by Bertolt Brecht adapted by Patrick Dooley directed by Patrick Dooley

"No one understands anything. But some things we can feel. Tales we understand are just badly told."
~Brecht, Baal

Opened: April 20, 1996 at La Val's Subterranean & June 8, 1996 at Venue 9
Performed: Thursdays & Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 pm
Performed At: La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid Avenue, Oakland & Venue 9, 252 Ninth Street, San Francisco
Closed: June 1, 1996 at La Val's Subterranean & June 29, 1996 at Venue 9

Breathing life into this monster of a play was by far the most difficult thing we had ever accomplished. This was not pretty, hope-driven theatre. This play was a celebration of all that is cynical and grotesque and lustful. It was for everyone who ever wanted to shamelessly eat too much, drink too much and be wanton too much (if you get my drift).

Katie Bales as Sophie
Jonathan Bender as Piller, Teamster, Lupu, Parson, Teddy & Man #2
Erin Merritt as Pschierer, Johanna, Farmer #1, Maja & Man #4
Geoffrey Pond as Mech, Teamster, Mjurk, Lumberjack & Watzmann
Richard Reinoldt as Young Man, Teamster, Landlady, Farmer #3, Beggar & Man #1
Jennifer Savich as Young Woman, Louise, Older SIster, Lumberjack & Gougou
Richard Silberg as Johannes, Lumberjack, Bollebol & Man #3
Stan Spenger as Ekart
Michael Storm as Baal
Steve Uchida as Butler, Teamster, Vagabond, Piano Player, Farmer #2 & Lumberjack
Pamela Wylie as Emily Mech, Younger Sister & Savettka


Patrick Dooley, director
Andrea Bechert, set and light design
Lisa Solomon, costume design and construction
Laura McNall, mask design and construction
Arkadi Serper, original music score
Anne C.S. Barron, piano
Sandy de Lissovoy, clarinet
Geoffrey Pond, percussion
Jonathan Bender, makeup design
Bob Borwick, combat choreography
Andrew Harth, set construction
Judy Phillips & Sara Kalick, stage managers
Patrick Duffy, props
Carl Martineau, vocal instructor
Alex Lopez, light board operator
Patrick Dooley, artistic director

Christopher Hawthorne for The East Bay Express