Shotgun Players facts for kids
 |
|
| Address | 1901 Ashby Avenue Berkeley, California United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°51′16.48″N 122°16′15.3″W / 37.8545778°N 122.270917°W |
| Public transit |  Ashby |
| Type | Regional theater |
| Capacity | Ashby Stage: 119 |
| Opened | 1992 (company) 2004: The Ashby Stage 2015: The Shotgun Studios |
The Shotgun Players is a theater group in Berkeley, California, located in the East Bay area of California. They put on about 6 to 7 plays each year. Their main stage, where most shows happen, is called the Ashby Stage. It's in the Lorin District and close to the Ashby BART station.
Contents
About the Shotgun Players
The Shotgun Players theater group started in 1992. It was founded by Patrick Dooley, who is still their Artistic Director. Patrick and ten other actors began the company in a pizza shop.
From Traveling Shows to a Permanent Home
Before finding a permanent home, the Shotgun Players performed in 44 different places! In 2004, they moved into their main stage, the Ashby Stage. This theater is in Berkeley's Lorin District.
Solar Power and New Studios
In December 2007, the Ashby Stage became the first live theater in the United States to use only solar power. This means it gets all its energy from the sun! The Ashby Stage is used for all their main plays and for special "Champagne Staged Reading Series" events.
In 2015, with help from community donations, Shotgun Players bought a building that used to be a bookstore. They turned it into a rehearsal studio and workshop called The Shotgun Studios. This new space is used for their own play rehearsals. It also serves as a creative place for other new performing arts groups.
Plays and Productions
Since 1992, Shotgun Players has created over 140 plays. About 30 of these plays were brand new works written just for them.
Main Stage Shows Each Year
Shotgun Players has one main season each year. During this season, they usually produce about 6 plays. In 2015, they had a special season where all the plays were written by women playwrights. This included 6 full plays and 6 staged readings. In 2016, to celebrate their 25th anniversary, they presented their plays in a special way called "repertory." This means they performed different plays on different nights, often using the same actors.
Notable Past Productions
Here are some of the well-known plays Shotgun Players has performed:
- Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (2018)
- Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Mallow (2022)
- Thirty-Six by Leah Nanako Winkler (2023)
- Iron Shoes (2018) - This was a special project with the Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble.
- The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets (2017) - This play included contributions from famous artists like Tom Waits, William S. Burroughs, and Robert Wilson.
- Shipwreck by Tom Stoppard (2013)
- Woyzeck by Georg Büchner (2012)
- Bonnie & Clyde by Adam Peck (2013)
Other Theaters to Explore
- American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco, California
- Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley, California
- Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, California
- TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, California
- San Francisco Playhouse, San Francisco, California
- Aurora Theatre, Berkeley, California
