Fair to say you'd like a little more here or there but be specific. Strange review.