2025 season are both of the past and of the moment,” says Jim Frangione, GB Public Theater co-founder and artistic director.“ People are curious about the world of new plays. There is a real audience who want to hear stories they’ ve never heard before and watch the progression from a reading to a full production. It’ s exciting. And it’ s all we do.”
The first two productions of the season are not only new plays, but intriguing stories about individuals we might have guessed differently about.
The season kicks off with How to Not Save the World with Mr. Bezos( June 5-22) by up-and-coming playwright Maggie Kearnan and directed by Clay Hopper, presented in association with the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. In a world where it’ s illegal to have more than a billion dollars, Jeff Bezos wrestles with his formidable interviewer( who has her own agenda), and the onstage fact-checker brilliantly sets us straight with a few juicy facts about Mr. Bezos, the history of taxes, and beer pong. Be prepared to laugh, cringe, and say
“ hello” to your inner antagonist. Next is Madame Mozart, The Lacrimosa( July 10-27) by Anne Undeland and directed by GB Public Theater Associate Artistic Director Judy Braha, the first piece to be commissioned by the theater company.“ About three years ago, a friend of mine, Gerald Elias, a former violinist with the BSO and associate concertmaster with the Utah Symphony, sent me a short story he wrote about Constanze Mozart’ s struggle, thinking it would make an interesting play,” recalls Frangione. He showed it at once to Undeland, who created a work of historical fiction about an underestimated woman struggling to survive by dint of her own sharp wits and under severe financial duress, all while living in a patriarchal society. With a live pianist on stage and recorded music, the play has an orchestral feel.“ We love that this is a crossover play,” says Frangione.
Ending the season is the world premiere of The Best Medicine( August 1 – 17) by Robin Gerber and directed by Matthew Penn. About a woman in her 60s who is a
caregiver while trying her hand at stand-up comedy, The Best Medicine is a moving story told with humor and pathos.“ This play grew secretly in my heart over a decade of dealing with my husband ' s diagnosis of Parkinson ' s disease,” says Gerber.“ It burst into my brain when I decided to try stand-up comedy. After a local performance, I received many heartfelt thank yous, which made me realize I had more to say.” Gerber’ s play The Shot, about Katharine Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post, starring Sharon Lawrence, premiered at GB Public Theater in 2022 and went on to be produced around the country, says Frangione.“ We have high hopes for The Best Medicine.” GB Public Theater also is launching Stepping Up: Plays in Development, a new Berkshire Voices program. It will select two works emerging out of Berkshire Voices that have previously had a public reading with GB Public Theater. The works will be given 16 hours of development with a cast and director over a few days, culminating in a public staged reading at the Daniel Arts Center in July and August.
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May Holiday / June 2023 2025 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // // 53