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1994 |
Rough
and Tumble is founded by Cliff Mayotte with Stephen Robinson, Beth Daly,
Robert Parsons, Clara Soister and Evi Pazmanczyk. The company holds weekly
ensemble workouts at their home at the Blake Street Studios in Berkeley.
Their first public performance is a staged reading of Henry Fielding's Tom
Jones at the Julia Morgan Theater. |
Tom Jones |
1995 |
The
company presents a staged reading of George Tabori's controversial satire
Mein Kampf at Bindlestiff Studio in San Francisco.
Later that year, the company mounts a full production of Eugene Ionesco's
Macbett, as part of their self-created "South
of Market South of Shakespeare" Festival at Bindlestiff. Macbett
is greeted with sold-out houses and great reviews. |
Macbett |
1996 |
The
company returns to Bindlestiff for a two night run of their work-in-progress,
Tom Jones. They also produce a three night run
of company member Brian Lohmann's comedy lounge act, Johnny
Lonely's Unhappy Hour at the 450 Geary Studio Theatre. In
June, their full production of Tom Jones opens
at 450 Geary. The entire six-week run sells out. Rough and Tumble receives
rave reviews, BATCC awards for ensemble and live musical score, as well
as Bay Area Drama-Logue awards for acting and directing. The SF Weekly picks
Tom Jones as one of the ten best Bay Area productions
of the year. |
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1997 |
Rough
and Tumble becomes a fiscally sponsored project of Intersection
for the Arts. In April, the company takes a risk by co-producing
(with 450 Geary Studio Theatre) the Bay Area premiere of Len Jenkin's "metaphysical
vaudeville" My Uncle Sam. Reviews are mixed.
The production earns BATCC nominations for sound design and musical score.
The S.F Bay Guardian describes My Uncle Sam as "a delightful
and mind-bending production." |
My
Uncle Sam |
1998 |
The
company begins pre-production work on their next project, Moliere's The
Misanthrope, due to open at New Langton Arts in San Francisco.
Before The Misanthrope opens, the company produces
an evening of staged readings culled from the work of American humorist
S.J. Perelman entitled Perelman Before Swine. The Misanthrope
(set in 1990sHollywood) opens in August and receives respectable houses
and favorable reviews. The SF Weekly says "charming actors and an excellent
adaptation make it fun to watch." |
The Misanthrope |
1999 |
Due
to hectic schedules and fatigue, the company decides to take the year off
from producing and instead focuses on rest and research. |
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2000 |
In April, Rough
and Tumble participates in the Bay Area Shakespeare Marathon, presenting
a 1940's radio version of Much Ado About Nothing
at The Marsh in San Francisco. The company also produces an epic fund-raiser,
Saving Our Shorts, at the Thick House in San Francisco. The evening features
performances of short works by Charlie Varon, Amy Freed, Anne Galjour
and Brian Lohmann. The company also receives a CASH grant from Theatre
Bay Area.
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2001 |
Rough
and Tumble takes up residence at the Eureka Theatre in San Francisco from
February to April, and presents staged readings of Nikolai Erdman's Soviet-era
satire, The Suicide, and Charles Ludlam's pulp
parody The Artificial Jungle. |
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2002 |
The
company forges an alliance with The Ukiah Players Theatre and becomes a
co-producer of their New American Comedy Workshop. Members of both companies
read dozens of new full-length comedies, with the aim of developing and
presenting two of the plays during a summer workshop in Ukiah. The chosen
scripts, The Oyster Bed by Kate Hawley and Eat
and Run by Karl Tiedemann, are given staged readings in June. |
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| 2003 |
Rough
and Tumble and Ukiah Players Theatre enter the second phase of the New American
Comedy Workshop by co-producing the world premiere of Karl Tiedemann's farce,
Eat and Run at the Ukiah Playhouse in June. The production is directed
by longtime Rough and Tumble associate Brian Lohmann. Eat and Run plays
to full and appreciative houses. Several weeks before the opening, Rough
and Tumble and members of the Ukiah Players Theatre present an evening of
readings entitled Mirth of a Nation, which features
the work of such writers as Mark Twain, Ring Lardner, Dorothy Parker and
Kurt Vonnegut. |
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2004 |
Company
members focus on marriage, raising children, new and different career paths,
and pursuing other creative opportunities. |
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| 2005 |
Rough
and Tumble finds a new creative home at the Temescal Arts Center in Oakland.
Several scripts are developed, including Ben Jonson's 1616 comedy, The
Devil is an Ass, which is presented in a workshop performance
in May. In October, the company presents two, script- in-hand performances
of Voltaire's Candide, adapted by Len Jenkin.
These performances are part of Theatre Bay Area's "Free Night of Theatre"
campaign. |
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2006 |
In
late January, the company does an in-house reading of 43 Plays
for 43 Presidents by Andrew Bayiates, Sean Benjamin, Genevra
Gallo, Chloe Johnston and Karen Weinberg of Chicago's Neo-Futurists. Almost
on the spot, the company decides to do a full production. Excerpts of the
show will be performed at the San Francisco Theatre Festival in July at
the Yerba Buena Center. |
43 Plays
for 43 Presidents |
2007 |
On
January 5, the company opens 43 Plays for 43 Presidents at
LaVal's Subterranean in Berkeley. The show is greeted with excellent
reviews and sold out houses. The San Francisco Chronicle says
the production "packs
a lot of fun into a clever vaudeville format," and the East
Bay Express raves "a giddy romp through our electoral history." Other
endeavors for the year include a staged reading of Tales of
the Lost Formicans by Constance Congdon at the Ashby Stage in Berkeley.
The company also participates in the nation-wide 365 Days/365 Plays by
Suzan-Lori Parks performed in the courtyard at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
To round out the year, the company announces their next full production,
Len Jenkin's adaptation of Voltaire's classic satire Candide,
and their first ever commission: A History of Human Stupidity by
Andy Bayiates.
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43 Plays
for 43 Presidents |
<a hre 
365
Days/365 Plays f="365Days.htm"><img src="365_1Sm.jpg" alt="365
Plays/365 Days" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a> |
| 2008 |
The year's work began with two fundraisers for Candide: a "rent party" in June at the home of Bay Area playwright Carol Lashof, and Rough and Tumble's second annual Indie Rock benefit at Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco. The line up featured Citay (with company member Josh Pollock), Tall Firs, Sleepy Son and Corvette Summer. On August 30, the company opened Voltaire's Candide (adapted by Len Jenkin) at the Berkeley City Club. The production featured live music composed and performed by Phillip Greenlief and showcases excellent ensemble work, physical vitality and comic skill. The production receives mostly favorable reviews, with the San Francisco Bay Times raving " this Candide renews ones faith in the power of live theatre to entertain, tickling both the mind and the senses. Be prepared to laugh!" |
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| Candide |
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