Cult of Love

There is something cathartic about watching family dynamics unfold on stage. They can tap into a universal truth about the intricacies of human relationships, even when the story’s circumstances are uniquely specific to another family or period. Because of this, the American family drama has become a staple in the canon of great works for the stage, from the Lomans in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman to the Tyrones in Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, and the Youngers in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. Every few years a new play emerges that revisits the classic structure and tropes — uncovering family secrets, navigating sibling rivalries, or instigating intergenerational healing — while adding its own unique spin. This ever-growing list includes recent hits like Stephen Karam’s The Humans, Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Appropriate (currently on Broadway). At Berkeley Rep, we are thrilled to add another play to the conversation, Cult of Love by renowned playwright and screenwriter Leslye Headland.

Cult of Love introduces us to the Dahls, a devout Christian family, as they navigate one of the most joyful and harrowing days for gathering, Christmas Eve. Leslye’s writing perfectly captures the dynamics of the contemporary family drama while injecting her trademark brand of dark humor. Reading the play for the first time, I was immediately struck by the musical complexity of its structure, which utilizes overlapping dialogue and songs to highlight moments of familial dissonance and harmony. Amidst the apparent (though carefully orchestrated) chaos of this 10-character ensemble play, there is a delicate balance between levity and depth, drama and comedy, faith and frustration, love and trauma. A play like Leslye’s demands the attention of a director-slash-conductor capable of weaving together the various parts into one cohesive event.

Having had the pleasure of serving as Trip Cullman’s assistant director on several occasions in my early career, I have witnessed the way he understands that cultivating interpersonal relationships among a cast is tantamount to digging into the scripted roles and relationships, especially when creating a family. Making space for each actor to draw from their own personal narratives and discover the quirks between their scene partners and translating them into their relationships onstage adds layers of hypernaturalism and truth to this story. It helps build the impression of years of inherited history and shared memories that underscore family conflicts. With only a few weeks of rehearsal and a play that demands actors to listen with every part of their body, this cast, comprised of actors from the Bay Area, New York, and Los Angeles (many of whom have never worked together) quickly tapped into the familial rhythms and rituals and unlocked decades of deep connections, wounds, and an abundance of love. It is awe-inspiring to see.

We invite you to immerse yourself in the rich traditions of the Dahl family, sharing in laughter, arguments, song, and fostering compassion for those you may not understand. Having just spent the holidays at home with my own family I recognize that the Dahl family may look and sound wildly different than my own but watching them navigate the tension between their fierce love and their inability to truly see one another triggers deep empathy. I can see reflections of myself and my family, both blood and chosen, in the relationships onstage, and I hope you too find those in the play.

David Mendizábal
Associate Artistic Director