[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN CELEBRATION OF THE GRAND OPENING OF THE BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE'S 
                                NEW HOME

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 7, 2001

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of the March 12, 2001 
Grand Opening of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's new 600-seat 
proscenium theater. The festivities will also include a performance of 
The Oresteia, running from March 13, 2001 until May 6, 2001, and an 
open house honoring the longstanding relationship between the theater 
and the larger community.
  The Berkeley Repertory Theatre has a long history of excellence. It 
was founded in 1968 as the East Bay's first resident professional 
theater. In 1980 Berkeley Rep gathered enough public support to move 
from its converted storefront theater to its current location in 
downtown Berkeley. The Theater was awarded a Tony Award for Outstanding 
Regional Theater in 1997. In October of 1998 the group announced its 
plans to construct a new 600-seat proscenium stage theater to 
complement the existing 401-seat thrust theater stage.
  The second theater will enable the Berkeley Repertory Theatre to 
continue its more than thirty year tradition of providing the community 
with eclectic, imaginative, and challenging productions. The new 
theater will evoke the intimacy and vitality that is characteristic of 
the current space, but will also provide greater artistic flexibility 
for the future.
  The opening will showcase the new theater, introduce the community to 
the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's new home, and host a world premiere 
performance of The Oresteia. The theater will better serve the 
Repertory's ever-increasing 15,000 member audience. The new building 
was made possible in part by donations from the City of Berkeley and 
the Ask Jeeves Foundation.
  The new Berkeley Repertory Theatre is the cornerstone of downtown 
Berkeley's emerging Arts District and has become a great source of 
civic pride for the community. I am proud to congratulate Berkeley 
Repertory Theatre as it opens its new theater and I look forward to the 
many years of arts enrichment it will provide to the City of Berkeley.

                          ____________________