07/08 limited season

written and performed by danny hoch
directed by tony taccone
thrust stage
january 11–february 24, 2008
world premiere

running time: 90 minutes, no intermission

extended through february 24

the art

Like Sarah Jones, Anna Deavere Smith and other solo performers who brought stunning shows to our stage, Danny Hoch took Berkeley Rep by storm with Jails, Hospitals & Hip Hop. Now Danny returns to unveil his latest work—a one-man tour de force that captures the indelible characters of his neighborhood, where the melting pot is boiling over with ethnic and economic tensions. Danny effortlessly transforms across the boundaries of race, age and gender, masterfully depicting a city in transition with compassionate and hilarious results. This highly anticipated world premiere is expertly staged by Artistic Director Tony Taccone.

the artists

Danny Hoch is the founder of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival and the Obie Award-winning artist who created Whiteboyz; Jails, Hospitals & Hip-Hop; and the HBO special Some People. His work has been seen in 50 U.S. cities and 15 countries.

Tony Taccone took two shows from Berkeley Rep to New York City last year: he made his Broadway debut with Sarah Jones’ Bridge & Tunnel, which won a Tony Award for its star, and also directed a sold-out run of Tony Kushner and Maurice Sendak’s Brundibar in Times Square. His other recent hits here at home include Continental Divide, Culture Clash’s Zorro in Hell and Honour.

the buzz

taking over conquers critics and audiences

“The remarkable Danny Hoch lights up the stage like a dynamo, illuminating the entire Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg through nine impeccably drawn, vividly diverse characters (including himself) in an angry, funny, nuanced and provocative 100-minute look at the perils, complexities and injustices of gentrification. Sharply staged by Tony Taccone for its world premiere, Hoch’s latest solo tour de force is hard-hitting, riveting, gritty and irresistible.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Hoch has created breathtakingly well-developed characters representing various sides of the gentrification question, and parades them across the state to provide tiny, complex portraits, etching the very good and very bad into his population…Equal portions of rage, irony, humor and clarity.”—Contra Costa Times

“Let there be no question about Danny Hoch’s genius. To throw around a few adjectives, the man is fascinating, funny, provocative, entertaining and powerful…In a hefty 100 minutes, Hoch plays nine characters (including himself) of different races, cultures and genders…Taking Over is an extraordinary evening spent in the company of one man who fills the stage with compelling people and a compelling argument for living a more examined life.”—Theater Dogs

“Flawlessly performed…a gem of a show starring Danny Hoch, who you can be sure is from New York…It’s brilliantly directed by Berkeley Rep’s artistic director, Tony Taccone. Danny Hoch is one of the most energetic performers I’ve ever seen, and his comedic ability is priceless…Don’t miss this dynamic comic entertainer…You’ll laugh your head off with appreciation.”—KGO radio

“The gentrification of his native Brooklyn provides a terrific focus for Danny Hoch’s patented brand of multi-character, multi-ethnic solo theater in Taking Over. Helmed by Berkeley Rep artistic director Tony Taccone, this intermissionless show is brash, richly characterful and frequently very funny…Hoch and Taccone have every gesture and beat tuned to perfection.”—Variety

“I think [Danny Hoch] is one of the best people I’ve ever seen do this kind of work. Ever.”—Sarah Jones, Tony Award-winning writer and actress

“There is nobody on earth you want to develop a new work with other than [Tony Taccone]. He’s Tony Soprano mixed with Samuel Beckett and the brains of a rocket scientist.”—Culture Clash’s Richard Montoya

“a rare combination of acute observer, gifted writer and agile performer…he goes far beyond what normally passes for impersonation. Instead, he digs deep into his characters’ psyches, creating a fierce and specific inner logic for them. Then, like an expert tailor, he sews each tic and vocal inflection into a slightly flashy, perfectly fitting suit. Hoch brings to mind some sort of streetwise shaman, and moments in his show approach the truly mesmerizing…his observations are nothing short of sublime, and he strenuously avoids any party-line liberal preachiness…One of his strengths as a writer is his ability to have his characters use humor to mask their pain; he repeatedly undercuts laughs (and there are many) with personal revelations or angry outbursts. It’s not the easy choice, but Hoch isn’t interested in easy choices. In a sea of self-obsessed solo performers, Hoch floats to the top.”—Time Out New York

“His timing is flawless. His are characters beautifully developed in an honest and virtuosic if at times quaint style…His strength, like Anna Deavere Smith’s, lies in his ability to represent people as they are rather than as political discourse would dictate.”—Village Voice

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