Tri-Valley stages are set this year for Shakespeare readings and plays as well as science-based productions hosted by SPARC Theater.
Set to run between February and August, multi-day performances by the professional, nonprofit theater company include retellings of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and the “The Merry Wives of Windsor” as well as script readings of “Copenhagen” and “PM10” in a series called Science@Play.
“In a year that has seen many theater companies close or struggle to maintain operations, SPARC is forging ahead to expand its offering of readings and performances for audiences in the East Bay and beyond, and reaffirming its commitment to hiring local Bay Area theater professionals, bringing greater opportunities for paid work to artists in our local community,” SPARC artistic director Lisa Tromovitch said in a statement.
To start off SPARC’s 2025 season, three actors will perform fast-paced versions of “Romeo & Juliet” called “Romance and Juliet” in February. As part of SPARC’s “Get Out of the House Reading Series”, the actors will read their lines from scripts and perform in front of light staging.
“The readings are a great entry into the world of theater. They are low-key, casual, and less expensive. The audience is small so you’re really a part of it. The actors embody the characters, not just read the story,” Tromovitch said.
While watching the shows, audiences can enjoy award-winning wine or chocolate desserts.
Performances of “Romance and Juliet” are set to take place at SPARC Studio in Livermore on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 2 p.m., with an additional performance at the Front Row Theater in San Ramon on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.
Up next are two science-based productions, scheduled for March.
As part of the fourth annual Science@Play reading series, they are intended as thought-provoking works that deepen science appreciation.
The first featured script is “Copenhagen” by Michael Frayn. As a historical drama set during World War II, play tells the story of two scientists who were involved in developing the atomic bomb — German physicist Werner Heisenberg and his former mentor, Danish physicist Niels Bohr. The show explores the relationship between science and politics, Tromovitch said.
“Copenhagen” was chosen in part because the subject is familiar to the many SPARC patrons who work at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory or Sandia National Laboratories, Tromovitch said.
Readings of “Copenhagen” will take place on March 14 at 7:30 p.m., March 15 at 7:30 p.m. and March 16 at 2 p.m. at the SPARC Studio in Livermore.
The second show is “PM10,” a newly commissioned piece in its early phase of development, created by film and theater writer and director Mildred Inez Lewis.
“This is a moment for arts organizations to enlighten their audiences and contribute to a global narrative by showcasing the minds and spirits of the folks in the middle of today’s scientific breakthroughs,” Tromovitch said in a statement. “By commissioning BIPOC writers to create characters for these stories, we uplift people of color as leaders in the scientific community.”
Set to direct “PM10” is renowned Bay Area-based artist Dawn Monique Williams.
“At the intersection of science and theatre, there is magic to be made and I am honored to be a small part of it by introducing this new play to audiences,” Williams said.
The readings of “PM10” are set for March 28 at 7:30 p.m., March 29 at 7:30 p.m. and March 30 at 2 p.m. at the SPARC Studio in Livermore, as well as at the Front Row Theater in San Ramon on March 29 at 2 p.m.
SPARC’s season finale is “Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor”, Tromovitch’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor”.
Cast with all-Bay Area professionals, this production is part of the annual Shakespeare in the Vineyard series.
Performances of “Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor” are set to run from July 3 -27 at Darcie Kent Vineyards in Livermore, with all showtimes scheduled at 7:30 p.m.
SPARC will also host an additional three weekends of the summer production at the Village Theatre and Art Gallery in Danville from Aug. 8-24. Friday and Saturday performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. while those on Sunday are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
For tickets or more information about SPARC Theater, visit sparctheater.org.
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