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The Reservoir

Fri 5 Sep - Sun 12 Oct
Fri Sep 5
-
Sun Oct 12

Tickets now on sale

By Jake Brasch
Directed by Mike Donahue
Peet’s Theatre

Josh is a hot mess of a queer twenty-something. He’s dropped out of school to get his life together — but can’t manage to stay sober. Struggling with fogginess and memory loss, he finds unlikely allies in his four hilarious grandparents. Desperate for a sense of purpose, Josh sets out to bring them along on his road to recovery. He drags them to Jazzercise at the JCC. He makes them play memory games. He insists they eat spinach by the handful. Eventually, he slams up against the limits of his quest. When he can no longer help his grandparents, they begin to help him. The Reservoir is Jake Brasch’s sharply funny and deeply heartfelt new comedy about family, memory, and the path toward healing.

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Production information

  • Runtime: Two hours and 15 minutes including one 15-minute intermission
  • Age recommendation: Suitable for ages 12 and up
  • Stage effects advisory: Moments of strobe lights, loud sounds, and stage fog
  • Content advisory: Adult themes, graphic and sexualized language, suicidal themes, alcohol and drug use, and mental health

 

Important dates

  • Masks required: Sep 7, Sep 14 (matinee and evening), Sep 16, and Sep 21 (matinee)
  • Closed captioning: evenings Sep 11, 12, 14, 16, and 17; and every matinee through Oct 9
  • Audio description: Oct 11 matinee
  • Theatre Explorers: Sep 27 matinee — K–5 workshop for families; learn more about bringing children to the theatre
  • Postshow discussions: Sep 19, Sep 25, and Sep 30 — guided by members of Berkeley Rep’s artistic team
  • Docent-led postshow discussions: after all matinees

 

Events and extras

  • Jewish Community Night: Start the evening on Sep 12 with live music from Maya Elise & The Good Dream while enjoying delicious light bites from Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen and non-alcoholic beer from Best Day Brewing in our Narsai M. David Courtyard. There will be tabling from our community partners at Keshet and Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. Doors open at 6:45pm. The preshow festivities are free and open to everyone. Admission to the evening’s performance of The Reservoir requires a ticket.
  • On Faith, Sobriety, and Queerness: Join us on Sep 17 for a postshow Community Dialogue in partnership with the production’s Rabbinical Consultant Rabbi Eliana Kayelle, Rabbi Maggid Jhos Singer, and the Oakland LGBT Community Center’s Recovery Services Manager Anita Thomas. Facilitated by Associate Producer — New Work victor cervantes jr., this panel discussion will begin immediately after the performance and is free for anyone to attend even if you do not see the show that evening.

Who’s who

Cast

Michael Cullen | Hank
Ben Hirschhorn | Josh
Barbara Kingsley | Irene
Pamela Reed | Bev
Jeffrey Omura | Hugo/Others
Peter Van Wagner | Shrimpy
Brenda Withers | Patricia/Others
Nancy Carlin | Understudy Bev/Irene
Jennifer McGeorge | Understudy Patricia/Others
Joel Ochoa | Understudy Josh/Hugo/Others
Victor Talmadge | Understudy Shrimpy/Hank

 

Creative team

Jake Brasch | Playwright
Mike Donahue | Director
Afsoon Pajoufar | Scenic Design
Carolyn Mazuca | Costume Design
Alexander V. Nichols | Lighting Design
Jake Rodriguez | Sound Design
Erika Chong Shuch | Movement
David Möschler | Music Director
Caparelliotis Casting / David Caparelliotis CSA and Joe Gery | Casting
Elisa Guthertz | Stage Manager
Emma Walz | Assistant Stage Manager (Sep 5–28, Oct 6–12)
Anthony Lopez | Assistant Stage Manager (Sep 29–Oct 5)

The actors and stage managers on this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Season presenting sponsor

Peet’s Coffee

Season sponsor

I Fly OAK

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Accessibility

Berkeley Rep is wheelchair accessible and offers assistive listening devices (ALDs), closed captioning, audio description, and scripts for the hearing-impaired.

Health and safety

In the 2025/26 season, masks are encouraged for all performances, but are required in our theatres on select Sunday and Tuesday performances.

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