View an FAQ for watching and joining Beachtown here.
San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) announced today
Beachtown Live!, a brand new weekly streaming project written and directed by REP Playwright-in-Residence
Herbert Siguenza. Beginning on
Wednesday, June 10 and happening live
every Wednesday through August 5, members of the original cast of Siguenza’s
Beachtown and other San Diego favorite actors will join San Diego REP audiences to discuss how their fictional hometown should face the global pandemic crisis. Full of comedy and music,
Beachtown Live! is certain to be the most innovative, immersive and interactive project in San Diego REP history. Access to the weekly live stream will be free of charge and
reservations can be made here.
“We’re collectively experiencing something that none of us have ever gone through. Times like these call for innovative ideas and provocative experimentation. What Herbert and the artistic staff at San Diego REP have come up with in
Beachtown Live! fits the bill,” says
Sam Woodhouse, San Diego REP’s Artistic Director. “We’re thrilled to be trying something this fresh and new, and trust that San Diego REP audiences will love the opportunity to become part of the show in this new virtual way. Theatre happens when actor and audience meet, and
Beachtown Live! aims to spark that magic online.”
The small Southern California coastal community of Beachtown is facing a pandemic. The city has formed the Road to the Future Task Force to deal with the challenges the pandemic brings, and they need to hear your thoughts and opinions. As a citizen of Beachtown, you’ll help decide when and how to open beaches, parks, schools and offices; how to mitigate the effect on vulnerable communities, and other timely issues. Every Wednesday, Mayor Steve Novak and the Road to the Future Task Force will meet online at 7pm to host a participatory town hall with each other and with citizens (like you) who join the conversation and debate online. The first of 9 Task Force meetings will be broadcast live on the web on Wednesday, June 3 at 7pm. As always, town hall meetings are free to join and participation is welcomed but not mandatory.
The cast of San Diego REP’s Beachtown Live! includes
Jason Heil (
Hand to God,
Clybourne Park),
Salomon Maya (
Manifest Destinitis,
Bad Hombres/Good Wives),
Marci Anne Weubben (
Beachtown at San Diego REP,
A Little Night Music at Cygnet Theatre),
Antonio “TJ” Johnson (
Beachtown at San Diego REP,
Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3 at Intrepid Theatre Company),
Sandra Ruiz (
Beachtown,
In the Time of the Butterflies) and
Mondis Vakili (
House of Joy at San Diego REP,
A Thousand Splendid Suns at The Old Globe).
Siguenza will write and direct the piece.
Sarah Zimmerman will serve as Stage Manager and Technical Director, with
Danielle Ward as Dramaturg.
HERBERT SIGUENZA (PLAYWRIGHT/DIRECTOR) is Playwright-In-Residence at The REP through a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He is also a founding member of Culture Clash, the most popular and produced Latino ensemble in the nation. For the last thirty years, he has co-written or adapted and performed over fifteen original critically acclaimed award winning plays at prestigious regional theatres around the country. Theatre Communications Group Books has published three compilations of their collective works which includes
Radio Mambo,
Zorro in Hell! and
Chavez Ravine. Siguenza has also written and performed solo works outside the group including
Cantinflas! (2003),
A Weekend With Pablo Picasso (2010),
El Henry (2014),
Steal Heaven (2015),
Manifest Destinitis (2016),
Beachtown (2018) and
Bad Hombres/Good Wives (2019). Additionally, Mr. Siguenza recently directed Jose Rivera's
Cloud Tectonics for New Village Arts and his voice is featured in the Oscar nominated animated film
Coco.
Get tickets to Beachtown Live!